Sri Krishna: A Socio-Political and Philosophical Study

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Since my childhood I had always experienced an attrac- tion for Lord Sri Krsna. This attraction grew stronger and stronger with the passing of time, and ultimately it transformed almost into a passion for studying his striking activities, performed (by him) during his life-time, and his divine teachings, as contained in the Mahabharata and the Bhagvad Gitä. While studying Krsna, I formed an impression that he happened to be the greatest politician, the world has ever produced, besides his being the foremost social reformer and religious and philo- sophical synthesist. In later years, this impression became fully confirmed, and I ultimately decided to embark upon a programme of writing a full-length book on Sri Krsna, with the above facts in view.

There can be no doubt that an extraordinary personality, combining in himself the qualities of a hero, a statesman, a warrior and a philosopher, did exist at a time about which we have no authoritative record, and that he grew to enormous proportions in the race-memory of the Aryans, so much so that he came to be revered as an avatara (incarnation of the Supreme God) and countless traditions and legends grew up about the 'Ideal Man' according to the varying psychological and spiritual levels of the ages that followed. Sri Krsna him- self admitted (the Gita, IX. 11) that he was not an ordinary man and that he was the Lord of all living beings. Indeed, he was born as an ordinary (mortal) individual, but he was in possession of such uncommon abilities and qualities that he came to be recognised first as a great man and later as the very Godhead. In the Bhagavata Purana (1. 3-28), he is recognised as God Himself (Krinastu Bhagavan-svayam).

The charisma of Lord Krishna and his philosophy of 'Karmayoga' have inspired the Indian people through the ages. He has come to be revered as an incarnation of God-through- out the length and breadth of our country. There may be some who doubt his historicity but no one who does not regard him a great spiritual leader, a statesman, philosopher and guide and that is why he is known as Vasudeva. He does not belong to Mathura or Vrindaban or to Vraja Pradesh alone but is a part of the living Indian tradition. In this world torn by strife and conflicts, he is a cohesive force and today. the cult of Krishna consciousness transcends even national boundaries.

The Krishna of Dharmaksetra Kuruksetra emerges as an eternal force-a Shakti, conveying his message to the world through Bhagwad Gita. Here he is cast in a mould different from one in the midst of Gopis or one performing Raslila or killing a demon. In Gita, Krishna is the man of action; strongly urging the king to fight for the right cause. The doctrine he preaches is that he who has not learnt to wage the the war of life does not inherit anything here or hereafter; and that creation, preservation and destruction are but phases of the cycle of nature.

I have read Dr. R.C. Gupta's treatise on Sri Krishna with absorbing interest. He has tried to explode a number of myths concerning the life and character of Lord Krishna. It is a scholarly work brsed on original sources and critical intepretation of the existing literature on the sudject.

**Contents and Sample Pages**