Krishna: Krishna The Cowherd - The Perfect Avatar  

By R K Langer  

Krishna: Krishna The Cowherd - The Perfect Avatar  

Lord Krishna's influence on our lives far exceeds that of any other God-incarnate. Krishna is depicted not only as an embodiment of wisdom and selfless action, but also as a humane liberal and practical philosopher with foresight.

He was a defender of the oppressed. He killed Kansa to liberate his victims from cruelty. He befriended the poor; the story of how he helped his poor friend Sudama is legendary. Similarly, he came to the rescue of Draupadi whenever she invoked him in distress.

Krishna's mysticism and activism have greatly inspired poets, painters, writers, dramatists and dancers. The advice he rendered to a disheartened Arjuna at Kurukshetra - immortalised in the Bhagavad Gita - greatly influenced philosophers and continues to inspire millions of people worldwide.

Krishna was equally comfortable as the cowherds' playmate at Vrindavan as he was as Arjuna's charioteer-philosopher in the Mahabharata war. Krishna was loving and giving; at the same time, he would rise to defend dharma whenever he perceived it was being threatened. Krishna defined dharma as anything that brought about the good of the individual and society.

Three great works enumerate Krishna's teachings: The Bhagavad Gita, the Anugita and the Udhavagita. While the first two are a part of the Mahabharata, the last is in the Bhagavata.

The Anugita contains Krishna's conversation with Arjuna when Krishna decided to return to Dwaraka after restoring to the Pandavas, their kingdom. The main topics discussed are transmigration of soul, means of attaining liberation, description of gunas and ashramas , dharma and effects of tapas or austerity.

The Udhavagita was the counsel Krishna gave to Udhava, a close companion and devotee, before he decided to return to His divine abode. The topics discussed include karma, atman , characteristics of free souls, signs of holy beings, devotion, meditation and other spiritual disciplines. Krishna also touches upon the psychic powers of yogic practices, but the yogi is advised against taking interest in them since they are obstacles to spiritual enlightenment.

The gopis' love for Krishna was divine; they were convinced of the greatness and divinity of Krishna. They were also enchanted by Krishna's beauty and the music he made on the flute. Krishna responded by dancing with the gopis during the Rasa Leela .

Vivekananda said: "That most marvellous passage of his life, the most difficult to understand and which none ought to attempt to understand until he has become perfectly chaste and pure. Most marvellous is the expansion of love expressed in that beautiful play at Vrindavana which none can understand but he, who has become mad with a love that wants nothing."

Radha's love for Krishna personifies the aspiration of the jivatman to merge with the paramatman . Sri Aurobindo describes Krishna's music as a call from the Divine - Radha responds to this call as human soul, expresses unconditional love and surrenders to the Divine. The call indicates that God is ever-willing to reach out to those who are receptive. Ramakrishna says that if you take one step towards God, He reciprocates by taking ten steps towards you.

Incarnations are meant not to destroy but to elevate. Through the Bhagavad Gita Krishna presented a new synthesis between ideals which made life smooth for the individual and society as a whole.

The main theme of Krishna's life and teachings is Karma Yoga, the art of striving for both personal perfection and social efficiency. If we know what our duties are and how we should discharge them, there is no room for stress. The one who is inclined towards self- perfection or God realisation need not renounce the world. He can contribute to its uplift in whatever way he can.

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See also: Krishna, Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)