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

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 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

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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/

Hindi Poem: Duryodhan Dara Hua Tha

The following is a poem on what was going through Duryodhan once the exile period or Vanvaas of the Pandavas was nearing its end.

Duryodhan Dara Hua Tha

Satta Kshetra Uska Tha Apaar
Rokne Ke Liye Thi Na Koi Deewar
Par Mann Chinta Mein Dooba Hua Tha
Duryodhan Dara Hua Tha

Pandavon Ko Jab Bheja Vanvaas
Harsh O Ullas Ka Tha Vishwaas
Vanvaas Ka Samay Ab Samapt Hua Tha
Duryodhan Dara Hua Tha

Satta Ko Hadapne Kiya Chhal
Kapat Mein Laga Diya Sara Bal
Karam Ka Boj Ab Lada Hua Tha
Duryodhan Dara Hua Tha

Jab Shri Krishna Ne Kiya Sachet
Tha Barbadi Ka Aakhri Sanket
Paap Ka Ghada Ab Bhara Hua Tha
Duryodhan Dara Hua Tha

Yuddh Tha Abhi Koso Door
Par Manobal Tha Uska Choor
Parinaam Yuddh Ka Likha Hua Tha
Duryodhan Dara Hua Tha

– Keyur Seta

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/

It’s accepted in this Bhagavad Gita shlok that all actions are bound to have some fault

The Bhagavad Gita is a dialogue between Lord Krishna and the warrior Arjuna. It takes place just before the great battle of Kurukshetra in the Mahabharata between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Arjuna, the most skilled Pandava, develops cold feet just before the start of the war as he becomes overwhelmed with the idea of killing his own family members and friends from the opposite side.

This is when Krishna decides to motivate him on the importance of him fighting the battle. He gives a detailed explanation of why it is not right to forsake one’s duty (in this case, fighting the war) for the cause of truth. While doing so, He also imparts some valuable life lessons. This conversation between Krishna and Arjuna came to be known as the Bhagavad Gita after it was compiled.

There are various astonishing and interesting teachings in the Gita spread across its 700 shloks in 18 chapters. In this article, we will concentrate on the shlok (verse) 48 from chapter 18. It is as follows:

“Every endeavor is covered by some fault, just as fire is covered by smoke. Therefore, one should not give up the work born of his nature, O son of Kuntī, even if such work is full of fault”

The shlok explains that one should always fulfil his or her duties, even if the task one carries out doesn’t turn out to be 100% perfect. In other words, you should not forsake your duty for any reason. But more importantly, through this shlok, the Lord says that he understands that every task might have some fault and that he is okay with it. He states that no human being is 100% perfect and hence, the task he or she undertakes can have some limitations.

Indirectly, the shlok also underlines that the only person who can be always perfect in His duty is the Lord.

There are various reasons why the Gita is considered a practical guide even for today’s era. This shlok about normalizing human limitation is one of the many examples of it.

Also read: The lesser known love story of Krishna and Rukmini

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Why Lord Krishna married 16100 princesses at one go?

There are quite a few aspects about Lord Krishna’s life that are said in jest or as jokes. The fact that he once married 16100 girls at one go is one incident from His life which people often laugh about. However, the incident is very serious in nature and one through which a person’s respect for Him multiplies.

As per Bhagavata Purana, there was a demon named Narakasura. He once captured 16100 princesses from different kingdoms and kept them in his harem. He carried out all kinds of atrocities on them. When Krishna comes to know about this horrific crime, He decides to take matters in His own hands. He lands up at Narakasura’s palace, along with Satyabhama, one of his eight wives, and defeats him and thereby freeing the 16100 princesses that were kidnapped.

Siddharth Gupta as Lord Krishna in Krishnavataram Part 1

But this wasn’t the end of the ordeal for the 16100 princesses. As the women were a part of Narakasura’s harem, they are looked down upon by the society as impure as those were olden times. Nobody was ready to marry them. In fact, it is also said that their own families refused to accept them. Hence, the 16100 princesses plead Krishna to marry them.

Krishna readily agrees to marry them but one needs to understand the logic and reasoning behind this marriage. He marries them purely to restore their honour and to ensure that they aren’t looked down upon by the society. In a way, He rehabilitates them. It is also mentioned that He gives a palace to each of the 16100 wives. Hence, from that moment onwards, nobody dares call them impure as they are the wives of the lord Himself.

After marrying these girls, Krishna’s total number of wives reaches 16108 as He already had eight wives before. These include, Rukmini, Satyabhama, Jambavati, Kalindi, Mitravinda, Nagnajiti, Bhadra and Lakshana.

The incident about Krishna defeating Narakasura and marrying 16100 princesses was convincingly shown in filmmaker Hardik Gajjar’s recent movie Krishnavataram Part 1: The Heart (Hridayam). It stars Siddharth Gupta as Krishna and Sanskruti Jayana as Satyabhama.  

Also read: How far are Mathura, Vrindavan and Gokul from each other?

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Why Swami Vivekananda refused to debate on Vedanta with a pandit?

A North Indian Pandit once came to Swami Vivekananda with the intention of outshining him in a discussion on Vedanta. But Swamiji was in no mood then to discuss philosophy. His mind was absorbed in the suffering of the people during the terrible famine spreading across the country.

He said: “Panditji, first of all try to lessen the terrible distress prevailing everywhere. Try to stop the heart-rending cries of your hungry countrymen for a morsel of food. After that, come to me to debate on Vedanta. To dedicate one’s whole life and soul to save thousands dying of starvation — this is the essence of the religion of Vedanta.”

–From the book ‘Swami Vivekananda: The Friend Of All’ by Swami Lokeswarananda

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Through the above incident, it is clear that Swami Vivekananda believed that helping those in distress is the highest form of religious practice. Discussing religion and philosophy at a time when thousands are reeling with disease and hunger is futile, as expressed by him.

This incident also reminds us of a few other sayings by Swami Vivekananda, which are as follows:

“First bread, then religion.”

“If a stray dog of my country remains without food, my religion will be to feed and take care of him. All else is either non-religion or false religion.”

“He who sees Shiva in the poor, in the weak, and in the diseased, really worships Shiva; and if he sees Shiva only in the image, his worship is but preliminary.”

Swami Vivekananda’s message from the above three quotes is self-explanatory. He firmly believed that helping the needy is the highest form of worship. All other rituals should come later.

Also read: When Swami Vivekananda criticized a Gaurakshak

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Rare instance when Lord Krishna took Lord Rama’s name

Ramayana and Mahabharata are two of the most revered epics by Indians around the world. The masses not only study but also worship them. It is believed that Ramayana happened in the Treta Yug and Mahabharata in the Dwapar Yug. In other words, Ramayana happened much before the Mahabharata.

Hence, it comes as a surprise to many that there is hardly any mention of the Ramayana in the Mahabharata. It is believed that since the former happened first, it should be worshipped or, at least, mentioned in the Mahabharata.

There is one instance of a crossover between two epics when Bheem comes across Lord Hanuman while the former and his family are in exile in the forests. It is a heartwarming incident where Bheem realizes that Hanuman is his half-brother since both have the same father – the wind God.

However, there is no explicit mention of Lord Rama and his qualities in the Mahabharata. There is a mention of Lord Shiva a few times, especially when Arjuna goes to his abode to get celestial weapons for the war against the Kauravas.

But there is one little instance when Krishna mentions Lord Rama’s name in the Mahabharata. This happens when Krishna is delivering the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

In Chapter 10, verse 31, the lord says, “Of purifiers I am the wind, of the wielders of weapons I am Rama, of fishes I am the shark, and of flowing rivers I am the Ganges.” As the Gita is a part of the Mahabharata, we can say the Krishna took Rama’s name in the epic.

In this shloka, Krishna lists down his exemplary qualities by giving different examples. While speaking about his quality of wielding the bow and arrow, he says that he is as good as Rama. It is believed that Rama wasn’t known for firing too many arrows. Most of the times, he would only fire one arrow but that would be enough to destroy his target.

While it is good to see Rama’s name being uttered by Krishna, it would have been great if there were more references of Ramayana in the Mahabharata.

Also read: Dwarka: Photos, places to visit and how to get there

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