Daily Writing Competition
19 Aug 2022
A very happy Janmashtami to all. What better occasion can there be than this auspicious day to talk about Lord Shri Krishna.
As we all know, Lord Krishna is the eighth avatar of God Vishnu. Lord Krishna is not only worshipped with full devotion but is also the most loved God of all. Not only Hindus in India but people from the West are enchanted. ISCON temples are a proof. Today there is YouTube video of 2000 children in Dallas, US citing the complete Bhagwad Gita by heart.
Lord Krishna is known as Leeladhar as He mesmerised everyone around him always with his wit, childlike innocence and Godly capabilities right from his childhood through his adult life. So much is known about Lord Krishna and His life-changing preachings to all those who came in contact with him. In fact, Bhagwad Gita, the Holy book, is His teachings. All of it is relevant even today. Spiritual leaders, management gurus, and people from all walks of life follow His teachings. All of Lord Krishna's teachings are highly inspirational but I am personally touched by His teachings that emerge from His conversations with Karna.
Karna as we all know was the first born of Mata Kunti before marriage. So she abandoned him. He was raised by a lower class couple. Because of his upbringing he couldn't be trained as a prince. He was treated by the princes and Rajguru Dronacharya. In his eagerness, Karna withheld facts from sage Parshuram and became a superior warrior under his training. It was his keen wish to be a better warrior than Arjun. However, when sage Parshuram knew the facts, he cursed Karn saying, "At the time when you will come nearest to attaining glory, you will forget your lessons".
This came to be true in the Mahabharat war. Only Karn did not know why and how he is being led to the point where his greatest glory was turning into his greatest defeat and death.
It was Krishna who made Karn aware of his factual situation. He explained about the wrong decisions made by Karn. Decisions, like hiding facts from sage Parshuram, like deciding to help his friend Duryodhan at all times. Like participating in insulting and disrobing Draupadi, like being with Kauravs, knowing fully well that these are not right. Karn justified his every wrong decision as his duty to his friend Duryodhan as he had made him King of Anga state.
Karn then asked Lord Krishna as to why was he always wronged in his life because of which he took all those decisions.
The reply given by Lord Krishna made Karn realize where his thinking and actions were wrong. Lord Krishna said, "It is true that you were wronged and for that you had to undergo a lot of suffering too. But it is also true that you were powerful at the same time. You should have used that power to alleviate the sufferings of other people and build a better society. All you did is to side with your friend who was always wrong".
Further, Lord Krishna said, "one should always side with the righteous, undr all circumstances, as no one can escape the results.
In fact, the war of Mahabharat is a result of wrong decisions taken by Pitama Bhishma and Guru Dronacharya".
What Karn understood when his end was near is relevant to every person even today. While taking any decision, one should think about whether it is right or wrong. It is the Law of Karma from which there is no escape. So, one should always follow the right path.
