Krishna's Secret

by Devdutt Pattanaik

What seems a good thing in Ram’s yuga becomes a bad thing in Krishna’s yuga. Ram’s unquestioning obedience of his father transforms him into God. But Puru’s unquestioning obedience results in the collapse of society.

We are all a combination of what we are born with as well as what we are raised to be. Our natural disposition is known as varna while the cultural indoctrination is jati. Krishna is by varna a nobleman but by jati a cowherd. Though nobleman, he can never be king. Though cowherd, he can always lead.

in the language of symbols, clothes represent our public face.

The killing of Kamsa is unique because it is the only story in Hindu mythology where a father-figure is killed. Unlike Ram who submits to Dashratha, and Yadu who submits to Yayati, Krishna refuses to submit to Kamsa. This tale marks a shift in thinking where the younger generation refuses to suffer the tyranny of the older generation. This makes Krishna a radical hero in the Hindu spiritual landscape.

LIKE THE MAHA-RAAS, THE WAR at Kurukshetra is not what it seems. Both are paradoxes. The sexuality of the former is not about sex and the violence of the latter is not about violence. Beneath the unabashed clandestine sexuality of the Maha-raas is the absence of desire for any physical conquest; it is about perfect love and absolute security that allows married women to dance and sing all night in the forest with a divinely handsome boy. Likewise, the bloodshed at Kurukshetra is not about property or vengeance; it is about restoring humanity, outgrowing animal instincts, and discovering the divine.

It is about realising that in every human being is a frightened beast, seeking survival and significance, and knowing very well that humans can outgrow this beast as they empathise with others. This process of outgrowing the beast is the process of discovering God. This discourse of Krishna before the war is called the Bhagavad Gita, song of God.

He who has truly realised Krishna cannot hate the Kauravas. He cannot hate anyone. Krishna may punish the Kauravas for their misdeeds, but he never rejects them. His love makes room for the weakest, the cruellest, the most imperfect. This is dharma.

When we stop loving, we embrace adharma. We judge, condemn and reject people. Invalidate them in hatred. We stop being generous. Like the Kauravas, we become mean-minded, petty, stingy, clingy and possessive. Or like the Pandavas, we become clueless, confused, in search of direction and wisdom. We forget the path to Madhuvan. We entrap ourselves in Kurukshetra.