Chapter 6: Krishna’s Secret
“Know the thought behind the action.”
- In Bhagavata, Krishna is a flute-playing, playful, lovable, mischievous, romantic cowherd who loves butter.
- In Mahabharata, Krishna is a conch-blowing, city-builder, warrior, leader, philosopher, statesman, and charioteer covered with the grime of war.
- Both versions of Krishna create the Purna-Avatar, the most wholesome manifestation of God.
- Name translate to "black"
- Krishna is an unusual god because he challenges everything conventional.
- Story of Yayati, an ancestor of Krishna
- Cursed by his father-in-law to become old and impotent when he is discovered having a mistress
- Begs his sons to suffer the curse on his behalf so that he can retain his youth
- Yadu, the eldest, refuses because he feels father should respect the march of time.
- Puru, the youngest, accepts.
- After many years of youthfulness, Krishna is happy and declares Puru to be the heir instead of Yadu.
- (Descendants = Pandavas and Kauravas)
- Krishna also curses Yadu and all his descendants will never be king.
- Krishna has two mothers because prophecy says that his mother's 8th child (him) will kill his mother's older brother. Therefore, the uncle killed all her babies once they were born, but when Krishna was born, his father put him in a river basket.
- Natural disposition is Varna - AKA birth mother - nobleman
- Cultural indoctrination is Jati - AKA adopted mother - cowherd
- Butter (which is churned out of milk) is the symbol of love
 |
| Krishna |
Bibliography: Devdutt Pattanik's "Seven Secrets of Vishnu"
No comments:
Post a Comment