Lord Krshna

The one ancient Indian hero who captures both our intellect and heart at once is undisputedly Lord Krshna, the darling of humanity! From being a prince, statesman, leader, motivator, vanquisher of the evil, down to being a loving friend, cousin, cowherd, villager, artist and a caring spouse, he managed all his roles with an ease that fascinates us to this day!

He was easy with the class and mass alike. There was not a section of people that Krshna was ‘not comfortable’ with! When it came to human relationships, he was boundless and devoid of inhibitions.

We see in the human world how the elite and intellectuals ‘cannot gel with masses’ either because of prejudice or because they cannot ‘step down’ to the latter’s thought levels. The mass on the other hand, looks upon the elite as unapproachable and incomprehendible. While the mass, following popular trends, gets fascinated by just anything and everything, be it art, literature, philosophy, polity or social affairs, the people of the class apply their original sense of discretion weighing and verifying everything. They either feel compassion or contempt for masses, but cannot be ‘just friends’. Thus spring up sections like

‘the scholars’ ‘the elite’ ‘the artists’ ‘the spiritual’ and so on. There indeed very few intellectuals or elite who can, outgrow these boundaries and relate to the class and mass alike with equal ease.

Lord Krshna is a standing example for this rare kind of a boundless personality. As He himself says in the Bhagavadgeeta, ‘When wisdom dawns and ripens the human personality, he becomes a samadarshi. A samadarshi is one who sees the most learned, the most ignorant and even innocent animals alike.

A beautiful verse in krshna-karnaamrtam says-

विद्याविनयसम्पन्नॆ ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि I

शुनि चैव श्वपाकॆ च पण्डिताः समदर्शिनः II (ch 2, sl  )

How indeed O Krishna, could you, who are addressed through the sacred vedic chants, listen on and on with keen interest to the innocent prattle of the (illiterate) gopa women? How indeed could you who are invoked in the sacred premises of the learned brahmanas, enjoy strolling around in the ruddy courtyards of the cowherds? I understand that You, will are simply won over by anyone who shows sincere love (and generous that you are, you never consider any other qualification to bless a person) गॊपालाजिरकर्दमॆ विहरसे विप्राध्वरे लज्जसे (similar verse---)

The Bhagavatam and Mahabharatam narrate very many instances showing Krshna’s boundless love and care for every living being.  

Apart from worshipping Krshna as Lord Vishnu’s avatara, we need to study the beautiful subtleties of his attitude and behavior. It is indeed there that we can gather valuable and eternal messages for life. Let us see some shades of Lord Krshna’s great attitude as a human character.

 

The brave Krshna

We all know how Krshna was always pursued by ‘death’ from even before birth. The terrible death threat separated the just born Krshna from his royal parents and aristocratic luxuries. Krshna had to live as a cowherd till his fourteenth year, deprived of education, training and all privileges that other princes enjoyed. But, this never made him less happy ever! He was the darling of Gokulam and enjoyed every moment there with people, cattle, the jungles and animals and birds! But even then life was never easy or secure for him. The wicked Kamsa’s killer gang spotted him there and kept conspiring to kill him again and again. But Krishna, even as a boy never explicitly display distress or fear. Every threat made him grow more alert, fearless, tough and smart! In thought and might, he stood prepared to defend himself and his people everytime. Kamsa’s professional killers came in unimaginable garbs and planned innovative methods to kill him. Krshna not only never feared them, but also strived to remove the fear and sense of insecurity from the hearts of the residents of Gokulam. He infact keot refreshing their minds with his genuine love, counsel, music and pranks. He not only tackled his offenders with courage, the dare devil that he was, he even rushed to help anyone in danger, risking his own life. The instances of the killings of Aghasura (the python who swallowed Krshna and the cowherd boys), Aristasura(who caused a terrible forest fire), taming of Kalinga(the vicious serpant who poisoned the river waters), etc., are brilliant examples for krshna’s valour and concern for his people. He was not just courageous but meticulously planned every move smartly, diplaying leadership skills of the best kind. Krshna’s single handed combat with the enemies and adversities in his life, and his ability to build a team with barest of resources are messages of all time relevance.

 

Krshna, the good villager

Krshna was doubtlessly the darling of his people. He was the uncrowned leader of his people, be it at Gokulam or at Mathura or Dwaraka. But his leadership was not of the ‘white collar type’ wherein the leader consciously keep ‘above’ the commoners and identifies with thinkers and elite. He was rather ‘the people’s man’ at any point of time.

It is very difficult to be like Krshna. A person who enjoyed extraordinary admiration and celebrity status form a very tender age, remained just as simple and unassuming all through! He gave all his time and love and service to the cowherd family and friends where his lived till his early teens. As a member of the cowherd community, he offered his body and mind to the service of the folk, He was the first to step forward to think of solutions for any and every issue the cowherds faced.

When Brahma himself wanted to put Krshna’s powers to test, he stood up to face that. When Brahma kidnapped all the boys to trick Krshna Krshna manifested himself in the forms of all the cowherd boys and put brahma into utter confusion!

Still as a boy, Little Krishna dared to question the tradition of workshipping Indra and suggested to replace that with the celebration of the Govardhan hill. The hill, according to him was the pratyaksha daiva (the personified God), who caused rains for them and constantly supplied them with water streams, forest resources, food and fuel, alongside providing luscious meadows and fodder for their cattle. The little boy surprisingly could convince all the elders initiate the change in the age old tradition! When terrible rains followed because of Indra’s wrath, Krshna did not dodge from his decision. He bravely took up the responsibility of protecting the villagers and their cattle day and night for seven days, under the shelter of the Govardhana! That is the true mark of a leader!

When the vicious Kalinga poisoned the river waters, and villagers gave up all hope of continuing to live there, Krshna, the dare devil, risked his life, pounced upon the Kalinga and tames it with all his might and smartness till it had to run away for life along with all its serpants!

He was genuinely concerned about the well bieng of the cowherds. In response to Krshna’s suggestion the whole cowhered tribe migrated to a safer and more prosperous settlement too!

Krshna was the darling of the gopa clan. He won their herats with his love and keot them looking out for them all the time, by his sweet nonstop mischief! As he grew up into his teens, he was the friend, mentor, protector, leader and living God to all the gopa men and women. The extraordinary love and fascination that he commanded was unparalleled.

 

When he left for Mathura for ever, the cowhered men and women cry and wail and beeged not to leave. They could not imagine life without Krshna! Krshna had great compassion and ove for them. But that never clouded his sense of dutifulness. He with care and tender words consoled them and set out to face the new phase of his life with an absolutely calm and dispassionate attitude.

We must remember that it was no ‘funfilled picnic for Krshna’ at Mathura. The reception at Mathura was neither loving nor safe for him. Kamsa, who had always conspired to kill him cunningly, now began to do the same more openly! Krshna had to be absolutely alert and prepared to face the worst of attacks, every moment in Mathura and all the way to Mathura. But Krshna, despite all these threats, stood above his fears and emotions. He enjoyed roaming around the spectacular streets and markets of Mathura, laughing and chatting with Balarama and his cowherd friends. Although alert about the endless death traps, he remained cheerful all through! A great and a rare attitude indeed! Well aware now, that he was a prince, he still like a typical villager expressed innocent curiosity and fascination for the costumes, life style and buzzling activities of Mathura and its people.

 

Krshna, the good grhastha

Krshna was a prince with his own royal tasks and responsibilities. He also had a family of eight wives and many children and grand children too! But, he also had time for his subjects, cousins, friends, sages and masses! This boundless approach of Krshna make him ‘lokapriya’.

Bhagavatam comically narrates how Krshna made himself avaiable to all his wives almost always, much to the surprise of Sage Narada. He doesn’t mind giving the extra comfort and attention to wives like Satyabhama, who demanded more of it! Bhagavatam mentions the how Krshna executed all his grhastha duties with devoition an commitment,  be it waking up in the brahmi muhurtha and performing the sandhyaadi karmas and charity up to executing his administrative duties, attending to the subjects, guests, sages, needy or discussing lofty philosophy or social issues with his royal associates.

Krshna had very close and friendly interactions with Pandavas, Kauravas and many other princes of the Vrshni, Yadava and other related clans. The very many marital ties between his family and these clans proves that, despite their differences and political rifts, they did live in mutual bonds all through. Krshna is seen as treating one and all with equal love and respect.

Krshna’s life is eventful through out. All his marraiges interestingly happened with some of the finest princesses. Unlike the pictures weaved up about Krshna being having a weakness for the fairer sex, he was indeed a nirlipta, detached, who never went around seeking pleasures. Every princess he married, voluntarily begged for his love. He was ony honouring their genuine wish.

But the same Krshna turned down a few wives of the rishis, who wished to court with him, and advices them to be loyal to their husbands and responsibilities. But the same Krshna welcome the gopa women, who cherished the desire to experience the raasa leela with him. But then again, Krshna, accepted them only after they performed the katyayani vrata and emerged pure in intent and qualified for that divine experinece. Krshna’s divine romance with the gopis was much more than a physical dance or indulgence between the sexes. If it were anything less than an unparalleled event of divine ecstacy, it would have long faded out into oblivion.

Krshna did his best to maintain good ties with all the relatives and political allies. But as life always his, he too had to confront a lot of betrayal, jealousy and hatred form his near and dear ones. Some of his cousins like Akrura and poundraka ditched his love and turned enemies for no reason. Other powerful kshatriyas like Jarasandha, Rukmi, shishupala, dantavaktra, kalanemi etc., teamed up against him and constantly conspired to destroy him. Krshna was neither afraid nort revengeful, but eventually vanquished them when they crossed all limits.

It is noteworthy that Krshna’s love for his family, relatives and cousins, never influenced his sense of discretion and judgement ever! He never allowed his family passions to interfere with his philosophy of life. Despite, unlike most crtics and intellectuals, krshna being highly objective in his thought and criticism, never developed contempt or hatred for persons whom he disagreed with! He was thus indeed a samadarshi and sthitaprajna, who could stand above everyone and everything and every pressure and think with absolute clarity and conviction. Krshna displayed this nishchalaa-mati (an unperturbed intellect) and unconditional commitment to righteousness, from his very tender age upto his very last days.

 

Krshna the statesmen and strategist

The puranas and kavyas, particularly the Mahabharatam unfolds the finest aspects of statesmenship and leadership in Krshna’s personality. Krshna never ascended the throne himself. But he was undisputedly the most poewerful brain and hand in the kingdom. Not that he assertedhis influence, but much because of his profound thoughts, meticulous planning and effective strategies. Even the elders like Ugrasenam Balarama resorted to Krshna’ sadvice in most matters. The Pandavas who were Krshna’s cousins, even unconditionally obeyed in most matters, well aware of his extraordinary foresightedness.

What strikes us about Krshna’s statesmenship is that he planning and implementation of every task was backed by a broad vision, understanding of human behavior and adherence to dharma at large.

For dharm was not just a set of norms or a debate on princiles, like it is with most people. It was rather a means to promote collective good in the long run. He never thought twice while changing a few norms or practices, if they were came in the way of achieving a higher cause.   

Dharma as a universal well bineg was most important for him that a few norms. This is what makes Krshna different from Balarama, Yudhistira, Bheeshma or Krpa, who were just ‘good in nature’ but could not protect dharma in a bigger way. They were all pinned down by their personal norms and limited perspectives, dared not outgrow that for a bigger cause. Krshna, was one dynamic leader, who stood free of all such bindings. He could not only perform with conviction but also delegate and get things done for a good cause. His was always a big canvas, the canvas of aatyantika dharma, the dharma in the long run. Thus his every planning and implementation were backed with foresightedness and a holistic standpoint that accommodated a larger and longer good.