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Right to Left Dr Upma Chaturvedi in conversation with Vivek Sharma at Avadh Girls' College. Photo by Geetanjali Singh |
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Krishna and bathing Gopis! By Vivek Sharma
Why Krishna snatched clothes of bathing Gopis? What was it? Students misunderstand this act of Krishna. Can you clear their doubts ? A very intelligent and relevant question indeed came from Avadh Girls’ College principal (Dr) Upma Chaturvedi during Krishna Tarangam workshop at the college on October 11. It is a fact that people, specially youngsters, often misread the message buried in the act of Krishna. In fact, it is in complete harmony with what Krishna teaches during His legendary discourse, the Bhagwad Gita. Clothes represent the coverings of ego and memory. Unless you give them up, you can’t find true love for Intelligent Energy (Krishna). When you love Krishna, you have to give up all these outfits yourself! But, when Krishna loves you, He helps you by snatching your clothes His way. What happened after that? Gopis thought they were Krishna themselves! There is nothing obscene about it. They went through a spiritual procedure and evolved from their individuality to Universality―they became the principle, that is Krishna. Why to give example of Gopis alone? Krishna even stripped Arjuna of his ego and memory right in the middle of the battlefield. Those who have gone through the Mahabharat would recall how Krishna even stripped Yudhisthir of his ego of righteousness. Bheem had smashed Duryodhan waist down. Duryodhan was about to die but he knew that he could manage his way out of the field, he could survive. He began provoking Yudhisthir with clever words to make Yudhisthir use his righteous ego to let Duryodhan go. But, Krishna intervened and stripped Yudhisthir of his righteous ego by telling him, “Not again! You had already misused your sense of righteousness during the gambling episode by giving up everything and stopping Arjuna and Bheem from avenging their humiliation. It took you all 18 years for an opportunity to get it all back. Now leave your over righteous intervention, stay aside and spare the Pandavas from another bout of 18 years.” It is here Yudhishthir was stripped of his ego and set free by Krishna. I think youngsters must take Krishna as a principle and not as a personality. But, as long as they can’t catch hold of the principle, they can continue to adore Him as a person. But, try to understand the principle.
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