The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam - 15.

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07/02/2019
The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam - 15.
Swami Krishnananda
(Spoken on Sri Krishna Janmashtami in 1972)
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Arjuna was saved from many calamities. There are many other incidents which cannot be described in a short compass. Then in the Karna Parva, Sri Krishna pressed the chariot, making it sink down a few inches into the earth so that the arrow of Karna passed over the head of Arjuna, taking his crown but missing his head.

Then, when all the war was over and everyone had finished his work, Sri Krishna said to Arjuna, “By providence, your work is done. Now you get down from the chariot first.” Generally the chariot driver gets down first. He does not tell the passenger to get down first. But here the chariot driver said, “You get down first.” Arjuna could not understand what the matter was. He got down. Then Sri Krishna got down from the chariot. When he got down, the whole chariot, together with the horses, burst into flames and was reduced to ashes.

Arjuna asked, “What is this miracle, Krishna?”

“That is why I asked you to get down first. Otherwise, you would have gone into the fire.”

“What is this? Why?”

“You know the astras of Drona and Karna had already burnt this chariot of yours at that time, but because I was sitting there, I kept it intact. Now I have got down, and it is reduced to its original condition.”

“Oh, I never knew! What would have happened if by mistake you had got down first!”

“Yes, I knew it very well so I did not get down first and asked you to get down first.” That was the power.

Then through the various Parvas of the Mahabharata – right until the Shanti Parva where Sri Krishna advised Yudhisthira to receive the blessings of Bhishma – he saw to it that the poor brothers were helped, and the king was installed on the throne, and he gave the last message to him. He said, “Yudhisthira, now my work is done. By the power of Bhima and dexterity of Arjuna, you have won victory.” He did not say, “With my help you have won victory. I have done so much for you. What are you going to give me?” He never uttered a word about himself: “Yudhisthira, I am glad that providentially, with the power of Bhima and the dexterity of Arjuna, you have won victory.”

Yudhisthira knew the secret. “Krishna, don’t say this. Your grace, it was. It was your grace that has brought us to this state of glory.” He wept. Because Krishna had uttered these words, he wept. He could not contain it. “You don’t mention yourself. You tell about my brothers only.” Anyhow, that was his greatness; that was his humility. The height of knowledge went with the height of humility. That which was everything looked like nothing. That was Krishna.

Wonderful is the Srimad Bhagavata. Wonderful is the Mahabharata. Wonderful is the writing of Bhagavan Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa. Glorious is this day of Krishna Janmashtami. May the grace of Bhagavan Sri Krishna be upon us all.

THE END


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