Bhagvatam and Mahabharata

Bhagvatam and Mahabharata ::

The Bhagvatam and the Mahabharata presents two different Krsnas. The Bhagvata describes the first half of Krsna's life and Mahabharata the final half od Krsna's life. In the former, Krsna is a cowherd,who plays the flute and dances with the milkmaids. In the latter, Krsna is a Kingmaker, who establishes cities and rides chariots into battlefields. The Bhagvata is full of Innocence, adventure and romance. The Mahabharata is full of intrigue, politics and philosophy. In both, Krsna is associated with 16,108 womens. In the Bhagvata. these womens are simple Milkmaids(Gopi's) who love him uncinditionally and who engage with Him on purely emotional terms. In the Mahabharata, these womens are princess who also love him unconditionally, but they engage with Him in purely social terms. For the milkmaids(Gopi's) Krsna is the beloved, for the princess Krsna is husband.

The Mahabharata unfolds a world of men-- of warriors and priests. The Bhagvata is a world of women--lovers and mothers. Krsna has two mothers, His biological mother is Devaki who has to give Him up at birth so that He can be raised in secret in the village of cowherds away from the murderous hands of her brother,Kamsa, the dictator of Mathura, whom Krsna is destined to kill. Devaki belongs to Mathura, the city. Krsna is raised in village, Gokul,by Yasodha, wife of the cheif of cowherds. Most songs identify Krsna both as Devaki's son and as Yasodha's son. One is left to wonder if Krsna is Krsna because He is of noble birth or because of His humble upbringing; Is it nature or culture which defines Him?? One is also reminded that relationships can be forged not just by blood but also by Emotions..

The Mahabharata Krsna is associated with blood, the Bhagvata Krsna is associated with milk and butter. Butter is made b churning the cream of milk. Krsna loves butter, He pasters His mother Yasodha for it. He steals it from the diaries much to the exasperation of the milkmaids. For Vishnu who reclines on the Oean of Milk, this butter clearly represents the best that life has to offer. The butter is Sridevi, the deligth of the Material Existence. The butter is Radha, who loves unconditionally. The cow who gives this butter is the earth itself, Bhoodevi. This Bhoodvei begs for protection from kings who plinder and abuse her. And so the cowherd Krsna of the Bhagvata transforms into the charioteer Krsna of the Mahabharata, orchestrates the slaughter of kings who do not uphold dharma and nourishes the earth with their blood. Draupadi is the blood-seeking Bhoodevi abused by the Kauravas and betrayed by the Pandavas. Helpless, she seeks Krsna. Only by stepping out of the Bhagavata and entering the Mahabharata can Vishnu fulfill his role as Govinda, the guardian of the earth-cow.

Eventually, inevitably, society ages. And Vishnu's avatars cannot reverse or stem the decay. A time comes when Vishnu is too tired to fight, He needs to sleep. For that to happen, society must be dismantled, the final incarnations of Vishnu are associated not with preservation but with closure...

Comparison of Two Krsnas:

Krsna of Vrindavana: A Mischievous and romantic rake

Krsna of Dwarka: A shrewd strategist.

Krsna of Vrindavana: Appeals to the Heart

Krsna of Dwarka: Appeals to the Head

Krsna of Vrindavana: Rural setting

Krsna of Dwarka: Urban setting

Krsna of Vrindavana: Enchants cows witht the music of his flute.

Krsna of Dwarka: Controls horses with his whip

Krsna of Vrindavana: Lover of 16,108 Gopis

Krsna of Dwarka: Husband of 16,108 queens

Krsna of Vrindavana: Protects the village from natural calamitie,, such as forest fire and torrential rains and dangerous animal and venomous snake.

Krsna of Dwarka: Establishes cities and protects them from ambitious kings such as Jarasandha and Shalva

Krsna of Vrindavana: Leaves the village with a promise to return 

Krsna of Dwarka: Is cursed to die after witnessing the collapse of his city and death of his family

Krsna of Vrindavana: Associated with Milk and Romance

Krsna of Dwarka: Associated with blood and war

Krsna of Vrindavana: Radha is his heart beat

Krsna of Dwarka: Rukmini is his head queen.

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