From the Flute to Poha to Parijata Tree: Krishna’s different relationships through different objects

By: Padmanabh Subramanian

Different people. Different relationships. Different offerings. One Krishna.

Krishna’s life offers a beautiful understanding of how the Divine expresses Himself through different relationships. To some, He is a mischievous child; to others, a cherished friend, a beloved, a guide or a protector. Each relationship reveals a different dimension of His personality and the many ways in which people experience the Divine.

Interestingly, these relationships are reflected through the objects, offerings and roles associated with Him.

1. Maakhan – Yashoda and the Gopis

To Yashoda and the Gopis, Krishna is the mischievous child who steals Maakhan. His childhood antics, playful pranks and innocent charm make Him the centre of their everyday lives. They shower Him with affection, sometimes pampering Him and sometimes reprimanding Him for His mischief.

Krishna, in turn, allows Himself to be bound by their love, even though He is the Supreme Divine.

For Yashoda and the Gopis, He is a child to be loved, nurtured and cherished.

2. Poha – Sudama

Sudama arrives at Krishna’s palace with a humble handful of Poha, a simple offering that carries the warmth of their childhood friendship. Krishna welcomes him with immense affection, washes his feet and treats him with the dignity of a beloved friend.

He values the sentiment behind the offering rather than its material worth, reminding us that genuine affection is never measured by wealth or status.

For Sudama, Krishna is a friend whose affection remains unchanged despite the passage of time and differences in circumstances.

3. Bansi – Radha, the Gopis and the Cows of Vrindavan

Krishna’s Bansi becomes the divine melody that draws Radha, the Gopis and the cows of Vrindavan towards Him. Its music is not merely enchanting; it is a call of the Divine that transcends words, identities and boundaries. The Gopis abandon their worldly preoccupations, while even the cows and calves of Vrindavan pause their grazing, captivated by the sound of His flute.

The Bansi is perhaps one of Krishna’s most profound spiritual symbols. A flute is hollow, has no voice of its own and cannot produce music independently. It becomes melodious only when someone breathes through it.

This offers a beautiful parallel to Bhakti. Just as the flute allows Krishna’s breath to become music, a devotee who sheds ego, pride and the illusion of individual control becomes receptive to divine grace. The less the flute asserts its own identity, the more freely Krishna’s music flows through it.

The flute therefore represents the ideal devotee: one who does not seek to impose their own melody but offers themselves completely to the Divine.

Radha hears the call of her beloved, the Gopis hear the call of devotion, the cows hear the familiar melody of their Gopala, and the seeker hears the call of the Supreme.

4. Parijata Tree – Satyabhama

Krishna brings the celestial Parijata tree from Indra’s heaven following Satyabhama’s desire to possess it. The episode unfolds through their marital relationship, with Satyabhama expressing her wishes and Krishna responding to them.

Beyond the celestial spectacle, the story reflects the familiar dimensions of companionship, affection, desire and attachment.

For Satyabhama, Krishna is a loving companion who understands her emotions and accommodates her desires.

5. Chariot – Arjuna

Krishna willingly becomes Arjuna’s charioteer during Kurukshetra war, holding the reins while Arjuna faces his greatest moral dilemma. Despite being the Supreme Lord, He assumes the humble role of a guide and companion.

When Arjuna is overwhelmed by confusion, Krishna imparts the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, helping him understand his duty and find the clarity to face his responsibilities.

For Arjuna, Krishna is a trusted guide, teacher and companion who provides wisdom without taking away the responsibility of making his own choices.

6. Narayani Sena – Duryodhana

When Krishna offers Duryodhana and Arjuna a choice between His formidable Narayani Sena and Himself, unarmed and unwilling to fight, Duryodhana chooses the army while Arjuna chooses Krishna.

Duryodhana places his faith in military strength and numbers, believing they will secure victory. Arjuna, however, values Krishna’s presence and guidance above the strength of an army.

For Duryodhana, Krishna represents an opportunity to acquire formidable military resources; for Arjuna, He represents the Divine presence itself.

7. Panchajanya Shankh – The Pandavas

At Kurukshetra during the war, Krishna blows His Panchajanya conch, signalling the commencement of the great battle. Its sound accompanies the Pandavas’ resolve to stand against Adharma.

The conch represents the proclamation of Dharma, courage in the face of adversity and the awakening of one’s sense of duty.

For the Pandavas, Krishna is the divine ally whose presence reinforces their resolve to uphold righteousness.

8. Sudarshana Chakra – Shishupala

Despite repeatedly forgiving Shishupala’s insults, Krishna eventually uses His Sudarshana Chakra when Shishupala exhausts the limit of his transgressions, as foretold.

The episode demonstrates that divine compassion and forgiveness coexist with the responsibility to uphold Dharma. There comes a point when continued wrongdoing must face its consequences.

For Shishupala, Krishna becomes the embodiment of divine justice, bringing an end to his persistent transgressions.

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One Krishna. Different Bonds. One Divine Love.

Association	What it represents
Maakhan – Yashoda and Gopis	Innocent love and parental affection
Poha – Sudama	Friendship and humility
Bansi – Radha, Gopis and cows	Devotion and surrender
Parijata – Satyabhama	Companionship and desire
Chariot and unarmed Krishna – Arjuna	Guidance, wisdom and faith in the Divine
Narayani Sena – Duryodhana	Material power and ambition
Panchajanya – Pandavas	Courage and Dharma
Sudarshana – Shishupala	Justice and consequences

What makes Krishna’s story so remarkable is the range of relationships He embraces. He allows Yashoda to mother Him, Sudama to befriend Him, Radha to love Him, Satyabhama to express her desires and Arjuna to question Him. Even Duryodhana is given the freedom to make his choice.

These relationships also reflect the many dimensions of Bhakti — loving God as a child, approaching Him as a friend, surrendering to Him as a beloved or seeking Him as a teacher and guide.

Perhaps this is the beauty of the Divine: there is no single way to experience God. Each relationship reveals a different expression of devotion, affection, trust or faith.

And the most striking contrast remains the choice between Duryodhana and Arjuna. Both had the opportunity to seek Krishna’s support, but one chose His army while the other chose Him, even without His weapons.

Duryodhana chose Krishna’s resources. Arjuna chose Krishna Himself.

The same Krishna who steals butter becomes a friend to Sudama, the beloved of Radha, the companion of Satyabhama, the charioteer of Arjuna and the wielder of the Sudarshana Chakra.

Different bonds. Different expressions. Different experiences. But one Krishna, whose love finds a place in every relationship.

Also read: The Modern Ravana: Ten heads, a thousand disguises

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This Ram and Krishna bhajan tells us that devotion is not just remembrance but action too; watch

By: Padmanabh Subramanian

राम सुमिर के रहम करे ना फिर कैसे सुख पाएगा।

कृष्ण सुमिर के करम करे ना यूँ ही जग से जाएगा॥

Ram sumir ke raham kare naa phir kaise sukh paayegaa

Krishna sumir ke karam kare naa Yun hi jag se jayega

• Singer: Hari Om Sharan
• Lyricist: Hari Om Sharan
• Music Composer: Murli Manohar Swarup
• Album: Premanjali / Pushpanjali

The beautiful antraa of “Ram Sumir Ke Raham Kare Na” carries a profound spiritual message that goes beyond conventional worship. It reminds us that merely chanting the names of Ram and Krishna is not enough if their teachings are absent from our actions.

“Ram Sumir Ke Raham Kare Na” questions the sincerity of devotion that does not translate into kindness, mercy and compassion towards others. What is the purpose of remembering Lord Ram if we cannot extend empathy to those around us? After all, Ram represents Maryada — righteousness, compassion and moral responsibility.

Similarly, “Krishna Sumir Ke Karam Kare Na” reflects the essence of Krishna’s teachings in the Bhagavad Gita, particularly Karma Yoga. Remembering Krishna without fulfilling our duties or engaging in righteous action makes devotion incomplete. Krishna teaches us that spirituality is not an escape from worldly responsibilities but a guiding force in performing them.

The concluding lines remind us of life’s impermanence. Without compassion and meaningful action, we risk passing through this world without fulfilling the deeper purpose of human existence.

The central message is beautifully simple: Remember Ram through compassion, honour Krishna through righteous action, and recognise that true devotion is not measured by how often we chant God’s name, but by how sincerely we live His teachings.

Also read: Rare instance when Lord Krishna took Lord Rama’s name

This blog is one of the Top 100 Spiritual blogs in the world, as per FeedSpot. See the full list here – https://bloggers.feedspot.com/spiritual_blogs/

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The Modern Ravana: Ten heads, a thousand disguises

By: Padmanabh Subramanian

Ravana had 10 heads, but at least the world could see them. Today, the most dangerous adversary may be the one we trust.

In the Ramayana, Ravana’s arrogance and abduction of Sita eventually brought him into direct conflict with Rama. His power made him formidable, but his identity as an adversary was never in doubt.

Today, the battle begins much earlier—with the struggle to distinguish genuine righteousness from its imitation.

The wrongdoer may be a trusted friend, a revered mentor or a powerful leader whose public image conceals private misconduct.

1. When appearances deceive

Wrongdoing rarely announces itself. It can hide behind kindness, humility and respectability. A convincing reputation may make people reluctant to question misconduct.

The challenge is to judge character by conduct, not appearances.

2. When manipulation overcomes truth

Deception and illusion were part of Ravana’s world. Today, manipulation takes subtler forms: selective truths, emotional coercion and manufactured narratives. Wrongdoers may portray themselves as victims, discredit those who expose them and turn people against one another.

The battle is often between truth and a lie crafted to sound more convincing.

3. When religion becomes a shield for adharma

Rituals, religious vocabulary and public displays of devotion can create an appearance of righteousness, but they do not guarantee ethical conduct.

Ravana himself was a learned devotee of Shiva. Yet his knowledge and devotion could not restrain his ego.

Knowing scripture is not the same as living its wisdom. Dharma demands accountability, not immunity from it.

4. When Vibhishana becomes another Ravana

Vibhishana chose righteousness over loyalty to his brother. But those who claim to oppose wrongdoing today may themselves be driven by convenience, ambition or revenge. They may expose another’s faults while overlooking their own, or abandon one side only to serve their personal interests elsewhere.

Not everyone who challenges a Ravana is a Vibhishana. The real test is whether the choice is guided by Dharma or self-interest.

5. The hollow promise of respecting women

Ravana’s abduction of Sita remains a defining act of his moral downfall. His power and scholarship could not justify his violation of her autonomy.

Today, violence, harassment, coercion and the silencing of survivors remind us that this failure persists.

A society cannot honour the feminine divine while denying women dignity, safety and freedom.

Worshipping a goddess while disrespecting a woman is a contradiction that rituals alone cannot resolve.

6. Where are Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman?

Rama represents righteousness, Lakshmana steadfast commitment, and Hanuman courage, devotion and selfless service.

Finding these qualities can feel difficult when truth-tellers are dismissed, loyalty is exploited and genuine service is overshadowed by self-promotion.

Yet these heroes need not appear in extraordinary forms. They live in those who challenge injustice, defend the vulnerable and do what is right despite personal cost.

Perhaps the tragedy is not that such people no longer exist, but that we fail to recognise them—or lack the courage to stand beside them.

7. Beyond the burning effigy

Every Dussehra, we burn Ravana’s effigy. But what does the ritual mean if we excuse dishonesty when it benefits us or defend misconduct by those we admire?

Wrongdoing survives not only through the actions of the guilty, but also through the silence of those who know better and the complicity of those who benefit.

Recognising it requires discernment. Confronting it requires courage. Overcoming it requires accountability.

The battle begins within

The Ramayana reminds us of the consequences of unchecked ego and the rejection of Dharma. Its lesson, however, cannot be reserved for others.

When we see 10 heads in another person, do we have the courage to recognise even one in ourselves?

Before we seek Rama in the world, we must recognise righteousness. Before we stand with Hanuman, we must find the courage to act.

The effigy burns in a day. The victory over adharma begins when we refuse to enable it—in others or in ourselves.

Also read: Rare instance when Lord Krishna took Lord Rama’s name

This blog is one of the Top 100 Spiritual blogs in the world, as per FeedSpot. See the full list here – https://bloggers.feedspot.com/spiritual_blogs/

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Book Review: What The River Knows by Aysha Khan

Over the last several years, there has been an overdose of motivational books or books that encourage you to think positively about life. Though the intention behind these books might be noble, the end result often turns out to be preachy. But author Aysha Khan’s What The River Knows carries out the task without being preachy and just through a simple idea.

The book basically is a conversation between a girl and a river. The girl asks various questions to the river about how she operates, flows, meets with obstacles before eventually reaching her destination, which is the sea. Through the river’s answers, the girl realizes the simplicity of life and how it doesn’t take much to look at the positives. This, of course, in turns motivates the reader to think the same way.  

The idea of a conversation between a human and a river might sound unusual to some. But their interaction is such that one is able to accept the river as a person, right from the start. In other words, Aysha Khan has humanized the river right from the onset.

One of the strongest points of What The River Knows is that the language used is rich but at the same time easy to understand for people from all walks of life. It instantly grabs your attention and makes you think that your life isn’t as bad as you make it look like. It makes you question the times when you felt life is unfair by making you realize how blessed you are than many others out there.

A major highlight of the book is the art in the form of colourful sketches of the girl protagonist standing around the river. The paintings, created by Aysha Khan herself, instantly appear endearing and go perfectly with the topic of the book. It is also praiseworthy how she has come up with different pictures on the same theme. Needless to say, the pictures help while visualizing the written word.

The book is also interactive. It provides space to the readers to jot down their own thoughts and experiences after reading it.  

There are no major negative points or flipsides as such. The only one I can think of is that the length of the book, as in the text part, could have been longer.

Overall: What The River Knows encourages you to look at life differently by using a simple and uncomplicated conversation between a girl and a river.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Author: Aysha Khan (know more about her by clicking HERE)

Publishers: Blessed Lotus Ventures LLC

Pages: 86

Also read: Rare instance when Lord Krishna took Lord Rama’s name

This blog is one of the Top 100 Spiritual blogs in the world, as per FeedSpot. See the full list here – https://bloggers.feedspot.com/spiritual_blogs/

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Matsya and Hanuman: When potential outgrows its boundaries

By: Padmanabh Subramanian

What happens when what lies within you is far greater than the boundaries around you?

Ancient Indian wisdom gives us two extraordinary answers — Matsya and Hanuman.

One became too large for every vessel until only the ocean could contain him. The other possessed immense power but forgot the scale of what he could do. Both stories carry a remarkably modern lesson: Extraordinary ability needs space, awareness, guidance and purpose.

He was Sundara — beautiful, radiant and extraordinarily gifted. As a child, sitting in his mother Anjana’s lap, he saw the rising Sun, mistook it for a fruit and flew towards it.

Indra struck him with the Vajra, injuring his jaw. From hanu, meaning jaw or chin, came the name Hanuman, traditionally associated with that injury. But the blow did not diminish his power. His father, Vayu, withdrew the air from the world in grief. The gods intervened, restored the child and blessed him with extraordinary abilities. Yet Hanuman was still a child. He began using those powers mischievously, disturbing sages in their rituals and meditation.

The sages understood something important:

Extraordinary energy without discipline can become disruptive.

So Hanuman’s powers were not taken away. Instead, he would forget the extent of them until someone reminded him. Years later, standing on the seashore with Rama’s vanara army, Hanuman had forgotten that he could cross the ocean to Lanka.

Then Jambavan reminded him. He wasn’t giving Hanuman a new power.

He was awakening what was already within him. Hanuman remembered — and the child who once reached for the Sun now crossed the ocean to fulfil Rama’s mission.

Matsya: When the Container Becomes the Constraint

There is another beautiful parallel in ancient Indian wisdom. In the story of Matsya, Vishnu’s fish incarnation, the divine fish first appears tiny before Rishi Satyavrata.

Satyavrata places it in his kamandalu. But Matsya soon outgrows it. So he moves the fish into a larger vessel, then a pond, a lake and a river. Each time, the container becomes inadequate for what it now holds. Finally, only the ocean can contain him.

What appeared to be a tiny fish reveals itself as something immeasurably greater. When the great flood comes, Matsya becomes the divine saviour who protects Satyavrata and helps preserve life.

From Ancient Wisdom to the Startup World

This is the startup metaphor at the heart of Matsya:

The company may be doing well — but the system that created its success may no longer be capable of supporting what it has become.

Think of an early startup. Three founders make every decision. A small team works from a shared understanding. One product serves one customer segment. Technology is built quickly rather than systematically. That simplicity is an advantage in the beginning.

Then the company finds product-market fit. Customers multiply. The team expands. New markets appear. Revenue becomes meaningful. Capital increases. Complexity arrives.

And suddenly, the old way of working becomes the problem.

The founders become decision bottlenecks. The technology struggles with volume. Processes that were once fast become unreliable. A product designed for one market doesn’t translate easily to another.

The startup has become Matsya.

The kamandalu → pond → lake → river → ocean is therefore not simply a metaphor for getting bigger.

It represents a more important principle:

As the company changes, its container must change with it.

The container could be the organization, technology, capital structure, leadership model, governance or market strategy.

The founder’s challenge is to recognize that transition early enough — before the structure that once enabled the company starts constraining it.

That is the Matsya lesson: Don’t mistake the container for the company.

Hanuman presents the opposite challenge. Here, the resources already exist — talent, technology, capital, relationships and opportunity — but they are not being fully brought to bear.

The sages provide discipline. Jambavan provides perspective. Rama provides trust, responsibility and a mission. This is where the venture analogy becomes especially interesting.

Rama is not merely the person who provides capital. He is the kind of mission-aligned venture partner who sees an ability that others may overlook and gives the person the mandate to use it.

He doesn’t tell Hanuman to become Rama. He gives Hanuman a mission through which Hanuman can become fully himself.

Hanuman then builds his own reputation through execution — crossing the ocean, finding Sita, confronting impossible obstacles and carrying the Sanjeevani mountain.

Rama is revered for righteousness, virtue and leadership; Hanuman for immense strength, courage and unwavering devotion.

And there is a beautiful irony: It took a bear — Jambavan — to remind Hanuman how high he could fly.

The entrepreneurial lesson

Matsya asks a founder:

Has your company outgrown the system that supports it?

Hanuman asks:

Are you using everything you already have?

Jambavan asks:

Who can see what you can no longer see in yourself?

And Rama asks:

What mission is worthy of those capabilities?

Perhaps that is the deeper lesson.

Sometimes the challenge is the container. Sometimes it is the person inside it.

And sometimes it is the absence of a purpose big enough to connect the two.

Because remarkable organizations are built not merely through resources, but through the right structure, the right people and the right purpose.

Also read: Rare instance when Lord Krishna took Lord Rama’s name

This blog is one of the Top 100 Spiritual blogs in the world, as per FeedSpot. See the full list here – https://bloggers.feedspot.com/spiritual_blogs/

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Krishna and the Wheel of Karma: Nothing is beyond consequence

By: Padmanabh Subramanian

We often think of Karma as something that applies to ordinary human beings. We make a mistake; we suffer its consequences. We hurt someone, we eventually experience pain ourselves. We create hatred, and someday that hatred returns to us. But what if Karma applies even to the Gods?

The story of Krishna offers a fascinating perspective.  Krishna is regarded as an incarnation of the Divine. He did not wield a weapon in the Kurukshetra war. He took a vow not to fight. Yet he became the most important force behind the Pandavas’ victory.

And still, after the war, Krishna’s own life moved towards an extraordinary conclusion. Perhaps the message is not that Krishna was “punished” by Karma.

Perhaps it is that no one is outside the law of cause and consequence—not even those who understand it better than anyone else.

The Syamantaka Mani: When Krishna Himself Was Accused

One of the earliest examples comes from the story of the Syamantaka Mani. The precious jewel belonged to Satrajit. When his brother Prasena disappeared while wearing it, rumours spread that Krishna had killed him and stolen the jewel. Krishna, despite being innocent, was publicly accused of theft. Rather than simply dismissing the accusation, he set out to establish the truth. His search eventually led him to the cave of Jambavan, the legendary bear-king.

Jambavan had taken the jewel after finding Prasena’s body. Krishna and Jambavan fought a fierce battle that lasted for days. Eventually, Jambavan recognised Krishna as the same divine being he had encountered in another age—as Rama. The misunderstanding was resolved, and Krishna returned with the jewel.

But the symbolism is fascinating. Even Krishna had to pass through the experience of being falsely accused, proving his innocence and physically confronting the consequences of someone else’s actions. Divinity did not make him immune to the circumstances created around him.

Gandhari’s Curse

Then came Kurukshetra. Krishna had repeatedly tried to prevent the war. But when the war finally happened, he stood with the Pandavas. He became Arjuna’s charioteer and guided him through the moral crisis of the battlefield. Pandavas won.

But victory came at an unbearable price. Gandhari had lost all her hundred sons.                                    A mother who had lost everything looked at Krishna—not as God, but as the one who, in her eyes, could have stopped the destruction. And she cursed him.

Her words were essentially this:

Just as the Kuru dynasty had destroyed itself, Krishna’s own Yadava clan would one day destroy itself too.

Krishna did not retaliate. He accepted the curse. And that is perhaps one of the most remarkable aspects of the story. He knew what was coming. He did not try to escape it.

The Seeds of Destruction Were Already Within the Yadavas

After the war, the Pandavas returned to their kingdom. But the Yadava clan continued to flourish. It seemed powerful, prosperous and almost invincible. And yet the seeds of destruction were already growing within it.

During the war, Krishna had offered his vast Narayani Sena to the Kauravas while he himself chose to support Arjuna. Among those who fought on the Kaurava side was Kritavarma, while Satyaki fought alongside the Pandavas. The war therefore left a strange contradiction within Krishna’s own larger family. Yadavas had fought on opposite sides.

Years later, at a gathering of the Yadavas, an argument erupted between Satyaki and Kritavarma. Old wounds resurfaced. Words became insults. Insults became violence. And violence spread.

One group sided with Satyaki. Another sided with Kritavarma. What had begun as an old political division eventually became a civil conflict. The great clan that had survived countless external enemies began destroying itself from within. This is one of Karma’s most uncomfortable truths: Sometimes destruction does not come from outside. It comes from the seeds we ourselves have planted.

The Iron Mace

Then came another extraordinary episode. Krishna’s son Samba, along with other young Yadavas, decided to mock the great sages. They disguised Samba as a pregnant woman and asked the sages to predict whether “she” would give birth to a boy or a girl. The sages saw through the deception.

Angered by the insult, they cursed that the “pregnant woman” would give birth to an iron mace, and that this mace would become the instrument of destruction of the Yadava clan. When the iron object was produced, the Yadavas panicked. They tried to destroy it. The mace was ground into powder and thrown into the sea.

Photo source: Askganesha.com

But Karma, in the Mahabharata’s symbolic world, does not disappear simply because we try to dispose of it. The iron fragments became reeds along the shore. And one solid piece remained. The very thing they had tried to destroy became part of the mechanism of their destruction. It is almost as if the story is telling us: You cannot always erase the consequences of what has already been set in motion.

The Mace Finds Its Way Back

Eventually, the Yadavas descended into a terrible internal conflict. The reeds that had grown from the remnants of the iron mace became weapons. The clan destroyed itself. The prophecy had come true. But there was still one piece of the iron mace left. That piece was swallowed by a fish. The fish was caught by a hunter. And the hunter came into possession of the iron fragment. He fashioned it into the tip of an arrow. The story had now travelled an extraordinary distance. From a prank…to a curse…to an iron mace…to the sea…to a fish…to a hunter…and finally to Krishna.

Karma had completed its journey.

Jara and the Final Moment

Krishna eventually withdrew from the world and sat beneath a tree. A hunter named Jara, seeing Krishna from a distance, mistook his foot for an animal and released his arrow. The arrow was made from the remaining piece of the iron mace.  It struck Krishna.

The hunter realised his mistake and was devastated. Krishna forgave him. In many traditional retellings, Jara is understood as a reincarnation of Vali, the mighty vanara king who was killed by Rama from behind a tree in the Treta Yuga. In that interpretation, the circle becomes even more profound. Rama had once killed Vali from concealment.

As Krishna, he now meets his end through an arrow released by someone associated with Vali’s rebirth. Whether one reads this literally, symbolically or simply as a later theological interpretation, the message is striking:

The wheel of Karma can take centuries to complete one revolution.

Krishna Did Not Escape Karma

Krishna was not a victim of Karma in the ordinary sense. He was the one who explained Dharma and Karma to Arjuna. He taught that action has consequences. He taught that one cannot escape the consequences of action merely by wishing them away. And then his own life seems to demonstrate the very principle he taught. He was falsely accused.

He endured conflict. He witnessed the destruction of families. He received Gandhari’s curse. His own clan eventually destroyed itself. And finally, Krishna himself died through an apparently accidental arrow. The deeper lesson may not be that Krishna was being punished. It may be that even the Divine, when entering the human world, accepts the laws of that world.

The Greatest Irony

Perhaps the greatest irony of Krishna’s story is this: He spent his life trying to prevent destruction. He tried to negotiate peace. He guided Arjuna through his moral crisis. He helped establish Dharma. Yet he could not prevent the destruction of his own clan. Perhaps that is the most human part of his divine story.

Karma Spares No One

The story of Krishna therefore leaves us with a haunting thought: You may be powerful enough to influence the world, but you are not powerful enough to escape the consequences of the world you help create. Karma does not ask whether you are a king or a commoner. It does not ask whether you are powerful or powerless. It does not ask whether you are celebrated or forgotten. And in the philosophical imagination of the Mahabharata, it does not even ask whether you are God. Because Karma is not revenge.

Karma is the universe remembering. Every action leaves a trace. Every hatred creates a possibility. Every injustice plants a seed. Every choice begins a journey. And sometimes, that journey takes years—or even lifetimes—to return to its source. Even Gods cannot escape Karma. Perhaps because the real lesson was never about the Gods. It was always about us.

Also read: Rare instance when Lord Krishna took Lord Rama’s name

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8 simple life lessons from Lord Ganesha’s conflict with Lord Shiva

By: Padmanabh Subramanian

As most of us are aware, Goddess Parvati & Lord Shiva in Kailash. One day, Parvathi wanted some private time for herself—to bathe and attend to her personal rituals without being disturbed. She wanted someone she could trust completely to guard the entrance.

So, from the sandalwood paste on her body, Parvati created a little boy and breathed life into him. She named him Ganesha and gave him one simple instruction:

“Guard the door. Do not let anyone enter.” 

Ganesha took his mother’s words seriously.

Soon, Shiva returned to Kailash. Ganesha did not know that Shiva was his father and stopped him at the door. Shiva insisted on entering, but Ganesha refused to move. What began as a disagreement soon turned into a battle. In anger, Shiva struck Ganesha and severed his head.

Parvati was devastated and demanded that her son be restored. Shiva realised what had happened.

He brought Ganesha back to life with the head of an elephant, accepted him as his son and blessed him to be worshipped before all others.

The story offers some remarkably modern lessons:

• Responsibility: Ganesha stood by the task he was given—even when challenged by authority.
  Today: Staying true to your role when the pressure is on.
• Context: Shiva acted without knowing why Ganesha was refusing him.
  Today: A little context can prevent a big misunderstanding.
• Escalation: A simple disagreement became a battle because neither side stepped back.
  Today: Not every disagreement needs a winner.
• Judgement: Ganesha followed the instruction, but without knowing the larger context.
  Today: Rules work best when paired with judgement.
• Leadership: Shiva did not cling to his mistake. He corrected it.
  Today: Owning a mistake is often more powerful than defending it.
• Transformation: Ganesha returned in a new form—and with a new place of honour. Today: Setbacks can reshape us in unexpected ways.
• Reconciliation: The story ends not with victory, but with acceptance.
  Today: The relationship often matters more than the argument.

Perhaps the simplest takeaway:
Stand your ground when it matters. But know when to listen, step back and make peace.

Also read: Rare instance when Lord Krishna took Lord Rama’s name

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Krishna vs Shakuni: The deadly chess game behind the Kurukshetra war

By: Padmanabh Subramanian

It can be said that the Kurukshetra war was like a chess game between Krishna and Shakuni — a game played not with pieces on a board, but with the minds, emotions and decisions of people.

On one side was Krishna, who understood human nature, relationships and the larger purpose of the war. On the other was Shakuni, the master strategist who understood the weaknesses, ambitions and insecurities of the Kuru family.

Both rarely fought with weapons. They played the larger game through people.

But who was Shakuni? Was he simply the villainous uncle who manipulated Duryodhana? Or was there a deeper story behind his hatred for the Kuru dynasty?

Shakuni in the Mahabharata of Ved Vyasa

As described in the Mahabharata attributed to Ved Vyasa, Shakuni was the king of Gandhara and the brother of Gandhari, who was married to Dhritarashtra, the blind prince of Hastinapura.

The marriage was not necessarily a happy arrangement from Shakuni’s perspective. Gandhari was married to a man who was visually challenged, and Shakuni is portrayed in later interpretations as being unhappy about the circumstances surrounding his sister’s marriage.

But the original Mahabharata does not tell the dramatic story of Shakuni’s entire family being imprisoned and starved to death.

That is where a fascinating folk story enters the picture.

The Folk Story of Shakuni’s Revenge

According to a popular later legend, Gandhari’s family in Gandhara was deeply unhappy with the Kuru family over the marriage. In some versions of the story, the Kuru dynasty punished King Subala, Shakuni and the members of the Gandhara royal family by imprisoning them. They were kept in a dungeon and given only a tiny amount of food — enough for one person to survive. The intention was that the entire family would eventually die.

King Subala understood what was happening. He also realized that if even one member of the family survived, that person could carry their story forward. The family therefore made a painful decision. They would give all the available food to Shakuni. One by one, the members of his family died. Shakuni survived.

But before his death, his father Subala is said to have given him a final instruction: “Survive. Remember what happened to us. Take revenge on the Kuru dynasty.” And Shakuni never forgot.

The Dice of Revenge

The folk story goes even further. According to this tradition, Shakuni’s dice were made from the bones of his dead family members — sometimes specifically from the bones of his father. These were no ordinary dice. They were believed to obey Shakuni’s command.

Whether or not we accept the story literally, the symbolism is powerful. Every time Shakuni rolled the dice, he was supposedly carrying the memory of his dead family with him. The dice game in Hastinapura therefore becomes something much bigger than a gambling match. It becomes an act of revenge.

Duryodhana: The Perfect Instrument

Shakuni understood Duryodhana’s greatest weakness — his jealousy of the Pandavas.

Duryodhana was powerful, proud and ambitious. But he constantly felt that the Pandavas were receiving what should have been his. Shakuni knew exactly how to feed those emotions. He did not need to force Duryodhana. He simply encouraged the thoughts that were already inside him. The rivalry between the Kauravas and Pandavas gradually became hatred.

And then came the infamous game of dice. Shakuni played on behalf of Duryodhana. The Pandavas lost their kingdom. They lost their wealth. They were forced into exile. And the humiliation of Draupadi transformed a political rivalry into something far more dangerous. The path to war had been opened.

Krishna vs Shakuni — The Real Chess Game

If we look at the Mahabharata as a great strategic game, Shakuni and Krishna can almost be seen as two master chess players. Shakuni understood human weakness. Krishna understood human nature — but also dharma and the consequences of choices. Shakuni played through Duryodhana’s jealousy. Krishna worked through Arjuna’s confusion. Shakuni pushed the Kauravas towards confrontation. Krishna repeatedly tried to prevent war before finally accepting that war had become unavoidable. Shakuni used the dice to change the course of history. Krishna used strategy, diplomacy and ultimately the Bhagavad Gita to clarify Arjuna’s understanding of his duty.

And there is one important difference. Shakuni wanted revenge. Krishna wanted the larger balance to be restored.

Did Shakuni Actually Plan the Destruction of the Kuru Dynasty?

According to the popular folk interpretation, yes. Shakuni’s real target was not merely the Pandavas. It was the Kuru dynasty itself. If the Kurus had destroyed his family, Shakuni would ensure that the Kuru family experienced the same fate.

And in a tragic sense, his plan succeeded. The Kurukshetra war destroyed almost the entire Kuru warrior generation. Bhishma fell. Drona fell. Karna fell. Duryodhana fell.

And Shakuni himself was eventually killed by Sahadeva, the Pandava who had vowed to kill him. The revenge was complete — but at a terrible cost.

The Tragedy of Shakuni

This is what makes the folk story of Shakuni so interesting. It changes our understanding of him. Instead of seeing him simply as a cunning villain, we can see him as a man consumed by revenge. Perhaps his greatest mistake was not that he wanted revenge. It was that revenge that became his entire purpose. He allowed his family’s suffering to become hatred. Hatred became manipulation. Manipulation became the dice game. The dice game became humiliation. Humiliation became war. And war ultimately destroyed the very family he wanted to punish. But it also destroyed Shakuni himself.

The Lesson

The Mahabharata has many villains, heroes and grey characters. Shakuni is perhaps one of the most fascinating because he reminds us of the danger of unresolved anger and revenge.

The popular story may not be part of Ved Vyasa’s original Mahabharata, but its message is powerful.

When pain is not healed, it can become revenge. When revenge becomes a purpose, it can consume not only the enemy but also the person seeking it.

And perhaps that is why the Kurukshetra war can be viewed as a great mental chess game between Krishna and Shakuni. Shakuni played to destroy. Krishna played to restore balance. Both understood the minds of men. But while Shakuni was driven by the past, Krishna was focused on the larger future. And ultimately, the chessboard was Kurukshetra.

Also read: Rare instance when Lord Krishna took Lord Rama’s name

This blog is one of the Top 100 Spiritual blogs in the world, as per FeedSpot. See the full list here – https://bloggers.feedspot.com/spiritual_blogs/

Onam: Mahakali war cry trailer depicts interesting detail related to the festival through Akshaye Khanna’s look

By: Padmanabh Subramanian

The Mahakali way cry trailer, released yesterday, August 24, has already created plenty of buzz, with Akshaye Khanna making a striking impression as Guru Shukracharya. There is also an intriguing visual detail that mythology enthusiasts may immediately notice:

Shukracharya is shown with only one eye.

For those familiar with Hindu mythology, this immediately recalls the fascinating story of Vamana, Mahabali and Shukracharya—and there could not be a more appropriate time to revisit it.

On August 26, Kerala and millions around the world will celebrate Thiruvonam, the culmination of Onam and the annual homecoming of King Mahabali.

And at the heart of that Onam legend is the very story in which Shukracharya loses that eye. According to the well-known Puranic tradition, King Mahabali was conducting a grand yagna when Lord Vishnu appeared before him in the form of Vamana, a dwarf Brahmin.

Mahabali was renowned for his generosity and immediately offered to grant the young Brahmin whatever he wished. Vamana made a seemingly modest request: he wanted only as much land as he could cover in three steps.

But Shukracharya, the wise preceptor of the Asuras, immediately recognized who stood before them. He understood that Vamana was none other than Vishnu and that the request was a means of taking back Mahabali’s vast kingdom and restoring the balance of power in favour of the Devas.

Shukracharya urgently warned Mahabali not to honour the request. But Mahabali had given his word.

For him, a promise made could not simply be withdrawn because its consequences had become inconvenient.

In the Vedic tradition, a donation or vow could be formally sealed by pouring water from a kamandala into the recipient’s hands.

Realizing what was about to happen, Shukracharya used his mystical powers to reduce himself to a microscopic form. He entered the spout of Mahabali’s kamandala and blocked the flow of water.

Vamana, however, understood exactly what was happening. He took a sharp blade of darbha or

kusha grass and inserted it into the blocked spout. The sharp grass pierced Shukracharya’s eye.

Shukracharya was forced out, having lost the sight of one eye. The water finally flowed into Vamana’s hands, and Mahabali’s vow was sealed.

This episode is traditionally associated with Shukracharya’s depiction as Ekaksha — the one-eyed one.

So, if the filmmakers have intentionally retained this feature in Mahakali, it is a fascinating example of how a seemingly small visual detail can carry an entire mythological story behind it.

From Vamana to Trivikrama

What followed was perhaps one of the most spectacular transformations in Hindu mythology.

Vamana expanded into Trivikrama, the cosmic form of Vishnu, whose enormous body encompassed the universe.

With his first step, he covered the Earth and the lower realms. With his second, he covered the heavens and the cosmic expanse.

Mahabali’s vast kingdom had disappeared beneath two gigantic strides. Then came the question that changed the meaning of the entire encounter. Vishnu asked Mahabali where he should place his third step.

There was nowhere left.

Mahabali had promised three steps of land, and the first two had already encompassed everything he possessed.

He offered his head for the Lord’s third step.

This is perhaps the most profound moment in the story.

Mahabali loses his kingdom, his wealth and his worldly power—but in surrendering his ego, he achieves something far greater.

Vishnu places his foot upon Mahabali’s head and sends him to Sutala, a magnificent realm in the netherworld, where Mahabali becomes its ruler.

Vishnu grants Mahabali divine protection and promises to remain as his guardian. More importantly, recognizing the king’s deep love for his people, Vishnu allows Mahabali to return to Earth once every year to visit them.

That annual homecoming lives on in the celebration of Onam, particularly cherished in Kerala.

Also read: Rare instance when Lord Krishna took Lord Rama’s name

This blog is one of the Top 100 Spiritual blogs in the world, as per FeedSpot. See the full list here – https://bloggers.feedspot.com/spiritual_blogs/

The divine answers beyond our ego, as preached by various saints and messengers

By: Padmanabh Subramanian

We live in an era of unprecedented connection. With a few taps on a screen, we can speak to someone across the globe, access the entirety of human knowledge, and demand instant solutions to almost any logistical problem. Yet, beneath this hyper-connected surface, the 21st century is battling a profound epidemic of isolation.

When life shatters our expectations—through grief, failure, or heartbreak — we cry out to the universe. We pour our hearts out, begging for intervention. But because we are so conditioned to instant gratification, the perceived “silence” of the Divine can feel like ultimate abandonment. We treat prayer like a transaction: I am hurting; please fix it now. When the exact resolution we demand doesn’t materialize, we stop talking.

The Two-Part Symphony of the Soul

There is a brilliant modern metaphor for this spiritual journey found in the music of Awarapan. The original song, ‘Tera Mera Rishta’ (released in 2007), captured the quintessential human cry—a raw, agonizing plea from a soul demanding answers for its pain. It was essentially a one-way street of despair. But years later, the creators released a 2.0 version in Awarapan 2. The perspective flips, and the lyrics become the long-awaited reply from the Divine: “I know you are broken. But our bond was never lost.”

This musical shift mirrors the spiritual awakening we so desperately need today. The Almighty does respond, but rarely in the transactional way our modern minds expect. To hear the answer, we must tune out the noise of the 21st century and listen to the echoes of timeless wisdom.

Image from ‘Tera Mera Rishta Continues’ from Awarapan 2

When we keep the dialogue with the Divine open, we realize the answer has already been delivered in multiple profound ways:

1. The Answer is Not an Escape, but an Awakening

We pray for our pain to be removed, but spiritual masters remind us that suffering is often the catalyst for our deepest evolution.

• Rumi’s Healing: The 13th-century mystic wrote, “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” The universe doesn’t always remove the heartbreak; instead, it uses the crack in your armor to pour in a deeper capacity for empathy and love.
• Sant Tukaram’s Surrender: This beloved saint taught that true strength doesn’t come from a frictionless life. It comes from joyful, unwavering surrender. By holding onto faith through the struggle, the struggle itself transforms into a path to profound peace.

2. The Answer is Detachment from the Outcome

Our modern anxiety stems from obsessing over the future. We want the Divine to hand us a roadmap with a guaranteed happy ending.

• The Bhagavad Gita: The ultimate lesson of the Gita is Nishkama Karma—action without attachment to the fruits. The Divine reminds us not to tie our inner peace to the exact resolution we prayed for. Freedom is found in trusting the journey, not controlling the outcome.
• Gautam Buddha: Buddha taught that waiting for tomorrow’s rescue guarantees today’s suffering. The universe’s answer is found in mindfulness—anchoring ourselves in the breath and finding stillness in the now, rather than fighting reality.
• Jesus Christ: In the Garden of Gethsemane, facing ultimate suffering, Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done.” He promised a “peace that passes all understanding.” The divine response is not always the calming of the storm, but the grace and fortitude to walk through it.

3. The Answer is Unshakable Presence

When we feel ignored, it is usually because we are looking up at the sky, waiting for a booming voice to fix our lives. The truth is far more intimate.

• Sant Kabir: Kabir repeatedly warned against searching for God in temples, mosques, or distant heavens while ignoring the heart. When you feel abandoned, the Divine is already sitting quietly within you, waiting for you to look inside.
• Guru Nanak Dev Ji: Nanak taught that the Creator is woven intricately into all of creation. You cannot be isolated when the Divine spark exists in the stranger on the street, the trees, and the very air you breathe. You are endlessly accompanied.
• Adi Shankara’s Advaita Vedanta: Shankara’s philosophy of non-duality offers the ultimate comfort: there is no separation. The gap between the human crying out and the Divine listening is an illusion. At your deepest core, you and the universe are one.

Keep Talking. Keep Listening.

In the 21st century, the greatest spiritual act is patience. We must unlearn the habit of demanding immediate, customized miracles.

The next time you cry out to the Almighty, do not mistake a lack of a worldly fix for a lack of love. Keep the dialogue open. The response is already weaving its way into your life—perhaps not as the neat resolution your ego demanded, but as an awakening to the profound, unshakable peace you didn’t know you already had inside.

Also read: Rare instance when Lord Krishna took Lord Rama’s name

This blog is one of the Top 100 Spiritual blogs in the world, as per FeedSpot. You can see the full list here – https://bloggers.feedspot.com/spiritual_blogs/