Krishna- The Yug Purush

On the occasion of Janmashthami,I present some less popular stories related to Shree Krishna:

1. Krishna and Radha:

Krishna and Radha painting by me-part of the trilogy of Kurukshetra Yuddha

Krishna Radha love story is a unique one. Anyone who knows about their story is also aware that these eternal lovers didn’t marry each other. In some narrations of Krishna’s stories, it is written that Krishna did meet Radha once again, long after he kills Kamsa.

“…when Krishna came face to face with Radha no words were said. No hands stretched to meet each other, no smile played upon lips and no eyes sparkled with delight. Only a million thoughts flashed through each mind and a deluge of tears flowed from each pair of eyes. Radha had promised not to get involved with Krishna's later life and she intended to keep that promise.
Krishna did not want to say or do something that would make things difficult for Radha. They stood staring stonily at each other till all the thoughts were exhausted and the eyes were dry. Though Krishna and Radha had been physically separated, they had been inseparable spiritually and would continue to be so till the end of the world. Radha had seen the splendour in which Krishna's wives lived and the joy he lavished on them. But she knew that his tears were for her alone and that each drop was more valuable than all the riches of the world. Krishna knew that Vrindavan would be enshrined forever because of Radha's sacrifice. Both were assured that they had taken the correct decision many years ago. Without saying anything they said everything and went their separate ways. They never saw each other again…”

Krishna and Radha; a painting I did for my book "Kurukshetra Yuddha"

That’s the beauty of Radha Krishna’s love. Who said that marriage means a successful love story ? The most successful love story never ended in a marriage.


2. Bhagdatta’s Vaishnav Astra:

In the Kurukshetra war, there was a warrior of very advanced age named Bhagdatta fighting from the kaurava’s side. He possessed a deadly weapon named Vaishnav Astra. He had a mighty elephant. Riding on that elephant he waged a terrible duel with Arjun on the 12th day of the war. When all his weapons failed to hurt Arjun, he called his Vaishnav Astra and threw it towards the brave warrior. It could have killed Arjun, but just on time Krishna stood up and took the weapon on His own chest, and the weapon turned into a garland of lotus around Krishna’s neck. Arjuna asked Krishna that He had promised to be only a charioteer in the battle and to leave the fighting to him, then why He faced the weapon which was destined to kill Arjun. Krishna replied that one of the prime duty of the charioteer is to protect the life of his warrior ‘Rathi’, so He did.
He also said that the weapon was His own belonging which returned to Him.

King Bhagadatta confronting Krishna and Arjun; a painting I did for my book "Kurukshetra Yuddha"

This showed the respect Lord gave to his own Astra and to the great warrior Bhagdatta. He could have prevented the use of the weapon if he wanted to. But he respected the valor of the great warrior and protected his friend, Arjun

3. Gandhari’s confrontation with Krishna:

At the end of the war, Kaurav Queen Gandhari curses Lord Krishna that his own clan Yadavas will also get extinguished the same way as the Kauravas have been exterminated. So strong was the anger of the aged mother of 100 sons, none of whom survived the war, that she cursed the supreme God. If the Lord wished there could have been no effect of that curse, but since He was determined to exterminate all the Kshatriyas from the earth that he accepted that curse gracefully.

Krishna and Gandhari; a painting I did for my book "Kurukshetra Yuddha"

Such was the greatness of Krishna, who told us to love nature, respect mother earth, follow our duties, and to accept the truth, no matter how bitter.

(All the paintings in this post are from my book "Kurukshetra Yuddha"; the story of the 18 days war of Mahabharata; you can buy the book from
Flipkart, here: http://www.flipkart.com/kurukshetra-yuddha-hindi/p/itmddzresspczjwa?pid=9789350875131

Pothi, here: http://pothi.com/pothi/book/mrinal-rai-kurukshetra-yuddha )

Rakshabandhan-- the threads of love; story from Mahabharat

The festival of Rakshabandhan is near. The story presented below is quite famous but still its good to read it on this occasion.

It is said that Lord Krishna came to the swayamvara (ritual, where a girl herself chooses groom for her among various contender) of the daughter of King Drupad and princess of KamPillai, Draupadi. Some say that he regarded Draupadi as her sister. Arjun, the prince of Hastinapur came in the guise of a brahmin and won the challenge of the swayamvara and thus was chosen by Draupadi as her husband. Krishna knew the real identity of Arjun, but he kept it secret.
He said to Arjun, “O Brahmin, you are now husband of my sister. Make sure that you protect her in all adverse circumstances. She is now your responsibility”

Arjun at Draupadi's Swayamvara, Painting from Mrinal Rai's Kurukshetra Yuddha

Draupadi was taken to the hut where Arjun used to live in those times with his four brothers Yudhishthir, Bheem, Nakul and Sehdev and their mother Kunti. They were hiding from the plans of their wicked cousin Duryodhan who wanted to kill them for the kingdom. On the order of Kunti (which was given by mistake, Draupadi became the wife of all the four brothers as well). When asked why, Krishna explained to her that the numerous qualities that she wanted in her husband cannot be fulfilled by one individual, so these five people will be your husband and will protect you.

After the five brothers (called Pandav) returned Hastinapur, the eldest Yudhishthir was made king of a section of the kingdom named Khandavprastha which was later transformed into Indraprastha by the dedicated efforts of the brothers and blessings of Krishna. Then, the eldest of the five brothers, Yudhishthir planned to perform a Rajasuya yagya (A ritual performed by the king to show his superiority over others ). At the time of the yagya, when one of the cousins of Krishna named Shishupal started insulting the elders and everyone present there and crossed limits, Krishna called his discus the ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ and killed him. When the discus returned to his finger, he got a cut and a stream of blood flowed. Draupadi tore a piece from her cloth and wrapped it around his finger. Lord saw her in the eyes and told her, “Dear sister, one day I will pay you the debt of each thread of this cloth” and Draupadi smiled.

Krishna slaying Shishupal, drawing from Mrinal Rai's Kurukshetra Yuddha

One day Duryodhan invited all the Pandav brothers to Hastinapur court to play dice with him. By tricks of his evil uncle Shakuni, he made Yudhishthir lose everything including Indraprastha and Draupadi. Duryodhana ordered his brother Dussahasan to bring Draupadi in the court. Draupadi was having her periods that time and was wearing a single sari. But the evil Dussahasan dragged her by hair and brought her in the assembly hall before all the elders and her husbands. Duryodhan asked Dussahasan to strip Draupadi in the hall. Draupadi cried for help to the heroic Pandavas who were the greatest warrior of that time. Though even after becoming Duryodhan’s slave after losing the game, they were still husbands of the lady who was being humiliated at that time, they still didn’t help her. She called the elders present in the assembly, her elder in-laws who should protect her, but everyone was bound to watch that horrific scene either because of some duty or some vow. Draupadi warned Dussahasan not to touch her garment, but the wicked man approaches her cruelly.

When Dussahasana tried to strip Draupadi and pulled her cloth, she joined her hands and prayed to Krishna, “O my brother, all those who swore to protect me have dejected me, now you are the only hope”, and then a miracle happened. As Dussahasan unwrapped layers and layers of her sari, her sari kept on getting extended. Thus Lord Krishna saved the honor of her sister.



Later when the Pandavas accepted 12 years of Vanavasa (living in forest) as a result of another dice game, Krishna came to visit them. Draupadi, who never cried after that incidence, couldn’t stop her tears and told her whatever happened to her. Krishna who had come to pacify the Pandavas anger , after hearing Draupadi’s story said, “Don’t cry sister, now it is the turn of the wives of the people who humiliated you, to cry on the dead bodies of their husbands” and Draupadi could see tears in the eyes of Krishna. “There would be a war, isnt it?” she asked. “There should be…” Krishna replied, and he meant it.

Krishna and Draupadi, drawing from Mrinal Rai's Kurukshetra Yuddha

13 years later the famous Kurukshetra war was fought in which all those people who were present in that assembly at that time were either killed or left to live a cursed and humiliated life. Krishna keeps his promise.

This story tells that the most sacred and blessed relationship is between a brother and a sister. A brother has to protect her sister. He is always bound and remains indebted to the love of a sister. Even if the husband of a women dejects her, his brother will not, because he has to pay the debt of every thread of love wrapped around his hand. That’s the beauty of Rakshabandhan. Blessed are those men who have a sister and more blessed are those who make someone a sister.

(All paintings in this post are from Mrinal Rai's novel, "Kurukshetra Yuddha". You can have a look at the preview and buy a copy from here: http://pothi.com/pothi/book/mrinal-rai-kurukshetra-yuddha)