Omkar Dattatray
Lord Krishna is the Hindu god of love, compassion and protection. Know as the Dark one, he is often depicted with dark blue skin .Krishna is the 8th avatar /incarnation of the god Vishnu, but he is also worshipped as a god in his own right. Hindu mythology is filled with the tales about Krishna’s life. Krishna ,one of the most widely revered and most popular of all Hindu divinities and is also a supreme god in his own right. Shree Krishna has come after Shree Rama to uphold righteousness -dhrama and to protect the righteous people and to kill the evil ones spreading evil and this Lord Krishna did. Krishna became the focus of numerous Bhakti -devotional cults ,which have over the centuries produced a wealth of religious poetry ,music and painting. The basic sources of Krishna’s mythology are epic Mahabharata, and its 5th -century -CE appendix ,the Harivamsha and the Puranas ,particularly Books x and X1 of the Bhagavata-Purana. They relate how Krishna {literally ”black,” or ”dark as a cloud”} was born into Yadava clan, the son of Vasudeva and Devaki who was the sister of Kanasa, the wicked king of Mathura in the modern Uttar Pradesh. Kanasa, heard a prophecy that he would be destroyed by Devaki’s child ,tried to slay her children ,but Krishna was smuggled across the Yammuna river to Gokula or Vraja, modern Gokul],where he was raised by the leader of the cowherds, Nanda and his wife Yashoda. The child Krishna was adored for his mischievous pranks, he also performed many miracles and slew demons. As a youth, the cowherd Krishna became renowned as a lover, the sound of his flute prompting the Gopis-wives and daughters of the cowherds to leave their homes to dance ecstatically with him in the moonlight. His favorite among them was the beautiful Radha.
At length, Krishna and his brother Balarama returned to Mathura to slay the wicked Kansa. Afterwards, finding the kingdom unsafe, Krishna led the Yadavas to the western coast of Kathiawar and established his court at Dvaraka -modern Dwaraka, Gujarat .
He married the princess Rukmani and took other wives as well .Krishna refused to bear arms in the great war between the Kauravas -sons of Dhritarashtra, the descendent of Kuru and the Pandavas -sons of Pandu, but he offered a choice of his personal attendance to one side and the loan of his army to the other. The Pandavas chose the former, and Krishna thus served as a charioteer for Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers. On his return to Dvaraka, a brawl broke out one day among the Yadava chiefs in which Krishna’s brother and son were slain. As the god sat in the forest lamenting ,a huntsman,
mistaking him for a deer shot him in his one vulnerable spot, the heel, killing him. Krishna’s personality is clearly a composite one, though the different elements are not easily separated . Vasudeva -Krishna was deified by the 5th century BCE .The cowherd Krishna was probably the god of a pastoral community. The Krishna who emerged from the blending of these figures was ultimately identified with supreme god Vishnu -Narayana and hence, considered his avatar. His worship preserved distinctive traits, chief among them an exploration of the analogies between divine love and human love. Thus, Krishna’s youthful dalliances with gopis are interpreted as symbolic of the loving interplay between God and human soul.
The nectar of words flowed from the lips of Krishna in the battlefield of Kurukeshtra and it is the treasure trove of knowledge, wisdom and Jana Known as Bhagwad Gita and it is & the spiritual Guru of many great personalities including Mahatma Gandhi and he looked towards Gita whenever he faced trouble and confusion and it always showed him the right path. Bhagwad Gita is the best philosophy of the world and its teachings and preaching is ever fresh and relevant in the modern greed torn world. Bhagwad Gita as a supreme scripture is very popular across the world and it is held in high esteem and reverence. It is a practical guide to humanity. Lord Krishna encourages us to act selflessly, meaning to perform actions without selfish desires. We should be willing to let go of the results of our actions. This doctrine known as Nishkama Karma teaches us to focus on the act of giving without expecting anything in return. To perform ones duty without expectation of reward in return is one of the cardinal principles of Lord Krishna’s teachings as enshrined in the Bhagwad Gita. Lord Krishna and the Gita never taught renouncing work and duty but it teaches the mankind to renounce the bad works and never allow worldly desires to overtake you. Lord Krishna emphasizes the importance of following one’s duty or dharma. He advises that individuals should fulfill their responsibilities and obligations with sincerity and righteousness.
This doctrine told by Shree Krishna is a guide to humanity and we should follow this golden doctrine to be successful in our lives without being afflicted with greed and selfishness. Lord Krishna extols the path of devotion and total surrender to God. He teaches that genuine devotion and surrender lead to spiritual growth and can free individuals from the cycle of birth and death. Krishna teaches us the concept of selfless action, where one should perform their duties without attachment to the outcomes. This helps in reducing anxiety and stress while promoting a sense of detachment from the material world. Lord Krishna is known for his teachings and wisdom which are found in the Bhagavad Gita and other sacred texts. The following are 8 key teachings of Shree Krishna that can guide you towards a better life—1 Detachment-Lord Krishna advises detachment from the fruits of one’s actions. He encourages individuals to focus on the task at hand without being overly concerned about success or failure. This detachment leads to a sense of inner peace and equanimity. 2-Knowledge and wisdom-Bhagwan Krishna stresses the significance of knowledge and wisdom. He encourages devotees to gain deeper understanding of the self, the world, and human reality. Wisdom leads to better decision -making and a more fulfilling life.3-Duty and Dharma4-Selflessness 5-Devotion& faith 6-Compassion and Forgiveness 7-Leadership 8-Problem solving 8-Friendship and loyalty. One of the key teachings of Lord Krishna is the importance of self -realization .Hr emphasized the need for individuals to look within themselves and discover their true nature.
According to Krishna true happiness can only be found by understanding one’s self and connecting with the divine within. Lord Krishna is a prominent figure in Hinduism and is known for his teachings and values that continue to inspire generations even today. His teaching hold great significance for youth of today as they navigate their way through a rapidly changing world. One of the key teachings of Lord Krishna is the importance of self -realization. In today’s world, where there is a lot of pressure to conform to societal norms and expectations, this teaching is especially relevant. By understanding their true selves, the youth can make better decisions and lead more fulfilling lives .To conclude we can say that Lord Krishna and Bhagwat Gita is the important guide to mankind. The relevance of this treasure trove that is Bhagwad Gita and the teachings of Lord Shri Krishna cannot be exaggerated in modern times.In this connection a foreign scholar Ashburn has rightly said ,”Burn all libraries of the world ,far their essence is in Bhagwad Gita .”We should make Gita as our Guru and look towards it whenever we face any confusion or problem and it will surely guide us properly and show us the true path as it is our torch bearer.
(The author is a columnist, social and KP activist)
