Shri Krishna's role in Mahabharat

Arjuna with Shri Krishna's sister Subhadra were coming to Mathura while coming back wicked person named Kalayavan came to them asking “where is Shri Krishna?”. He thinks that if he takes Subhadra into custody Shri Krishna will surely comes to save her so he starts threatening her. He won't die by any attacks of weapon. So Arjuna's arrow didn't had any effect on him. Then finally Sri Krishna comes and saves them all. That Kalayavan gets burned by fire emitted by Maharshi Muchkund's eyes. And hence Shri Krishna and arjuna meets for the first time. But Shri Krishna was relative of Arjuna's mother Kunti. After all this Shri Krishna makes arjuna and Subhadra get married. By this Shri Krishna becomes brother in law of Arjuna.

When Mahabharat war was declared Krishna decides to be impartial towards both Kaurava and Pandava. But he decides that his one Akshohini army to be one side and Shri Krishna (without any weapons) on one side. Duryodhana decides to take army whereas Arjuna decides to choose Shri Krishna. By this Shri Krishna came to Pandava side. Krishna is introduced during the Swayamvar of Draupadi which he came to attend with his brother Balarama. Though all the Pandavas were in disguise (since fleeing from the House of Laqs), Krishna recognizes the brothers and points each one out to Balarama.

One of the most profound verses of Gita comes in the 18th chapter. That one shlock, quite easily overlooked , conveys the entire gist of the Karma theory and Dharma. Gita has ~700 shlokas. After delivering a counselling session of about 684 shlokas, that was to guide humanity over coming 1000s of years, Krishna tells Arjun in the 685th shloka

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“I have told you that you should need to know, now think about it, and do as you wish”. Shri Krishna seems to be saying – Arjun, all I can do is guide you but I cannot own your action, nor your destiny. Nobody will come to enjoy the fruits of your action, neither will any prophet or son of God come to suffer your sins. You got to do that, yourself. Not impulsively, get to know, what you need to know, think through, contemplate, but then find your path, find your destiny. We are free to do our actions but have to have the consequence of it too. Krishna says that he can only guide, he can only show path, to walk or not, is our choice. Coming to Mahabharata, Krishna tried to guide Duryodhana. He became Shanti doot and tried to avert the war, but to walk in the path of Krishna or not, is the choice of Duryodhana! Do as you wish” he says. What he is not saying is of even more significance – he is not saying “I am God hence you have to do as I say or you will rot in hell”.

Above, I have done a small analysis on Google maps on what might have been going on in Sri Krishna`s and Pandavas minds when they asked for 5 villages as part of the failed negotiations with Duryodhana. This might have already been analyzed by academicians and Historians but I just want to throw in my analysis. Also the villages might be disputed by learned people but like I said, I have taken what was available in google and tried to draw my analysis.

The 5 villages asked by Sri Krishna were (used the present-day terms for these villages) – 1. Panipat 2. Sonipat 3. Baghpat 4. Indraprastha 5. Tilpat. Please refer the image for any inputs. If you look at the map from Hastinapur perspective, all the 5 villages are arranged almost in a linear fashion. And out of the 5 villages, only Baghpat is towards Hastinapur side of River Yamuna while the rest of the 4 villages are on the other side of river Yamuna. Interestingly, Baghpat lies at the midpoint of the 5 villages and almost equidistant from the farthest villages i.e., Tilpat and Panipat i.e., 55Kms. Therefore, it is strategically placed. The Pandavas can easily launch an offensive against Kauravas. While the rest of the 4 villages on the other side of Yamuna have the advantage of the river as a Natural barrier which can be used for Defence.

Moreover, having an offensive at Baghpat means less movement of Troops and resources. The distance between the 2 farthest villages i.e., Panipat and Tilpat is 110Km and the distance between each of them to Hastinapur is almost the same i.e., 101-102 Km almost making it an isosceles triangle. Therefore, the time taken by Kauravas to attack any of these both villages will almost be the same. Pandavas can therefore prepare for any attacks well in time and also the time taken for the troops to move from the farthest village will also be the same as Kauravas. This will effectively mean that Duryodhana cannot attack Pandavas without suffering heavy collateral damage. It might because of this strategic reason he would have declined Sri Krishna`s proposal.

Rules which were decided before the war were not followed by Kauravas. It was told in that meeting while setting rules that if one party breaks rules and not guarantee that other will still follow rules. They were the first to broke the rules when they killed Abhimanyu by surrounding him. Bhishma was not killed by chhal, as he himself told how he could be killed. But as women cannot take part in war. Shikhandi was half man / half woman and Bhishma already recognized her as Amba. So it was payback for each of them who got killed using tactics by Shri Krishna. They only gave this opportunity to Shri Krishna..

The Kurukshetra battle was the outcome of the actions of Pandavas and Kauravas. So this battle belongs to them. Pandavas have to bear the responsibility and fight for their rights. Not Shri Krishna who fought his own battles since childhood. He did not seek help of his cousins to get through them. Shri Krishna hence wanted Pandavas, especially Arjuna to fight and decide his own fate by winning the kingdom back. When Shri Krishna gave an option to Arjuna to chose between fighting warriors of one akshouhini and him who won’t wield weapon at all, He was testing Arjuna by throwing that option,to see whether his beloved cousin got the zeal and enthusiasm to fight his own battle.

Arjuna chose him and gave an apt reason for his choice. He wanted to win fame like Shri Krishna did. Thereupon Arjuna answered, 'I question not that you are able to slay them all. I also am alone capable of slaying them, O best of men. But you are an illustrious person in the world; and this renown will accompany you. I also am a suitor for fame; therefore, you have been selected by me. It hath been always my desire to have you for driving my car. I, therefore, ask you to fulfil my desire cherished for a long time.' Section VII Udyoga Parva

So Shri Krishna did not want to fight Arjuna’s battle. He wanted him to earn fame by fighting his rivals and winning the war. On a higher level,Krishna the Vishnu incarnate chose to be the philosopher and guide for Nara incarnate Arjuna whom he made his tool to fight the battle and establish dharma.

tasmat tvam uttishtha yasho labhasva

jitva shatrun bhunkshva rajyam samriddham

mayaivaite nihatah purvam eva

nimitta-matram bhava savya-sachin.

Therefore, arise and attain honor! Conquer your foes and enjoy prosperous rulership. These warriors stand already slain by me, and you will only be an instrument of my work, O expert archer. Shrimad Bhagwad Gita Ch 11 verse 33.

Should God stick to rule laid by Human Mind? Rules change as per time and place? So should God change as well? Violence lies not in the act but in the intention. If Shri Krishna’s intention was to kill or murder He had immense chances to annihilate the entire Kuru race. But He didn’t do it. He instead went as peace emissary not once but 3 times. When they refused, war was the only choice left.

Further Shri Krishna will never fall or follow definitions of Humans. He is beyond. He is complete, He has all paradoxes in Him. It may intrigue, challenge and tease a human mind this is the time you seek a wise man to explain Shri Krishna. If you can’t, then seek Him. He just gives this mischievous smile and you just have to melt. He is the wisest yet He steals. He is the richest yet He becomes a driver. He can have many wives yet be celibate. It’s not easy to understand Him. It isn’t. So seek a wise man soon. Jay Shri Krishna