The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam -6.

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25/07/2018
The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam -6.
Swami Krishnananda
(Spoken on Sri Krishna Janmasthami in 1972)

Bhima said, “Right! I am ready just now.”

And Arjuna said, “I think it is all right. There is no point in fulfilling a vow that has been thrust upon us by a trick, by a falsehood, by a fraud. Should we fulfil this vow? I think a lie is counteracted by a lie. We shall go back and see our valour.” Draupadi gave a very long lecture to Yudhisthira, condemning him for his imbecility, for his weakness of thought and his unKshatriya-like behaviour, and pitying herself for having married him.

Then Yudhisthira said, “I understand everything. I know what you say. And I know that the Yadava princes came here and offered help. Everything is clear to my mind. But I shall not break my vow, for reasons known to me alone.” And they cursed him, but stayed with him because they had no other hope. They had great obedience to him in spite of disagreeing with him. The reason why Yudhisthira was not agreeable to breaking the vow was twofold. One thing is that it is immoral for a person of his stature to break a vow. Secondly, it was not the time to meet the Kauravas because they had great powers like Bhishma, Drona and Karna, and nobody knew the consequences of a battle with them. “Let us wait for our own time.” And we know Indra and Rudra bless Arjuna, and Arjuna is invested with Astras; only then he becomes competent to meet them, not before. All this happens in the Aranya Parva of the Mahabharata, the third Parva.

That is all. We have no mention of Krishna again for a long time, until thirteen years are over and they entered the fourteenth year.  The Pandavas had to live incognito in the court of Virata. They suffered very much, but nobody came there. They had to live unknown. Then Sri Krishna came to the court of Virata when the fourteenth year was over. There begins the Udyoga Parva of the Mahabharata, and there also begins the real scene of the epic. Up to the Virata Parva, we have one section – the preliminary introduction or the sowing of the seed of the Mahabharata. Then the germ begins to sprout as the Udygya Parva commences in a glorious manner. Sri Krishna came to the court of Virata where the Pandavas were incognito. Of course, the period of fourteen years was over, and they were known as Pandavas then. He comes there and holds a conference. “Now the time has come for us to think what has to be done.” This is what he said. “Thirteen years are over; the fourteenth year is over. Now what steps do I have to take to help the poor brothers in gaining their kingdom back? I ask you, wise friends in this assembly.” That was all he said. He never gave an opinion or made any suggestion.

To be continued


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