“If you want peace, you need to have the capability to wage a war and win it” - Krishna
Can you imagine a statesman having thoughts like above over a war, can be overwhelmingly playful at the same time? Yes, Krishna can be! He is a man of contradictions. He can fight a war and also escape from the war! He can kill someone and tell it is out of compassion! He can playfully take away clothes of bathing women and also save a woman’s modesty by offering clothes! Krishna can take a stand and break it as well!
Krishna can go to any extent for the people he loved and cared for! He engaged himself completely and playfully on to life. Thus his whole life is referred to as Leela by devotees.
Did Krishna Flee From the War?
Krishna killed Kansa, the king of Mathura, and crowned himself. This made Jarasandh, father in law of Kansa furious, and made him wage a war against Krishna. Do you know how many times Jarasandh invaded Mathura? it is 17 times and, during this Krishna defeated him 16 times.
The 17th time Krishna fled from the war. From then on, Jarasandh claimed everywhere he went, that Krishna escaped from war fearing for life. Yes! like all us humans, he forgot the 16 times he was defeated and only remembered the last.
Krishna killing Kansa
Image Source: Dailyexcelsior.com
Who Did He Kill Out of Compassion?
Shishupala was Krishna’s cousin. Krishna promised Shishupala’s mother that Shishupala would be spared for his 100 mistakes. During Mayasabha, Shishupala was so engrossed in insulting Krishna, he lost count of his mistakes. And Krishna killed him with his Sudarshana. Shishupala had to be stopped or he was committing mistakes that would malign at the level of his soul.
Krishna kills Shishupala with his Sudharshana
Image source: Glorioushinduism.com
Did Krishna Tease Girls?
Women in Brindavan, famously referred to as Gopi/Gopika wanted to marry Krishna, and they together worshipped Mother Katyayani for blessings. Their daily routine started with a bath in the river Kalindi followed by performing the austerities prescribed for the worship of Katyayani.
So, daily they entered the river naked to the bath. According to the Hindu scriptures, bathing naked irrespective of gender is disrespecting god Varuna.
So, their vow of worshipping goddesses Katyayani in spite of following all the austerities is falling short because of this insult to Varuna.
Krishna went to the river bank and sent all his friends away and picked the clothes of gopi and climbed the Kadama tree. Then he told the gopi to rise above the water and hold their hands in the air as bowing to him, to forgive the insult they did to the god Varuna. One needs to understand that Krishna when asked the gopi to do this, stood there as Parabhramha.
Did Krishna Break a Promise?
Krishna was approached by Arjuna and Duryodhana during the Kurukshetra war to take sides.
Krishna declared that he would not take a weapon during the war. There is a conversation that happened during this, though what's important is that Krishna stayed on Arjuna’s side.
During the 9th day of the Kurukshetra war, Arjuna could not stand to Bhishma’s attack and was bleeding profusely. Krishna was furious and ran towards Bhishma to kill with a wheel of a fallen chariot, forgetting his promise of not picking a weapon.
As we saw, Jarasandh forgot the 16 times he was defeated and remembered only Krishna fleeing! Similarly, even now, only half facts or distorted stories of Krishna are famous among the people. In my opinion, the life of Krishna is seen from western eyes. The west cannot digest the fact that god can be playful. He can marry and have kids. He can become the forerunner for a war.
The English study that the British introduced long ago brought us a hangover that stayed till date. Krishna doesn't fit in the idealistic image of god the world has created! Nonetheless, I love Krishna!
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