Sree Krishna: The greatest of the Aryas

Most of us, choose to live very typically, doing the range of things for mere survival. The constant persuasion of comfort, excellence is just the shiny polish we always seek to add a gloss over our dull self-seeking life. The comfort we typically seek, is it any different from an animal relishing a feast in its own capacity and taste? Hardly so!

Am I scaremongering or demeaning human life? NO!

Any biologist will say, humans are just a different animal species formed and matured by evolutionary process. Whatever maybe the exact causes, any thinking human who seeks insights of the dynamics of human life; it's ambition, emotion, discerning, uncertainty  will wonder about the exact purposes of life. Should our life be ordered after material well being?  Should we seek fame, power or just peace of mind, as we do?

We will seek the answer from the great man's life.

His birth itself was less than assured. Separated from parents at birth, brought up secretly from a tyranny by loving foster parents. He didn’t have the luck of a normal childhood either. The same tyranny with which his parents and clansmen were at odd, was relentlessly trying to kidnap or kill him through different means. A tough lucked boy in the midst of a tribal political struggle. 

But the harshness of the world matured him sooner than later. At just 12 year old, he managed to buyoff king's official to churn out the secret plan that was hatched to kill or capture him. Later, he will use this piece of information against the conspirators aptly with deadly effect. He killed the head of the tyranny, the vicious king, for which he mastered popular support.

It is after all that, came the moment for the act which will eventually propel him to the rank of master statesman from a rebellious youngster.

He and his father were from different clan than the king. Both ( he and his father)  and the deceased king are from different sub clans of the common Yadava clan. The tyrant King is from Bhoja clan. On the other hand, Sri Krishna and his father were from Vrishni clan. Both are Yadavas. Over the generations, Yadava clans enjoyed a Confederate style govt rather than a monarchy. A kind of delicate balance was held through consensus and bargaining by clan representatives. Bhoja King Ugrasena was reigning with the support of the pear representatives. His son,  The tyrant King Kamsa had been upsetting this arrangement. He performed a Coup d' etat to oust reigning King and grabbed the thrown. This put Yadava’s position  into complete disarray by totally disempowering them. And this was just unacceptable to the Yadavas.

This situation had broken by the Vrishni youngster Sri Krishna after long suffering. It was a good news for Yadavas. But, in the hindsight this had other possibilities. Kamsa was not alone in his misadventure altogether. He got the support of a few. But the most dreaded thing for Yadavas is that, Jarasandha, the undisputable emperor of then India. Jarasandha was Kamsa's father in law! Kamsa himself came from Bhoja clan. So, a Vrishni boy's killing of a Bhoja King and taking up the thrown could have had a centrifugal effect among the Yadavas, specially Bhojas. If that happen, it will create tension and disunity among Yadavas. That will weaken their resolve against the upcoming gust of vengeance from the king Jarasandha.

What he did in that situation? Here comes the farsighted politian and visionary statesman in Sri Krishna. He reposed Ugrasena, the tyrant’s father who Kamsa had deposed earlier, on the thrown. In one move, he becomes people’s hero, a leader to his clansmen and a visionary who kept the clan cohesion intact. In one swoop, from a rebellious Vrishni youngster he became the greatest and most famous Yadava in his time and also for eternity. That was the first time a Victor didn’t take the thrown outright which was very much permissible and legitimate in Vedic era India.

The same strategy he would repeat later against Jarasandha, Shishupala and myriad other Kings. Each time those kings own kin was reposed as a successor with only assurance of non hostility from their part.  Despite having to migrate from ancestral homeland to a different place, his only urge was non hostility from the hostile king’s and chieftains.

He understood that, future of Aryavarta is uncertain under these haughty, arrogant and self seeking sovereigns. He wanted to bring Aryavarta under a just kingship with help of Pandava brothers. The divided house of Kurus, the relentless bullying and scheming by Duryodhana and Shakuni, supported by blind king Dhritarastra and failure of the Kuru elders to restrain the unjust Kaurava ambition bring Sri Krishna the opportunity to exemplify the need of establishing  Dharma under any circumstances and the need for a just, strong central leadership.

The dream realized in Kurukshetra. Was Kurukshetra cruel? He tried utmost to avert it.

But, did Duryodhana s of any time or any cultures ever responded to sane advice? Did opportunist like Dhritarastra ever  swear by what is just? Did the fence sitter like Bhishma and Drona ever rise up to the occasion other than following the “duty”, in respect to justice? Did the eager show off like Karna ever listen to reason?

If what is "just" cannot be achieved through dialogue and reason, the destiny must always points to Kurukshetra.

But, just Kurukshetra won’t do it. The  urge to establish Dharma is needed to achieve justice. This “urge” must be bigger than us. It must overcome the “I” or “US”. Only then, the eternal force of Sri Krishna comes forth from common men.

When Dharma and sages are trampled, I take birth to protect and reestablish Dharma.

That’s the ultimate realization of us to achieve and that’s the eternal spirit of Sri Krishna.

Aren’t Aryas ordained to preserve Rta?

So, Aryas have the greatest Arya to follow.

Namaste.

Article authored by Ayan Chowdhury