Hinduism - Who Is Lord Krishna In The Hindu Pantheon? What Is The Krishna Lila?

Krishna's infancy mythology is centered on themes of forgetfulness and latent divinity.

Because they are ignorant of Krishna's actual identity, the people of Braj tolerate him with ease.

Krishna is known to favor natural interaction above all other forms of devotion.

Krishna is notorious as a child for his mischief, notably his habit of stealing butter from the gopis (milk maids), yet he is generally able to charm his way out of punishment when caught.

Putana, Keshi, and Trnavarta are among the demon assassins sent by his uncle Kamsa.

Throughout all of these exploits, his friends are awestruck, but they are unaware that they are in the presence of divinity.

Neither do his foster parents, for that matter.

When Yashoda looks into Krishna's mouth after he has eaten some dirt in one narrative, he sees the whole cosmos.

She forgets about the occurrence very instantly because to Krishna's power of illusion (maya).

Two heroic episodes—driving off the snake Kaliya and fighting the storm-god Indra by holding up Mt.

Govardhan—mark his youth, as does the growth of his identity as a lover.

He plays his flute Murali on the banks of the Yamuna River on beautiful fall evenings.

The village ladies flock to meet him when they hear its enticing call, and they spend the night in the ras lila, a circle dance.

Radha emerges as Krishna's particular companion and spouse, depicting the relationship between divinity and devotee using the imagery of lover and beloved, despite the fact that she is not mentioned in the oldest scriptures.

Krishna's mythology includes events from later in his life, such as his return to Mathura, the murder of Kamsa, assuming his rightful rulership, and marrying Rukmini and a slew of other wives.

The previous threads of his mythological identity—the Mahabharata's depictions of him as a king, hero, and crafty diplomat—can be linked in here to make it appear like the story of a single life.

The gopis, Krishna's female followers, and Uddhava, Krishna's companion sent back from Mathura, are depicted in some of the most moving devotional (bhakti) poetry.

Uddhava reassures them that Krishna is the ubiquitous indwelling God.

This abstract idea is a poor replacement for the charming guy the gopis are familiar with.

Their gaze is drawn to Braj's endearing kid, who never grows up, never gets old, and who welcomes his worshippers to join his universe.

Relationship and connection are important to Krishna devotion, both with the god and with one another.

Krishna's followers see themselves as joining Krishna's realm and spending the day performing the mundane tasks of a village cowhand, such as waking up, eating, putting the cows to pasture, and returning the cows home.

Some devotional guides provide comprehensive daily calendars that devotees may use to picture themselves visiting certain locations and doing specific activities at specific times—building a relationship with God through sharing the mundane aspects of daily life.

Another prevalent activity is community singing, which generally consists of collections of holy names known as kirtans, as a means of fostering ties and unity among devotees.

The concept of lila, or "play," is another characteristic of Krishna's character and devotion.

As David R. Kinsley points out, the demon assassins are sent by the child Krishna as a game, and they never constitute a real danger.

His interactions with the inhabitants of Braj are likewise a game.

He appears in their midst as the divine presence, but he keeps them fully unconscious of this, sometimes hinting at it by his miraculous works, but hesitant to jeopardize their natural connections with him by disclosing their status disparity.

Similarly, he is said to be active in the lives of his believers, constantly there but just teasingly hinting at his presence.

Finally, lila is the name of a series of plays performed in Brindavan during the monsoon season.

These ras lila shows are more than just theater; they integrate liturgy with drama.

Local brahmin lads portray Krishna and his companions.

The guys are said to have transformed into the personas they play when dressed up.

Worship is a component of the curriculum.

The actors, known as svarups ("own-forms"), assemble on stage to offer the audience darshan.

Darshan, the most prevalent religious act in current popular Hinduism, permits devotees to make direct eye contact with the image of a god, who is thought to be a conscious, perceiving entity.

The lila, or reenactment of a scene from Krishna's legend, is the program's second half.

By performing or witnessing these shows, the audience joins by virtue of its presence, bringing Krishna's lila into the present.

There are several works about Krishna due to his status as a Hindu divinity.

Milton Singer (ed. ), Krishna, 1966; David R. Kinsley, The Sword and the Flute, 1975; Barbara Stoller Miller, The Love Song of the Dark Lord, 1977; and John Stratton Hawley, Krishna: The Butter Thief, 1983 for further details.

Also see Vaishnavism. 

You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.

Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.

The Sins of Krishna: Killing of Bhishma

                


                          I have for long intended to take a close look at the several sins Krishna is accused of both by Indian culture and by westerners. When I recently read Elaine Fisher’s paper The Devious God: Mythological Roots of Krishna’s Trickery in the Mahabharata, which heavily depends on material from such scholars as Bimal Krishna Matilal, Alf Hiltebeitel and Wendy Doniger O’Flaherty, my desire became stronger. It was then that I received a call from a friend of mine, a professor, an author and a scholar of great repute himself, who calls me up once every couple of months from the other side of the world to discuss long distance different aspects of Indian culture. My friend loves Krishna. This time his question was about the ‘apparently immoral acts of Krishna,’ as he put it. How do we explain them, he asked. I have dealt with this question in part in my article Krishna: A Study in Transformational Leadership, available online, based on a class lecture I gave at XLRI School of Business a few years ago. However, I felt it is a good time to take that closer look.

               One of the sins Krishna is accused of is the way he achieves Bhishmavadha – getting Bhishma ‘killed’ at the hands of Arjuna. And that is what I shall look into in this study.

“Your inner nature is bliss and joy. Clean your mind of thoughts and worries and you will find this treasure within you.”

           The events of Mahabharata have been archeologically verified and carbon dated back to 3148 B.C. Following the ancient tradition beginning with the Mahabharata itself, I shall continue to use the word kill here, though Arjuna does not actually kill Bhishma, since he, because of a boon, could not be killed by anyone, but could choose his time of death. The Adi Parva tells us:

           Shantanu, seeing the impossibly hard thing done by Bhishma, being pleased with him, gave him the power of death at will.

Bhishmavadha happens, as everyone familiar with the Mahabharata knows, on the tenth day of the epic battle. Krishna is accused of deviousness and duplicity here. He is accused of making the Pandavas go to Bhishma on the night of the ninth day and seek from him the secret of how he could be killed. Then, as suggested by Bhishma, during the next day’s battle he has Arjuna hide behind Shikhandi and kill him while Bhishma gives up battle seeing Shikhandi in front of him.

              Now let’s take a look at the events as the Mahabharata describes them. I am following here the story as the popular Sanskrit text [Gita Press] narrates it and not as the Critical Edition does, though the quotations are mostly from the Critical text. The popular text is more detailed.



               Towards the end of the ninth day of the battle, Bhishma is in one of his fiercest moods. Throughout the day he had been in a fiery mood – the previous night Duryodhana had gone to his tent at night, riding a horse, leading a large procession, accompanied by musicians with several of his friends on elephants – making sure it is a very public affair. There he had practically asked Bhishma to resign as commander-in-chief since he was achieving nothing for him. On the ninth day Bhishma was fighting under this humiliation. The Pandava army was fleeing everywhere in dread. Such was the chaos unleashed in the battlefield by Bhishma’s slaughter that in the pandemonium that resulted fathers blindly killed sons, sons killed fathers and friends killed friends. Pandava soldiers were fleeing in every direction – they had removed their armours and helmets, so that they will not be attacked, and as they fled helter-skelter, their hair blew wildly in the wind.

                 Krishna has the greatest respect for Bhishma – perhaps he respects him more than he respects anyone else in the Mahabharata, with the exception of Vyasa. But he now realizes killing Bhishma is a desperate need and it cannot be delayed any further. He asks Arjuna to fulfill the vow he had taken in the middle of kings at Virata – that he shall kill Bhishma in battle.

                 In spite of all the slaughter that Bhishma is doing and all the havoc he is causing, Arjuna is still not ready to kill the grandsire. He is in the same dilemma as he was at the beginning of the Gita: “Tell me Krishna” he says, “what is better for me? Obtaining the kingdom by killing those who should not be killed, which will be worse than hell, or the sorrows of life in the jungle?”

                 He then reluctantly asks Krishna to take the chariot to where Bhishma is and says he shall now fell [pātayishyāmi] Bhishma. Krishna does that, but soon realizes that Arjuna is not fighting as he should – while the grandsire is ferocity itself, like the fire that engulfs everything at the end of the world [yugāntam iva], Arjuna is still fighting mildly [mrduyuddha].

Krishna watches it for a long time, while mighty warriors and ordinary soldiers alike fall dead all around him, cut down mercilessly by Bhishma. Finally, he is unable to stand Arjuna’s softness to Bhishma any more. He knows the damage Arjuna’s attitude is doing, the devastation it is causing to his own army. Enraged, in a moment of exasperation, he drops the reins and jumps down from the chariot possessed by a blinding fury. With no weapons in hand, holding just his charioteer’s whip, he races towards Bhishma like an angry storm. His eyes are red. The earth shakes at every step he takes. People who watch the scene shiver in terror and cry out spontaneously – “Bhishma is finished, Bhishma is dead”.

                  Arjuna himself jumps down from the chariot now and runs after Krishna. He clings to him from behind and reminds him of his vow not to fight in the war. Such is Krishna’s rage that Arjuna’s hold from behind has no effect on him and he drags Arjuna along, as he continues his race towards Bhishma. Then Arjuna tries to hold him back by clinging to his feet. He now declares to Krishna that he shall kill Bhishma. By then Krishna has taken ten more steps dragging Arjuna along with him. When Arjuna makes that promise, Krishna, still fuming and silent, but pleased with what Arjuna has said, walks back towards the chariot.

Soon however the sun sets in the west and the battle is stopped for the day.

             That night the Pandavas sit in consultation among themselves, along with Krishna and perhaps other leaders on their side.

              During the discussion Yudhishthira confesses to Krishna that he does not like the idea of battling against Bhishma [na yuddham rocate mahyam bhīshmena saha mādhava], but at the same time Bhishma is killing his soldiers in battle [hanti bhīshmo mahāvīro mama sainyam ca samyuge]. He also admits that when Bhishma is in his form, it is impossible to have victory over him [na tu bhīshmah susamkruddhah śakyo jetum mahāhave]. He sees only one solution – go to the jungle and live there, which according to him is a much better option [vanam yāsyāmi durdharsha śreyo vai tatra me matam.]. They are, he says, like moths flying towards their death and Bhishma is a blazing fire. Forget about the kingdom, their very survival seems to be in question. And, says Yudhishthira, his one desire at the moment is to remain alive [jeevitam bahu manye’ham jeevitam hyadya durlabham]. Yudhishthira speaks in this tone for long [bahuvistaram].

               Krishna is moved by compassion [kāruNyāt] by the dharma-obsessed king’s grief and consoles him. He praises his, Yudhishthira’s, brothers, describing them surpassingly mighty and capable of winning the war by themselves. But if Arjuna does not want to kill Bhishma, then, he says, if he has Yudhishthira’s permission, he, Krishna himself, would enter the battle. Please give him permission, and he would challenge Bhishma, battle with him and kill him. There is nothing he would not do for Arjuna – he would pull out his flesh itself and give it away if that would help Arjuna. And so would Arjuna give up his life for his, Krishna’s, sake. Because of his friendship with Arjuna, it becomes his duty to fulfill Arjuna’s oath. Arjuna is not only his friend, but also his disciple and his relation.

               There is no deviousness here, no duplicity, no betrayal. Krishna does not recommend any guileful means to eliminate Bhishma from the battle. His plan befits the highest ideals of warriorhood. He would challenge Bhishma in open battle and kill him there right before the eyes of Duryodhana and his men. In fact, because of his commitment to Arjuna and the Pandavas he would even break his own word and enter the battle if that would help. The ill-fame that he would accrue through that does not bother him.

              Ill-fame never bothered Krishna at any time in his life once he knew what the right thing for him to do was. In this he is a complete contrast to Rama, for whom the opinion of the world was of utmost importance and for the sake of which, he would even abandon his wife whom he loved beyond words, who he knew loved him equally, and of whose purity he did not have the least doubt. Krishna does not take his decisions by asking himself what everybody will think. He might ask Arjuna that question, but never felt it applied to him. His commitment was to higher ideals than public opinion. Ninda, scandal and disrepute, has always followed Krishna like a shadow – Krishna never bothered about it, nor did it ever stop him from doing what he thought was right.

                 Krishna also defines through his words here what friendship means. His friendship with Arjuna is the highest kind of friendship – nothing higher is possible. So is his loyalty to Arjuna.

                 Well, Yudhishthira refuses to consider Krishna’s offer, which is the right thing for him to do. Showing the maturity befitting a man of his position and an elder cousin of Krishna, he says no to Krishna. He reminds him of his vow not to enter the battle.

And then, as an alternative, he – Yudhishthira – places another idea before them all.

O0O

              It is central to our discussion to understand that this suggestion comes from Yudhishthira. And unprompted by anyone, all on his own. There hasn’t been even the shadow of such a suggestion from anyone present there – neither from Krishna, nor from the other Pandavas or the other people who were presumably there, like Dhrishtadyumna, Satyaki, Drupada, Virata and so on. This idea is Yudhishthira’s very own.

          Let me translate here from the Critical Edition the entire short passage in which Yudhishthira makes this proposal.

           “Bhishma has made an agreement with me, O Madhava, that he will give me advice but will never fight on my behalf – fighting he will do for Duryodhana. Such is the truth, O Lord. So he will give me advice and [through that] the kingdom, O Madhava. Therefore, let’s again ask Bhishma about how he can be killed – you and all of us together. So, if you like it, O Krishna, let us all go to Bhishma, the best of men, immediately and ask for his counsel. He shall give us advice that will be true and good for us, O Janardana. I shall proceed in this battle, Krishna, exactly as he will tell us. Firmly committed to his word, he will certainly give us both counsel and victory.

“As children without a father, it is he who brought us up. It is that beloved grandsire, the father of our father, that we want to kill in his old age! Shame on the way of life of the kshatriyas!”

              What Yudhishthira is doing here is recalling Bhishma’s promise to him on the opening day of the war. On that day, as the two armies stood facing each other, Yudhishthira had removed his armour, crown and weapons, and unarmed, his hair open and lose, had walked towards the Kaurava army, his palms joined together in reverence. Everyone, including his brothers, was initially confused. Krishna explained the situation to them and then they all followed Yudhishthira. Reaching Bhishma, Yudhishthira touched his feet in respect and sought his permission to fight against him. Bhishma wished him victory in war and, pleased with his conduct, asked him to ask for a boon. Since Bhishma had made it clear that he was bound to fight for Duryodhana and would do so, Yudhishthira had asked him to give him his counsel. Bhishma had asked him what counsel he needed and Yudhishthira had told him:

“Since that is the unfortunate case, O Grandsire, I bow to you and ask, please tell me how you could be killed by others in battle”.

In response, Bhishma had told him:

“Time hasn’t come for me to die. Come to me later.”

            Yudhishtira now knows that time has come. He uses the word ‘again’ here in suggesting they go to Bhishma now – bhūyah. What he means is let’s do that again now, as I had done on that occasion.

Yudhishthira shows his nobility again here by recalling how Bhishma had looked after them lovingly, orphans that they were, while they were children. He regrets that it is that grandsire he has to kill and curses the dharma of the kshatriyas [dhig astu kshatrajīvikām].

[Throughout the Mahabharata, Bhishma is referred to as the grandfather of the Pandavas and the Kauravas, though he is actually their granduncle. By Indian custom of the day, and even of today in many parts of the country, an uncle is referred to as father, and a granduncle, as grandfather. To make the distinctions clear, sometimes the terms younger father or elder father and younger grandfather or elder grandfather are used. The feelings of reverence towards an uncle and a granduncle too were/are those towards a father and a grandfather.]

            Krishna approves of Yudhishthira’s plan. Together, they go to Bhishma that night itself, after removing their armours and weapons. And there, after bowing before him reverentially, Yudhishthira asks the grandsire how they could win the war and obtain the kingdom. He also asks him to tell them how he could be killed:

“Please, tell us yourself how you could be killed.”

             Bhishma tells them that he will not fight Shikhandi on any account. The standard on Shikhandi’s flag is inauspicious, he is a transsexual, having once been a woman and then transformed into a male. He has vowed not to fight against anyone whose symbol is inauspicious or who is or once was a woman. He will not fight Shikhandi because of both these reasons.

            He then suggests that they put Shikhandi in front, or someone else of Shikhandi’s nature, and then fight him. Then from behind him, Arjuna should fell him. If they do that, their victory is assured.

The Pandavas and Krishna bow to Grandsire Bhishma and come back.

            However, no one really likes the idea Bhishma has suggested. Arjuna positively hates it. Once again he tells Krishna he cannot kill Bhishma. He remembers playing in the lap of the grandfather as a child. Once, as a child, he had called Bhishma father and Bhishma had corrected him lovingly, telling him he was not his father, but his father’s father. How can he kill that man? He declares:

“Let him slaughter my army as he wishes. Le us win the war or let me be killed. But I shall not fight with that noble man. Tell me Krishna, what do you think?”

              When Arjuna asks Krishna to tell him what he thinks of it, Krishna takes recourse to the supernatural and tells him that thus has Bhishma’s death been decided by the gods a long time ago. And then he quotes Brihaspati. Quoting the great acharya of Nitishastra, the Science of Polity, Krishna says:

“Even if he is someone senior to you or an aged person, or someone endowed with virtues, if he comes to you to kill you and thus becomes an ātatāyi, you must kill him. This, O Arjuna, is the eternal dharma of the kshatriyas.”

             An atatayi is a great sinner. The meaning of the term includes anyone who is making an attempt on your life, even though he may not be a sinner otherwise.

Arjuna eventually says:

“Shikhandi shall certainly become Bhishma’s death. Every single time Bhishma lays his eyes on him, he retreats. So we shall keep Shikhandi in front of him and fell Bhishma through the means he has suggested. I shall stop the other great warriors with my arrows and let the mighty warrior Shikhandi focus all his attention on fighting Bhishma.”

             It is interesting to note here that even now Arjuna does not once say he shall kill Bhishma. That is an unacceptable duty that he would perform, but he would not admit it, or name it, even to himself. It is ‘we’ who shall kill Bhishma – not ‘I’. Not Arjuna.



            We see here then that Krishna has no role whatsoever in planning to have Bhishma killed through Arjuna who would fight standing behind Shikhandi. He was there when the suggestion was made by Bhishma, true. But the idea of going to Bhishma was not his, nor was the idea that Arjuna should attack Bhishma from behind Shikhandi.

              Is Krishna being devious and deceptive in telling Arjuna that he has to kill Bhishma? What is going on is a battle and Arjuna is the best warrior on the Pandava side and Bhishma, the commander-in-chief and arguably the fiercest warrior on the enemy side. True, both of them love each other dearly. Both of them respect each other as warriors and as men of the highest integrity. Human feelings are the most natural things under such circumstances, and they should be there. If such feelings were not there, these men would not only not have been great men, but would have fallen below the level of ordinary humanity. But what is going on is a war and that war makes it necessary that Krishna gives strength and courage to Arjuna and helps him see things in the right perspective. As Krishna himself says, he is Arjuna’s friend and relation, and Arjuna is his disciple. Arjuna counts on Krishna’s wisdom to guide him – he has chosen Krishna against Krishna’s army for this reason and not because he was a good charioteer. Arjuna has just asked him: katham vā krshna manyase – “Krishna, what do you think?”

            By telling Arjuna it is his duty now to kill Bhishma, Krishna does no more than what he is supposed to do under the circumstances. Honestly and in a straight forward way. With no deviousness.

            Let’s now see if Krishna uses any other devious means in the execution of the plan. Does he use any duplicity in the battlefield itself to have Bhishma killed on the tenth day, other than what was suggested by Bhishma himself?



           Skipping other details of this crucial day, the tenth day of the war, let us go straight to where the incidents that concern us take place. As the sun begins going down on the west, we find Bhishma tired of the carnage and devastation he has been spreading all around him for ten days. Deep despondency sets in and he now feels he has no interest in living any more. He just wants to die, and die fast. He does not any more want to continue the slaughter he has been doing for the last ten days.

He addresses Yudhishthira who happens to be near him at that time and tells him:

           “Yudhishthira, wise man that you are and a master of all scriptures, listen to my words, son, that are in accordance with dharma and will give you heaven. I have totally lost all interest in this body, O Bharata. I have spent too much time killing men in battles. For that reason, if you want to do what will please me, please endeavor to get me killed by putting Arjuna as well as the Panchalas and Srinjayas in front.”

             Yudhishthira announces to his soldiers and chief warriors that they need not fear Bhishma any more. They are going to have their victory over Bhishma now, because Arjuna is going to attack him, keeping Shikhandi in front of him. The warriors attack Bhishma, but they are opposed by Duhshasana. By then Arjuna joins the battle, attacking Bhishma, with Shikhandi as his cover. Other warriors join in on both sides. Shikhandi attacks Bhishma and wounds him, but Bhishma does not attack him in return. On one occasion, Bhishma is about to attack Arjuna with a mantra-empowered weapon [divyāstra] but at that time Shikhandi comes before him and seeing him, Bhishma withdraws the weapon.

                Soon the Pandavas, with Shikhandi before them, attack Bhishma as a team, surrounding him from all sides. His armour is in ruins and he is getting wounded at vital points, but that does not upset Bhishma. At one point he is battling with and wounding simultaneously six maharathis on the Pandava side – Satyaki, Bhima, Arjuna, Virata, Drupada, and Dhrishtadyumna. Arjuna chops down Bhishma’s bow with an arrow of his. The Kaurava maharathis get enraged at this. Seven of them together attack Arjuna – Drona, Kritavarma, Jayadratha, Bhurishrava, Salva, Shalya and Bhagadatta. Seeing them attacking Arjuna several Pandava heroes come running there – Satyaki, Bhima, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, Drupada, Ghatotkacha and Abhimanyu. A hair-raising battle now ensues among these giants, which the Mahabharata compares to the battle between the Devas and the Asuras of old.

           After Arjuna has chopped down Bhishma’s bow, as the old warrior stands bowless, Shikhandi wounds him and his charioteer. He then destroys Bhishma’s flagpole. Bhishma in the meantime picks up another bow, which too Arjuna cuts off. Every time Bhishma picks up a new bow, Arjuna cuts it off.

           An angry Bhishma now picks up a powerful shakti, and Arjuna breaks that too with his arrows into five pieces. Bhishma knows he can strike back, but he remembers that it is his dear Pandu’s son who is attacking him, and also that Shikhandi is standing in front of him. He remembers the boon that he has received – his power to choose his own death. And he concludes that time has come for him to choose that death.

“Long ago when Father married Kali [Satyavati], pleased with me he gave me the boon of death at will as well as immortality in battle. And now I think the time has come for me to choose that death.”

He continues putting up a fight, but his fight now does not have the power it had all along. Arjuna realizes the decisive time has come. He attacks Bhishma with a steady flow of arrows. Shikhandi too continues attacking him.

Bhishma gives up battling and turning to Duhshasana who is either in Bhishma’s own chariot or in a nearby one, tells him with a smile on his face: “These arrows are striking me like lightning. No, these arrows cannot be Shikhandi’s – neme bānāh śikhandinah.”

“I am being wonded terribly by the arrows of Arjuna. The arrows that Arjuna shoots incessantly at me hit me with the force of lightning. No, these arrows are not Shikhandi’s – neme bānāh śikhandinah.”

“These arrows penetrate my armour and pierce my very vitals. They hit me with the force of pounding rods. No, these arrows are not Shikhandi’s – neme bānāh śikhandinah.”

“They are as unbearable as Indra’s vajra and the staff of the lord of death. Unstoppable like the thunderbolt, they torment my very life. No, these arrows are not Shikhandi’s – neme bānāh śikhandinah.”

“As damaging as the messengers of Death, they destroy my pranas. O, how they hit me like maces and bludgeons! No, these arrows are not Shikhandi’s – neme bānāh śikhandinah.”

“Like enraged snakes filled with poison and projecting their tongues out, these arrows pierce my very vitals. No, these arrows are not Shikhandi’s – neme bānāh śikhandinah.”

“These arrows puncture my body even as baby crabs break open their mother’s body. These arrows are Arjuna’s. No, these arrows are not Shikhandi’s – neme bānāh śikhandinah.”

             Again and again, as each time the arrows strike him with the force of pounding rods and the rod of the lord of death, with the force of maces and bludgeons, Bhishma, in unendurable pain, keeps saying – neme bānāh śikhandinah. No, these arrows are not Shikhandi’s.

Soon there is not one inch in Bhishma’s body that is not covered by arrows.

             As the sun approaches the western horizon, the end comes. The mighty grandsire of the Bharatas falls down from his chariot, his head facing the eastern direction, the arrows piercing his body not allowing his old body to touch the ground. They form his final bed of rest – he will lie there in that condition long after all the slaughter of the battlefield is over and the war had ended in the victory of the Pandavas. He will await utttarayana, the northern solstice, to come and then when that period, considered auspicious to die, begins, he will finally end his life on earth.


               This then, in brief, is how the Mahabharata describes the incidents after the Pandavas plan Bhishma’s death based on the idea given by Bhishma himself. As can be seen, Krishna’s role in the subsequent events leading to the grandsire’s death is no more than that of Arjuna’s charioteer. In the final battle scenes that culminate in Bhishma’s death, we know Krishna is there because he has to be driving Arjuna’s chariot, but otherwise he is not active at all.

Neither in planning the death of Bhishma nor in its execution does Krishna play any devious or dubious role.

Krishna commits no sin in the Bhishmavadha episode.


Note: All translations from the Mahabharata are mine. When the Sanskrit text is taken from the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute’s Critical Edition, the verse numbers are given before the verses. When it is taken from the Gita Press edition, verse numbers come after the verses. I have made certain compromises with the transcription of Sanskrit text since the blog does not recognize some characters commonly used for Sanskrit transcription.

Who Is Bakasur? What Is The Meaning Of Bakasur? Who Killed Bakasur? What Is The Mythology Of Bakasur In Mahabharat And Krishna Lila?

Who Is The Character Of Bakasura In Hindu Mythology?

Bakasur or Baka Asura is a fierce man-eating demon in the Mahabharata, the second of the two major Hindu epics. 

• To save their lives, the villagers send Bakasur a daily sacrifice victim selected by lot, as well as a wagonload of food, which the demon consumes as well. 

The brahmin who is housing the Pandavas (sons of Pandu), the five valiant brothers who are the epic's heroes, receives the lot one day. 

• When Draupadi, one of the brothers' common wives, learns about the incident, she asks one of the brothers, Bhima, to bring the meal in the brahmin's place. 

• Bhima pulls the cart up to the cave, entices Bakasur into combat by eating the food in front of him, and then slays him with a single powerful stroke.

What Does The Slaying Of Bakasura Figuratively Represent?

• Thus the slaying of Bakasura represents the victory of good over evil. 
• Perhaps, also the end of Human sacrifice to the native deity now considered a demon. 
• The liberation of the local population from the fear and torment of this demon.
• The end of the practice of trying to appease the demon deity Bakasura.

Who Sends Bakasura To Krishna?

Kamsa sent Bakasura, Putana's brother, to murder Krishna. He changed into a bird and laid there on the street with his vicious jaws open. 

The Gopalas were in a state of panic. But Krishna left his friends behind and entered the bird's cave-like jaws. 

The Gopalas shouted out in terror and anguish as the Asura shut his mouth. 

However, Sri Krishna kept spinning in Baka's stomach, forcing him to spit Krishna out. He passed out and vomited blood with Krishna. 

BAKA I - How Does Bhima, The Pandava, Kill Bakasura? 

The Pandavas traveled to the settlement of Ekacakra on the banks of the river Ganga after fleeing the trap of Arakkilla (lac-house) by a covert tunnel, where they lodged at a brahmin's home. 

The peasants there were being terrorized by a monster named Baka. He used to openly enter the community and drag people away for his meal. 

No one was able to live in peace as a result, so they all banded together and made the decision to deliver one man and lots of other food to the devil in this cave every day. 

Days passed in this manner, and then one day the brahmin who was providing refuge for the Pandavas received his turn. 

Along with his wife, that brahmin had a son and a daughter. The question of who should visit the demon arose. 

Although the father wanted to travel, his wife did not, and vice versa. 

When the youngsters started to sob, Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas, went to investigate and discovered the family's terrible tale. 

She went to Bhima right away and told him about the issue before the Brahmans. 

As soon as possible, Bhima offered to go see the demon, intending to slay the man-eater and put a stop to his crimes. 

Bhima set off for the demon with a cartload of rice and curry in tow. Bhima purposefully arrived at the demon's location extremely late. 

Baka furiously rolled his eyes at the sight of the tardy visitor. However, Bhima ignored him and sat down in front of the demon to begin eating the rice and curries. 

Furious, Baka rushed towards Bhima, but Bhima resisted, and a fight occurred in which Baka was murdered and he died as a mountain's head was falling. 

(Chapters 157–164, Mahabharata. Adi Parva) 

BAKA II - How Does Lord Krishna Kill Bakasura? 

When they were still small boys, Sri Krishna and Balarama were playing in Ambadi (Gokula) on the banks of the Yamuna when Baka, the demon sent by Kamsa, appeared to them as a large, terrifying-appearing stork. 

The stork quickly opened its vicious beaks and sucked Krishna whole. 

However, the bird's throat was burned by Krishna's touch, and after throwing up Krishna, the bird passed away.

Bakasura Illustrated In Hindu Temple Art.

We find several remarkable illustrations of Bakasura in stone carvings at Hindu temples. 

There are also ancient ash mounds that have been unearthed that are attributed to the ritual burial and cremation grounds of this demon among others. 

A stunning sculpture of Bakasura may be seen on the temple vehicle at Orathanadu. 

As in the narrative described in the Bhagavata Puranam, Krishna is supposed to have killed the demon who was masquerading as a crane by removing the bird's mandibles.

The Lord is little in height, but his tummy is large. The bird and Krishna stand in stark contrast to highlight the extent of evil might that was vanquished by a celestial apparition of Vishnu. 

The coiffure and large belly of Krishna serve as visual cues that she is speaking in the customary Nayak vernacular. 

Figures of supernatural and secular personages of the male class that emerge with large bellies are almost a staple of Nayak art. 

Similar decorations may be seen on the vehicle housing the Sarangapanisvami temple in Kumbakonam. 

If connected with an adult, a huge tummy should not be misinterpreted, but why should a youngster be like that? 

Are we to infer that the iconographic image has an aristocratic flavor? which early Indian art often follows.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How did Krishna kill Bakasura?

The gopas (cowherds) of Brindavan were enjoying a drink at a tank when Bakasura, a demon sent by Kamsa to slay Krishna, abruptly interrupted them. The deity is swiftly compelled to come out of the demon's stomach by the extreme heat inside. Then Krishna seizes Bakasura's beak and snaps it in half.

What Bakasura means?

Bakasura is a symbol for the anartha of hypocrisy, deceit, and dishonest behavior.

Is Bakasura a real God or Deity?

According to local tradition, Bakasura formerly held sway over the country. While killing those beyond his realm, he safeguarded his citizens. Despite the fact that he had a reputation as a monster, his followers revered him as their god, and this temple was constructed in his honor.

When was Bakasura killed?

In order to prevent Krishna from killing the king and fulfilling a prophesy about the man's doom, he was sent by him to kill Krishna in the guise of a massive crane. Krishna then pressed Bakasura's beak till it broke like a twig, resulting in Bakasura's death.

Who tried to kill Krishna by feeding milk?

The female demon Putana is widely known for trying to feed the baby Krishna milk that was poisoned; she was, however, swallowed to death by the deity.

Who defeated Bakasura?

After killing the cannibal, Bhima will return. Please ask the Brahmin to make sure that nobody in this town finds out about it, however. With the food cart in tow, Bhima headed into the jungle. When Bhima arrived at Bakasura's residence, he started eating the meal and spoke to the demon by name.

How many Bakasura are there?

Two bakasur figures appeared; one was dispatched by Kans to murder his KAAL (death) krishna, while the other was slain by the latter.

~ Kiran Atma

You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.

Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.

References And Further Reading:

Nagaraju, P., 2016. A Scenographic study in Draupadi's festival. Chitrolekha International Magazine on Art & Design, 6(1).

Zaweed, M.S., 2008, January. WALL PAINTINGS AT ORCHHA. In Proceedings of the Indian History Congress (Vol. 69, pp. 1076-1082). Indian History Congress.

Guha, A., 2012. Krishnalila in Terracotta Temples of Bengal. Temples of Bengal, 26.

Prabhupada, S., 1983. His divine grace. The Bhagavad-Gita as it is. Los Angeles: The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.(First published in 1968).

Hawley, John Stratton. “Scenes from the Childhood of Kṛṣṇa on the Kailāsanātha Temple, Ellora.” Archives of Asian Art 34 (1981): 74–90. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20111118.

Hawley, John Stratton. “Krishna and the Birds.” Ars Orientalis 17 (1987): 137–61. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4629359.

Paddayya, K. “THE ASHMOUNDS OF SOUTH INDIA : FRESH EVIDENCE AND POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS.” Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute 51/52 (1991): 573–626. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42930442.

Kothari, Sunil. “The Use of Masks in Indian Dances and Dance-Dramas.” The World of Music 22, no. 1 (1980): 89–106. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43560654.

Tyagi, A.K. “THE LEGENDS OF KRISHNA: IN THE LIGHT OF ‘RAJASUYA’ SACRIFICE OF YUDHISHTHIRA.” Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 70 (2009): 171–84. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44147667.

Ferro-Luzzi, Gabriella Eichinger. “HINDU MYTHOLOGY IN TAMIL FIGURATIVE SPEECH.” Rivista Degli Studi Orientali 68, no. 1/2 (1994): 109–32. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41880802.

Hinduism - Who Is Radha In Hindu Mythology?

 

Radha is the lady depicted as the deity Krishna's lover and companion in later devotional (bhakti) literature.

Radha's love for Krishna is a metaphor for the soul's longing for unification with the divine, portrayed via passionate love's poetic traditions.

Although there are a few mentions to Radha in poetry dating back to the seventh century, Jayadeva's lyric poem the Gitagovinda, written in the eleventh century, is her earliest detailed representation.

The narrative of Radha and Krishna's love, their fight and separation, and their final reconciliation is told in the Gitagovinda.

Radha is portrayed in a unique way by Jayadeva.

In the poem, Radha expresses her desire to be Krishna's solitary lover and friend.

She pouts jealously when he flirts with other women, and she snubs him violently when he returns to her with hints of another tryst.

They reunite in the end, and passionate love becomes a symbol of their togetherness.

The lyrical text given by Jayadeva's hymn Dashavatara Stotra brings this image of Radha and Krishna's love, separation, and reunion into fuller clarity.

After the text's introductory verses, Jayadeva describes the accomplishments of Krishna's 10 incarnations (avatars).

The hymn's final verses specifically mention Krishna as the ultimate source of the ten avatars, reminding listeners that the person playing a role in this drama of jealousy, repentance, and reconciliation is none other than the Lord of the Universe Himself, who has saved the world from destruction in the past.

Unlike previous representations of Krishna, which portray his relationships with his followers (bhakta) as a type of "play" (lila), the Krishna in the Gitagovinda seems to be less lofty and distant, and more personally and profoundly concerned with Radha as the object of his adoration.

Krishna is shown in the poem as someone who is highly affected by emotions and who reciprocates his devotee's sentiments in a meaningful way.

The inner interaction between the two lovers is the core of Jayadeva's literary attention, and he discloses nothing about Radha outside of this connection.

Radha's character evolved in a variety of ways following the Gitagovinda.

Radha's trysts with Krishna take on the hue of adulterous, forbidden love according to certain poets, who represent her as married to another man.

In Indian poetry, this love is seen as more passionate since the lovers have nothing to gain from the affair other than the love itself, and they risk losing everything if they are found.

Radha is a sign of someone who is prepared to risk and lose all for the sake of love itself.

Radha's character is also explored in a manner that contradicts this adulterous depiction.

Radha is depicted in various traditions not as a simple woman devoured by Krishna's love, but as his wife, consort, and divine force (shakti), through whose agency Krishna may operate in the universe.

For the Nimbarka religious community, who saw Radha and Krishna as manifestations of Lakshmi and Narayana, this deified figure of Radha was very important.

The Radhavallabh community was another sect that promoted equality, with members emphasizing Krishna's devotion for Radha.

See Barbara Stoller Miller (ed. and trans. ), The Love Song of the Dark Lord, 1977, and David R. Kinsley, Hindu Goddesses, 1986, for further information about Radha.

Hinduism - What Is The Gitagovinda?

 

Gitagovinda ("Govinda's Song") is a song written by Jayadeva, a poet from the twelfth century.

The Gitagovinda is one of the last major devotional (bhakti) books composed in Sanskrit and is an exceptional example of Sanskrit poetry.

It was written at a period when vernacular languages were becoming the common medium for spiritual religiosity.

Jayadeva was affiliated with the Jagannath temple in the eastern Indian city of Puri, and his wife Padmavati was a dancer at the same temple, according to legend.

The Gitagovinda is a devotional poem dedicated to Jagannath, the Hindu deity.

The poem was clearly written to be sung, since each of the twenty-four cantos is composed in a distinct musical style (raga), conveying a different feeling.

For at least 500 years, the narrative has been portrayed via dance in the Orissi dance form, which originated in the Jagannath temple.

The Gitagovinda is still employed in Jagannath's daily devotion and has a place that no other literary source can match.

The Gitagovinda is a symbol of the human soul's oneness with God.

This union is shown in the narrative of Krishna's love for his human bride Radha, as they go through an early flush of desire, followed by jealousy, separation, reconciliation, and reunion.

Despite the abundance of motifs from Sanskrit love poetry in Jayadeva's narrative, it is considerably more than a romantic book.

The poem was composed to demonstrate that Krishna is the supreme ruler of the universe.

The Dashavatara Stotra, the first cantos following the introduction, offer praise to Krishna in his 10 avatars or earthly incarnations (Dashavatar), each of whom plays a role in maintaining cosmic balance.

In many portions of Hindu tradition, Krishna is regarded an incarnation of the divinity Vishnu, but for Jayadeva, Krishna is the highest deity.

Krishna's brother, Balarama, takes Krishna's position in the enumeration of the avatars, which he typically occupies.

The next song builds on this topic, describing Krishna's glorious attributes as Vishnu and underlining that the whole Gitagovinda represents the deity's divine pastime (lila).

After establishing the necessary backdrop in the early songs, Jayadeva's writing returns to a more traditional romantic love story.

The symbols of spring are described in the next chapter, which are meant to induce a romantic atmosphere.

However, Radha's jealously marrs the atmosphere when Krishna engages in games with a group of cowherd females, since she seeks Krishna for herself alone.

She withdraws and sits alone, pouting and dejected, only to erupt in wrath when Krishna appears, carrying evidence of yet another amorous connection.

Krishna realizes what he has done as a result of her rage and rejection.

He ultimately manages to calm her down and persuade Radha of his love.

They reconnect and fall in love passionately.

The book concludes with a description of their afterglow love play, in which Radha commands Krishna to decorate her as she likes, demonstrating her total control over him.

The Gitagovinda may be read on many different levels at the same time as a text.

Love, betrayal, and reconciliation are easy to relate to in daily life, yet theological and mystical dimensions are constantly present.

Finally, the god and the devotee (bhakta) are depicted as being in need of and adoring each other.

Without the other, neither is whole.

Radha's quest for exclusive love is first rebuffed, but her perseverance and determination are rewarded in the end.

Barbara Stoller Miller's superb translation of the Gitagovinda, The Love Song of the Dark Lord, was published in 1977.

Goa is one of contemporary India's tiniest states.

On the Arabian Sea's coast, it is sandwiched between the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka.

For more than 400 years, Goa remained a Portuguese colony, and it was not included into the Indian union until 1961, when India orchestrated a bloodless invasion.

Goa maintains much of its Portuguese influence, as seen by its gastronomy, laid-back pace, and continued presence of Roman Catholicism, making it one of India's most peculiar cultural zones.

Christine Nivin et al., India. 8th ed., Lonely Planet, 1998, provides an accessible reference for general information on Goa and all of India's provinces. 

You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.

Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.

Hinduism - What Is Bhramargit?

Bhramargit is a Sanskrit word that means “songs to the bee.” 

Krishna's devotional poetry has a poetic genre set after Krishna has gone to claim his kingdom in Mathura and will never return. 

• The tale depicts Krishna sending his friend Uddhava back to Braj with a message for the gopis, Krishna's beloved companions who are almost crazy with yearning because of his absence. 

• Uddhava comforts the gopis by asking them not to think about Krishna's bodily absence. 

Uddhava goes on to say that since Krishna is the all-pervading deity, he will always be among them, even though he isn't apparent. 

• The gopis scornfully reject Uddhava's ideas in the bhramargit verses, claiming that this vision of Krishna is abstract, lifeless, and only appropriate for people who have never seen Krishna in his actual form. 

• The name of the genre is derived from the story's first appearance in the Bhagavata Purana. 

• The gopis express their grievances over Krishna's absence to a huge black bee, whom they mistake for Krishna in their fury and loneliness.

You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.

Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.

Hinduism - What Is The Dashavatara Stotra?

 

 Dashavatara Stotra is a Hindu scripture.

("The Ten Avatars' Hymn") The Gitagovinda, a twelfth-century lyric song penned by the poet Jayadeva, opens with this canto. 

The Gitagovinda is a narrative about the deity Krishna and his human lover Radha, which is a metaphor of the human soul's union with the divine. 

This story follows the couple's initial passionate lovemaking, which is followed by jealousy, anger, and estrangement. 

It everything comes to a head with their reconciliation and a more passionate reunion. 

The Dashavatara Stotra is the text's genuine beginning, despite the fact that it is preceded by a brief introduction. 

The Dashavatara Stotra is a song dedicated to the 10 avatars, or earthly incarnations, of the deity Krishna, each of whom has been tasked with preserving the universe at a moment of danger. 

Even though the narrative utilizes the words and imagery often found in Sanskrit love poetry, Jayadeva uses this introductory hymn to remind his audience that the Krishna of his story is the ruler and master of the universe, who has rescued it from destruction time and time again. 

The pictures in this opening hymn provide context for the reader, indicating that this work is more than a love tale. 

Because Krishna is more often thought to be an incarnation of the deity Vishnu, Jayadeva is rare in portraying the divinity Krishna as the source of the ten avatars. 

Jayadeva's link to the Jagannath shrine in Puri is the source of this doctrinal divergence. 

Although Jagannath is thought to be a manifestation of Krishna, it is widely believed that he was initially an autochthonous ("of the country") god who happened to be Puri's local deity. 

Associating Jagannath with Krishna was a means of assimilating him into the Hindu pantheon. 

Thus, for Jayadeva, Jagannath-Krishna is the highest god, not an avatar, and Krishna's brother, Balarama, takes Krishna's position in Jayadeva's enumeration of the incarnations. 

Barbara Stoller Miller (ed. and trans. ), The Love Song of the Dark Lord, 1977, contains the text of the Dashavatara Stotra and the Gitagovinda.

You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.

Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.

Hinduism - Who Is A Vaishnava?

 

A devotee (bhakta) of the deity Vishnu in any of his many manifestations.

The doctrine of the 10 avatars, or divine incar nations, is particularly prevalent in Vaishnava theology: Fish, Tortoise, Boar, Man-Lion, Vamana (dwarf), Parashuram, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, and Kalki.

The avatar idea is widely recognized as a means of assimilating lesser regional deities into the greater pantheon by classifying them as manifestations of Vishnu, and Vishnu is most generally worshiped in the guise of these avatars.

Although the Boar avatar and the Man-Lion avatar were powerful regional deities in the early centuries of the common period, the two most important avatars have been Rama and Krishna.

The early Vaishnava faith is hazy and enigmatic.

Despite the fact that Vishnu occurs in multiple hymns in the Vedas, the earliest Hindu religious books, he was obviously a lesser god, and it is impossible to get from there to becoming the universe's greatest force.

Some academics believe that the worship of Krishna, a deified local cowherd hero, originated outside of the Vedic religious framework and that Krishna's cult was integrated into legitimate Vedic religion via the identification of Krishna with Vishnu.

These concepts are fascinating, but there is little empirical evidence to back them up.

The worship of Krishna was well-established by the first century B.C.E., according to inscriptional evidence.

These followers are known as Bhagavatas ("devotees of the Blessed One"), a term that was used to apply to Vaishnavas in general for the following thousand years.

The Pancharatrikas ("followers of the Pancharatra") were a subgroup of the early Bhagavata society who eventually developed distinct cosmological ideas.

These mainstream Bhagavatas demonstrated their love for Krishna by writing works that included portions of the Bhagavad Gita, the Harivamsha, and many puranas, culminating in the Bhagavata Purana in the eleventh century.

The Alvars, a group of twelve devout (bhakti) poet-saints who lived in southern India during the seventh and tenth centuries, changed the tone of Vaishnava devotion dramatically.

The Alvars preached a bhakti distinguished by fervent devotion to God and characterized by a great emotional relationship between god and devotee, singing their songs in Tamil, the vernacular language of their period.

The Alvars, together with their Shaiva counterparts, the Nayanars, pioneered the renewal of Hindu religion in relation to Buddhists and Jains, and in doing so, changed the tradition as the devotional wave they had started spread northward.

Various Vaishnava communities arose throughout the time between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries, generally as a result of a particular charismatic religious personality.

This process started in southern India, where the philosopher Ramanuja (11th century) established the Shrivaishnava group and the philosopher Madhva (1197–1276) established the Madhva community.

Jnaneshvar (1275–1296? ), Namdev (1270–1350), Chokamela (d. 1338), Eknath (1533–1599), and Tukaram (1598–1650) were some of the finest characters in the Varkari Panth, which was centered on the shrine of Vithoba at Pandharpur.

From the thirteenth century onwards, the Mahanubhav cult flourished in Maharashtra.

Jagannath, a tribal god integrated into the pantheon as a version of Krishna, is worshipped in Puri on India's eastern coast.

As the poet Jayadeva's Gitagovinda demonstrates, this was firmly established by the eleventh century.

Finally, many active religious organizations may be found in northern India.

The twelfth-century philosopher Nimbarka, whose Nimbarki society preserves his name, is a very early character; many centuries later, Vishnuswami, about whom little is known, appears.

The Pushti Marg was founded by the philosopher Vallabhacharya, the Gaudiya Vaishnava community was founded by the Bengali saint Chaitanya, and the poet saint Harivamsh (d. 1552) and the Radhavallabh community was founded by the poet saint Harivamsh (d. 1552).

The Pushti Marg and the Gaudiya Vaishnavas viewed Krishna to be the greatest god, whilst the Nimbarkis and the Radhavallabh group worshiped him in conjunction with his consort Radha, whom they considered Krishna's wife and equal.

The devotion of Rama has its deepest roots in northern India, as seen in the poems of the poet-saint Tulsidas (1532–1623?).

Many of these schools, many of which have a lengthy history, are still important in today's world.

Ascetics are the last Vaishnava group that has to be addressed.

Vaishnava asceticism is a more recent development than Shaiva asceticism (though dates are unknown), and it is mostly found in India's northern regions (the Shaivas are spread throughout the country).

Bairagis ("passionate") Vaishnava ascetics are divided into four sampradays (religious groups characterized by distinct bodies of teachings), each associated with a notable Vaishnava figure.

The Shri Sampraday of the Ramanandi ascetics is by far the most powerful, tracing its spiritual lineage from poet-saint Ramananda to the southern Indian philosopher Ramanuja, whom they claim was Ramananda's guru.

The Nimbarki ascetics' Sanaka Sampraday may trace their spiritual heritage back to the philosopher Nimbarka.

The Vishnuswami ascetics' Rudra Sampraday may be traced back to an older person, Vishnuswami, via the philosopher Vallabhacharya.

Finally, the Brahma Sampraday, a Gaudiya Vaishnava ascetic subgroup, traces its spiritual lineage from Bengali saint Chaitanya to southern Indian scholar Madhva.

Each of these sampradays is distinct not just in terms of its founder, but also in terms of its tutelary god or deities.

The Ramanandis worship the deity Rama, whereas the rest revere the god Krishna and his bride Radha, however they differ in how they place Radha.

Scholars have pointed out that these historical assertions are either very suspect or utterly false, and that the differences between the sampradays are mostly academic in nature.

Given that Ramanandis make up the vast majority of these ascetics, the others seem to be relevant solely for symbolic purposes, such as having a representation from each of the great Vaishnava religious personalities.

~Kiran Atma

Amazon | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.

Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.