" Why Sri Krishna failed to Save " ?

" Why Sri Krishna failed to Save " ?

             -   P.Natarajan.

( The Tamil write-up was forwarded a few days before - this English version is in response to requests and to facilitate those who do not know to read Tamil )

Uddhava Gita :- Uddhava  also known as Pavanayadhi  is a friend and counsellor of Sri Krishna. There is also a reference in Bhagavata Purana that Uddhava was Krishna’s cousin being the son of Deva Bhagava who was the brother of Vasudeva, Sri Krishna’s father. Uddhava was taught by Sri Krishna directly bhakti and yoga - the principle of these discussion is often referred as ‘ Uddhava Gita ‘.  

Uddhava was bestowed with the distinction of having served Sri Krishna from his childhood days including that of driving the Lord’ss chariot. Yet he chose not to ask any boon or sought benefit from the Lord. Sri Krishna, having finished the mission of his avatar iDwapara Yuga and as it was time for him to return to Vaikunta addressed :- “ Uddhava, many have sought boons, obtained benefits in my Krishna Avatar - you have not asked anything - pl. do seek what you desire and it would give me pleasure to fulfill the same before I return”.

( Sri Krishna’s Gitopadesam to Arjuna )

Uddhava had watched the deeds of Krishna from childhood and what startled him was that Sri Krishna spoke one thing but did not practise that. The deeds that followed the words were opposite in nature. It posed as a baffling riddle to Uddhava. He addressed, “ Oh! Lord your advice to the world was one thing but you did not evince them in practice. In the drama you enacted in Mahabharata and the role you played and the deeds you performed were perplexing - the logistics were beyond my understanding - I wish to know the underlying causes for your actions”.

Sri Krishna replied what I preached Arjuna in Kurukshetra was ‘Bhagavad Gita’ , what I now preach can be termed as “Uddhava Gita”.” You seize this moment to seek clarifications for my actions”.

Uddhava addressed Sri Krishna “ At the outset, I shall seek your comment as to who is a good friend “ ?  Sri Krishna :- “ He who arrives at the scene without any invitation or expectation and offer his utmost help is a real friend”. Uddhava remarked : “ Krishna, You are a bosom friend of Pandavas. You knew the past and know the future. In line with what constitutes the prima facie of good friendship, you should  have well advised Yudhishthira in advance not to enter into the game of dice with Duryodhana and saved from the ensuing debacle. Why you failed to act in that way?  -  You at least could have ensured the dame luck stood in his favour. That could have been a lesson for the betrayers.You did not act in that way either. Yudhishthira lost his wealth, kingdom and finally himself. You could have stopped the disastrous happenings at that stage at least. When Yudhishthira staked his brothers one by one in the dice game, you could have stepped in and prevented the damages. But you chose to remain quiet “.

Duryodhana played a trick and told Yudhishtra, “ Draupadi was endowed with luck. You make a deal  and gamble her in the game. I shall return all your lost wealth so far “. Uddhava continued-

“ With your divine power, you could have favoured Yudhishthira so that the throw of dice happened in advantage to him - but you were silent at that moment of crisis. When Draupadi’s robe was being pulled out in disgrace,  you came to her rescue and made it to grow eternally and patted yourself as a ‘saviour’.  Don’t you know Krishna that Draupadi was disgraced the moment a stranger and a third person laid his hand on her in the  Rajya Sabha in the presence of the august gathering. In what way you can boast  yourself as a ‘saviour’. You failed to protect her at the right time. Was it not against Dharma?

This was not only Uddhava’s misery but of a common man as well who read Mahabharata. Perhaps Uddhava acted as a spokesman on common man’s behalf.

Sri Krishna smiled loudly and replied Uddhava ,“ You know well the thumb rule that success favours only the wise.  Yudhisthira lacked wisdom where as Duryodhana played wise. Hence Yudhisthira lost. Uddhava was bewildered by Sri Krishna’s reply. He stood dumbfounded.

Sri Krishna continued : “ Duryodhana did not know the tricks in gambling. He said that he would place his wealth in stake and Sakuni his uncle  would  roll the dice. This was his cleverness. Yudhishthira could have said that his brother in law Sri Krishna would play the dice on his behalf and he would only make the stakes in the game. If Sukuni and I had played, who would be the winner? Can Sakuni roll the dice in accordance with the number I call for ? Or is it difficult for me to roll the dice correctly when Sakuni called a number?”

Sri Krishna continued :- “ I can pardon Yudhishthira for forgetting to include me in the game. He , on the other hand  prayed :  “Oh God, Let not Krishna know about my gambling. Let him not appear all of a sudden at the gambling table “.

Krishna :- “ I was bound by his prayer. I could not enter the scene. I was waiting just outside the table expecting some call at any moment. When Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva were forced by Yudhisthira as stake in vain in the game, they also failed to call my name but blamed only their ill-luck.   

When Ducha Dana, on command from his brother Duryodhana laid his hand on Draupadi, she also did not call for my help but believed in her own strength and argued in different ways. When Ducha Dana began the act of disrobing her , she did not fight with her strength; she surrendered totally and  cried, “Oh Hari, Hari, Please  save me”.  I got the opportunity to act at that moment. What is wrong in my actions under such circumstances? ”.

Uddhava retorted :-  “ Is there a condition that you would appear to help only when called?”  Will you not make your presence to stop ‘adharma’ and establish justice ?”

Sri Krishna brought forth a smile before saying :- “ Uddhava, a man’s life is destined by his own ‘prarabdha’. I don’t play a hand in it nor I interfere. I stand as a divine witness only. That is considered as a Dharma of Supreme Power “.

Uddhava questioned Sri Krishna at that moment “ It is undeserving of you that you stand near by as a witness and watch the evils committed by men and suffer later”.

Sri Krishna clarified loudly :- “ Uddhava, please read  in between the lines what I have addressed. When you realize or well aware that  I stand always as a witness near by, you can not do any mistake or sin by any means. This is certain. The moment you forget this doctrine, you feel or assume that you can commit any mistake without my knowledge. You start then suffering from the sins committed. Yudhisthira’s mistake lies when he thought he could enter into the game of gambling without my being aware of it. This was his ‘Ajnana ‘ or lack of wisdom which let him down. If perhaps he had realized that Sri Krishna’s powers were all pervading and omnipotent, and that he was standing as a divine witness next to him, the game of dice would have gone in a totally different way. Do you now understand the realities ? ”

Uddhava was totally enraptured and reached a state of trance.  He exclaimed ; “ What an empathy, how true  are Sri Krishna’s words. Nothing would move without his intentions or Sankalpa. When this thought dawns, how it could be forgotten that he stand as a divine witness allround. We will be rendered inactive or helpless when his presence is forgotten. This was the prime message, that is ‘ the doctrine of total and absolute surrender or saranagathi’  in Bhagavad Gita. It is necessary to state here that  though Sri Krishna led Arjuna’s chariot, he did not stand in Arjuna’s place to fight for him. He did not interfere in Arjuna’s prarabdha or ordeals. He only taught him that it was ‘dharma’ for which Arjuna was fighting in the Kurukshetra war.  Sri Krishna’s famous proclamation in Gita needs to be recited, understood and kept in mind :-

‘  Sarva Dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja !

  Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo mokshayisyami  ma suchah !! ‘

( Ch: 18, text: 66) ( meaning below:-)

ABANDON ALL VARIETIES OF RELIGION AND JUST SURRENDER UNDER TO ME.

I SHALL DELIVER YOU FROM ALL SINFUL REACTIONS. DO NOT FEAR.

pn