There are three main lessons, broadly, from Shri Krishna’s Life. The Bhagavad Gita outlines the different yogas or pathways to realizing the Divine. Additionally, we get a front-row seat on Shri Krishna’s Life – from the time he is a cowherd (gaupala, gopala) to the time he becomes the full-fledged Divine, discarding his childhood hobbies and leaving behind various relationships, to trying his best to avoid the dharma yuddh to eventually guiding Arjuna through it – all with exuberance and equanimity of the mind. Another lesson from Sri Krishna’s Life is to avoid avoidance and get ready to wage war when morality is in question and evil has taken over aspects of governance.
Shri Krishna’s Equinamous Life
Shri’s Krishna, Vishnu’s avatara, is revered as a Divine being. While Shri Rama’s avatara, who preceded Krishna, established Dharma in society, Shri Krishna’s avatar was responsible for re-establishing and maintaining Dharma.
Shri Krishna’s Life was anything but smooth, and yet he managed to be known as a Yogi – he lived like a lotus flower – untouched by the muck that surrounded him in various aspects of life. Shri Krishna was born in Mathura to King Vasudeva and Queen Devaki. His birth was miraculous, with divine intervention ensuring his survival despite the threat posed by his maternal uncle, the tyrannical King Kansa, whom he had to fight at an early age to restore Dharma in the kingdom. His childhood is peppered with miracles and pranks, which made him a charismatic youth and a beloved of the Gopis (female cattle herders). His playful times in the days of Vrindavan had many interactions, demonstrating his Divinity.
Shri Krishna’s exploits and his love for flute playing and Radha still endure today, making Radha-Krishna an epitome of what devotion ought to be – love, respect, and dedication symbolizing much more than a male-female relationship. Radha symbolizes the devotee’s intense love and devotion to the divine, personifying Bhakti yoga. Poetry, art, and literature often explore their relationship’s spiritual and mystical dimensions. However, things were about to change when Shri Krishna Realized his goals – he had to leave Vrindavan and his beloved Radha behind to fulfill his Dharmic obligations – the main reason for his birth as this avatara. These times are when Krishna demonstrates being a true Yogi and practicing his Dharma – he is not sour about the circumstance, and while he does give up playing the flute – a literal and symbolic gesture of simpler, easier times, Krishna becomes ready to bear what which may come regarding an imminent war, which he truly tries to avert, though he fails.
Shri Krishna, known for this Divinity, tries His best to intervene between the fighting cousins – the Kauravas and the Pandavas. Krishna sides with the Pandavas on many occasions to guide them, counsel them, and see that they become the rightful heirs to a nation which literally blind Dhristrastra (loosely translated as blind nation, and thereby Tamas personified) and his son Duryodhana – Rajas personified – always power hungry and drowning in hubris while feeling entitled have managed to set on a ruinous path. The Mahabharata has numerous instances of Shri Krishna’s intervention in the lives of his contemporaries so that course corrections could be made to restore good governance.
For example, Shri Krishna tries to save Draupadi’s honor when she – the wife of the Pandavas – is disrobed and humiliated in the Kaurava court during the irresponsible dice game where Yudhisthira, the eldest of the Pandav brothers, decides to bet his kingdom and then his wife. Shri Krishna’s biggest challenge in his life was the peace mission he embarked upon to prevent what would be the Kurukshetra war. He, acting as a messenger of peace, goes to the Kauravas to negotiate a settlement, but Duryodhana and his ilk are stubborn, rendering Shri Krishna’s mission unsuccessful. Shri Krishna bears on despite the failed efforts, eventually preparing for an inevitable war.
From killing various Asuras and demons to destroying his uncle Karna, Sri Krishna goes on to aid Arjuna when Arjuna is on a pilgrimage to earn celestial weaponry. During this pilgrimage, when Bhagwan Shiva is ready to test Arjuna in the guise of a hunter, Krishna intervenes, thereby preventing a confrontation between the two, and Arjuna ends up being blessed by Shiva and earning the Pashupatastra weapon. Similarly, Shri Krishna helps Arjuna using Gandiva – a divine bow gifted by Agni. He continues to aid the Pandavas since they are on the side of righteousness compared to their Kavrava cousins. He rescues Bhima from Duryodhana’s trick by planning to feed Bhima at a feast and poisoning the food. Shri Krishna alerts Bhima about this deceptive technique and saves his life. Also, Krishna sides with righteousness and destroys Shishupala, who disrupts the Rajasuya Yajna conducted by Yudhisthira; the killing of Shishupala fulfills a prophecy and restores order in the land.
Other instances of Krishna’s intervention for course correction leading to good governance include helping Arjuna during the abduction of Subhadra and marrying them off; Krishna helping recover his Guru Sandipani Muni’s son; Kirshna helping Bhima in destroying the mighty ruler of Magadha – Jarasandha by manipulating his body into two halves. More examples include Shri Krishna freeing imprisoned kings held hostage by Jarashadha. Krishna also advised Arjuna to defeat Eklavya in battle, even though Eklavya was a skilled archer, adept like Arjuna. Though Krishna’s love for Radha remains eternal, Krishna takes on wives for political reasons, even helps rescue Rukmini from an unwanted alliance, and takes her as His wife.
In addition to constant counseling on Dharma, guiding the Pandavas, and attempting to guide the Kavravas, Shri Krishna’s ultimate guidance comes in the form of the Bhagavad Gita on the battlefield. During the Pandavas’ exile, Shri Krishna also guided Draupadi, his devotee. During one instance, Krishna, aware of Krana’s true identity as a Kshatriya, plays a crucial role in Krana’s battle with Arjuna, ensuring Arjuna’s win. These occurrences highlight Krishna’s diverse roles as a mentor, guardian, and tactician throughout the Mahabharata, demonstrating his divine involvement in numerous facets of the lives of the Pandavas and other individuals entwined with the epic. Many of these circumstances could have been avoided had Duryodhana been reasonable. Though Krishna did not succeed in changing Duryodhana’s mind on many aspects, he bears on without fail, fulfilling his Dharma.
Shri Krishna and Yoga
The Bhagavad Gita, part of the Mahabharata epic, unfolds on the Kurukshetra battlefield, where Arjuna seeks guidance from Shri Krishna on his role (Dharma) as a warrior. The text introduces diverse paths of Yoga—mainly Karma, Bhakti, Jnana, and Raja. Karma Yoga emphasizes selfless action; Bhakti Yoga centers on devotion; Jnana Yoga on wisdom; and Raja or Kriya or Hatha Yoga on the eightfold path, highlighting discipline towards the self and duty toward society.
The Gita, as explained by Shri Krishna, explores concepts fundamental to one’s existence, such as Dharma, Karma, and Moksha. It delves into the universal nature of existence, urging individuals to transcend the false idea of a permanent self and realize pure consciousness. Addressing Arjuna’s conflict, the Gita emphasizes the necessity of war to restore righteousness. It discusses Dharma (duty), Karma (actions), and Maya (veil of ignorance). The four paths of Yoga provide comprehensive guidance for physical, mental, and spiritual development. Dharma, often translated as “duty” or “righteousness,” and Karma is explored in the Gita, reflecting that actions and intentions have karmic consequences. The concept of Maya, a veil of ignorance, keeps individuals from realizing the universality of existence. According to the Gita, Yoga’s goal is to transcend the false idea of a permanent self and realize the ultimate reality—pure consciousness. This includes performing one’s dharma diligently and fighting when necessary.
Arjuna, mentally defeated, sabotages himself when he sees his kinsmen on the “other” side; his gurus, uncles, relatives, including cousins, make him want to violate his Dharma as a warrior (a warrior’s Dharma is governance, and that includes wars, conflicts, and other moral and righteous decision-making). Shri Krishna, known to all as the Divine, and thus each side wanting Him on their side, does his best to maintain peace but is aware that Dharma needs to be re-established and, therefore, not fighting for the Truth is no longer an option.
Shri Krishna decides to be Arjuna’s charioteer, and the Gita takes place in the middle of the Kurukshetra battlefield. Here, Krishna tries his best to convince Arjuna that death is only of the physical body as we know it and that life lives on. He tries to employ various methods to convince Arjuna to abide by his Dharma, including patience, coaxing, and even insulting – all of which are a beautiful depiction of the Guru-Shishya conversations back and forth. Arjuna, however, has a thousand questions, and only in Sanatana Dharma do we see so-called mortals questioning and challenging the Divine.
Shri Krishna is as patient as one can be. However, the Vishwarup Dharshan made available to Arjuna by the ever-benevolent and loving Krishna finally makes Arjuna realize the impermanence of existence as we know it. He becomes convinced to get up and fight. This Gita on the battlefield is the utmost lecture on understanding Yoga as a philosophy and, more importantly, the experiential Darshana—which finally allows Arjuna to cut through the veil of ignorance or Maya, overcoming fear and doing the right thing according to his dharma.
The Mahabharata serves as a profound moral and ethical guide. The war becomes a platform for imparting essential life lessons and teachings, particularly in the Bhagavad Gita. Arjuna’s moral dilemma on the battlefield and Krishna’s guidance in the form of the Gita contribute to the philosophical and spiritual aspects of the revered epic. Shri Krishna’s teachings thus have an enduring relevance in their wisdom, offering insights into navigating life’s dilemmas – each of us is Arjuna in the battlefield that is life, and Shri Krishna’s teachings about the end goal and pursuit of our human existence in the form of Yoga teachings are priceless. The messages of the Gita remain a timeless guide for those seeking spiritual and ethical development in the complex fabric of contemporary life. Though Yoga has been mentioned in detail in many ancient texts and later on codified by Maharishi Patanjali, it is Shri Krishna’s teachings that put the theories into practice by outlining mainly three of the four yogas as an explanation to Arjuna about the true nature of our existence, and what separates the unreal and impermanent from the permanent.
War as a Necessity to Re-Establish Dharma
The Mahabharata Kurukshetra War was deemed necessary due to several complex factors, and this is an understated lesson from Shri Krishna’s Life. Dharma, or duty and righteousness, is a central theme in the Mahabharata. In adherence to their Dharma as Kshatriyas, the Pandavas sought to reclaim their kingdom and uphold justice. The war is seen as a means to establish Dharma and righteousness in the face of tyranny and oppression.
One lesson from Shri Krishna about the Mahabharat War, which is not often seen in context, is the desire for peace. Before the war, there were several attempts to avoid diplomatic conflict. Shri Krishna, serving as a peace envoy, attempted negotiations to avert the war, but the Kauravas remained obstinate and unwilling to yield, exhausting the options for a peaceful resolution. This highlights conscious leadership on Krishna’s part. He is fully aware of the damages to life and property that each side would incur due to conflict and, therefore, tries his best to resolve matters via diplomacy, not mere compromise. Though the idea fails, multiple genuine attempts exist to restore Dharmic governance.
The events leading up to the war, including Krihna’s failed peace mission, set up a recipe for an inevitable War. Here, the lesson to be learned is that when unjust governance and tyranny persist, upholding Dharma and righteousness are no longer optional. The Kauravas, led by Duryodhana, ruled unjustly and subjected the Pandavas to various forms of humiliation and injustice, some of which could have been prevented by the Pandavas, but it was not the case. The Kauravas refused to restore the Pandavas’ rightful share of the kingdom, leading to a prolonged period of suffering and exile for the Pandavas, leading to the eventual war. Yudhisthira and Arjuna – each at some point was ready to give up their rightful share in the kingdom and walk away, but this would mean that 1) they are avoiding fulfilling their Kshatriya dharma; 2) allowing evil to reign; 3) accruing negative Karma for not fulfilling their Dharma. Complex family and succession issues, including disputes over inheritance, royal power, and legitimacy of rule, the Mahabharata story, and Shri Krishna’s role highlight the importance of conflict and eradication of Adharma when peace fails. Thus, the war became a means to resolve the intricate, unjust rule and restore order.
The war here is an action, a purification process to rid the world of injustice or even a fake idea of peace. Shri Krishna demonstrates that even if it is our cousins who are on the Adharmic side, it is not okay to allow the immoral cousins to proliferate. Non-doing is no longer an option, especially for Kshatriyas. The epic highlights the cyclical nature of cosmic order and disorder by destroying those who embody Dharma and highlighting that a periodic war may be necessary for moral peace.
In summary, the necessity of war in the Mahabharata is rooted in the principles of Dharma, justice, and the cosmic order. It serves as a transformative and purifying event, shaping the course of destiny and imparting profound philosophical lessons.
Last but not least, Krishna plans out the destruction of His own Yadava dynasty when they steer away from righteousness; Gandhari – Duryodhana’s mother – curses the Yadava clan, and Krishna ensures their destruction, and the Yadavas fight amongst themselves, leading to their demise. The above instances leave us pondering how Shri Krishna managed to do what was suitable for Dharma under the most trying circumstances. The lessons from His Life serve as life lessons and guiding principles for us as we navigate the rights and wrongs of daily life, often not wanting to fulfill our duties and always choosing to do the right thing. Shri Krishna’s Life teaches us not just to endure what our life and accrued Karmic warehouse might have in store but to live it in stride and ride the waves unwaveringly.
In summary, Shri Krishna’s Life imparts three profound lessons:
- Krishna exemplifies living amidst challenges while fulfilling one’s Dharma in his equanimous existence.
- Through the Bhagavad Gita, he elucidates the diverse yogas, providing a comprehensive guide for spiritual development.
- The Mahabharata War, a necessity to re-establish Dharma, teaches the inevitability of righteous action even in the face of conflict.
Shri Krishna’s enduring wisdom remains a timeless guide for navigating life’s complexities, offering profound insights into morality, duty, and the pursuit of spiritual development via Yoga. Sri Krishna orchestrates his departure from Earth with dignity and poise, concluding his divine mission after establishing Yudhisthira as king after the Mahabharata War. This departure, marked by a poignant incident of an “accidental” arrow wound, symbolizes the culmination of Krishna’s earthly journey.
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Image: Christie’s: A painting of Krishna playing the flute. India, Kishangarh, Circa 1800dia, Kishangarh, Circa 1800