Mahabharatham : ( 08/06/2013. )

08/12/2018 The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam - 13. Swami Krishnananda (Spoken on Sri Krishna Janmashtami in 1972) The Drona Parva is again a masterpiece of Vyasa’s literary beauty. Only those who know Sanskrit can appreciate the literary beauty of Vyasa; but even in a translation, one may enjoy it because of the magnificent high pitch of language used. It is difficult to read it without a thrill, without hair standing on end, and without a tumult of emotion in one’s mind. In the Drona Parva, the work was very difficult. It became more complicated, and Sri Krishna had to help Arjuna from various calamities and catastrophes. Sri Krishna was alone, grooming the horses, while Arjuna fought alone, single handedly, on foot in the battlefield. And there was a very powerful man called Bhagadatta. He was a very old man. He used to fight on a very powerful elephant which was supposed to be a descendent of Airavata of Indra. A very fierce elephant it was; it could simp...

16/11/2018 The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam - 12. Swami Krishnananda (Spoken on Sri Krishna Janmashtami in 1972) LAST POST -11.END AS UNDER : Duryodhana said, “I have taken the butter. He has taken the buttermilk. I am going. Wonderful! Foolhardy and stupid is Arjuna.” He said to Sri Krishna, “Thank you for the army.” He thought he had already half won the victory. “What is the use of one man? The whole army is mine.” He went and told his brothers, “Victory is ours.” Then Krishna said to Arjuna, “You are a foolish man. Why did you choose me? What made you choose me, who will do nothing?” Arjuna said, “Even if you do not do anything, your presence will do more than others can do by hands and feet. I know your greatness.” READ FURTHER-12 : “All right, as you wish,” he said. “What work can I do?” “You guide me in the war.” Krishna said, “I will be your charioteer.” And then the Udogya Parva closes and the Bhishma Parva starts, where we have the...

01/11/2018 The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam - 11. Swami Krishnananda (Spoken on Sri Krishna Janmasthami in 1972) Then Sri Krishna told Dhritarashtra, Bhishma and Vidura, “This kind of person you are keeping in your palace! It is a shame to you. He wants to bind me. And you want to listen to all this? If you give me permission, I myself shall bind him and take him just now to the feet of Yudhisthira.” Gandhari got very wild and went on reprimanding Duryodhana. She said, “What is happening to my son? Why does he talk like this?” She called him to the court and said, “Have you gone crazy? Why do you talk of binding him? What harm has he done? He is an ambassador. He is not your enemy. Have you no shame?” Then Sri Krishna said, “Duryodhana, don’t be under any misapprehension. You may be thinking that I am alone here – that I have no friends, no assistance, no support of any kind – and that you can bind me and throw me into prison. Everybody is here; all ...

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 ...

23/09/2018 The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam -9. Swami Krishnananda (Spoken on Sri Krishna Janmasthami in 1972) He went to the hut of Vidura, a poor man who was in consternation to see Krishna coming to his cottage for no reason whatsoever, uninvited, at an unearthly hour.  In his ecstasy, as the story goes, he offered him whatever he had – a few plantains – and his ecstasy rose to such a height that he forgot what he was doing. He offered the peels and threw away the plantains. Very politely, smilingly, Sri Krishna enjoyed the peels. He did not say anything, and ate the peels. These are the peculiarities of a great man. I cannot describe them in a few minutes. You have to read between the lines in the Mahabharata, not merely the lines. The greatness of a perfect person, the greatness which is identical with humility and goodness and unselfishness – that can be read not only in the lines of the Mahabharata, but also between the lines of the Mahabharata. Th...

30/08/2018 The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam -8. Swami Krishnananda (Spoken on Sri Krishna Janmasthami in 1972) Who will go? At present, nobody was left other than Sri Krishna.  Yudhisthira said, “Sri Krishna, I am ashamed to send you as my messenger.  I weep. It is better I die than send you as a message carrier. But I have agreed to this proposal for one reason – not because I am unable to recognise your greatness, but because nobody can deal with this problem better than you can. This is why, Krishna, I have agreed to this proposal of your going. But I am afraid, also, from the bottom of my heart, that I am sending you to a jungle of beasts where one’s life itself can be in danger. No! Krishna, don’t go! Sit down,” he said. “It is not necessary. I don’t want anything now.” Immediately he changed his mind, in a minute. “I understand the whole situation. It is dangerous to go there. They may attack you and harm your life. I have cancelled the whole pro...

08/08/2018 The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam -7. Swami Krishnananda (Spoken on Sri Krishna Janmasthami in 1972) Then Balarama got up. He was partial to Duryodhana because he was a Guru of Duryodhana.  He got up and said, “Well, I fully agree that the Pandavas should regain their kingdom, but we should not hurt Duryodhana; we should not displease him in any manner. He is also a friend of ours – a brother, an honourable ruler; and if the Pandavas have lost their kingdom, it is of their own fault, and no fault of Duryodhana. So I do not suggest any kind of insulting or pain-giving attitude on the part of people here. This is my advice. Very cautiously, amicably, the matter should be settled.” Satyaki got up and said, “Birds of the same feather flock together. I understand the partiality of Balarama to Duryodhana. It is most unbecoming of a hero like Balarama to speak like this when the poor brothers have eaten humble pie in the jungle. We shall not be satisfi...