Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Young MovesThe Magazine For GAME CHANGERS
Volume 1, Issue 15
SEPTEMBER 2020
• Krishna; A misunderstood God
• The Reality of Dwarka
• 12 Sects of Krishna Worship
PHOTOGRAPHERS
INSPIRATION
Dr Pawan Sinha Guruji
EDITORIAL ADVISOR
Dr Kavita Asthana
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Palak Aggarwal
A magazine for Future Leaders, World Peace, Culture and Development
YOUNG MOVES
A magazine for Future Leaders, World Peace, Culture and Development
August 2019 Volume 1September 2020 Issue15
Mayank Vij Abhishek Sharma Kripi Singh
ILLUSTRATOR
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Young Moves Magazine or its parent organisation. Any content provided by our authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.
ContentContent
Ignited Pens The 12 Sects of
Krishna Worship
35
Ignited Pens Shri Krishna
as a Youth Icon
29
23Ignited Pens
A Simple Analysis of Shrimad Bhagwad
Ignited PensKrishna;
A misunderstood God
08
02Editorial
Your Krishna & My Krishna!
43Reader’s Section My Krishna and his life
32Ignited PensHow to worship Shri Krishna
27Ignited PensManagement lessons by Shri Krishna
11Ignited PensThe Reality of Dwarka
04Ignited PensA brief life sketch of Shri Krishna
Your Krishna & My Krishna!
The low level of our intellect is such that we can’t stand a single God. There, necessarily, has to be a partner or we feel incomplete. Thus, people associated Shri Krishna with Radha as “lovers”, “an example for modern day live-in couples”, “the inseparable duo with two bodies one soul” and whatnot, even when there is no mention of Radha in Vishnu Puran, Harivansh puran and Mahabharat! It is sad how all of these connotations are clearly a result of human’s own perversion. When in reality, Radha is mentioned as the wife of Rayan and as the maternal aunt of Krishna who protected him and was thus called the Shakti of Shri Krishna.
But, our minds won’t just stop till Radha. If not Radha, Shri Krishna is shown to have more than 16000 wives and is called as “A sexually hyper man who had more than 16,000 wives!” Can’t people just digest a simple fact that Shri Krishna saved these women and because they weren’t accepted by the society, Krishna took all of them under his protection as a caretaker. There is no romantic angle involved here, but people have to create some, unnecessarily. Similarly, Mahabharat describes a divine and friendly relationship between Draupadi and Shri Krishna, where Shri Krishna is a guide, supporter, confidant and a close friend of Draupadi, but people have to create some sort of romantic angle here or their needs won’t be fulfilled and thus, they call Krishna and Draupadi as more than friends. I mean, are we really talking about our God or just some random man involved with multiple women? Why would we actually worship someone for such things?
I literally wonder if we are talking about Lord Krishna or some perverted version of people’s fantasy? It enrages me beyond limit to see such names, explanations and articles on Lord Krishna being widely spread on the internet. I am also forced to consider if people who create such stories and those who listen to it have any sense or shame or even regard for their God? Or are they just projecting out their fantasies, perversions and bad habits on their Gods? I believe that these people take out their frustrations in the name of God and then justify their own means and habits using the name of God.
“Womaniser!”
“Rapist God!”
“Lover God!”
“A sexually hyper man who had more than 16,000 wives!”
“God with an affair!”
“Adulterated God!”
“Romantic God!”
Ed
ito
ria
l
Illustration by Kripi
+917428522756 (WhatsApp)
Come forward and mail us your pieces at
Sadly, the character assassination of Shri Krishna is not just limited to the women characters of his life. He is portrayed as a slim person with a slender waist, truckloads of jewellery and always carrying a flute with him. This is how paintings, television series, movies or any other visual mediums show him. But, we never questioned the logic behind such representation even when our highly scientific minds seek scientific logic in every spiritual or religious thing. Is it even possible that Shri Krishna who was the charioteer with Arjun in the Mahabharat war would just wear jewellery and carry a flute? Is it possible that the Krishna who killed Kansa in his childhood would be someone slim and with a tender waist? In actuality, Shri Krishna was a very well-built warrior who practiced the shastra daily and he wore a proper armour in the Mahabharat war. He used to be badly wounded by the arrows and shed much blood.
Not only a great warrior, Shri Krishna was also a strategist, scholar, benevolent king, feminist, gave the supreme knowledge of Gita and was well-versed in 64 subjects including metallurgy, political science, science and what not. He was one who spent his entire life in establishing the Dharma and in saving the nation, yet we see people demeaning him, calling him names and disrespecting him. Keeping this in mind, the 15th edition of Young Moves Magazine brings articles on the various aspects of Shri Krishna’s life, teachings and ways of worshipping. The writers, along with their articles strive to bring forth that side of Shri Krishna which somehow got buried or was deliberately hidden due to some political agendas. It is high time that we should know the lives and teachings of our Gods and Lords so that we not only worship them, but imbibe their qualities.
Happy unlearning and learning to all our readers!Palak AggarwalEditor, Young Moves
A brief life sketch of Shri Krishna
Shri Krishna didn’t break the pots of milkmaids to tease them but because he wanted to stop the export of milk to the kingdom of Kansa. The tyranny of Kansa was rapidly increasing. Krishna Ji used to break the pots because the people of Gokul were poor and they would earn their livelihood by selling milk in the kingdom of Kansa. This milk was the power of Kansa as it provided physical strength to the subjects of Kansa. His area had a scarcity of cows. Shri Krishna asked and forced the milkmaids not to sell the milk. When they didn’t listen, he stood in their way with stones and would break the milk filled pots of anyone who would cross that path. It is not like he went from home to home and broke the pots and ate the butter. This was a political tactic to weaken the enemy.
Today, we perceive the image of Shri Krishna as a mischievous boy who stole from homes, broke stuff and never studied, but Shri Krishna was a highly educated person. He was the founder of Ayurved, a form of which is presently available. Shri Krishna gave the technique of Saraswati puja which is performed even now. He was a great scholar of Colour Therapy. The first theory on ‘How to Improve Concentration’ was given by Shri Krishna in Gita. “Karm Kaushal” is not a trivial thing. “Whatever you do, do with perfection” this theory was given by Shri Krishna. “Yogaschit Vriddhi Nirodh” is not only about stopping chitt and Vritti, this theory is incomplete. It is about guiding in the right direction. It is said about Shri Krishna that along with being a great king, he was also a scholar par excellence. Interestingly, we are only told that he teases Radha, breaks pots, roams here and there with a flute and just performs Raasleela. People say that nothing constructive was ever done by him and so, our kids ask that if Shri Krishna does all these bad things then why can’t we? Thus, we must know what he did.
Today, the name Radha has become complementary with Krishna Ji, but who was Radha? Some say lover, some say wife, others say a divine significant other. Actually, she was maami (maternal aunt) of Krishna Ji. Radha was the wife of Rayan. They were together for just the first 10 years of Shri Krishna’s life.
This article is a brief compilation of various lectures of Dr Pawan Sinha Guruji, Presented by Ishan Garg
04
Ign
ite
d P
en
s
Now, look at the sensual images of Krishna that are shown today, the poses of Radha and Krishna that are openly worshipped by the Krishna Bhakts. It is no wonder that today we see articles like “A romantic God,” “Rapist God” etc. Indian youth and kids read such articles and what’s more unfortunate is that Indian parents don’t even have the answers to such grim narratives. In 1250, Wife of Sant Nityanand, Jahanvi went to the temple of Krishna Ji and didn't like Krishna Ji standing alone and thought that someone must be there to take care of him. She contacted a sculptor named Nayan Bhaskar and asked him to make a statue of Radha and Krishna. She sent it to Vrindavan and with the permission of Goswami Ji established it in a temple. This was the first time when the idol of Radha-Krishna came to public. Then why is Radha Ji portrayed as Krishna Ji’s lover? When did this narrative come and how and why did it get so popular that today no other image of Krishna ji and Radha Ji other than that of lovers is found all around the world?
Once, Nandji held Krishna Ji and in the other hand he had the reign of a bull and the bull lost control. Radha Ji ran to save Krishna who was a mere child. She was his saviour and that is why she is called an inseparable part of Shri Krishna’s life, not because she was Shri Krishna’s lover. She secured him in a fort in Tekari and surrounded the place by a maze of small and narrow streets so that no army could enter that place. She deployed eight sakhis namely Lalita, Vishaka, Chitra, Champaklata, Sudevi, Tughvidhya, Indulekha and Randevi for protecting Krishna Ji. All of them were great warriors and fighters. Now, look at the sad state of affairs. These protectors of Shri Krishna are today portrayed as Gopis and the whole act of
protecting is shown as Raslila aur Nritya. Raas meant playing not romance. That is the level of lowness that our mentality has stooped down to. Imagine how they will feel when they will see their vulgar images. It will tear them into pieces. What kind of image of our god do we want to present to the world and youth?
At the age of eight he left for Mathura and he stayed there for almost 2 years. Then how is it
Krishna being protected by maternal aunt Radha
05
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
possible that he is portrayed as a man who loved Radha, he was merely a kid. This is how narratives are distorted. Moving further, he killed Kansa in that time period. Then he went on to learn from his Guru, Rishi Sandipani and learned 64 subjects including art of war, international relations, mineralogy, metallurgy, engineering, theatricals etc. Unfortunately people don’t talk about Yogeshwar Krishna. A major chunk of his life of almost 12 years is unknown. It is not mentioned anywhere and no one knows what he did or where he went. Mahabharat is the best source to understand Shri Krishna. God knows from where a superstition has captured Indian society that keeping Mahabharat at home would cause fights. So, does everyone who has Gita at home become a yogi? It is very important that we understand our god and for that we have to study our authentic scriptures.
Shri Krishna was a great yogi, king, scholar, student, son, friend, teacher, charioteer, cowherd, warrior, leader and saviour. He perfectly had six qualities which are Aishwarya, Veerta, Smriti, Yash, Gyaan, Saumyata and thus was given the title of Bhagwaan.
He was such a great warrior that even one of the most fierce warriors like Bhishm Pitamah would brag with excitement and amazement that “Today I was able to shoot Krishna with arrows.” To save his subjects, he along with his brother Balram ran barefooted through the forest, bleeding, so that the army of Shishupal followed them. He himself designed Dwarka which expanded from Surat to Khambhat, of which only a fraction is known today. He predicted the decline of river Saraswati along which a whole civilization was flourishing and asked people to worship Saraswati but people couldn’t understand him and as a result Saraswati dried and a whole civilisation ended. He understood how people like Kansa were harming the federal system of Bharat whose headquarters back then was at Mathura and were converting it into an Unitary form of Government and thus killed him. Every move of Krishna Ji was bound by several logics and to understand him we have to understand the situation and its impact in future and that too according to that era. This is Krishna that we must preach to the whole world, especially the youth. Krishna is not just a flute lover but a very dynamic personality who was flawless in every dimension of life, who flawlessly went through the worst and sorrowest moments of life, who for every moment lived for the upliftment of Dharm. Shri Krishna, a man who gave up his whole life for Dharm and humanity is today subjected with countless dreadful and false acquisitions and is titled as a womanizer,
06
pervert, myth and what not. If we want to do justice to our god then it is our duty that we understand his actual life and personality and then preach that.
He is a great inspiration for every person. The daily routine of Shri Krishna is very important. He used to sleep only for three hours. Before sunrise, he would wake up and used to walk and exercise. Then he would do Shastra practice. After this, he would wash his face and would mentally chant Gayatri mantra. Then was the time of Dhyaan. He would, then, drink water, meditate and perform Yagya. After this, he would distribute holy offerings and then would donate to Brahmins. He would again donate cows at night. Then, we would meet with all his family. Everyone was part of his family be it the servant or the Patrani. Meeting family means meeting everyone including the 16 thousand queens. Note that these 16 thousand queens were not his wives. Shri Krishna freed these 16 thousand ladies from the captivity of Rakshas. All of them requested Shri Krishna to take them with him. They told him that their families won’t accept them and he gave them this life so it is his. Then Krishna Ji kept them with him. He would eat whatever was left after feeding all the family members.
Shri Krishna would do everything on time. He was a great scholar of astrology. Calculations tell that even his time of climbing stairs was fixed. There was not even a second of difference in his moves. He even said that the number of stairs must be even and that odd number of stairs can be harmful. After completing his Yagya, he would climb down the stairs and would go to his ministry in his chariot. There was a very simple sitting place, not some fancy throne. There he would do discussions on
very serious topics. If it was needed then he would himself go to pick and drop Rishis and Munis. Today if we get even a little money, then our ego reaches sky but it was not as such back then. At that time, every person had honesty and good values.
People of Administration would sit on his left side and advisors would sit on his right side. In the evening sitting, there would be an advisory meeting. Then he would come back. He used to worship daily. It is described very well in books. After worshipping, he would offer food to God and then distribute it. Then again he would depart for serving his people and for visiting his kingdom and to keep a check on all the activities. Finally, he would sleep at midnight and as earlier mentioned, just for 3 hours.
If a person works on such a daily routine then he must be very extraordinary. Along with such discipline, gentleness and piousness, he gave the world an elixir of ‘Dhyaan’. At that time only a worthy person would teach this to a worthy person but Shri Krishna gave this Yog to us in the form of functional Yog. We know very little of this. This the ‘meditation’, which if we start to understand, then, it can redefine our personality.
07
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
Radha's Krishna, Meera's Krishna, Makhan
Chor Krishna, flute-playing Krishna, Krishna-
doing raas with gopis, Leeladhari Krishna etc…
Could this be the only introduction of the
grand and holistic personality of Yogeshwar
Shri Krishna? One who was the great
personality of that era, a great man.
No, not at all. But we let this happen, we
tortured our God fiercely, disrespected his
honor, his teachings and are still doing the same
shamelessly, even today. The God who gave us
the knowledge of the Gita, which is still relevant
today even after 5 thousand years, is a pioneer
for the whole world, but we are unfortunate that
we did not understand him. Confined his
character and personality to Radha, Gopis, and
other miraculous pastimes. His life and
personality is restricted to a few fictional stories.
In this article, we will try to understand Shri
Krishna, Karmayogi, Yogeshwar Shri Krishna...
A Misunderstood God
Gyanendra Pratap SinghInterior Designer
Meerut, India
Article By:
Krishna;
Popular and misleading image on the internet showing Krishna stealing the Gopis' clothes.
Another popular and misleading image representing Radha and Krishna as lovers.
08
Ign
ite
d P
en
s
Shri Krishna has used new and revolutionary
ideas in every odd situation of his life. He
always broke unhelpful and useless traditions as
per time and circumstances. According to the
time and circumstances, he changed his thinking
and strategy also.Similarly, he decided to take
Arjun's charioteer and not to pick his weapons in
the war of Mahabharata. From the age of eight,
he struggled like a warrior all his life, killed
Kansa and Kalia, protected his subjects of many
demons. He always worked for the solidarity of
this country. He always motivated humans to
move forward on the path of good work, saying
that God has no right over man's action. That is,
if someone is doing wrong with you or you are
doing wrong with someone, then there is no
concern for God in it, everything depends on
your conscience. At the same time, he gives the
principle of 'Yoga Karmasu Kaushalam' and
states that Brahma can be attained by the
superiority of Karma. That is, to gain
proficiency in your work is the first worship.
Shri Krishna is well versed in the 64 subjects,
the knowledge of which he received in the
ashram of Rishi Sandipan in Ujjain. Shri
Krishna knows the Veda philosophy. He
received this knowledge by sitting at the Guru's
feet. They practice hard to get their knowledge
into practicality. He is the master of sharp
intellect, his life's learning can be inferred from
the knowledge that he received from the Rishi
Angiras and the knowledge of Sankhya
philosophy by Rishi Kapil. He meditated hard in
the Himalayas to attain Brahmm Gyan. That is,
he constantly upgraded his life with complete
teachings while living a life as a karmayogi. In
the 38th chapter of the Sabhaparv of
Mahabharata, Pitamah Bhishma speaks of Shri
Krishna's proficiency in Ved Vedant. But we did
not take any lessons from him and ensured our
own downfall by calling all his works
miraculous or leela.
The teachings of Shri Krishna are as
important for the youth today as it was for
Arjuna in that era. The practical knowledge
given by him teaches to achieve peace and
success even in today's competitive era. Talking
about the Hindu youth of today’s India, their
biggest struggle is with themselves, they are
confused, are unable to handle themselves, and
are unable to recognize their problems. Lack of
self-power does not allow them to take big tasks
or big decisions. But, we are blessed that we
have been born in this holy land, on which Shri
Krishna had given the solution not only to the
youth but to every human problem, 5 thousand
years ago, but we did not take this wisdom into
our life and ignored it grossly. For the youth,
Shri Krishna says in shloka 39 of the 3rd chapter
of Gita that it is very important to control your
greed. Greed is the root of all evil. For this, it is
necessary that your senses should constantly be
in your control. For this, Shri Krishna gives the
principle of Yog, to develop concentration, to
awaken enthusiasm and to give direction to
anger. All problems are solved by practicing
yog, that is why he is called Yogeshwar Krishna.
Illustration by Kripi Singh
09
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
Shri Krishna, by supporting the Pandavas in
every odd situation, made humanity learn that
the person or organization trying to establish the
path of truth and religion should not be left alone
in any circumstances. For them, there are only
two ways to test a man and his actions, religion
and iniquity or virtue. If you are on the path of
religion, you will get blessings, if you are on the
path of unrighteousness then destruction is sure.
Krishna had an action plan for every task in
which future effects were assessed. Whether it
was the decision of Pandavas to ask for five
villages or the strategy for the slaughter of
Dronacharya, at every step he showed his
leadership skills.
There is a big learning from the life of Shri
Krishna that there is no relationship or pledge
beyond the protection of truth, peace and
religion, because humanity will flourish only if
religion prevails. When he tries to avoid war,
Bhima gets distracted and reminds him of his
vow. In response, Shri Krishna asks Bhima
whether his promise is greater than humanity?
In the second chapter of the Gita, Krishna
rebukes Arjun that you are exhibiting
cowardice, you will lose your religion, you will
lose this nation, generations to come will curse
you. Aren’t we in Arjun's position today? In
order to uphold our national religion, is it not an
inspiration for every citizen to do his
constitutional duty? But the cover of cowardice
does not let us listen to that voice.
In shloka 23 of chapter 3, Shri Krishna is
telling Arjun that people understand me as I do.
You will have to conduct a brave personality
in front of the world, otherwise the world will
call you coward. Shri Krishna explains action
and command through example and this is
called the concept of servant leadership which is
taught as a subject in Harvard university.
If you are leading, then you have to provide
examples by your own conduct and actions, so
that you will be able to make an impact on your
organization or team, only words have no effect.
Every moment of Shri Krishna’s life is an
inspiration for humanity. He never talked about
any selective culture or society; he always
worked for the whole mankind.
Yogeshwar Shri Krishna
10
Ign
ite
d P
en
s
The modern city of Dwarka, situated in the
Saurashtra peninsula of Gujarat, is a great Hindu
pilgrimage center. Various Hindu scriptures have
beautifully elaborated the deification, life and
teachings of Shri Krishna. The principal sources,
the Mahabharata, the Harivamsa (appendix of
Mahabharata) and Puranas, have given detailed
accounts of lord Krishna. Among all these,the
Mahabharata, contains detailed particulars with
a historical point of view, therefore, it can be
used as the main historical source of Lord
Krishna, which depicts him more as a great
human being rather than any other text.
Lord Krishna, besides a great philosopher,
was a great scientist, and a great academician.
The Srimad Bhagavad Gita is a great essence of
philosophy of life, given by Shri Krishna to the
world. From centuries, we remember lord
Krishna as a supreme personality due to his
transcendental knowledge, and his crucial role in
upholding the dharma. Despite all these, most of
us do not bother to verify his existence, we have
just put him into the idols and nothing else and
never show our concern, when some anti-socials
disrespect him, as we never try to search the truth
of his existence.
Did you know that Dwarka was a port city
having trade relationships with many sea-faring
kingdoms?
Do you know that it acted as a gateway for
other foreign kingdoms into Indian mainland
and vice versa?
Do you know that the city was a fortified
administrative capital with port facility situated
in the mainland of Dwarka with a number of
remote towns and minor ports, at Arambhadvara
(Aramda), Shankhodhara or Antar Dwipa (Bet
Dwarka), Darukavana (Nageswar), and
PindaTarakaKshetra (Pindara)?
DwarkaArticle by:
The Reality of
Fig. 1 Bet Dwarka Island (Rao, 1992)
Dr. Deepali Thakre
Article by:
Geologist Directorate of Geology and Mining
Government of Maharashtra
11
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
For Indian minds which are brainwashed by
the western historians, Shri Krishna is more of a
mythological personality than the historical
truth. So, the legends related Krishna’s Dwarka
have been so deeply recorded in the Indian
minds that no one has questioned its
authenticity. And, because of lack of scientific
and historical knowledge, and we could not
justify, that Shri krishna did indeed exist in flesh
and bones. Fortunately, the tireless efforts of
Indian Archaeologists and scientists, proves that
Dwarka and Krishna actually existed in the past.
The Mahabharata, Harivamsa Puran, Vishnu
Puran, Skand Puran, Matsya Puran, Vayu Puran
and Shrimad Bhagavad Gita etc. refer to the
migration of the Yadavas or Yadu from Mathura
to Kushasthali under the leadership of Krishna.
After he killed Kansa, an infuriated Jarasandha,
the king of Magadha (Kansa’s father in law)
repeatedly attacked Mathura to avenge Kansa’s
death. For the safety of the people of Mathura,
Krishna chose a remote place called Kushasthali
on the coast of Anarta (Gujarat). Anarta was the
ancestral Yadava kingdom, where Yadava
ancestor Kakudmin Raivata had founded the
capital, Kushasthali.
Raivata, earlier lost his kingdom in a war
with Punyajanas, fled to Mathura with his
people. Raivata requested Shri Krishna to move
to Kushasthali, as the place was not easily
accessible to Jarasandha’s army. Thus, Krishna
preferred a remote but already known ancestral
hometown for resettling the Yadavas. Thus, the
Dwarka or Dwarkavati was founded at
Kushasthali, which was in ruins. As the onshore
land was inadequate to construct the massive
city. The low lying land was reclaimed and built
seawalls to protect the city from sea. The
Harivamsa- an epilogue of Mahabharata
mentioned that 12 yojana land was yielded by
sea for the construction of the city, suggesting
that some reclamation work was done which
indicates that sea-level was lower than the
present level.
There are numerous references in
Mahabharata, Harivamsa and other puranic
texts describing the magnificent Dwarka city.
The Harivamsa gives a graphic description of
the city. According to the Vishnu Parva of
Harivamsa, due to its position, Dwarka was a
Vari Durga (a fort city encircled by sea) maybe
an island. Harivansa, also describes that the port
city of Dwaraka had six wharfs (a man-made
Vishnu temple (9th century AD) exposed after demolishing modern panchayet building
Where was the Legendary Dwarka?
12
landing place for ships on a shore or river
bank) made of stone and there were six
warehouses adjacent to the wharfs. Besides, the
Sabha Parva of Mahabharata, contains a nice
description of the city of Dwarka in ‘Dwarka
Mahatmya’, where Bhisma on the occasion of
Rajasuya Yajna for Emperor Yudhtsthira
presented a vivid description of Dwarka before
the dignitaries in the ceremony. He also
described Dwarka situated on the mouth of
River Gomati, as a port city. It was once the
prosperous and beautiful city that the text
referred to as a Golden city of Dwarka (Suvarna
Dwarka).
The city was built by extraordinary
engineering skills, divided into six well
organized sectors, having wide roads,
residential buildings, commercial zones,
invincible fortress, community halls and other
basic urban amenities. It had a special hall called
Sudharma Sabha to hold public meetings, the
city was bestowed with beautiful gardens and
lakes. It was well fortified and surrounded by
deep motes with iron stakes for safety,
connected by bridges, palaces made of gold and
other semi precious stones. But this prosperity
did not last long. According to scriptures,
immediately after the death of Krishna, the
marvelous city was destroyed by sea. The
Musala Parva of Mahabharata says that, ‘The
Sea, which had been beating against the shore,
suddenly broke the boundary that was imposed
on it by nature. The sea rushed into the city. It
coursed through the streets of the beautiful city.
The sea covered up everything in the city.
Arjuna saw the beautiful buildings becoming
submerged one by one. He took a last look at the
mansion of Krishna. In a matter of a few
moments, it was all over. The sea has now
become as placid as a lake. There was no trace of
the beautiful city, which had been the favorite
haunt of all the Pandavas. Dwarka was just a
name; just a memory’-Musala Parva,
Mahabharata.
Pictorial view of Ancient city of Dwarka
13
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
But the modern city of Dwaraka, does not
match with the above description. Presently, the
Bet Dwarka is neither a city nor a port, it is a
small town and a place of pilgrimage. So the
historians, who belong to either Marx or
Macaulay school, refuse to accept that this is the
place which has been described as Krishna’s
Dwaraka in Mahabharata. They even refuse to
accept Shri Krishna as a historical personality
and say that a man called Krishna never lived in
flesh and bones on earth and Mahabharata is
simply a poet’s fancy and Krishna, the hero of
the epic, is entirely mythical.
The search for the lost city of Dwarka has
been going on since decades. Based on various
archaeological studies, four locations were
considered for the ancient city of Dwarka, they
are:
• Present Dwarka town
• A site near Visavada, 40 km south of
present Dwarka
• A site near Madhavpur-Ghed, 50 km SW
of Porbandar
• Mul-Dwarka, near Khodinar in
Junagadh district.
The first attempt of search was made in 1930
by shri. Hirananda Sastry, who excavated the
Mul-Dwarka, but could not find any relics of
settlement earlier than 1st -2nd century BC.
Then, in 1963, Z.D. Ansari and M.S. Kale of
Deccan College Pune and Department of
Archaeology, Government of Gujarat, under the
supervision of Prof. H.D. Sankalia, undertook
archaeological excavation to the south and
outside walls encircling the Dwarkadhish
Temple complex, revealed that ‘the artifacts are
around the Christian era but not earlier’ (ASI
published report, 1966). Same is the case with
Visavada and Madhavpur.
Sankhalia (1964) noted that, there are two
references of Dwarka in Mahabharata’s Adi
parva and Sabha parva; Vayu Puran and Vishnu
Puran refers the position of Dwarka near mount
Raivataka; whereas the Musala parva,
Harivamsa and Bhagvat Puran mention city’s
position at or near sea referring to it as
Vairadurg, a ‘fort in water’ and its later
drowning by natural calamity. Besides this, the
Skanda Puran, describes its location towards the
west coast, where river Gomati joins the Sea.
The present Dwarka in Okhamandal, Jamnagar
district has been considered as Krishna’s
Dwarka by many saints. The name ‘Okha’ is a
Fig.7 Pictorial view of Harbour of ancient Dwarka
Search for the lost city of Dwarka
14
corrupt of Sanskrit Usha. Originally the name
was ‘Usha Mandal’, from Usha Mandal to
Okhamandal and ultimately to Okha. The
earliest epigraphical record, referring Dwarka,
is a copper plate of 574 AD, by Garulaka king
Simhaditya who refers to his father as the
‘Dwarakadhipati’, cast in the mould of ‘Shri
Krishna’ (Epigraphia Indica, vol. XI, 11-12, 18).
Thus, from this finding, the present Dwarka is
considered as Krishna’s Dwarka.
Onshore excavation at Dwarka, Bet
Dwarka & surrounding areas: The earlier
excavation done by Prof. Sankalia around
Dwarkadhish temple complex reveals that the
recovered artifacts are not earlier than 1st-2nd
century BC. But the historical evidences tell a
different story. The temple of Dwarkadhish at
modern Dwarka is of 13th-15th century AD. In
1979-80, while implementing the conservation
plan by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI),
Dr. S.R. Rao demolished a two storied
Panchayat office building abutting the north
wall of Dwarkadhish temple, as per the
recommendation of Hathi committee. This
clearance operation revealed the heavy stone
platform (plinth) and beautifully carved walls of
900 AD Vishnu temple, which was buried under
the sandy deposit over which the modern
building stood. Further excavation unearths two
more temples, the earlier temple assignable to
1st century BC/AD and second is 400 AD.
These temples have separate paved pavements
around them and were destroyed by storm
waves or transgression of sea at different times.
The beautiful figures of Vishnu, Varaha, Shiva
and other deities are intact on the walls but roof
is missing. Deeper digging yielded the Late
Harappan period settlement of 1500 BC.
Distinct Lustrous Red Ware pottery and other
human artifacts of 1500 BC were found in the
10m deep trench, dug in front of Dwarkadhish
temple. The recovered objects were comparable
with the antiquities recorded from Somnath
(Prabhas), another Mahabharata site, which has
been assigned to 1500-1200 BC. This wave
rolled pottery of Dwarka suggested that the
ancient city was destroyed by sea.
The onshore excavation of Bet Dwarka by
ASI in 1981-82, at the southern end of the
eastern shore near Siddhi Bawa Pir Dargah,
followed by the offshore excavation in 1984-85
brought to light a severely damaged rubble wall
extending 500 m. Pottery recorded from this
wall section subjected to Thermoluminescence
(TL) dating suggests 3528 years BP (i.e. 1600
BC). In the southern (trench BDK-I,II) and
central sector (trench BDK-VIII) of Bet
Dwarka, the seaward wall 548m in peripheral
length is exposed mainly in the low tide. In
addition to this, massive stone blocks are
present at the Balapur bay in the north. The vast
mudflats of Balapur Bay, exposed in the low
tide, over an area of 1km seaward, indicate the
Beginning of the treasure hunt
A submerged protection wall of stone built on boulder foundation in reclamation area of ancient Dwarka
15
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
original habitation area of ancient Dwarka,
which has been buried under clay, sand and
gravels. The trenches dug in the lower platform
of the Balapur Bay yielded significant Late
Harappan Lustrous Red Ware, a rock-cut
slipway for launching boats was also recorded
from the central sector. Six rock-cut wells near
Nilkanth Mahadev temple suggest extension of
ancient towns upto the central sector.
The above findings confirm the submergence
of the town which extended over 4 km along the
eastern shore of Bet Dwarka Island. The
mainland of Okhamandal is very shallow and
visible and dry during low tide. Besides, wide
tidal flats are present on the southern and SE
side of the island. This indicates that the island
of Bet Dwarka was a part of mainland (Pathak,
1988) 4000 years ago. Rao (1995-96) also
confirmed that, the Dwarka as well as Dwarka-
Kushasthali (i.e. Bet Dwarka) both were
connected anciently by a land strip near Okha.
To meet the growing need for more space a new
town has been founded at the mouth of Gomati
River. It must have been the principal port while
Bet Dwarka became the administrative capital
which was protected by the sea and hill. Other
small ports were Nageshwar and Pindara (Rao,
1995-96).
This onshore enthusiastic discovery,
encouraged S.R Rao to take up seaward
exploration in order to find the submerged
Dwarka of Mahabharata period. The stage was
set for the archaeologist to go underwater for
yielding more convincing evidences, but before
that, it is necessary and useful to refer to the
relevant ancient literature in context of
submerged Dwarka.
In India, history and mythology are so tightly
intertwined, that it becomes difficult to separate
the facts from fictions. The Mahabharata and
Ramayana are Itihasa, the events mentioned in
these are based on factual and historical core.
But some self-proclaimed great historians and
academicians of India have spread a false
narrative disregarding all new researches and
labelled Krishna and Ram as a myth. But
luckily, today’s youth of India is agile, and their
thirst for logical and scientific investigations
has unearthed many astonishing facts. Same is
the case with Krishna’s Dwarka, encouraged by
the onshore evidence; the ASI team decided to
perform marine archaeological exploration near
the island of Bet Dwarka, as it is more
associated with Shri krisna’s abode. The
Mahabharata has given detailed descriptions of
flora, fauna, geography, landscape, and
fortifications but without any physical
evidence, historicity of ancient Dwarka and
Krishna remain rooted in mythology.
Offshore excavation at Bet Dwarka,
Dwarka and surrounding area: Dr. S.R. Rao
strongly believes that the city of Dwarka
described in Mahabharata had indeed existed
and there must be some evidence on the seabed
near the shore of the present town of Dwarka.
The Marine Archaeological Unit of National
Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has performed
systematic underwater exploration at Bet
Dwarka and Dwarka, under the leadership of
veteran archaeologist S.R.Rao, beginning from
1983-84. His strong belief forced him to take up
this great mission, and thus in 1983 India’s first
marine underwater excavations started. This
marine expedition was taken up in seven phases
16
(1983-90) which yielded significant
structures and antiquities. Based on
encouraging results of onshore exploration, the
seaward side of the southern sector of eastern
shore of Bet Dwarka was taken up for the first
marine expedition in 1983-84.
The aim is to trace the continuity of
submerged structure and settlements, if any,
towards the seaward side of the rubble wall. The
Lustrous Red Ware pottery, worked conch
shells, chert blades and fragments of perforated
jar and dish-on-stand, with in situ stone wall
extending up to the length of 20m are the
important findings, which confirm the
submergence of ancient structure. In the second
expedition (1984), at 5m depth and about 200m
seaward, large amount of wave rolled pottery,
artifacts of conch shells including seal, two rock
cut slipways, fractions of building blocks and
triangular stone anchors (weighing 100-150 kg)
are recorded, confirming that large port town
existed in the island in 1500 BC. A stone pillar, a
beam, and large building blocks 3x0.75x0.m
were yielded in the third expedition (1985). An
attempt was made to search for structural
remains of ancient towns up to 1.5 km seaward
of the present Dwarka, in the fifth expedition
(1986). The important findings are massive
stone walls and bastion for defense of the city or
protection from sea erosion. The nature of
construction shows precautionary measures
were taken for building on the water logged
areas. The sixth and seventh expedition (1986-
89) was confined to trace the submerged
channel of Gomati River (at modern Dwarka).
Two protection walls, each with an entrance
gateway flanked by circular bastions. Number
of triangular and prismatic stone anchors found
lying on the sea bed. Trenches were dug near the
walls and bastions at the seabed to ascertain the
stratigraphic position of buildings, which
reveals that, the walls and bastions built on a
boulder platform raised on rocky benches
especially where wave action must have felt.
The inner and outer walls flanked by semi-
circular bastions were meant for protection
against storm waves or enemies. In this
connection, the reference in the Harivamsa
Puran about the attack on Dwarka by Salva king
Saubha and the steps taken, were mentioned. At
close intervals, semi-circular bastions were
built along the fort walls in order to divert the
current and to take overview for ships; the
smaller size stones used for buildings are spread
out due to action of waves. From the overall
studies, four enclosures have delineated-two on
each bank of the river. Remnants of stone jetty
were also located. It is interesting to note that,
the protective walls and bastions built on a
boulder formation, especially at depressions
(Rao, 1990). This feature suggests the
reclamation of low-lying land as referred to in
the Harivamsa Puran. Some stone pillars and
beams lying on the seabed belong to large
Massive rubble wall
17
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
buildings. The three-holed triangular stone
anchors are the same as those used in the Late
Bronze Age sites of Kition and Syria in the
1400-1200 BC (Frost, 1985). All these evidence
traces, so far, confirm the submergence of
massive ancient structures. According to
ancient text, flags were flying in the city of
Dwarka. This can be corroborated by the stone
bases of flag posts found on the sea bed.
Antiquities from this expedition, especially iron
anchor, copper and brass objects, and some
wooden parts of boat belong to Early Historic
Period (600-400 BC); and triangular stone
anchors, black and Red Ware pottery belong to
Late Harappan period (1900-1300 BC).
Overall, the city was built in six blocks, two
on the right bank and four on the left bank of
ancient Gomati river channels. All the six
sectors have protective walls built on large
blocks of sandstone, some as large as 1.5 to 2m
long, 0.5-0.75m wide and 0.3-0.5m thick. L-
shape joints in the masonry provided a proper
grip to withstand the hammering of waves. The
fort walls and bastions are built from large
blocks, which are too heavy to move by wave
currents in-situ up to 1 or 2 meters height above
the boulder formation in the sea. In addition to
this, a broken marble statue in which two feet of
deity or human being is present belong to the
medieval period (600-1300 AD) (Rao, 1990). In
Field Season 1997-2001, marine archaeological
exploration conducted by NIO, between
intertidal zone and 16m water depth revealed
more than 120 different types and sizes of stone
anchors, such as, triangular, prismatic, and ring
anchors (Gaur et al. 2005). From evidences it is
clear that the township of Early Historic Period
confined to 200-500m seaward while Late
Harappan period city extended up to 1 km
seaward. This underwater exploration confirms
the existence of a well-fortified port city at the
mouth of river Gomati (present Dwarka).
Late-Harappan Period Settlement: In
India, the Late Harappan period bracketed
between 1900-1300 BCE. Several Late
Harappan sites were discovered on Dwarka, Bet
Dwarka Island and surrounding areas during
onshore and offshore exploration. Late
Harappan Sturdy Red Ware Pottery, fragments
of perforated jar and dish-on-stand, bowl and
Black Ware dishes. TL dating of samples of
perforated jar suggests 3880 ± 490 years BP
(Gaur and Sundarshan, 2003). The late
Harappan culture anywhere in Indian
subcontinent closes around 1500 BC, when
perforated jar disappears from archaeological
sites (shakhawala & Shringarpure, 1990).
Habitation record of the Dwarka and Bet
Dwarka islands begins from Late Harappan
period to medieval period (600-1300 AD) to
present. One of the most important findings of
marine expedition is a small rectangular seal
(mudra) of conch shell engraved with a three
headed animal logo representing the bull,
unicorn and a goat (Rao, 1990). The seal is 20 x
18 mm and has hole on the back for insertion of a
ring. It is the Indus type seal and Bahrain
(presently in the Persian Gulf) art style.
Somewhat similar types of seals are found at the
Harappan port Lothal, Gujarat. Excavation in
Bahrain, recorded similar types of seals. A few
Bahrain types of seals from Oman and Failaka
inscribed in the Indus script, suggests close
trade and cultural relations between Bahrain and
18
India during 1500 BC (Rao, 1986; Dani,
1985). The Harivamsa Puran also refers to the
use of seals as identity cards for Dwarka
citizens, when the city was under attack by
Salva king, Soubha. The text also says that it
was mandatory for guards to check the identity.
The Protohistoric sites of Bahrain were
swallowed by sea during the same period when
Dwarka was submerged (Larsen in Bahrain
Through the Ages). Another significant
antiquity is the ‘Votive Jar’ recorded from the
intertidal zone of Bet Dwarka. The inscription
of this reads ma-hā-ha-gach-sha-ha pa= Maha –
qaccha (kaccha) Shah-pā (means ‘sea lord
protect’) Shah is an Old Persian word and rest is
Sanskrit (Rao, 1995-96). These inscriptions
suggest that ancient people made offerings to
the sea to protect them and were literate in
Sanskrit.
Perforated jar, seal of conch shell engraved
with a three headed animal, sturdy Red Ware
Votive Jar with inscriptions, Lustrous Red Ware,
Black Ware, stone mould of a smith, iron stake
and nails, Glazed olpin (cosmetic bottle) (Rao,
1990), copper fish hook, copper antimony rods,
broken shell bangles, etc. (Gaur et al. 2003) are
the important antiquities of Late Harappan
periods. These pottery and antiquities are very
similar to other Late Harappan sites of
Saurashtra region. A stud handled bowl, is a
characteristic feature of Gujarat Harappans,
found here. Radiocarbon and TL dating suggests
a time bracket for the habitation between 1600-
1400 BC (Gaur and Sundarshan, 2003) and the
date 1526 BC arrived for the pottery of the cliff
section. The massive availability of conch shells
and fishes, might have attracted people here.
Overall, the earthenwares like, lustrous Red
Ware, Black Ware, perforated jar, and other
potteries indicate the existence of township on
Bet Dwarka and Dwarka in Late Harappan
period.
Early Historic Period settlement: At this
time, sea level must be at least low by 2-3 m and
large habitation was concentrated towards the
present intertidal zone, that’s why remnants of
shell bangles, potsherds and waste conch shells
encountered in the offshore area of Bet Dwarka.
Discovery of copper coins belonging to the
Kushana period (1st century AD) suggest that
Dwarka was an important habitation center
during this period. A copper pendant, earrings,
figure rings, etc. were recorded during
excavation. A potsherd is engraved with Brahmi
letter ‘A’ which is dated to the 3rd century AD
(Gaur and Sundarshan, 2003).
During this period maritime activities were at
its peak and the island was visited by foreign
boats. Important antiquities are carnelian beads,
Late Harappan seal of conch shell
19
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
terracotta toy cart, wheels, beads of fish
bones and glass, different types of bowls,
dishes, jar, cooking vessels, and wooden parts of
boats. Radiocarbon and Thermoluminescence
dating suggests a time bracket between 500-100
BC to 200-400 AD (Gaur and Sundarshan,
2003).
Medieval period settlement: A broken
marble statue in which two feet of deity is
recorded, belongs to the early medieval period
(600-1300 AD) (Rao, 1990). In addition to this,
coins, pottery and iron canon were also found.
The discovery of massive iron canons suggests
that the island was protected with a defense
system during the medieval period. (Vora et al.
2002).
Record of sea-level fluctuations and related
climatic changes are preserved on the seabed in
the form of sediments. The sea level has always
been changing due to various climatic factors.
Geological records show that, before ca. 150
million years ago there was a major marine
transgression, where there was an arm of sea in
Madhya Pradesh. Besides, there are several
geological evidences suggesting that over 200
million years ago there was Tethys sea in place
of the Himalayas. However, our subject here is a
very short time span of 11000 years BP
(Holocene – geological age) as it covers recent
human history and culture. Earlier geological
studies of the west coast of India shows that,
about 10000 years BP, sea level was 60-90 m
below the present and climate changed from
warm to humid (Nair and Hashimi, 1980;
Hashimi and Nair, 1986). It is also noted that
total rainfall during Indus Valley civilization
was double than the present (Singh et al. 1986).
Evidences are that a tsunami hit the western
coast of India about 8000 years BP but Dwarka
submerged due to rise in sea level. Researchers
stated that there were six episodes of
transgression and regression (Negi and Tewari,
1988) of sea in just the last 3500 years that
destroyed the city of Dwarka 6 times (Rao,
1988). The post glacial rise of sea level on
western continental margin of India was rapid
(Nair and Hashimi, 1988).
Studies show that sea level was 100 m below
present sea level in 15000 years BP, then rose
steadily and was 60-70m in 10000 years BP. In
the next 1500 years it reached 40 m, then came at
par with the present sea level around 7000 years
BP, then rose by 5m in the next 1000 years.
Thereafter, there was a gradual fall and sea level
came down to 20-30m below present sea level
about 3500 years BP when Dwarka presume to
have been constructed. Again sea level rose
about 5-6 m in the last 1000 years, the sea level
has come down to its present position and is now
stationary, but may rise.
Transgression and regression of sea in the
Holocene can be postulated in the Gulf of Kutch
resulting in the submergence of coastal
Harappan cities in Saurashtra and Kutch. The
regression of sea in the beginning of the 2000
BC must have brought back the population that
has left after the transgression. This is clearly
reflected in the Mahabharata, which says that
Kushasthali was the ancestral land of Yadavas.
Ancient text stated that, after the attack of
Punyajanas, king Raivata with his people fled to
Mathura, and consequently the city got
destroyed. The destruction of Kushasthali could
Sea level fluctuation
20
be due to transgression of sea. Dwarka was
built on the terraces of Kushasthali, when the
sea yielded 12 yojanas of land (regression of
sea). Then it follows the second transgression of
the sea which submerged Dwarka, Bet Dwarka
and a number of surrounding towns (Rao,
1990). It corroborates with Mahabharata, where
Shri Krishna warns Arjuna about the impending
calamity resulting in the submergence of
Dwarka (Rao, 1985). The transgression of sea
during Dwarka submergence seems to be for
longer duration and greater intensity, as
indicated by the absence of sites of 1000-300
BC on the coastal belt of Okha-Dwarka. The sea
receded once again and townships sprang up on
the coast in around the 3rd century BC. Recent
studies on sea level change clearly indicate that
neo-tectonic activity played a major role in sea
level fluctuation, particularly in Saurashtra and
Kutch region during the late Holocene (Gaur
and Vora, 2006) as the Kutch region is
tectonically very active.
It is to be mentioned in the Srimad
Bhagavatam that the city will submerge in the
ocean seven days from now. This indicates that
there was a slow and steady rise of sea level. The
archaeological data have corroborated sea level
change, sedimentation and Neo-tectonic
activity. Scientific explanations have been
provided for mythological references to sea
level change.
• The Bet Dwarka (Shankhoddhar)
situated 30 km north of Dwarka, was first to be
explored, as according to scriptures Krishna
brought Yadavas first to Kushasthali in Bet
Dwarka. Archaeologists stated that the ancient
Dwarka was built on the ruins of Kushasthali.
• Onshore explorations carried out by ASI
established the existence of Late Harappan,
Historical and Medieval period settlements on
the mainland.
• Dwarka and in different parts of the
island, which still continues to be.
• The first underwater marine excavation
in India carried out around Bet Dwarka and
Dwarka waters help to push back the history of
Dwarka to about 3500 years BP, and bring more
conclusive and valuable evidences of existence
of ancient Dwarka, submerged in the Arabian
Sea due to transgression of sea. The description
of Dwarka city as ‘Varidurga’ ‘a fortress in
water’ in Harivamsa is corroborated with
archaeological discoveries.
• The discoveries also prove that Dwarka
was a port city having trade relationship with
many sea-faring kingdoms, and act as a gateway
for other foreign kingdoms into Indian mainland
and vice versa. The city was a fortified
administrative capital with port facility situated
in the mainland of Dwarka with a number of
remote towns and minor ports, at Arambhadvara
Pictorial view of Destruction of city of Dwarka
Findings and conclusion
21
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
(Aramda), Shankhodhara or Antar Dwipa
(Bet Dwarka), Darukavana (Nageswar), and
PindaTarakaKshetra (Pindara).
• Mahabharata does not mention Dwarka
as a kingdom but rather as a capital city of
Yadavas who ruled the Anarta Kingdom.
Dwarka was a federation of many republics
rather than a kingdom under a single king.
• The marine archaeological exploration
by NIO & ASI confirms that Dwarka was built
on the confluence of Gomati River with the
Arabian Sea, which exactly conforms to the
location of Krishna’s Dwarka, as given in the
ancient texts.
• The submerged city of Dwarka found on
the seabed, off the coast of modern Dwarka has
four sectors, enclosed by massive protection
walls and gateway flanked by bastions, which
could serve as watch towers.
• When Dwarka was built, the sea level
was 10 m lower with several pockets of water,
where boulder formation became necessary,
which are used for the construction of massive
protection walls and bastions in waterlogged
and low lying areas, supports the fact that land
reclamation was indeed carried out. The
reclamation of 12 Yojana of land proves that
Mahabharata is not a figment of poetic
imagination but a fact.
• Archaeologists confirmed that a pre-
Dwarka settlement (Kushasthali) indeed existed
at the Bet Dwarka, over which a fortified city
was built and named as Dwarkavati or Dwarka.
After realizing that the narrow place of Bet
Dwarka was not sufficient for the growing
population, another town was built on the bank
of river Gomati. The vast potential of conch
shells and seafood could be the cause of
attraction for the early settlers.
• The archaeological evidences from
onshore and offshore excavation on Dwarka,
Bet Dwarka, from Arabian Sea and Gulf of
Kutch confirms that the ancient city of Dwarka
extended from Bet Dwarka to the north, and
Okhamandal in the south, Pindara in the east.
The 30-40m high hill on the eastern flank of Bet
Dwarka may be the Raivataka hill referred to in
the Mahabharata.
• The ancient texts like Harivamsa,
Matsya Puran, and Srimad Bhagavatam state
that it took seven days to vacate Dwarka before
it was submerged by the sea. However,
scientific researchers also confirm that there
was a slow and steady rise in the sea level.
• The archaeological findings were found
compatible with the Mahabharata tradition,
which removes the lingering doubt about the
historicity of the Mahabharata and confirms the
existence of Krishna.
22
Ign
ite
d P
en
s
First of all, Bhagavad Gita, is the most
amazing, thought provoking book on planet
earth which belongs to everyone whether you are
a Hindu or not. There is no teacher like Lord
Krishna ever walked upon this earth and there is
no book like Bhagavad Gita on planet earth. Here
are some of the messages of Lord Krishna:
1. Everything comes and goes in life- Lord
Krishna said: “Arjuna, everything comes and
goes in life. Happiness and unhappiness are
temporary experiences that rise from sense
perception. Heat and cold, pleasure and pain will
come and go. They never last forever. So, do not
get attached to them.” (Bhagavad Gita Chapter
2:14) Everything will come and go in our lives
and so we cannot get attached to them. Good and
bad things will come and go in our lives. We have
no control of them. Things may not work out as
we expect. Life is not exactly a bed of roses. It’s
full of ups and downs. It is a mixture of roses as
well as thorns. With the right approach, all of us
can deal with all adverse things in life.
2. Mind can be controlled by constant
practice and attachment- Lord Krishna tells a
A Simple Analysis of Shrimad Bhagwad
Only when I was writing my book “Amazing
Secrets of the Bhagavad Gita,” I came to realize
that Lord Krishna acted like a psychologist and
dealt with more than more than 50 subjects in the
700 verses such as Birth, death, reincarnation,
Atman (immortal soul), Sin, Ashramas, Varna
System (caste system) Upside down tree,
Sankhya Philosophy, Upside-down-tree, Soma
Ritual, Gunas, Gayatri Mantra etc.
Author of Am I A Hindu?, Amazing Secrets of the Bhagavad Gita &Amazing Secrets of Hinduism.
Article by:
ED ViswanathanAuthor
23
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
worried Arjuna: “Arjuna, no doubt the mind
is very difficult to control. However, it can be
controlled by constant practice and
detachment.” (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6:35)
Lord Krishna gave utmost importance to mind
and thoughts throughout the Bhagavad Gita.
According to Lord Krishna, the first step is to
gain clarity on any situation by developing a
clear, calm and collected mind. One way is
introspection, another way is by distancing
yourself from the situation- not physically but
mentally- where you look at it as an outsider and
have a bird's eye view of it. We can always
revisit anything that happened to us at work or at
home and visualize what would have happened
if we did certain things in a totally different way
than what happened. This way instead of
lamenting about something that happened, we
will be in control of what happened and will be
in control of future events.
3. Abandon fruits of actions- Lord Krishna
said: “Arjuna, you only have the right to act
(Karma); At the same time, you do not have the
right for the fruits of actions. You should not act,
motivated by the fruits of actions and also never
be inactive any time.” (Bhagavad Gita Chapter
2:47) From the outset, the most oft-repeated
advice of Lord Krishna is “Nishkama karma,”
doing action without expecting any reward:
Most of our decisions are based on “I” and
“mine” and we get affected because we wonder
about their outcomes and consequences. “Ego”
or “Aham Bhava” is the biggest stumbling block
in our life. Whenever we engage in selfless
thoughts and actions that contribute to the
welfare of others, we will enter higher states of
mind and we will be surprised to see even total
strangers helping us in our projects. Life will
become saddening, depressing, etc. because of
our attachment to outcome. When we free
ourselves from the outcome and focus instead
on the selfless actions, we will be very happy.
4. Sin only means “Karmic Debt”- Lord
Krishna said: “Even if you are the worst sinner
in the world; You can still cross the ocean of Sin;
By a bark of (Jnana) wisdom. As the blazing fire
burns wood to ashes, Arjuna, so does the fire of
true knowledge (Jnana) which will burn all
“karmic debt” to ashes.” (Bhagavad Gita
Chapter 4:36, 37) People do bad karmas due
ignorance of the truth, just like a child putting
his hand in fire. Fire burns a child's hand and
then the child learns a lesson that fire burns…
Child did not sin. Ignorance of the nature of fire
made the child commit a mistake. Child learned
from his mistake. Similarly, all of us learn from
experiences, by “Trial and error process.” So,
sin means ignorance of the truth that we are
indeed the Atman, the immortal soul within the
body and living with the false belief we are the
perishable material body. That is the reason why
Hindu salvation is known as self-realization
meaning realizing one is indeed the immortal
soul within the body – Atman and rejecting the
false belief that one is a perishable material
body.
5. God does not decide what we should do
or we should not do- Lord Krishna said: “God
does not decide Karma each one of us should do,
nor does he induce people to act, nor does he
create the fruits of any action. Each person acts
according to his Vasanas (Past and present
perceptions of mind).” (Bhagavad Gita Chapter
24
5:14) Lord Krishna also said: “God is not
responsible for anyone’s sinful (Paap) activities
or pious (Punya) activities. People are mistaken
about this Since their knowledge is covered by
ignorance.” (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5:15 )
People have a tendency to say, God made me do
that. That is wrong. God is an innocent
bystander. Each of us do things according to our
character and tendencies. Lord Krishna did not
interfere with the free will of Arjuna. Arjuna had
the right to accept everything Lord Krishna
taught as well as the right to reject everything
Lord Krishna taught. God is never portrayed as a
TASK MASTER in Hinduism like in other
religions. You and I have problems in this life
due to the Karmic Debt we have inherited from
our previous lives. God is a BYSTANDER who
is always ready to help. That is the reason why
surrendering our lives to God is the best way to
deal with life's problems.
6. Treat everyone equally- Lord Krishna
said: “Arjuna, a person who is considered
superior, is impartial towards friends, enemies,
friends, relatives and strangers and treats
everyone with equal respect.” (Bhagavad Gita
Chapter 6:09) We constantly meet positive as
well as negative people in our lives. So, it's
difficult not to get influenced by them. That is
the reason why Lord Krishna asks us to treat
everyone with respect and love.
7. Whatever the situation, do not give in to
anxiety & stress- Lord Krishna said: “Arjuna,
the one who is not disturbed by anyone, who is
balanced in happiness and distress, fear and
anxiety, is very dear to Me.”(Bhagavad Gita
Chapter 12:15) We are in a rat race of endless,
self-defeating, and pointless pursuit. So, these
words of Lord Krishna have a lot of importance
today. We have to get rid ourselves of excessive
worry. We should not take on more than we can
cope with and add enough “me-time” in our day
to day lives to help us calm down. Please do not
live the life of your son and daughter. Only thing
you can do is to show them direction and give
them advice only when they ask for it. You have
no way of living their lives. Just like you & I,
they also came with a lot of karmic debt and they
have to deal with them in their own personal
ways. Just like you and I, they will also learn
from the trial and error process. Accept change
as it happens in our lives.
Lord Krishna said: “Arjuna, when inertia and
inactivity are predominant, ignorance, stress,
and delusion arise.” (Bhagavad Gita Chapter
14:13) Inactivity is the cause of most stress and
depression. That is the reason why Lord
Krishna repeatedly tells us that “We have no
right to stop working.” So, every time, when we
feel yourself slipping into lethargy or a state of
inertia, we have to stir ourselves, change
direction, and give ourselves a new challenge. I
am retired, so I have nothing to do may sound
good, but that will be the biggest downfall in
your life. That life of inertia will make you
physically as well as mentally sick. Sadly, many
retirees do not. You should always have
something constructive to do. Sitting idle is no
excuse at all. Always act with conviction &
faith.
Lord Krishna said: “Arjuna, anything done
such as sacrifice, charity of penance or austerity,
without faith is useless. It has no value in this life
or hereafter.” (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17:28).
25
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
Belief is the cornerstone of life. Without firm
conviction, no one can succeed in life. People
come out victorious even in extreme situations,
since they believe in what they do. Without
conviction, life is not possible. “We have
nothing to fear, except fear itself.” Become a
Yogi.
Lord Krishna said: “Just as the ocean is
unaffected by the waters of innumerable rivers
flowing into it; A yogi is unaffected by the
sensual pleasures due to the positive and
negative reactions to actions he or she does.”
(Bhagavad Gita 2:70)
Lord Krishna also said: “A yogi is superior
than an ascetic, greater than a Jnani (person who
follows Jnana Yoga) and superior than a person
who is ritualistic. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all
circumstances tries to become a yogi.”
(Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6:46)
8. Surrender everything to God- Lord
Krishna said: “Abandon all Dharma (duties) and
just surrender unto me (the will of God). I shall
deliver you from all bonds of Karma. Do not
fear.” (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18:66)
Surrendering to God does not mean to run away
from life. It only meant to perform all thoughts
and actions surrendering to God, making God
the “doer” and you and I just servants of God. By
surrendering to God, God becomes the “doer”
and we just become instruments of God.
Illustration by Kripi Singh
26
Shri Krishna says that it is undoubtedly difficult to control a restless mind but it is possible by constant practice and by detachment. It is important for today's youth to control the mind and not let it control by senses to concentrate deeply in their work.
There must be clarity of purpose before you start your actions. In management, it is important that one should have definite goals. Shri Krishna had three goals for himself:
• ‘Paritranaya Sadhunam’– This means welfare for saints
• ‘Vinashaya Dushkritam’– This means destroying an evil
• ‘Dharma Sansthapana’– This stands for establishing and strengthening the good
principles.
He gave us the idea that having clear cut goals can help one stay focused.
Planning the strategy to realise the vision is one of the distinguished functions of a manager. A plan of action and strategy is mandatory for efficient management. Shri Krishna, through his planning, always ensured the success. Pandavas and Kauravas had soldiers and warriors in the ratio of 7:11. Despite having limited resources,
Management lessons by Shri Krishna
Shri Krishna- A tactful leader, a brilliant student, an established Yogi, a warrior, an artist and considerably, a lot more. Words do not suffice to explicate the essence of who he is. Jack of all trades and yes, he is master of all! Shri Krishna is an embodiment of divinity who made an indelible impression on mankind with his multifaceted personality and bestowed people the path of Dharma and Devotion. To this day, there are millions of his devotees across the globe who try to put his teachings into practice. He has been a role model for people because of his exemplary life and will remain in the ages to come. His teachings through Bhagwad Gita, given 5000 years ago, can still be moulded into modern thoughts and needs with much relevance. Lessons of his preachings must be picked by today's youth as there is a holistic view of Management enunciated in the Bhagwad Gita which is undoubtedly more profound and comprehensive.
If one wants to be externally equipped then it is also necessary to get equipped themselves internally so that everything is managed in the most effective manner in all walks of life. Gita proclaims that “you must try to manage yourself.” We must mould our character and strengthen ourselves to develop managerial effectiveness. According to it, “the mind acts like an enemy for those who do not control it.”
Article by:
Janvi Desai
Student of Commerce
Gujarat, India
Self - Management
Clarity of Goals
Strategist
27
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
Ign
ite
d P
en
s
the fact that Pandavas won the battle, proves that Krishna was successful in building and implementing the strategies. He proves that through practical approach and proper planning, we can achieve our short and long term goals.
Shri Krishna says, in a loosely translated manner, “You have a right to perform your prescribed duty but you are not entitled to the fruits of action.” He teaches to focus on the process rather than result and having no attachments while performing our duties. If we calculate the results or fruits of our actions then the quality of our job or duty suffers. Thus in management, the best way to improve performance is to work without speculating the gains or losses i.e. “Work for the sake of work.”
Shri Krishna had to face different crises since his birth that arose like waves, one after the other. Come what may, he never allowed the smile to fall from his face and tackled every obstacle flawlessly. One of his greatest teachings which the present generation should imbibe is to have an inwardly calm mind and free from attachment.
Bhagwat Gita tackles the issues at grass-root level and ensures the betterment of individual life and social welfare. Shri Krishna's teachings and life gives a visionary perspective to the world and develops a broad vision for the youth of the nation and the world.
Devotion towards work
Calm mind
28
Shri Krishna as a Youth Icon
It was around 160 years before the emergence of Kalyug when Shri Krishna was born. The works he did in his entire life of 125 years are inspiring generations now, even over thousands of years. India being the youngest country of the world has numerous events and lessons from the life of Shri Krishna to motivate, guide and direct its young population so that they achieve perfection in every possible field. This is how the youngest country will reflect the very characteristic of its demography.
The life of Shri Krishna was full of struggles, it’s hard to imagine a boy, in the tender age of eleven, had as many enemies running after his life as many friends he had with him. The age when one merely knows the difference between a friend or an enemy, Shri Krishna tactfully with the support of his brother and friends, fought dozens of enemies and protected his people in Gokul several times. He was a saviour, He had a strong feeling of belongingness and love for his people which always made him favourite of all ‘Gokulvasis’. Over the years, trends of society change tremendously but these are the basic characteristics that the youth of any society are supposed to carry within that is being responsible, dependable and courageous with a feeling of belongingness for the people surrounding them.
The very day when he was born, He was separated from his biological parents. He was the son of King Vausudev but never lived a princely life. In fact, Shri Krishna never regretted that instead he was a born warrior, always alert and politically aware. He knew about the exports of dairy products from Gokul to the kingdom of Kansa, who was always after Shri Krishna’s life and used to threaten the people of Gokul. Shri Krishn never wanted to
Article by:Garvit VijCoordinator,
Youth Awakening Mission
Article By:
29
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
Ign
ite
d P
en
s
strengthen the army of Kansa and compromise with the peace of Gokul. He, along with His friends, used to warn Gopis carrying dairy products to the kingdom of Kansa. Whenever they avoided listening to these kids of merely 8-13 years, they used to attack the carriage of products, without hurting anyone and just for the sake of the citizens of Gokul.
The definition of youth changes depending upon the span of biological age but the trait of taking independent stand in the need of hour, with clear and selfless motives is an inspiration for today’s youth for which Swami Vivekannad used to say that a brave, frank, clear-hearted, courageous, aspiring youth is the only foundation on which the future of India can be envisioned. India needs youth that works unitedly for others, leaving behind the feeling of jealousy and conceit.
Today when India is poised to take its rightful
place in the international community, there are still many hurdles to cross. Along with the external threats from the complex topography surrounding India, we also have to deal with many internal contradictions that India as a nation and society faces. With the quality of politics continuously deteriorating in India, there’s a need to fuel the urge among the youth of the country which makes them restless and drives them to take appropriate action, as Shri Krishn did 5000 years back.
Indian youth, in this era of global competition, has to raise their knowledge, skill and ability to a level where it can fulfill the requirements of the organizations they are working or planning to work for. The case become more crucial when youth wants to start with self employed ventures, the cut-throat
global competition requires them to be multi-talented and multitasking on one side and other side they need to be judicious enough in utilization of resources which are continuously depleting and above all, when both internal and external business ecosystems are not favourable.
Looking back into the life of Shri Krishna, being a social reformer, he used to be very judicious towards his daily routines and his works were always backed by meticulous plannings. He used to manage multilayers of works with no signs of frustrations. The life of a social reformer is never static, it continuously evolves. And every day brings another score of work, for which Shri Krishna used to keep a limited number of sleep hours nearly about three and half hours. Shri Krishna was able to multitask as every single move of His was planned and well-organised.
Shri Krishna left Mathura even before He attained the age of adolescence, leaving behind the times He used to play around (popularly called “Rasleela”) with friends of same or older age. Shri Krishna went to Ujjain to Rishi Sandeepan’s ashram for His life training wherein the divinity inside Him was nurtured and evolved to a level that He envisioned the story of life on earth and wrote the history of the millenia.
Shri Krishna was multi-talented, His training and education backed Him with a set of 64 skills including singing, instrument playing, dancing, jewellery making, carpentry, astrology, metallurgy, preparation of Ayurvedic medicines, physical exercises, poetry, learning various weaponry systems with in depth knowledge of running administration and
30
governance and what not. Our Shri Krishna was well qualified and was a strict practitioner of the skills He had, He used to practice His knowledge, utilize His talent for the upliftment of the society. He had great respect for His Guru and Acharya, who trained Him for fulfilling His purpose of life.
He always gave priority to the interests of the society and was always there at the service of His people. Shri Krishna practiced the principles of servant leadership. He always led from the front and used to give entire credit of success to His people. Shri Krishna’s motive behind every struggle of His life was to establish Dharm (Dutifulness, not religion). He always stood as a pillar behind His people. Shri Krishn was righteous and always stood for the truth. During the battle of Kurukshetra, He made Arjun realize about the enormous power He had within and encouraged Him to be alert, not to hesitate to take the right step. Arjun was driven out of depression which He had minutes before the battle was going to start.
There was a small but major difference in the personality of Shri Krishna and Arjun which if understood and practiced by today’s youth will definitely help them to accomplish their tasks effectively and also their chance to grow in their respective field will increase as they will not indulge their egos into work they are supposed to perform. Arjun was very talented, knowledgeable, skilled and was backed by capabilities no less than Shri Krishna but still needed support of Shri Krishna to execute his well destined plan. The only reason was that Arjun was under the pressure of His egos and attachments towards the Kauravs on the other side of the battlefield, which Shri Krishna was totally free of. He always took His presence as a
mere facilitator of the greatest of works. He was always detached from the result of the work he did. To which He used to guide Arjun of having a balanced intellect (sthitpragya).
The examples from the life of Shri Krishna and His selfless deeds striving towards perfection can be inspiring for many who are trapped in a vicious cycle of doubt after doubt at every decision they are supposed to take. It is inspiring for the youth who shatter their emotions due to the smallest of failures, and an alert bell for those who are not tired of bragging about achievements that hold peanut-like importance in their lives, youth that carry out their work inefficiently and yet expect favourable results at the cost of no-work-done, will eventually result in depression. Thus, Shri Krishn’s works during his entire life are exemplary and His approach towards life is a practical guide for today’s youth for achieving set milestones in their lives.
31
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
There is no dearth of religious Literature that
describe His greatness, life accounts and the
“how and which” characteristics of His made
Him supreme among the masses viz Shrimad
Bhagwad, Vishnu Puran, Chandogya
Upanishad, Mahabharata etc. and in these texts
itself we find multitude ways to worship Him.
This is actually the beauty of Sanatan Dharma
that there is no one restricted method to be
adhered to while praying but a devotee can
choose from a multitude of ways depending
upon His spiritual inclination, interest and
advancement. To quote Shri Krishna on what
type of people worship Him, “Four kinds of
virtuous human beings worship Me, O Arjuna–
the distressed, the seeker of knowledge, the
seeker of wealth and the spiritually wise, O
greatest among Bharatas.” (Bhagavad Gita 7.16)
Pure devotion/bhava bhakti and unflinching
faith are the first step to worship Shri Krishna.
Unalloyed devotional worship with a heart full
of love, gratitude, humility and feelings devoid
of deceit, malice or pride are foremost for
revering Him in true sense. Works of service,
charity, austerity etc. follow next. Remembrance
of His supreme self at all times with a sense of
How to worship
Shri Krishna
Shri Krishna, the 8th incarnation of Shri
Vishnu was born on the Ashtami Tithi (Rohini
Nakshatra) of Krishna paksha in Bhadra month
to Maa Devki and Vasudeva. Due to the reckless
animosity of Kansa, Shri Krishna for His safety
and peaceful nurturing was sent to Gokul, where
Maa Yashodha and Nand Baba lovingly brought
Him up. Where Chandogya Upanishad
introduced Him to us as the above said, the
Mahabharata elaborately enlightened us on how
He was the dynamic and supreme king of
Dwarka. Revered among the masses as the
epitome of compassion, non-attachment,
Nishkama karma, love, wisdom, boldness and
devotion, Shri Krishna’s life is the true
illustration of what He preached. The ways to
worship Shri Krishna closely relate to the deep
understanding of His qualities and personality.
Before we get to the methods of worshipping
Him, let's go through briefly as to who did He
revere and how?
As a shishya/ disciple of Rishi Angiras, he
relied on regular Adhyan/deep study, Tapa and
Abhyas/ practice to gain command over Vedas,
Vedanta and His favorite subject was Sankhya.
Along with this, He also exercised expertise
over 64 subjects ranging from Administration,
Politics, Geography, Philosophy to jewel
processing etc.
Ign
ite
d P
en
s
Dr. Priyanka Sharma
Article by:
Research Fellow Punjab University
Faith / Pure heart
32
contentment is bigger than any ritual or
offerings. Just as ShriGuru Pawan Sinha ji says,
“God doesn’t need anything material from us, as
the whole universe belongs to him but only
wishes for pure devotion and unflinching faith
from his devotees.”
We need to understand that all our relations
and accomplishments are transient in nature but
our connection with Him alone stays forever.
Material reality is an illusion and our attachment
to form and possessions are obstacles to our
spiritual growth. Eventually, we need to accept
this truth and engage, honour and fulfil our
responsibilities towards our families, society etc
with a sense of non-attachment. As, the ultimate
connection and attachment is with him alone,
hence pure devotion is our first and strongest
step towards him.
The most sublime, significant and evolved
way to worship Shri Krishna is through Yoga. It
could be either through the path of Jnana,
Bhakti, Karma, Hatha or Raja Yoga. These paths
are like streams that merge into one ocean and
here the ocean is none other than the supreme
consciousness. Also it is pertinent to mention
that none of these paths is inferior to the other. It
is important for the devotees of Shri Krishna to
be away from weaknesses such as anger, greed,
lust, illusion and jealousy. Easier said than done
in this mundane world, herein only the regular
practice of Yoga can help us keep away from
these vices. In this regard, the regular practice of
the steps of Ashtanga Yoga i.e. Yama, Niyama,
Asana, Pranayama, Prathayara, Dharana,
Dhyan and Samadhi can help gain control over
these weaknesses.
For devotees who indulge in deity and ritual
worship, the following can be offered as
salutations and prayers. “Om Namo Bhagavate
Vasudevaya Namah” is the Dwadash Mantra,
chanting of which holds prime significance
while praying. For the same, Tulsi / Basil rosary
or Chandan/ sandalwood rosary may be used.
The other important mantra which the devotees
can chant is “Om Narayan Namo Namah” The
mantra primarily holds significance in
worshipping Shri Vishnu, the 8th incarnation of
whom is Shri Krishna. Peepal tree is considered
as the most favorite of Shri Krishna along with
Tulsi/ Basil plant hence devotees must offer
Peepal and Tulsi leaves unto him and also
include them in Prasad. Tilak of Chandan/
Sandalwood and Turmeric should be applied by
the devotees on the idol of Shri Krishna before
applying it on their forehead. The rationality
behind this goes that by property Sandalwood
provides coolness and sense of balance when it
touches the area around Ajna Chakra. Where,
Turmeric/ Haldi signifies knowledge, hence the
importance of smearing it on the forehead. On
Saturdays, devotees must offer water and other
offerings such as saffron, flowers, lighted
incense, Ganga jal, Chandan, Akshat on Peepal
tree, marking its significance. The color Yellow
is favorite color of Shri Krishna, hence devotees
must wear yellow colored clothes while
praying. The color signifies wisdom,
knowledge, virtues and expansion of inner self/
consciousness.
Deep study of religious texts such as Vishnu
Puran, Garuda Puran, Shrimad Bhagwad,
Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Chandogya Upanishad
Yoga
Rituals, Chanting and Deity worship
Adhyayan
33
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
and related religious literature is also a way to
offer salutations. Krishna Devotees must plant
and tend Peepal trees especially in the month of
Kartik or on Ekadashi with reverence. They may
also offer water and panchamrit through a conch
shell on the idol of Shri Krishna. As mentioned
before, Tulsi plant holds great significance
while worshipping Shri Krishna. Hence, it
should be grown and tended with reverence in
households. Basil holds significance as it is one
of the most important ayurvedic plants that has
therapeutic properties and acts as panacea for
many health issues. Performing yajnas is
another way to offer obeisance.
Shri Krishna adored cows and believed they
were no less than demiGods. How he saved
cows and reared them on the nutritious
grasslands of Govardhan is known to us all.
Hence, serving cows holds much significance in
worshipping the lord.
For those who are too busy to indulge in any
ritual or yoga practice but are inclined to offer
their prayers, the most simple and easy way to
worship is through kirtan and chanting. Vishnu
Purana categorically describes that even by
chanting of the holy name and mantras,
devotees can offer their prayers. For this
purpose the Mahamantra, “ Hare Rama Hare
Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare hare”
holds prime significance.
Hence, there are multitude of ways to
worship the supreme power but what matters the
most is the pure devotion with which we pray.
As in Shri Krishna explains to Arjuna,
“Whatever you do, whatever you eat,
Whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever
you give,
Whatever austerity you practice, O son of
Kunti,
Do that as an offering unto me” (Bhagavad
Gita 9.27)
The other important way to offer salutation
to the mighty is through Nishkama Karma. It
implies to work with dedication but without
desire, attachment or involvement of the lower
ego. It is believed that He, who is immersed in
the lord through yoga and performs all his works
without seeking any personal benefit is the real
devotee. It constitutes the practice of non-
attachment to the fruits of action and
selflessness. Just as Shri Krishna tells Arjuna on
the battlefield of Kurukshetra, “Your right is to
work only, but never to the fruits thereof. May
you be motivated by the fruits of actions, nor let
your attachment be towards inaction” (
Bhagavad Gita, 2.47)
The other constant themes which devotees
must culture in them are unflinching faith,
intense love and complete surrender for the lord.
This goes above reasons, doubts and logic that
eventually he is going to protect us. Irrespective
of whatever and however tough times and
situations surround us, we must take refuge in
Him alone. To conclude in Shri Krishna’s
words, “Relinquish all dharmas take refuge in
Me alone, I will liberate you from all sins, grieve
not.” (Bhagavad Gita, 18.66)
Serving cows
Kirtan
Nishkama Karma, unflinching faith and surrender
34
The 12 Sects of Krishna Worship
When I started researching Shri Krishna worship sects, I came across 4 major Hindu traditions. Each of these traditions or sampradayas is centered on one or more Hindu Gods or Goddesses, such as Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu and Brahma. Worshippers of each of these Gods are identified as Vaishnavism (Vishnu), Shaivism (Shiva), Shaktism (Shakti).
Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his incarnations is worshipped as the supreme God. Members of Vaishnavism are called Vaishnavites or Vaishnavas. Vaishnavism is the largest Hindu denominat ion and i t has numerous subdivisions. For the purpose of this article, I will focus on Krishnaism which is a Hindu tradition related to Vaishnavism but centering on the devotion to Krishna as the absolute, the ultimate reality and the source of all reality. Shri Krishna belonged to the Satvat clan of the Yadav dynasty. After He renounced his body, this clan began worshipping Him. This was a kind of beginning of the Path of Devotion (Bhakti Marg).
1. Early Bhakti pioneers include Nimbarka (12th or 13th century CE), also known as, Nimbarka Sampradaya or Hamsa Sampradāya,
and Kumāra Sampradāya. The founder of this sect is Nimbarka or Nimbaditya, originally named as Bhaskara Acharya, incarnation of the Sun-God (Surya). The Nimawats are distinguished by a circular black mark in the centre of the ordinary double streak of white earth or Gopi Chandan. They use the necklace and rosary of the stem of Tulsi.
Meenakshi ManochaProgram Manager, IT
USA
Article By:
Nimbarka Sampradaya
35
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
Ign
ite
d P
en
s
The basic practice consists of the worship of Shri Radha Madhav with Shri Radha as the inseparable part of Shri Krishna. Nimbarka refers to five methods to salvation:
l Karma (ritual action)l Vidya (knowledge)l Upasana or Dhyan (meditation)l Prapatti (surrender to the Lord/devotion)l Gurupasatti (devotion and self-surrender
to God as Shri Radha Krishna). Their chief scripture is the Srimad-
Bhagavata Purana. The sect, however, is not possessed of any books peculiar to the members because of the destruction of their works at Mathura in the time of Aurangzeb.
2. Rudra Sampradaya is one of four Vaishnava Sampradayas, a tradition of disciplic succession in the religion. Vaishnavism is distinguished from other schools of Hinduism by its primary worship of deities, Vishnu and/or Krishna and their Avatars as the Supreme forms of God.
Rudra Sampradaya has two main divisions: Vishnu Swamis, that is, followers of
VishnuswamiThe Vallabhas or Pushtimarg sect, founded
by Vallabha.
3. The Vallabhacharins form a very important sect in Bombay, Gujarat and Central India. Their founder “Vallabha Acharya” were born in the forest Champaranya in 1479 and the sect is popularly known as the religion of Gokulastha Gosains. He is regarded as an incarnation of Krishna.
The Vallabhacharins worship Krishna, as Bala-Gopal or Gopal Lal. Their idol is one representing Krishna in his childhood till his twelfth year. The Gosains or teachers are family men as was the founder Vallabha. The Gosains are always clothed with the best raiment and fed with the daintiest viands by their followers. The practices of the sect are of a similar character
Vallabhacharins
Rudra Sampradaya
36
with those of other regular worshippers, their temples and houses have images of Gopal made of metal and not unfrequently of gold. The mark on the forehead consists of two red perpendicular lines meeting in a semicircle at the root of the nose and having a round spot of red between them. The necklace and rosary are made of the stalk of the Tulsi (holy Basil).The salutations amongst them are, Shri Krishna and Jaya Gopal.
!The great authority of the sect is the Srimad-Bhagavata as explained in the Subodhini, the commentary thereon of Vallabhacharya. The members of the sect should visit Shri Nathdvara, a holy shrine, at least once in their lives. The eight daily ceremonies for God in the temples are: Mangala, Sringara, Gvala, Raja Bhoga, Utthapan, Bhoga, Sandhya, Sayana.
Besides these daily ceremonies there are several annual festivals, Rath Yatra in Bengal and Odisha, Janamashtami and Ras Yatra.
4. The Chaitanyas sect or Gaudiya Vaishnavismis prominent in Bengal and Orissa. The founder, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu or Lord Gouranga, was born in 1485. He was regarded as an incarnation of Lord Krishna. He took Sannyasa at the age of twenty-four. He went to Jagannath where he taught Vaishnava doctrines. The Chaitanyas worship Lord Krishna as the Supreme Being. All castes are admissible into the sect. The devotees constantly repeat the Name of Lord Krishna. Chaitanya’s Charitamirita by Krishna Das is a voluminous work. It contains anecdotes of Chaitanya and his principal disciples and the expositions of the doctrines of this sect. It is written in Bengali. The Vaishnavas of this sect wear two white perpendicu la r s t reaks of sanda l o r
Gopichandana (a kind of sacred earth) down the forehead uniting at the root of the nose and continuing to near the tip. They wear a close necklace of small Tulasi beads of three strings.
Gaudiya Vaishnavism is the spiritual and philosophical foundation of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), or “Hare Krishna movement.” Gaudiya Vaishnavas follow a vegetarian (or stricter) diet, abstaining from all types of animal flesh, including fish and eggs. Onions and garlic are also avoided as they are believed to promote a more tamasic form of consciousness in the eater when taken in large quantities.
5 . M a d h a v a s o r B r a h m a Sampradayins: The founder of the sect is Madhvacharya, otherwise called Ananda Tirtha and Purna-Prajna. He was born in 1200. He was a great opponent of Sankaracharya’s Advaita system of philosophy. He is regarded as an
Chaitanyas
Chaitanyas
37
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
incarnation of Vayu or the Wind-God. He erected and consecrated at Udipi the image of Lord Krishna.
The Gurus of the Madhva sect are Brahmins and Sannyasins. The followers bear the impression of the symbols of Vishnu upon their breasts and shoulders. They are stamped with a hot iron. Their frontal mark consists of two perpendicular lines made with Gopichandana and joined at the root of the nose. They make a straight black line, with a charcoal from incense offered to Krishna, which terminates in a round mark made with turmeric.
The Madhvas are divided into two classes called the Vyasakutas and the Dasakutas. They are found in Karnataka. Truthfulness, study of scriptures, generosity, kindness, faith and freedom from envy form the moral code of Madhvas. They give the Lord’s names to their children (Namakarana), and mark the body with His symbols (Ankana). They practise virtue in thought, word and deed (Bhajana).
6. Radha Vallabhis worship Krishna as Radha-Vallabha, the Lord or Lover of Radha. Radha Vallabha Theology emphasizes devotion to Radharani. The founder Shri Harivansh Mahaprabhu is believed to be the messenger of Lord Radhavallabh. He is the person who preached the meaning of devotion to the common man and guided them how one can achieve blessings of Shri Radhavallabh. After generations, the members represent themselves as Goswamis in public.
Shri Radhavallabh ji Temple in Vrindavan, Mathura is a very famous temple of the same preaching. This temple is among the most famous seven temples of Thakur of Vrindavan including Sri Radhavallabh ji, Shri Govind Dev ji, Shri Bankey Bihari Ji and four others. In this temple, there is no deity of Radharani, but a crown has been placed next to Krishna to signify her presence.
Madhavas or Brahma Sampradayins
Radha Vallabhis
38
The main norm in the temple is to achieve Lord Radhavallabh's blessing through bhakti rather than fasting and abstaining oneself. Every priest or goswami follow their traditions. Every morning they awaken lord, offer bhog, perform Abhishekam, Aartis and follow the rules of 'Ashtyam Sewa'. They keep an account of the cleanliness of the temple, comforts of lord and distribution of prasadam, as every worker works under their instructions. After completing their work they preach people and tell stories to explain the greatness of Shri Radhavallabh Ji.
7. Sri Sampradayins: The most ancient Vaishnava sect is the Sri Sampradaya, founded by Ramanuja Acharya. The followers of Ramanuja adore Vishnu and Lakshmi, and their incarnations. They are called Ramanujas or Sri Sampradayins or Sri Vaishnavas. They all repeat the Ashtakshara Mantra: ‘Om Namo Narayanaya.’
They put on two white vertical lines and a central red line on the forehead. They have also patches of Gopichandana, with a central red streak on the breast, and each upper arm, these marks are supposed to represent the Sankh, Chakra, Gada, and Padma or Shell, Discus, Club and Lotus, which Vishnu bears in his four hands, and the central streak is SRI or Lakshmi. Besides these they wear a necklace of the wood of the Tulsi and carry a rosary of the seeds of the same plant, or of the Lotus.
8. Warkari Sampraday is a religious sect within the ‘Bhakti’ spiritual tradition of Hinduism. The Warkari has been historically and geographically linked with the Indian states of Maharashtra and northern Karnataka. Over 700 years ago, the Warkari movement was started by Sant Dnaneshwar who sowed the seeds of "Bhakthi" in every individual irrespective of caste, creed or status. Thus, Vishwa Warkari Samsthan establishes and spreads "Dharma” (Right Conduct) through "Warkari Sampradaya.
Warkaris worship Vithoba (also known as Vitthal), the presiding deity of Pandharpur. Vithoba is a form of Krishna, an avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu. Varkari culture has certain peculiar things which they embrace i.e. absence of caste system, involvement of women in the evolution of warkari culture and no involvement of royal families. Every year, Varkari walks hundreds of miles to the holy town of Pandharpur, gathering there on ekadashi (the 11th day) of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Aashaadha (which falls sometime in July). Another pilgrimage is celebrated on the ekadashi of the month of Kartik (which falls sometime in November). he teachers responsible for establishing and supporting the movement through its history
Sri Sampradayins
39
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
include Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Tukaram, Chokhamela. Wearing a rosary of Tulsi beads is of utmost importance to the Varkaris.
Vitthala is the child (balasvarupa) Krishna. The tulsi plant is dear to Krishna. So a Varikara must wear a rosary containing a hundred and eight Tulsi beads as a pious observance. Staunch followers, brave men have a sandal-paste on their forehead, announcing the (name of the) pious Vitthala.
9. Ekasarana Dharma or Mahapurusa sect is a Vaishnavite religion propagated by Srimanta Sankardeva in the 15th-16th century in the Indian state of Assam. Following the Bhagavata Purana, the object of devotion in Ekasarana is Krishna, who is the supreme entity himself.
The Four Principles defined this religious system are:
l Naam- chanting and singing the name and the qualities of God. In general, only four names are most important: Rama-Krishna-Narayana-Hari)
l Deva- worship of a single God, that is Krishna.
l Guru- reverence of a Guru, or Spiritual Preceptor.
l Bhakat - the assoc ia t ion or the congregation of devotees (bhaktas).
The central religious text of this religion is Bhagavad of Sankardeva, which was rendered from the Sanskrit Bhagavata Purana by Srimanta Sankardeva and other luminaries of the Eka Sarana school. This book is supplemented by the two books of songs for congregational singing: Kirtan Ghoxa by Sankardeva and Naam Ghoxa by Madhabdev.
Ekasarana Dharma or Mahapurusa sect
Warkari Sampraday
40
These books are written in the Assamese language. Some of the cultural programmes, which are held in Sattras: Bhaona, Doul Utsav or Deul, Janmastami and Rasa lila or Raas utsav. The satras are not merely religious institutions but play cultural and historical roles in society.
10.The Swaminarayan Sampradaya is a Hindu sampradaya which was founded in 1801 by Sahajanand Swami, who is worshipped as Swaminarayan, the supreme manifestation of God, by his followers. Swaminarayan instituted the sampradaya’s mandir tradition to facilitate followers’ devotional worship of God. Socially, Swaminarayan’s doctrine that everyone’s true self is the atman within which God resides, led him to reject caste-based discrimination within the religious community.
Swaminarayan also inspired followers to engage in humanitarian service activities, leading various denominations of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya to currently provide humanitarian service globally.
Swaminarayan ordered the construction of several Hindu temples and installed the images o f v a r i o u s d e i t i e s s u c h a s N a r a -Narayana,Laxminarayan, Radha Krishna, Radha Ramana and Revati-Baldevji. The images in the temples built by Swaminarayan provide evidence of the priority1 of Krishna. Swaminarayan propagated general Hindu texts. He held the Bhagavata Purana in high authority. However, there are many texts that were written by Swaminarayan or his followers that are regarded as shastras or scriptures within the Swaminarayan sect.
11. Alwaars- The Alwar, Azhwars were Tamil poet saints of south India who lived between the sixth and ninth centuries and espoused ‘emotional devotion’ or bhakti to Vishnu-Krishna in their songs of longing, ecstasy and service. The collection of their hymns is known as Divya Prabandha and is considered equal to the sanskrit body of work called vedas and related revelatory texts, detailing knowledge of Nature, God and the relationship between the two. The twelve Alvars composed the songs praising Lord Vishnu. They wrote during the early medieval period of Tamil History.
Nammalvar is considered as the greatest of the Alvars and his contributions to the Dhivya Prabandham is more than a quarter of the complete text. Kulasekara Alvar penned the classic work known as “Perumal Thirumozhi” which is an exemplary exposition of his intense
Swaminarayan Sampradaya
41
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
religious experiences. Pagal Pathu(10 day time) and Ra Pathu(10 day night time) festival are celebrated in the month of Margazhi (December–January) for twenty days in Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam. The first ten days are referred to as Pagal-Pathu (10 day day festival) and the second half as Ra Pathu (10 day night time festival). The first day of Ra pathu is Vaikunta Ekadashi. The eleventh day of each fortnight in Tamil calendar is called Ekadasi and the holiest of all ekadashis in the Vaishnava tradition is the Vaikunta Ekadashi.
12. Perumal or Thirumal also known as Mal or Mayon literally refers to a South Indian deity of "black complexion" referring to lord Maha Vishnu. In fact, it is the name given to Sri Vishnu by south Indian People. Perumal is worshipped mainly among Tamils in Tamil Nadu.
Perumal/Thirumal was the only deity who enjoyed the status of Paramporul (achieving a oneness with Paramatma) during the Sangam age. Thirumal was as glorified as "the supreme deity" whose divine lotus feet could burn all evils and grant Moksha.
Priests of the Vadakalai sect wear the Thirunamam or U-shaped namam, while those of the Thenkalai sect wear it in the shape of the alphabet ‘Y’.
One of the richest and largest Hindu temples and monasteries complex dedicated to Tirumala is the Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. The temple is also known by other names like Tirumala Temple, Tirupati Temple, Tirupati Balaji Temple.
Alwaars
Perumal or Thirumal
42
My Krishna and his life
“Vasudeva sutam Devam kamsa chaanoora mardanam devaki paramanandam Krishnam vande jagadgurum”
These are the lines on Lord Krishna which describe the qualities of lord. He is Krishna who was the son of Vasudeva, and the destroyer of demons Kamsa and chaanoora. Whose presence will give eternal bliss to mother Devaki. And finally, He is the jagadguru (world teacher) who had given Bhagavad Gita which says about the truth of life and it is considered as the best personality development book and Krishna is called the first counsellor of the world. As He mentioned in Bhagavad Gita, He will take incarnation, when adharma rules the world. He appeared on the earth as Sri Krishna in dwapara yuga to protect dharma and terminate adharma.
As previously mentioned, at the time of Shri Krishna's birth, there were many asuras who were torturing sages, devotees, women, children, even devas. So they went to meet lord Vishnu and asked him to take birth and kill all those demons (kansa, jarasandha etc). Vishnu proclaimed, “I will come and protect dharma.” Kansa's sister Devaki got married to Vasudeva and Kansa was taking them to the home after their marriage by becoming the driver of the chariot as he had utmost love for Devaki. When
they were traveling, an unknown voice appeared and said, “The 8th child of your own sister will kill you.” Kansa was stunned by the words. In the moment of anger, he tried to kill Devaki but Vasudeva stopped him and promised him that the children will be given to you after their birth itself. Kansa put both of them in a prison. Kansa killed six children of Devaki and Vasudeva. The 7th child was shifted to the womb of Rohini who was with Nanda and Yashoda. That boy was Balarama.
Article by:N. Sai Prashanthi Student, Department of Biotechnology,
Osmania University, Hyderabad
Article By:
BIRTH
43
WhatsApp: +91 7428522756
Rea
der
’s S
ecti
on
Finally, Lord Vishnu appeared in front of Devaki and Vasudeva, blessed them and told him he would be taking birth in 8th pregnancy. They were very happy. Krishna took birth on Rohini nakshatra of the ashtami of Shravan month (according to Telugu calendar). And because of the threat from Kansa, the small boy was shifted to Gokulam, to the home of Nanda and Yashoda. Baby girl who was born to Yashoda was taken by Vasudeva. He went back to prison. When Kansa tried to kill the baby girl, the Yoga Maya appeared and said, “O fool, Kansa, your death is fixed. The boy is living in another village” and she disappeared. Kansa was shocked but decided to search for the boy and kill him.
Krishna was growing in Gokulam. He was very naughty from his childhood. He had a habit of going to the neighbors's homes and stealing milk, curd, yoghurt while the owners were sleeping, or they were outside of the home. Along with other friends and Balaram, Krishna goes to forest along with cows so he is called a Gopala. Krishna decided to leave Brindavana as he had a purpose of protecting dharma by killing demons like Kansa. Krishna went to Mathura and killed Kansa, Chaanoora and others (Jarasandha was killed by Bhima) Ugrasena, the maternal grandfather of Krishna became king of Mathura.
Pandavas who were the cousins of Krishna, always considered Krishna as their guide. He protected them in each step where Kauravas tried to kill them, to insult them. He made Arjuna do tapas and get powerful astras. He protected Draupadi's respect in the Kuru sabha.
When Arjuna became weak and threw his bow and arrow, Krishna taught him Bhagavad Gita, he made him understand the truth and explained about karma, bhakti, jnana and moksha. Finally, Arjuna performed his duty and adharma got terminated. Yudhistira became the king of Hastinapura.Gandhari had given a curse to Krishna in her anger because of the loss of her sons. Krishna accepted the curse. For many years, Krishna guided Yudhistira and Pandavas in ruling and other duties. Because of the curse of Gandhari, the Yadavas fought among themselves and lost. Krishna left his body in the hands of a hunter in a forest.
Many devotees praised him as God and many demons, Kauravas criticized him and hated him as a magician. But he maintained a balance of mind, calmness and always supported dharma. He guided Arjuna when there was a critical situation. He tried to stop the war but Duryodhana did not understand the motive of Krishna, and finally huge destruction happened. Since childhood he faced many difficulties but he maintained that calmness of mind which he taught in the 6th chapter of Gita. He is an ideal son, ideal husband, ideal friend and even ideal disciple, as well as, guru for the entire humanity.
Humanity has to learn from his teachings, in the form of Gita for spiritual growth, development and to face struggles and hardships of life.
CHILDHOOD WHAT WE CAN LEARN
ALONG WITH PANDAVAS
IN THE WAR
44
Swami Vivekananda Ji always believed that it is the youth of a nation who can
bring about a revolution. If you are suffering from a problem, it is you who will take
actions to change it.
The world needs a revolution, everybody knows it and says it but, why don't we
take an action?
We thus carry forward Swami Vivekananda's ideology and urge passionate youth
to come forward and contribute to our magazine with their thoughtful writings
about issues that concern the world and need alterations. If an issue worries you and
you have the thought and the idea to change it or to bring awareness about it, 'Young
Moves; The Magazine For Game Changers' is your way to express it with the tool of
writing.
We believe in a solution-oriented approach to any problem and thus request you
to share your analysis of the issues and possible solutions to it. The magazine is open
to all kinds of subjects involving different fields of profession like politics, history,
governance, law, economics, environment, finance, socio-cultural activities etc. Let
us contribute to this movement as much as we can and be Game Changers in our
fields.
“You make and mould your own life. You are responsible for yourself.”
- Swami Vivekananda Ji
APPEAL FOR WRITERS
[email protected]+917428522756 (WhatsApp)
Come forward and mail us your pieces at
Keep writing to us and share your opinions, suggestions and experiences.
Young MovesEmail: +917428522756 (WhatsApp)[email protected]
![] Ù · 2020. 4. 24. · ] Ù ÅÅ E X P E R I E N C E ü Ù £ ÅÅ @¤íå ü Ù £ ÅÅ L¤¤ @®ª ¡ ¥ a æ) ü æ¤Í ¤í C o l l a b o r a t e d w i t h i n t e r d i s c](https://img.pdfslide.us/doc/110x75/5fc74016837b0c7861724973/-2020-4-24-e-x-p-e-r-i-e-n-c-e-.jpg)
![arXiv:1707.01985v1 [cond-mat.soft] 6 Jul 2017 · å åå å åååå å åå åååååååå åååååå å å å åååå å å ååååååååååååååååååå å åå å](https://img.pdfslide.us/doc/110x75/5e6937f84ca14476d93cd364/arxiv170701985v1-cond-matsoft-6-jul-2017-.jpg)
![publib.boulder.ibm.compublib.boulder.ibm.com/tividd/td/security/pol_admin37/ja_JA/PDF/... · m0$s&]j7< ....................................................... 35 e}]j7](https://img.pdfslide.us/doc/110x75/5b38e0da7f8b9a5a178dd6e8/-m0sj7-35-ej7.jpg)
![ÃÃÃ^à ]] ]åå]å‚‚å‚mm‚m‚‚m‚ß߂ߊŠßŠµµŠµææµæælll]]l]] ^^ ^ÊÊ](https://img.pdfslide.us/doc/110x75/61c9e1637229fa42c91cf7ec/-mmmmllll.jpg)
![] ÙÙ ÅÅ E X P E R I E N C E ü Ù £ ÅÅ @¤íå ü Ù £ ÅÅ L¤¤ @®ª ¡ ¥ a æ) ü æ¤Í ¤í C o l l a b o r a t e d w i t h i n t e r d i s c i p l i n a r](https://img.pdfslide.us/doc/110x75/60532a9209bb0a2a6e09bbd4/-e-x-p-e-r-i-e-n-c-e-l-.jpg)