Uddhava's query “Why Krishna didn't stop the dice game?”
Krishna, you were a dear friend of the Pandavas. They trusted you fully as Apadhbhandava (protector from all difficulties). You not only know what is happening, but you know what is going to happen. You are a great gyani. Just now you gave the definition of a true, close friend. Then why did you not act as per that definition. Why did you not stop Dharmaraja [Yudhishtra] from playing the gambling game? Ok, you did not do it; why did you not turn the luck in favour of Dharmaraja, by which you would have ensured that dharma wins. You did not do that also. You could have at least saved Dharmaraja by stopping the game after he lost his wealth, country and himself. You could have released him from the punishment for gambling. Or, you could have entered the hall when he started betting his brothers. You did not do that either. At least when Duryodhana tempted Dharmaraja by offering to return everything lost if he betted Draupadi (who always brought good fortune to Pandavas), you could have intervened and with your divine power you could have made the dices roll in a way that is favorable to Dharmaraja. Instead, you intervened only when Draupadi almost lost her modesty and now you claim that you gave clothes and saved Draupadi's modesty; how can you even claim this – after her being dragged into the hall by a man and disrobed in front of so many people, what modesty is left for a woman? What have you saved? Only when you help a person at the time of crisis, can you be called 'Apadhbandhava'. If you did not help in the time of crisis, what is the use? Is it Dharma?’
As per this blog post and this Facebook post, the following is a conversation that took place between Uddhava and Sri Krishna in the Uddhava Gita. Is there any truth to this story/conversation? Is it part of another Purana or scripture?
Uddhava asks:
Krishna, you were a dear friend of the Pandavas. They trusted you fully as Apadhbhandava (protector from all difficulties). You not only know what is happening, but you know what is going to happen. You are a great gyani. Just now you gave the definition of a true, close friend. Then why did you not act as per that definition. Why did you not stop Dharmaraja [Yudhishtra] from playing the gambling game? Ok, you did not do it; why did you not turn the luck in favour of Dharmaraja, by which you would have ensured that dharma wins. You did not do that also. You could have at least saved Dharmaraja by stopping the game after he lost his wealth, country and himself. You could have released him from the punishment for gambling. Or, you could have entered the hall when he started betting his brothers. You did not do that either. At least when Duryodhana tempted Dharmaraja by offering to return everything lost if he betted Draupadi (who always brought good fortune to Pandavas), you could have intervened and with your divine power you could have made the dices roll in a way that is favorable to Dharmaraja. Instead, you intervened only when Draupadi almost lost her modesty and now you claim that you gave clothes and saved Draupadi's modesty; how can you even claim this – after her being dragged into the hall by a man and disrobed in front of so many people, what modesty is left for a woman? What have you saved? Only when you help a person at the time of crisis, can you be called 'Apadhbandhava'. If you did not help in the time of crisis, what is the use? Is it Dharma?’
Krishna laughs and says:
================================================================Dear Uddhava, the law of this world is: "only the one who has Viveka (intelligence through discrimination), wins." While Duryodhana had viveka, Dharmaraja lacked it. That is why Dharmaraja lost.While Duryodhana had lots of money and wealth to gamble, he did not know how to play the game of dice. That is why he used his Uncle Shakuni to play the game while he betted. That is viveka.Dharmaraj also could have thought similarly and offered that I, his cousin, would play on his behalf. If Shakuni and I had played the game of dice, who do you think would have won? Can he roll the numbers I am calling or would I roll the numbers he is asking. Forget this. I can forgive the fact that he forgot to include me in the game. But, without viveka, he did another blunder. He prayed that I should not come to the hall as he did not want me to know that through ill-fate he was compelled to play this game. He tied me with his prayers and did not allow me to get into the hall; I was just outside the hall waiting for someone to call me through their prayers. Even when Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva were lost, they were only cursing Duryodhana and brooding over their fate; they forgot to call me. Even Draupadi did not call me when Dusshasan held her hair and dragged her to fulfil his brother’s order. She was also arguing in the hall, based on her own abilities. She never called me. Finally good sense prevailed; when Dusshasan started disrobing her, she gave up depending on her own strength, and started shouting ‘Hari, Hari, Abhayam Krishna, Abhayam’ and shouted for me. Only then I got an opportunity to save her modesty. I reached as soon as I was called. I saved her modesty. What is my mistake in this situation?
While the battle of Kurushetra was at its peak, Arjuna and Karna were fighting each other. It was a battle to witness, a flurry of arrows were being exchanged, and even Gods were witnessing this epic battle between the 2 warriors.
Arjuna would shoot his arrows and the impact of these arrows would be so much that Karna’s chariot would go back by 25–30 feet. People who witnessed this were amazed by the skills of Arjuna.
Karna was no less. When he shot arrows, Arjuna’s chariot would also shake and go back by 3–4 feet.
More than everyone, Krishna would applaud Karna every time his arrow hit Arjuna’s chariot. But not once did He applaud Arjuna’s skills.
At the end of the day, Arjuna asked Krishna: “Oh Lord, I have shot so many arrows at Karna’s chariot, it was being displaced like a feather in wind, but not once did you appreciate me. Rather, you would appreciate his skill despite his arrows just displacing my chariot a little”.
Krishna smiled and replied “Oh, Arjuna, remember, your chariot is protected by Hanuman at the top on your flag, Me as your charioteer in the front and by Sheshnag at its wheels, yet the whole chariot would still sway and displace whenever the valiant Karna hit us with his arrows”.
“But Karna’s chariot is not protected by any such force, he is on his own, yet he fights valiantly”.
It is said that after the battle of Kurushetra was over, Krishna refused to get off the chariot till Arjuna got down. Once Krishna alighted from the chariot, it caught fire and turned to dust.
Krishna said “Oh Arjuna, your chariot was destroyed by Karna a long time ago, it is I who was still protecting it.”
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Krishna’s Misery and His Longing for Unconditional Love:
This story is of the time when Lord Krishna was flourishing in each and every aspect of his life. He had an amazing kingdom whose citizens were ready to do anything for their beloved king. He had eight beautiful wives who loved him with all their heart and were ready to take every trouble which might come his way. He possessed every materialistic item present on the face of earth. Versifiers were writing the most amazing poems for him while illustrators were capturing his beauty in the form of Krishna paintings. He was surrounded by the wisest ministers who were ready to give up their lives for him. However, one day Krishna gets extremely sick. The entire kingdom is baffled and everyone is panicking. The most knowledgeable doctors, healers and therapists are present by Krishna’s side in order to understand the source of his illness and to treat him. But, to everyone’s surprise, even the most accomplished medics aren’t able to cure him. When nothing works, then the guru of Lord Krishna chooses to take things under his own control. He calls Narada, the Vedic and wandering sage, and tells him that Krishna’s ailment isn’t physical, his soul is longing for love and the only thing which has the ability to cure Krishna is the dust from the feet of eight women who love him unconditionally.
Narada is confused after listening to this statement from the guru and he smirks cynically as he wonders that this Krishna, who is surrounded by love from every possible way, needs more unconditional love. Narada isn’t able to come in terms with what the guru just said. But, because he’s given a task, he has to complete it. Narada assumes that this is going to be the easiest job that he has ever done and he heads straight to the castle where Krishna’s eight wives lived. The queens are enraged after listening to this demand of Narada’s. How dare he ask them to give the dirt of their feet for the man whom they love the most in the entire world? The furious queens, who are fuming with anger, get Narada thrown out of the castle. Confused with what just happened, Narada goes to the next eight women in the kingdom only to get rejection from their end. The ladies told him that they loved their Krishna with all their heart but how could they do this when the queens themselves refused. Narada then went to the next eight women and then next and then next eight and everywhere he gets the same answer. Now, Narada realises the words of guru and what he meant by the thirst of Krishna’s soul for love.
After facing numerous rejections from the women who claim to love Krishna unconditionally, Narada finally reaches the land where Krishna spent his youth. He went to the gopis, the women with whom Krishna had grown up and who loved him completely. As soon as the gopis see Narada, they gather around him and start bombarding him with questions, such as how is Krishna; does he still look the same; is he still that notorious, and queries of similar nature. Narada stops them in between and tells them that their Krishna is seriously ill. The only thing which can save him is the dirt of the feet of eight women who love him unconditionally. Without hesitating for even a single moment, one of the gopis pulls out her veil while the others start rubbing the dirt off their feet on to that veil. The gopis hand it to Narada and say that tell Krishna that we love him.
That is what you call the thirst of the soul!
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Once there was brahmana and as his wife gave birth to son but soon as the baby touched ground he died
Then brahmana gone to ugrasena's palace in dwarka and accused king that they are not ruling properly and they are unqualified ...
As his 8 other children died same way he repeated the same
( you might wonder why death of child and accusation to king this is because kings or ksatriyas should protect their citizen and look after welfare of their people)
At 9th time arjuna was there at court and after seeing this arjuna said ".... my Lord, I will protect your wife and children ,and if I fail to keep my promise, then I will enter a blazing fire to atone for my sin!"
At next birth of child Arjuna prepared himself by touching water and uttered mantra picked gandiva bow with pasupatastra arrow as baby was about to born he constructed a protective cover of arrow but as baby was born both child and his special arrow vanished
Lord krsna was there nearby watching entire incident apparently it is his lilas that krsna took away child with that special arrow (given by Lord śiva) which Arjuna was so proud of..
It's normal that krsna cut off false pride of his eternal devotees
Then Arjuna used his yogic power and searched the child in all planets of universe like samyamani (yamaraja's abode),brahmaloka and all planets but unable to find and bring the child and he was preparing to die like he vowed
As usual
the ocean of mercy (karuna sindhu)
protecter of devotees (bhaktha rakshaka)
Krsna stopped arjuna and said
Then brahmana gone to ugrasena's palace in dwarka and accused king that they are not ruling properly and they are unqualified ...
As his 8 other children died same way he repeated the same
( you might wonder why death of child and accusation to king this is because kings or ksatriyas should protect their citizen and look after welfare of their people)
At 9th time arjuna was there at court and after seeing this arjuna said ".... my Lord, I will protect your wife and children ,and if I fail to keep my promise, then I will enter a blazing fire to atone for my sin!"
At next birth of child Arjuna prepared himself by touching water and uttered mantra picked gandiva bow with pasupatastra arrow as baby was about to born he constructed a protective cover of arrow but as baby was born both child and his special arrow vanished
Lord krsna was there nearby watching entire incident apparently it is his lilas that krsna took away child with that special arrow (given by Lord śiva) which Arjuna was so proud of..
It's normal that krsna cut off false pride of his eternal devotees
Then Arjuna used his yogic power and searched the child in all planets of universe like samyamani (yamaraja's abode),brahmaloka and all planets but unable to find and bring the child and he was preparing to die like he vowed
As usual
the ocean of mercy (karuna sindhu)
protecter of devotees (bhaktha rakshaka)
Krsna stopped arjuna and said
“Come with me and I will show you the brahmana's sons. Then these same persons that now criticizing us will once again establish our spotless fame"
Now interesting part
The arjuna and krsna sat on chariot and passed over shapta dvipa (seven island) and crossed lokaloka boundary then entered vast region of darkness which are (or include) the coverings of the universe . In the dense darkness the lords horse hesitated to go and so Lord krsna sent his sudarśana chakra in front of the chariot to guide the way it was so bright that it was brighter than thousand suns
Then to brahmaloka (destinations of impersonalists) arjuna closed eyes due to brightness of brahmajyoti
From there they entered viraja or casual ocean or which is origin of material world
Then they saw ananthadeva(śesa) or a gigantic snake with thousands of hood with jewels white as snow blue tongues and blue necks
On śesadeva the Maha Vishnu lay down who is all powerful and all prevading ....Vishnu's complexion is like monsoon cloud dressed in bright yellow garments and always smiles extremely beautifully, his eight arms reach down his knees ,wears vaijayanti garland (The garland which is ever fresh), surrounded by nanda and sunanda (his associates) , as well as sudarśana chakra and innumerable personified energy's
Although krsna is the origin of Maha Vishnu, krsna bowed down to Maha Vishnu as did arjuna ( krsna is very unconventional and the supremest his lilas are beyond everything )
Arjuna scared of gigantic form of everything he simply followed krsna and stood up
Lord Maha Vishnu smiled and said " I brought the brahmanas sons here because I was very anxious to see the two of you. As soon as you finish killing the demons burdening the earth, quickly come back to your original position in the spiritual sky"
Then Arjuna and krsna returned dwarka with brahmanas sons with the same route
Then to brahmaloka (destinations of impersonalists) arjuna closed eyes due to brightness of brahmajyoti
From there they entered viraja or casual ocean or which is origin of material world
Then they saw ananthadeva(śesa) or a gigantic snake with thousands of hood with jewels white as snow blue tongues and blue necks
On śesadeva the Maha Vishnu lay down who is all powerful and all prevading ....Vishnu's complexion is like monsoon cloud dressed in bright yellow garments and always smiles extremely beautifully, his eight arms reach down his knees ,wears vaijayanti garland (The garland which is ever fresh), surrounded by nanda and sunanda (his associates) , as well as sudarśana chakra and innumerable personified energy's
Although krsna is the origin of Maha Vishnu, krsna bowed down to Maha Vishnu as did arjuna ( krsna is very unconventional and the supremest his lilas are beyond everything )
Arjuna scared of gigantic form of everything he simply followed krsna and stood up
Lord Maha Vishnu smiled and said " I brought the brahmanas sons here because I was very anxious to see the two of you. As soon as you finish killing the demons burdening the earth, quickly come back to your original position in the spiritual sky"
Then Arjuna and krsna returned dwarka with brahmanas sons with the same route
