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

11/10/2018
The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam - 10.
Swami Krishnananda
(Spoken on Sri Krishna Janmasthami in 1972)

There is another story that when Sri Krishna entered the hall of the king of the Kurus, all got up except Duryodhana. He was seated on a throne on the other end of the hall. When Sri Krishna entered, all got up, but he did not get up. The story goes that Sri Krishna pressed the earth with his thumb, and when he pressed the earth at one end of the hall, the other end rose up, and the throne on which Duryodhana was seated fell. He was made to prostrate, which was an insult to him, and he had very much wrath over it in the presence of all people. He did not know what was happening. He thought there was something wrong with the throne – that the leg was broken or something. He was very irritated over this incident but he simply smiled falsely and sat again.

Then Sri Krishna said, “I have nothing to say. All wise people here know the purpose for which I came. I don’t know if I have to say anything.”

Then Parasurama got up. Drona, Bhishma, Vidura, and all wise people started speaking. “We know the glorious purpose for which you have come, and nothing could be more befitting than your having kindly condescended to grace our place. We all agree that the Pandava brothers should be given their due. Duryodhana, we hope that you agree with this proposal.”

Duryodhana said, “No. I don’t agree.”

Then Parasurama said, “Duryodhana, anger and egoism are bad. No person thrives in this world by egoism.”

He told the story of a king called Damodava, who was king of the whole earth. He had conquered all his contemporaries. But he was such an egoistic man that he wanted to go on fighting – but whom to fight? When everyone had been subdued, there was no one to fight with. So he prayed to Brahma, “Give me some man with whom I can fight.”

Brahma thought, “Look at his terrible ego. He wants someone to fight with. He is so very restless.” Brahma said, “There are two persons in Badrinath called Nara and Narayana. You meet them. They will give you a fight.”

Damodava thought, “Oh, there are still people I have not conquered? Who are these people?” He went to Badrinath with a huge army, and saw two frail persons seated, meditating.

They said, “How is it that you have come here to this place of tapas?”

Damodava replied, “I have heard of you. Brahma told me I can fight with you, so I have come to fight.”

They said, “We are not warriors. We are tapasvins, so we cannot fight with you. Go to someone else.”

“No. Brahma said you are the fit persons to fight with me.”

“This is a place of tapasya, where battle and war cannot take place. You have come to the wrong place. You can go.”

“No. I am not going. I have to fight with you because Brahma has said that you are the fit people to fight with me.”

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 ahamkaram, 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.”

To be continued ..