“Dwarka Dheesh; Giridhar; Chakardhari; Yogeshwar; Murlidhar; Mathura Naresh; Nand Lala; Gopala; Govinda; Radha Raman; Goswami; Makhan Chor; Ranchod; Parthasarthi; and you can keep on counting and counting many more names of Bhawan Shri Krishan. Considered as the Pooran Purush, Shri Krishan gave the world- renowned Gita Gyaan that guides not only every Hindu; but the whole of mankind in the daily life- be that an emperor or a common man. The one without whom the victory of Pandavs in Mahabharat was impossible, is considered to be the one who was bestowed upon with all sixteen virtues of god, the Solah Kalah Sampooran. Considered as the incarnation of Bhagwan Vishnu Himself; and another Avatar after Bhagwan Shri Ram; centuries have passed since people have worshipped Him as the saviour and looked towards Him for salvation.
But there is another side of the coin also that has not been told by Pandits and His followers and devotees; an aspect that is too heart wrenching to know. The side that depicts the pain, sufferings and sacrifices that Krishna undertook for the benefit of the whole of mankind. This is the story that makes Krishna the epitome of Herculean efforts He had to make in order to become the Krishan that He is worshipped now.
As He is Himself called, Bhagwan Shri Krishan; I will use another name for the Supernatural: One that made Krishan that He is today: and that one force is Fate or Destiny. Let us see what the Fate did to Him.
As if to extract some God-knows-which- revenge; the Fate had condemned Krishan much before His coming on this earth. His seven siblings were killed by none other than His own Mama, Kansa. And where was He destined to be born? In cold walls of the prison, with chains and under constant fear of the parents. Had it been up to them, perhaps they would have never tried to bring Him in this world. In short, Krishan was born with a Death Warrant; the supposed executor of that Death Warrant being His own Uncle.
The Fate did not even give Him time to suckle His mother, a birthright of every child. Within no time, His father carried Him across a mad river at midnight. Rain above. Death behind. Darkness ahead. Just compare it with the Western incarnations, and what do we find here? No burning bush. No sea parting for Him. No miracle announcing salvation, or the Wise Men of East guided by any star. Just the first battle for survival!
Even before He could speak, Kansa sent Putana to feed Him poisoned milk. He survived. Then came Shaktasur, followed by Trinavarta. When He wanted to play, Fate called in Kaliya. One after another attrmpts. As if Destiny hated Him personally. Born a Prince, but raised as a Cowherd. And He still smiled. People today collapse just even when one person unfollows them.
He lost everything early. His Nand-Yashoda who had raised Him with such love; His childhood; His home sweet home. And above all, His beloved Radha. His eternal love for Radha, which has not been understood by any of us; and least of all the Bollywood that glorified his pangs of separation.
In Mathura, there was no peace for Krishna. Jarasandha made seventeen invasions of Mathura to seek revenge for killing of Kansa. His Mathura burned again and again and again; but Fate would not let Him save it from Jarasandh’s wrath. Left with no option, He bid final adieu to His Mathura and settled thousands of miles away in Dwarka. Krishna could not protect everyone He loved.
Even as Dwarkadheesh, His own cousin Shishupal insulted Him publicly before the Assembly of all Kings of Bharat. And insulted Him again and again, a hundred times: Krishan listened calmly.
And then came the greatest tragedy. The clouds of War loomed large over the two mighty Clans: Kauravs and Pandavs. The War of Mahabharat seemed imminent. Krishan tried His best to prevent it. Daropadi had said to Him to look at her open hair; but Krishan said that just to tie her hair, He cannot imagine massacre of millions. He Himself went and sat before Duryodhan. Climbed down from the demand of half of kingdom to five cities; and then again pleaded for just five villages for peace to prevail. But Daryodhan refused.
And humanity walked into hell, flexing muscles, smiling!
Weapons of unimaginable destruction displayed their satanic powers.
Eighteen days later, rivers carried blood. 1.66 billion dead, as is said. At night, one could hardly see diya-light on horizon. No male member left alive, but for a few. Throne of Hastinapur rested on mountain of dead- body pyres. An entire civilization just collapsed into dust.
And Krishna carried that silence upon Him. Kauravs accused Him of deceit and violation of war-rules. His own elder brother Balram blamed Him for unfair duel by Bhim to defeat Daryodhan; and left Him forever. But Krishan: no complaints. No lamentation carved into scriptures. No prophet demanding Heaven explain itself why the blood bath happened. Just silence.
Then Gandhari whose hundred sons had been killed in that War cursed Him. A grieving mother blamed Him for everything: for the destruction of the great Kuru Clan. She felt Krishan could have stopped that great catastrophe but did not. The blame was put on Him. And Krishan accepted that also. This is what is called the spiritual strength.
But the Fate had yet kept in store the biggest blow for Him. His own Yadav Clan destroyed itself in front of Him. Drunk. Violent. Mad. All the Yadavs killed each other. His own son, who could not be defeated in the Mahabharat War, died in that chaos.
With that His Dwarka sank, below unfathomable waters of the sea. His city, His dream, His life’s work. All gone beneath the cruel waves. But was that all? No. The final curtain of Destiny was still to fall.
The man who was considered the greatest strategist. The man kings feared. The man sages worshipped. Died alone in a forest. Just one arrow. And why? A hunter’s mistake; they say.
No throne. No Chaturangi Sena or Army marching with bugles, weapons down. No grand farewell or Antim Yatra. And no Resurrection at all. Just silence beneath the trees!
And yet………..He is called the Complete Being. Not because life was kind to Him; but because pain never poisoned Him. That is Krishan’s greatness and not miracles, power or mythology. Life gave Him suffering, He gave life wisdom. Life gave Him betrayal; He gave Gita to humanity. Life gave Him war; He gave world detachment. And in the middle of chaos, He left us one terrifying truth: “You control your actions, not results!”
Krishan did not teach escapism, He taught endurance. He did not teach positivity; He taught responsibility. He taught how to stand inside Hell; without becoming hell yourself. That is why He still smiles.
And may be. That is why Bharat still survives!