Shri Krishna

As a kid, I used to enjoy reading Amar Chitra Kathas, the pictorial story books, an idea of the late Uncle Pai. It used to carry us to a world of our own, whether it is a mythological story or that pertaining to our freedom fighters or to a historical figure. As kids, we used to save our pocket monies to buy books and enjoy reading them at leisure. One of my favourite books used to be of Krishna. I have always been fascinated by Krishna. His mischievous childhood, His calmness and confidence as he grew up, His love for all and yet being devoid of attachment, His detachment for seeking power and yet the power that He retained over everyone, His ability to fulfil his promises even to his foes, His astute strategy were all qualities that I loved in Him. Recently, I relived the stories of Krishna in K.M.Munshi's seven volumes of Krishnavatara. I, like Swami Vivekananda, have wrested with the idea ( as I grew older and faced with life's troubles), if Krishna really existed. However, again like our Young national hero, I agree that Krishna as a character is the most influential character in our history. Every facet of His life is a lesson to be learnt and every teaching of His, especially His lectures on life to Arjuna in the battle of Kurukshetra, is indeed one which has stood the test of time and is relevant even today. Believing in Him has made my life easier to live and I believe He is the manifestation of the Universe's energy through which we were all created. It is a wonder that despite He being adored by a large section of people during the era in which He lived and He being called the avatar of the ultimate God, there were so many who were against Him. As Swami Vivekananda drew parallel to how Krishna was similar to Jesus in their birth, in the way we treated them and how they lived, one wonders why we did not spare even God in our prejudices. No wonder, we dont live and let live peacefully with fellow humans and other living creatures, who are equally entitled to live on this beautiful earth. Those who believe in Him would realize the true meaning of work is worship and become more tolerant. Jai Shri Krishna!