Thus, the laws of nature require the workings of chance if matter is to explore its full range of possibilities and emerge towards richness and complexity. Without chance, the potentialities of the universe would go unactualized. This has implications for human consciousness and freedom — just as the material world moves towards a larger consciousness and freedom. Just as the material world also moves towards a larger evolutionary purpose so too the human consciousness evolves but is free to explore the conditions for the emergence of a free and conscious human being as part of the universe. The ‘Placer’s sway’, then, to use Yudhishthira’s words is not the traditional one of omniscient and omnipotent God who creates and sustains the world, laying down the natural law and miraculously intervening when the occasion requires. It is God.Waiting upon the world, patiently acting through its natural processes including unpredictable, uncontrollable random events to bring about the emergence of the new while consistently urging the whole towards fullness of life. If this be the case, the question arises what is the nature of Krishna’s intervention on behalf of Draupadi.
The Role of Krishna
Interestingly, Krishna is absent during the game of dice except to intervene on Draupadi’s behalf although he has been an active participant up to that time. He stays for a while after the marriage of Draupadi to the Pandavas. He is present at the division of the kingdom and helps Arjuna clear up the forest tracts. He asks Maya to build a magnificent hall for the Pandavas. He aids Arjuna in abducting his own sister Subhadra, stays for the marriage and even for their marriage and even for the birth of their son Abhimanyu. He advises Yudhishthira on the Rajasuya and sees to its successful completion through the killing of Jarasandha and Sisupala. He then has to rush to because he has been attacked by Salva who is enraged by his brother Sisupala’s death. Hence, the overt reason for his absence from the dice game. However, as Alf Hiltebeitel has pointed out, Krishna’s absence is necessary because otherwise the outcome would have been different. Even if he had been present at Dwarka when the game was announced at Hastinapura he says, he would have come there to prevent it. As Narayana, or the Divine, perhaps he can only be a witness to the unfolding of events as individuals exercise their freedom of choice and the universal order arranges and rearranges itself accordingly. The canvas of the dice game is the test of a king’s ability to uphold dharma in the face of all unforeseen eventualities is Yudhishthira’s field of action. However, he cannot allow Draupadi to suffer the final humiliation because she is his soul mate, sakhi, another aspect of himself, another Krishna and his consort Sri to his Vishnu or Narayana. Once, dharma is lost it has to be re-established and hence the war in which Krishna plays an active role of inspiring and motivating without actually taking up arms.
Krishna also points out to Yudhishthira that for him to become a universal sovereign, a baronial agreement is necessary. For this, Jarasandha has to be defeated. He was the King of Magadha who was all-powerful. He had defeated Krishna himself and had to be killed to smoothenYudhishthira’s path. It is interesting that Krishna prevaricates in order to convince Yudhishthira and Arjuna and uses arguments similar to those of Duryodhana while convincing Dhritrashtra. Also, stratagem and deceit are used to kill Jarasandha who was valiant and noble. This parallels the deceit during the game of dice and during the war itself. Again, it is a question of crossing the fine dividing line between dharma and adharma. Krishna vows not to fight but takes up his arms against bhishma during the war.
As both sides ready for a war, their emissaries go back and forth — Purohita, Sanjaya, and finally Krishna himself. Each envoy simply states the position depending on whose side he is, but with arguments couched in diplomacy that would be a lesson even today. The disturbing truth is that while both sides go through the motions of peace effort, since they have already have made up their minds that war is inevitable they simultaneously marshal and consolidate their forces while their envoys go back and forth.
Vyasa superbly presents two sides of statecraft. One is the cold calculating debate concerning the succession to the kingdom and the suicidal race to the throne. The other is the attempt to win over Karna through a highly charged emotional appeal first by Krishna and then by Kunti. This is because Karna is the pivotal figure on whom the outcome of the war turns. He is a direct counterpoint to Arjuna and once he is killed by Arjuna the war practically comes to an end. His withstanding the temptations held out by Krishna and the emotional appeal made by Kunti puts him in the mould of tragic heroes akin to those of a classic Greek Tragedy. It is because of his heroic appeal and the moral dilemmas that are engendered because of his position, that Karna has exercised the imagination of subsequent writers from Rabindranath Tagore’s “Karna-KuntiSambad” to ShivajiSawant’s “Mrityunjaya”. Several other works come to mind like PrathamPartha by Bhuddhadev Bose, Radheyaby Ranjeet Desai, and Reshmirathiby Dinker. There is an even mystery novel based on him, The Karna Pages by Sayantau Gupta.
Having rested, after the completion of the marriage festivities, they all assemble in the chamber of King Virata who sits in front together with king Drupada of Panchala. On one side of him sits Balarama together with Satyaki and on the other, Krishna and the five Pandavas. At this point, Krishna draws everyone’s attention to the affairs of the Pandavas outlining all that has happened up to then and emphasizing how the Kauravas had repeatedly tried to eliminate them through duplicity. He recounts how since their boyhood, Duryodhana had plotted to get rid of them and finally how he ultimately got them defeated unfairly in the game of dice through Shakuni. Although the Pandavas could have waged war to recover their kingdom, he points out, that they have abided by their word enduring unimaginable hardships in the forests and then performing menial service in the court of king Virata for a year. They, asserts Krishna on their behalf, would be content with five villages because they wish Dhritrashtra, Duryodhana and Hastinapura well although they are not only capable of defeating the Kauravas by themselves but also have friends who are willing to support them in all eventualities up to the very end. Since Dhuryodhana’s next course of action is not known,Krishna suggests that an able ambassador be sent to him to request him to give half the kingdom to the Pandavas.
Balarama, who is inclined towards Duryodhana, having been his teacher, at first sight seems to support his brother Krishna, but his bias towards Duryodhana becomes evident when he advises that Yudhishthira’s ambassador should go as a supplicant to Dhritrashtra and the Kauravas as it has to be acknowledged that Yudhishthira is at fault in losing the kingdom. Yudhishthira was not skilled in dice and had been advised against playing by all well-wishers, but he had not only insisted upon doing so but had also played the game recklessly, losing everything including himself, his brothers, and Draupadi.
On hearing this, Satyaki protests and berates both Balarama and all those who have heard him without pointing out the flaws in his argument and his obvious favouring of Duryodhana. He reiterates that they are strong enough to win back the kingdom through war and no one should forget that. Hence there is no need for such supplication and humiliation. Drupada intervenes and says that there is merit in sending an envoy but not with placatory words as advocated by Balarama because Duryodhana is incapable of understanding decency. The ambassador should, on the contrary, firmly state the position of the Pandavas in the court of Dhritrashtra. In the meantime the Pandavas and those supporting them should also send out messages to seek allies for the impending war. Krishna agrees and says that while the messenger is being sent to Hastinapura, they who had assembled on the occasion of the marriage of Abhimanyu and Uttara being the kin of both Kauravas and Pandavas should all return to their respective kingdoms. Thus Krishna leaves for Dwarka, while King Virataand King Drupada begin to explore their allies. The Pandavas move to Upaplavya, a city in the kingdom of Virata.
Learning through his secret emissaries, all the activities of the Pandavas and also that Krishna has gone to Dwarka, Duryodhana leaves for Dwarka to meet Krishna. In the meantime, Arjuna also goes toDwarka but Duryodhana, who has come first, finding Krishna asleep in his chamber enters and sits down towards his head while waiting for him to get up. In the meantime, Arjuna enters and sits at Krishna’s feet. When Krishna awakes he sees Arjuna first and asks both him and Duryodhana the purpose of their visit. They say that they have come to seek his help in the coming war. Duryodhana says that since he was the first to come he is entitled to the ask what he wants, first. Krishna accepts Duryodhana’s contention but says that since he set eyes on Arjuna first and also because Arjuna is the younger, he is entitled to choose first. He then offers Arjuna the choice between his vast army and himself, unarmed and as a non-combatant. Arjuna chooses Krishna much to the joy of Duryodhana who goes away happy to have procured Krishna’s huge formidable forces. After Duryodhana leaves, Krishna asks Arjuna the reason for his choice. Arjuna’s answer is that Krishna is capable of slaying the entire army himself as is Arjuna but Krishna’s fame and glory would accompany him and that would reflect on Arjuna too, hence he has chosen Krishna. He wants Krishna to be his charioteer to which Krishna agreed. Both then, returned to Yudhishthira.
King Shalya, Madri’s brother and hence the maternal uncle of Nakula and Sahdeva, having heard of the preparations for war, starts with his large army of troops to aid Yudhishthira, but on the way, he finds excellent arrangements for rest and food. Presuming these to have been arranged by Yudhishthira, partakes of them joyously. Subsequently realizing that he has unwittingly accepted Duryodhana’s hospitality, is obliged to accept his request for an alliance. When he tells Yudhishthira his predicament, Yudhishthira is understanding but asks him for a favour. He says that during the course of the war, a time will come when Shalya will be called upon to drive Karna’s chariot. He asks him not to refuse but to bring down Karna’s morale while driving him by constantly denigrating him, so that Karna cannot fight as powerfully as he otherwise would. Throughout the Mahabharata,Yudhishthira’s has an obsessive fear of Karna. Shalya agrees to Yudhishthira’s proposal wholeheartedly. Here can be seen what may be regarded as Yudhishthira’s unethical side. He is asking Shalya to keep his promise to Duryodhana but to demoralize Karna, the opposite of what a charioteer should do. In fact the charioteer plays a vital role in a war, protecting his warrior, taking him to strategic positions and giving him wise counsel and strategic advice. The contrast is evident between what Karna has to endure with Shalya as a charioteer and the kind of support that Arjuna has with Krishna as a charioteer.
The war in the name of dharma is actually fought with adharma and the generals leading it are unethical from the very beginning. Bhishma, Drona, and Kripacharya all fight for the Kauravas because they are materially dependent on Duryodhana although believing the Pandavas to be in the right. Bhishma declares that he will not kill the Pandavas although now they are his foremost enemies in war; so destroys innumerable soldiers without touching them. While Karna displays splendid heroic Kshatriya qualities, the same cannot be said of the Pandavas. Except for the killing of Abhimanyu, the Kauravas fight the battle upfront. However, the Pandavas kill the foremost of Kaurava generals by deceit. Bhishma himself tells Yudhishthira that he can be defeated by placing Shikhandi in front of Arjuna as he will not fight against a woman and Shikhandi was earlier a woman. Drona is killed because of a misrepresentation by Yudhishthira, Jayadratha because of Krishna’s deceit and Karnaby Arjuna, when he was unarmed, again at the instigation of Krishna. In fact, in almost all cases, Krishna gives unethical advice and the war of the Mahabharata shows that there is no such thing as a just war; it is really a drive towards power and domination, in this case for the throne of Hastinapura.
Bhagwad-Yana Parva
Yudhishtira on hearing what Sanjaya has to say, turns to Krishna and surrenders to him saying that the only saviour in this situation is Krishna. After several deliberations, Krishna decides to make a last effort for peace. After hearing what each of the Pandava brothers has to say as also some of their allies, he himself offers to go as the messenger of peace. Apprehending that Krishna may succeed, Draupadi strongly opposes any move towards peace and demands war. She puts the whole situation in perspective. If Duryodhana desires peace without returning the kingdom, Draupadi says to Krishna, then there is no reason for Krishna to go to Duryodhana. The objectives of the Pandavas cannot be attained by either peaceful means or by surrender. There is no reason for Krishna to show mercy to the Kauravas, as those who do not understand words of peace, need to be punished. A Kshatriya who is avaricious must be killed by a Kshatriya who is righteous. Hence, by not doing what is just, even Krishna would be incurring a sin. She reminds Krishna of her humiliation and how her husbands had all sat mute, not coming to her rescue. Even the Kuru elders were complicit in this. After all, she points out, she is the daughter-in-law of both Bhishma and Dhritrashtra and yet they had not intervened. Bhima had vowed revenge but nowhere was that revenge in sight. And now, as she fearfully implores, even Krishna is trying to make peace, quite forgetting her humiliation. If no one is willing to fight for the grave injustice done to her then, she says, her father, brother and sons will do so.
Krishna assures Draupadi that although he was going to the Kuru court, nothing would come out of it as the final time for the sons of Dhritrashtra had come; he was confident that they will not heed his advice. The Kuru women will weep, he says, just as Draupadi was weeping. With farewell words of Arjuna, who is sure that only Krishna could bring about peace between the Kauravas and the Pandavas,, Krishna sets out. Dhritrashtra, having come to know through his spies that Krishna has set out for Hastinapura, proposes to win him over with wealth, women, and flattery. He recites an elaborate list of what he proposes to offer Krishna — sixteen golden chariots drawn by horses of the same colour, elephants, hundreds of beautiful maid servants, a retinue of male servants, blankets, thousands of deer skins, gems, and many other things. Krishna is to be received by the entire Kuru clan and accorded every kind of respect.
Vidura reproves Dhritrashtra saying that he should not destroy his sons and grandsons together with all his friends by attempting to win Krishna over by wealth and show of opulence. Dhritrashtra’s actions are motivated by deception and insincerity. The five Pandavas only want five villages and if Duryodhana does not agree to give them those then the Pandavas will not make peace no matter what allurements are offered to Krishna. The Vrishnis he points out, cannot be won over by wealth and Dhritrashtra cannot create a rift between Krishna and the Pandavas through such means. Hence, they should only show acceptable courtesy and hospitality to Krishna who is coming for the good of the Kurus. He urges Dhritrashtra to help in that endeavour.
Duryodhana has the audacious idea of imprisoning Krishna. He thinks that by doing so, the Vrishnis, the Pandavas and the whole world will come to him and be at his mercy by the following morning giving him an immense bargaining position. He wants Krishna to be taken by surprise so that no one is able to pre-empt his arrest. This is a horrifying suggestion and certain to destroy the Kauravas. Dhritrashtra immediately points out that Krishna is an ambassador and a relative and so it is not possible to take him captive. It would be a violation of all norms of both statecraft and kinship. Bhishma firmly rejects any such idea.
Krishna was obviously a popular leader when he goes for the final negotiations with the Kauravas, throngs of people gathered with flowers to honour him and crowds were waiting to just have a look at him.On arrival, Krishna acknowledges all the hospitality offered to him but chooses not to accept any of it. Instead he goes to the house of Vidura. After meeting him, he goes to see Kunti. It is a very emotional meeting between the two in which Kunti describes to him all the hardships she has undergone in the forests; in bringing up her sons; and how humiliated she feels at the treatment given to Draupadi. She depends upon the protection of Krishna, Parashurama and Pradyuman for justice. However, if no way out is found, she concludes, then the time for war has come.
Later in the evening, Vidura talks to Krishna where he feels that his mission will be fruitless, and that it was not proper for Krishna to have undertaken it. The following day in the court Krishna while repeating the arguments of Kunti, points out that in spite of all humiliation, the Pandavas had kept their word of thirteen years of exile. Dhritrashtra also needs to remember that in the absence of Pandu, he is like a father to the Pandavas and so should give them their due. He is supported by the warrior Rishi Parashurama and Kanva Rishi.
The Advice of the Sages
A long section follows where the sages give advice and narrate several examples of how arrogance has caused the downfall of the powerful, in the past. Duryodhana must learn from this and should compromise rather than be vain and rigid. Rishi Parashurama agrees with Krishna and reinforces his point by giving the example of king Dambodhabhava, who was at one time the ruler of the earth. He was so arrogant that every morning he called all the people of all varnas and rhetorically asked them if there was anyone superior to him. Thus intoxicated with pride he wandered the earth. Some brahmanas, pure and learned in the Vedas, counselled him to curb his pride but he paid no heed. Then some of these high-souled brahmanas got very angry with him and told him that there were two persons who were always victorious in any battle and the king could not defeat either of them. Those two were Nara and Narayana. They had now taken birth in the race of men and were practicing asceticism on the mountain Gandhamadana. Hearing this, the King took his vast army and arrived at Gandhamadena where he saw two emaciated rishis. They were actually Nara and Narayana about whose invincibility in battle he had heard so much and now he wanted nothing more than to test it by battling with them. When they failed to dissuade him from such a course, the king attacked them with his entire army but was defeated by the blades of grass shot at him and by the rishis empowered by their asceticism and mantras. King Dambhodbhava was defeated and the rishis told him never again to be swollen with the pride of arms. The brahmanas with their learning were superior to what can be achieved by mere strength of arms. Gradually, over time, Narayana became superior to Nara and gave him his strength of arms. Nara and Narayana had been reborn as Arjuna and Krishna respectively and the strength of weapons was given to Arjuna as an arsenal in his Gandiva bow. This made Arjuna invincible.
Gandhari plays a significant role in her own way. While she does not succeed in altering the course of events that lead to the Great War, she asserts herself forcefully at crucial moments. Finally, it is her curse that works itself out in the destruction of the Vrishnis and the ignominious death of Krishna himself.
Duryodhana is contemptuous of his mother’s words. He consults with Duhshasana, Karna, and Shakuni and the four of them decide to imprison Krishna. Vidura is horrified. Krishna just laughs it off saying that now Yudhishthira had greater chances of success. Krishna then shows his universal form as his body becomes like lightning. From the various parts of his body appear all the gods, Brahma and Rudra, the Pandava brothers and the andhakas and the vrishnis with their terrible weapons. He himself appeared to have multiple arms carrying weapons while flames came from his eyes, nose, nose, ears. The overawed court closed their eyes. Seeing that great wonderful appearance, celestial drums are sounded and the celestials shower flowers from the heavens. Dhritrashtra wants Krishna’s blessings so that his sight is restored to enable him to see Krishna’s universal form, after seeing which he desires to see nothing else. Krishna gives Dhritrashtra his sight and all are struck with wonder. After a while Krishna comes back to his earthly form and, taking Satyaki by his hand, goes out of the court. He takes his chariot and disappears from everybody’s sight. In spite of this moment of the revelation of his divinity, on the whole Krishna argued like an emissary rather than act as an avatara.
Krishna goes to Kunti and narrates all that transpired in the court. He makes it clear that he does not see anything but war in the future. Kunti now sends messages individually to her sons citing the example of Vidura, she exhorts them to war. Bhishma, on learning that Kunti is determined to that her sons should get their rights even if it means war and is commanding her sons to prepare for it, once again tries to reason with Duryodhana, but Duryodhana is not convinced. Drona too advocates peace, but to no avail.
The Temptation of Karna
Having failed in negotiations, Krishna tries to create division within Duryodhana’s ranks by revealing to Karna his true identity as Kunti’s son. He meets him at a lonely place and the two sit together and talk in Krishna’s chariot. Krishna tells Karna that he is the eldest of the Pandava brothers, having been born of the union between his mother Kunti and the Sun God when she summoned through a boon given by Rishi Durvasa. Fearing ignominy at being an unmarried mother, she had put the newborn baby into a casket and set the casket afloat on the Ganga.
Karna is undoubtedly very shaken on learning this truth but he courteously tells Krishna that he cannot forget the love and devotion of the charioteer Adhirath and his wife Radha. They had adopted him and brought him up with all the love and affection of parents. They had no other children and if Karna was now to give them up, they would have no one to make the ancestral offerings for them. He was also married in the charioteer caste and his children and grandchildren all belonged to it. Further, Duryodhana had helped him throughout his life and it was because of him that he lived as a king. It was his trust inKarna that gave Duryodhana confident of the war with the Pandavas. He himself, he asserts, wants to only try his strength against Arjuna in a single combat. Taking everything together, Karna cannot accede to Krishna’s request of moving into the Pandava camp as he is clear that he cannot betray his friend Duryodhana. He requests Krishna not to reveal his true identity to Yudhishthira because knowing Yudhishthira’s righteousness, he would hand over the kingdom to Karna. If that were to happen, Karna would feel duty-bound to in turn give it to Duryodhana, but that would not be just. He also acknowledges the moral superiority of Yudhishthira and wishes him to ascend the throne.
The exchange between Karna and Krishna, takes place on Krishna’s chariot reminding us of another as exchange that being between Krishna and Arjuna just before the war. In the former, Krishna’s efforts are to prevent war, and in the latter, to fight the war is referred to as a sacrificial ritual by Karna. One part of it will end with Bhishma and the second with Karna. Thus the antipathy between grandfather Bhishma and the grandson Karna continues and reconciliation finally occurs only when Bhishma is lying on the bed of arrows at the end of his life.
The war, as Karna sees it, is like a purificatory right in which Krishna will be the witness and the Adhvaryu priest, or one who is in charge of ensuring the proper implementation of all the physical details and arrangements for a sacrifice. Arjuna’s bow, Gandiva, will be the sacrificial ladle and the bravery of men fighting the war, the sacrificial butter or ghee. All others, says Karna, will be merely instruments of the sacrifice. As Christopher Chapple points out, “The entire premonitory narrative takes on an eerie, other-worldly quality, with Karna in the role of the prophet.” He predicts the defeat of Kauravas accurately but hopes that he will kill Arjuna rather than being killed by him.
Karna asks Krishna that when he was aware of everything why was he confounding him and leading him to folly? Krishna knows that the destruction of the entire world is at hand and that the instrument of this great calamity will be Karna, Shakuni, Duhshasana and Duryodhana. Also Krishna knows that all the kings and princes who follow Duryodhana will be consumed by weapons in the war. Many fierce dreams, said Karna, had been dreamt as also there were omens portending great disturbances.
After telling Krishna about all the omens of destruction that were taking place in the Kaurava camp, Karna recounts a dream that he has had in which he has seen Yudhishthira together with his brothers ascending a palace with a thousand pillars. All the Pandava brothers wearing white head dresses and white garments and are seated on white seats. He sees Krishna in the ocean throwing weapons on the earth which are covered with blood. Yudhisthira ascends a heap of human bones and cheerfully eats payas mixed with ghee out of a golden vessel. Karna sees him swallowing the earth, which indicates to him that Yudhishthira will enjoy the earth given to him by Krishna. Bhima also ascends a high mountain and stands there with a mace in hand. He too looks as if he is swallowing the earth. This clearly means that Bhima will kill them all in the great battle. Karna also knows that Truth is not onDuryodhana’s side and so he is sure to be defeated as where there is virtue there alone would be victory. But Karna is helpless because of his indebtedness to Duryodhana whom he thinks he is honour bound to support. This is just as he had felt helpless earlier when he gave away his armour and earrings to Indra, disguised as a mendicant, in spite of Surya’s warnings. It is Karna’s preoccupation with his honour that makes him inflexible just as it makes Bhishma rigid in keeping his vow of celibacy.
Karna is also aware that as Krishna is besides Arjuna, he the wielder of the Gandiva, would slay all the rulers who accept Duryodhana as their leader. He sees in his dream that Nakula and Sahdeva too, together with Satyaki, wearing white robes, white ornaments, white garlands, with a white umbrella over their heads are ascending the best of vehicles. Curiously enough, he also sees Ashvatthama, Kripa, and Kritavarman with white head gear while all other kings wear blood-coloured dresses. He sees the ten great car warriors of Duryodhana’s army, and Bhishma and Drona, along with Karna himself as also Duryodhana, going towards the abode of Yama. He thus has no doubt now, despite his earlier hope, that he himself together with other kings who are part of this assembly will be sacrificed in the fire of the Gandiva.
Krishna agrees that Karna’s dream will certainly come to pass if he does not accede to his request. When the destruction of all creatures is at hand, says Krishna, a wrong action cannot be avoided as at that time it appears to be right. Karna thanks Krishna and parts company. If he remains alive he says they will meet after the war otherwise they will meet in heaven. Saying this Karna closely embraces Krishna and dismounts from his chariot where they had been talking; returning to his own chariot, he returns sadly to his camp.
While lamenting this vast destruction, Gandhari comes across Krishna and repeatedly points out to him the heroes lying mangled and slain in the battle. She can forgive the Pandavas but not Krishna because he who could have prevented the war remained indifferent to the carnage that would ensue. She curses him by saying that he would be slayer of his own kinsmen thirty-four years later and then perish disgracefully in the wilderness. The women of his race would lament even as these Kuru women were now wailing.
Krishna is unmoved and replies that there is no one in the world except himself who could destroy the Vrishnis and that he is trying to bring that about himself. She has only aided him in his task by uttering the curse. He tells her bluntly that there is no point in her grieving, as she herself is the cause of that vast carnage. She encouraged Duryodhana knowing that he was wicked, envious, and exceedingly arrogant. All that she was doing now was try to transfer the guilt to him. In any case by mourning for something that had already occurred a person only increased his own grief. A princess like Gandhari after all, bore sons only for war. At this time Dhritrashtra restrains Gandhari and asks Yudhishthira to ensure proper funeral arrangements for all those who have died, the number being one billion, six hundred and sixty million, and twenty thousand.
Why is Krishna so heartless to Gandhari? Perhaps because he remains untouched by the sorrow caused by human relationships, he wants to drive home the lesson that man is ultimately responsible for his own grief and misfortunes and that a community’s grief is also brought upon by the community on itself.
Reluctantly, Yudhishthira agrees to his coronation but even then his heart is not at rest. He only finds peace when he goes on his last journey to the Himalaya. He turns to Shri Krishna for advice. Krishna takes him to Bhishma for this. Why does he do this? He himself could have instructed Yudhishthira but he tells Bhishma that a man lives through the wisdom he expounds and who better than Bhishma who is Yudhisthira’s grandfather;, who is lying on a bed of arrows; the one who had vowed not only to never stake any claim to the kingdom but also to never get married so that no dispute could ever arise even because of his children; but the one who has had to see carnage in spite of it. He was the one who had to become dependent on Duryodhana, his arrogant grandson, for the sake of Hastinapura. He had to witness many wrongdoings happen in front of him but was is unable to prevent them.
Krishna is the root of all wisdom so there is nothing surprising or extraordinary if wisdom comes from him. He wants Bhishma to become immortal. So wisdom should flow from there. He relieves him of all pain while asking him to impart knowledge and truth to Yudhishthira because he knows that only a person who can await death calmly on a bed of arrows can talk to Yudhishthira about the duties and responsibilities of life. He shows Bhishma his real self and transfers all his own wisdom to him so that his words may spread through the world as Vedas or eternal truth. Wisdom comes only when a man stationed in dharma puts his dilemmas in front of another man equally stationed in dharma.
Sri Krishna represents the inner truth of the Mahabharata although he is not its hero. His pivotal role is to keep reminding human beings not to forget their ‘humanness’. He is not with anyone and yet he is with everyone. He participates in the battle in a strange way by giving his near invincible army to Duryodhana and himself becoming the charioteer for Arjuna with a vow not to take up arms. He remains unmoved in spite of the huge destruction after the war because he has to look to the universal good and not to the good of a few. The entire epic of the Mahabharata is suffused with the personality of Sri Krishna. He sees everyone getting defeated, humiliated, regretting at one time or another, being wounded by truth but Sri Krishna himself never regrets, never cries, never feels helpless, is indifferent to both victory and defeat and even at the moment of death, remains unagitated. Struck by Jara’s arrow, he is grateful to him for liberating him from his physical body. He accepts that through Jara. Eklavya’s revenge against the arrogance of the entire Kshatriya class has now been taken. He gratefully accepts this moment of his wounded life with a large heart, understanding, and serenity. He is indifferent to all and yet comprehends the needs and desires of all. That is why he can impart knowledge to his dear friend Uddhava and then let him go. He does not ask him to stay with him and serve him. He takes the gopis to the ecstasy of love where love is transformed into nothing but bhakti or devotion — a rather inadequate word, and then leaves, without ever looking back. He is courageous enough to inspire Arjuna to war, protect him at every step, make him victorious, and then put him in a situation where his Gandiva for which he is willing to even kill Yudhishthira becomes worthless when the Vrishnis are destroying themselves thus his arrogance as a warrior is crushed.
Shri Krishna only laughs and baffles her by telling her that such a chain of events has already been set in motion so her curse is meaningless. Without any compassion he berates her by saying that she supported a corrupt, cruel and envious son like Duryodhana and that her curse is nothing but an attempt to transfer her own blame on to him.
The cause of suffering lies within; not outside, not in any friend or enemy, not in any circumstance of time, nor in any artificial code of conduct. This lesson has to be repeatedly learnt, over and over again, by every individual. To teach it, the Divine must also descend to earth, be a part of human relationships, go through the pain of attachment and parting, see the human condition with human eyes take the burden of the responsibility of the Self and unflinchingly accept death by being pierced by hunter’s arrow in the foot. The individual human being may be destroyed but the ultimate value of what it means to be human must be realized and elevated.