The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam - 10.

[Ramavarma Parameswaran]

01/11/2018

The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam -10.

Swami Krishnananda

(Spoken on Sri Krishna Janmasthami in 1972)

This argument goes on and Nara says, “This is not a place for fighting. We can’t fight with you. You are a king, we are sages. Go back.” When Damodava still insisted, Nara took up a small piece of a broomstick and let it off. This small piece of a broomstick became millionfold in number, and pierced the eyes of every soldier including the king, and came out from the other side. They all cried at the top of their voices, “Oh, our eyes are gone! We can’t see anything.” The king started shouting, screaming because his eyes were gone and he was in terrible pain. He wept and fell flat and prostrated. And all the soldiers started cursing the king for having brought them there. Then Nara said, “I can withdraw these pieces of astra I threw, but hereafter don’t go and talk in this way to anybody.”

Parasurama said, “This is the result of ahamkara, Duryodhana. Don’t behave like this.”

Duryodhana said, “Nothing doing! I will give not even that much of land as would be covered by the pinprick of a needle.” He struck his thigh with pride. Then it was that he got so wild with Krishna that he wanted to bind him and throw him into prison so that he may not go back at all, and the question of his helping the Pandavas would not arise. He connived with Dushasana, Sakuni and Karna: “We shall bind him and put him behind bars.” He was blabbering this in the court before all people. This news was carried by Satyaki to Sri Krishna: “They want to bind you.”

Then Sri Krishna told Dhritarashtra, Bhishma and Vidura, “This kind of person you are keeping in your palace! It is a shame to you. He wants to bind me. And you want to listen to all this? If you give me permission, I myself shall bind him and take him just now to the feet of Yudhisthira.”

Gandhari got very wild and went on reprimanding Duryodhana. She said, “What is happening to my son? Why does he talk like this?” She called him to the court and said, “Have you gone crazy? Why do you talk of binding him? What harm has he done? He is an ambassador. He is not your enemy. Have you no shame?”

Then Sri Krishna said, “Duryodhana, don’t be under any misapprehension. You may be thinking that I am alone here – that I have no friends, no assistance, no support of any kind – and that you can bind me and throw me into prison. Everybody is here; all help is here. You can see me, if you like.”

Immediately there was a miracle. The body of Krishna began to grow in larger and larger proportions, and Brahma and Rudra and Arjuna and the Pandavas and all the warriors – everybody started shining in his body. Lustrous he became, and blinded were all people who could not see him. Only four people could see him, they say – Vidura, Drona, Bhishma and Sanjaya, and the rishis, of course. They saw him and said, “Oh wonder!  A marvel! What is this mystery?”

Dhritarashtra, who was blind, wept, “What is this? Krishna, they say there is a wonder and miracle I cannot see. Will you not bless me?” Then for a few minutes he was blessed with vision. Then he again prayed, “Having seen this, I do not want to see anything else, so make me blind again.” So once again he was made blind.

Sri Krishna withdrew his form and said, “I have done my work. I am going back. Duryodhana, you wait for your destiny.”

Then preparations were made for war, and Sri Krishna took up the work of the charioteer. He did not say he would be commander-in-chief. That is the interesting part of it. He wanted to be the cart driver, not the generalissimo or the field marshal in the army. This arrangement was made already in Dwarka where Sri Krishna was met and importuned by Duryodhana and Arjuna who went for help. Duryodhana said, “I have come first to ask for help. Arjuna came later on. You offer me the choice.”

Sri Krishna said, “Well, I saw him first because he was sitting at my feet. Arjuna, what do you want?” “I want help in the impending war which is inevitable.” Duryodhana said, “I have also come for the same purpose. I want help from you. You are an impartial man, so you give me help, you give him help.” Both were asking. Sri Krishna said, “What help can I give you? I have only two things. I am here myself, and I have a vast army. You can choose either of these. You can choose the vast army which is invincible almost – Narayani Sena, it is called. I am a puny man. I cannot do anything. I can sit with you and chat with you, perhaps. Whom do you like, Arjuna?”

“You come. I am not in need of the army.”

Duryodhana said, “I have taken the butter. He has taken the buttermilk. I am going. Wonderful! Foolhardy and stupid is Arjuna.” He said to Sri Krishna, “Thank you for the army.” He thought he had already half won the victory. “What is the use of one man? The whole army is mine.” He went and told his brothers, “Victory is ours.”

Then Krishna said to Arjuna, “You are a foolish man. Why did you choose me? What made you choose me, who will do nothing?” Arjuna said, “Even if you do not do anything, your presence will do more than others can do by hands and feet. I know your greatness.”

“All right, as you wish,” he said. “What work can I do?”

“You guide me in the war.”

Krishna said, “I will be your charioteer.”

To be continued ..