The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam -5.

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11/07/2018
The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam -5.
Swami Krishnananda
(Spoken on Sri Krishna Janmasthami in 1972)


Narada, who visited Indraprastha, said, “I have never seen a palace of this kind. I have visited Yamaloka, I have visited Indraloka, I have seen the palaces of all the gods, but they are nothing of this kind.”

This became known to Duryodhana. “Oh, still these fellows are prospering! Even if I throw them into the jungle and thorns, they have become like this.” Then it was that he played the trick of dice. When the dice game was played, Sri Krishna was not present. He was outside. It was all a miracle that in crucial moments his presence was not seen. Later on he says, “If I had been present, I would have prevented it. Unfortunately, I was not present.” He was not present; and why he was not present, he only knew. He said, “I was very busy.” That was all he said. “I had a lot of work to do in Dwarka.”

Dice was played; the Pandavas were made slaves, and Draupadi was insulted. Then a miraculous invisible presence was felt in the court of the Kauravas, an incident known to everyone. “Sri Krishna, can you not see me?” cried Draupadi. Then he saw her in a mysterious way and saved her honour by the supply of celestial garments which flowed like lightening through the windows of the court, as it is told to us.

This is a miracle. Nobody knew what that miracle was. Nobody could understand how it could happen, but something happened. Then a second time dice was played because even though the Pandavas were turned to slaves, Dhirtarasthra pardoned them and said, “You go back home,” because Draupadi begged for pardon. A second time dice was played, and this time the condition was, “You go to the forest and do not stay here.” And they were driven out.

To be continued ...


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