In terms of behaviour, Sri Krishna and Rama are poles apart though both are the Avatars of Vishnu.
Lord Rama was an Idealist.
Gandhari, Dhritarashtra’s wife
Krishna a Pragmatist.
For Rama Means were as important as the End.
For Krishna End justified the Means, in upholding Dharma.
Rama grew up amidst Royalty,
Krishna among cowherd never became a King, remained a prince throughout his life.
Krishna married two women,Rukmini and Sathyabhama, while Rama was steadfast only to Sita.(read my post 16,000 wives of Krishna).
Rama was personally attached to His parents, wife, friends.
Krishna detached attachment.
Krishna gained nothing for His labours.
Rama gained His Kingdom and regained His wife.
Rama was so attached to Lakshmana, His brother that He breathed His last when He heard Lakshmana left His Body.
Krishna paid Rama’s debts.
Rama killed Vali ,hiding behind tress, Krishna was killed by a Hunter in stealth.
Laksmana served Rama.
Krishna served Balarama who was an Avatar of Lakshmana in Dwapara Yuga.
Krishna was so detached, He endorsed the destruction of His Death and of His Clan, due to a Curse by Kandhari.
According to Mahabharata, the Kurukshetra war resulted in the death of all 100 sons of Gandhari. On the night before Duryodhana’s death, Lord Krishna visited Gandhari to offer his condolences. Gandhari felt that Krishna knowingly did not put an end to the war, and in a fit of rage and sorrow, Gandhari cursed that Krishna, along with everyone else from Yadu dynasty, would perish after 36 years. Krishna himself knew and wanted this to happen as he felt that the Yadavas had become very haughty and arrogant (adharmi), so he ended Gandhari’s speech by saying “tathastu” (so be it).
The more one reads Sanskrit Literature,Tamil ,Puranas , Ramayana and Mahabharata, one finds a connection between the Sanatana Dharma and their Dravidian roots.
I have posted a few articles on this subject.
Trincomalee Temple.
Of Lord Rama’s ancestor having lived in the south and migrated to Ayodhya to establish the Kingdom.
Of a Chera King having participated in the Mahabharata War,of his having performed Tharpana for those killed in the Mahabharata war.
Of Arjuna marrying a Pandya Princess.
There is more,
Of King Sibi and Manu Needhi Chola.
King Sibi cut his own flesh to for a hawk to save a dove.
Many Needhi Cholan ran his son over for rendering Justice to a Cow.
Cholas carry the name Chembian, Tamil version of Sibi.
Sibi is dated between c 100 C.E. to c. 1250 C.E.
Manu Needhi Cholan was also called Ellala’,one who ruled the Boundary’
He is reported to have expanded the Koneswaram Temple in Sr Lanka.
Developed from 205 BC, the original kovil combined key features to form its basic Dravidian temple plan, such as its thousand pillared hall – “Aayiram Kaal Mandapam” – and the Jagati expanded by King ElaraManu Needhi Cholan. Regarded as the greatest building of its age for its architecture, elaborate sculptural bas-relief ornamentation adorned a black granite megalith while its multiple gold plated gopuram towers were expanded in the medieval period.(wiki)
Ellalan got the title Manu Needhi Cholan because he has executed his own son to provide justice to a Cow. Legend has it that the king hung a giant bell in front of his courtroom for anyone needing justice to ring. One day, he came out on hearing the ringing of the bell by a Cow. On enquiry he found that the Calf of that Cow was killed under the wheels of his chariot. In order to provide justice to the cow, he killed his own son Veedhividangan under the chariot as a punishment to himself i.e. make himself suffer as much as the cow.[5] Impressed by the justice of the king, Lord Shiva blessed him and brought back the calf and his son alive. He has been mentioned in theSilappatikaram and Periya Puranam.[6]His name has since then been used as a metaphor for fairness and justice in Tamil literature. His capital was Thiruvarur.
Chronicles such as the Yalpana Vaipava Malai and stone inscriptions like Konesar Kalvettu recount that Kulakkottan, an early Chola king and descendant of Manu Needhi Cholan, was the restorer of the ruined Koneswaram temple and tank at Trincomalee in 438 A.D., theMunneswaram temple of the west coast, and as the royal who settled ancient Vanniyars in the east of the island Eelam(wiki)
The Mahabharata war between the Kauravas and Panadvas was of epic proportions and it lasted for eighteen days.
Millions were killed and only a few remained alive after the war.
Please read my post on this.
What were the weapons used and with what effect?
The war started on Kartheeka Bahula Amavasya (end of the Kartheeka and the start of the Margasira lunar month), moon on Jyesta star, on Tuesday early morning.( This is under dispute, I shall be posting on this)
Solar eclipse also happened on that day and this Muhurth was kept by SriKrishna himself.
As usual Krishna did not directly fix the Muhurta.
Mahabharata War.
Sahadeva fixed it and Krishna manipulated the Solar Eclipse to happen a Day earlier, knowing well it was started on the Day of Solar Eclipse the one who chooses that date would win.
Duryodhana was tricked into fixing this date.
This day was not the Amavasya, when Solar Eclipse happens, but a Day earlier.
This Amavasya is called the Bodhayana Amavasya.
Asi , Special Sword of Brahma.
Brahma performed a Yagna, when a demon-like being sprang from the midst of the sacrificial fires scattering flames all around.
His teeth were sharp and terrible, stomach lean and skinny ,very tall ,slim and very powerful.
Simultaneously, the earth started shaking, there were turmoil in the oceans, the forceful winds started howling all around, the trees started falling and being torn apart, and the meteors started blazing through the skies!
Brahma declared: The ‘being’ I have conceived is Asi. It shall effect the destruction of the enemies of the gods and restore the Dharma.
Upon this, the creature assumed the form of a blazing, sharp-edged sword, glowing like the flames at the end of the Kalpa.(Shantiparva,Mahabharata)
Sudarsan Chakra.
2.Vishnu/Krishna’s Disk.
Though Krishna vowed not to bear arms in the mahabharata War, he became angry at the rate Bhishma was killing the Pandava Sena, He bore the Disk on His hand .
As Bhishma Bowed and prayed Krishna reminding subtly that He had vowed not to bear arms Krishna withdrew it.
3.Chentu.
A chentu is a horse whip which looks like a crooked stick, and is a typical attribute of Lord Ayyanar, Krishna in his aspect as Rajagopala, and Shiva with Nandi.
The attribute of chentu, which is etymologically derived from a Tamil word, generally appears in Southern India, especially in Hindu images of Tamil Nadu state, India.
This was used by all the warriors in the War.
4.The elephant/hathi goad or Ankusa (Sanskrit) .
A tool employed in the handling and training of elephants. It consists of a hook (usually bronze or steel) which is attached to a handle.
The hook is inserted into the elephant’s sensitive skin, either slightly or more deeply, to cause pain and induce the elephant to behave in a certain manner.
5.Kandiva, the Bow of Arjuna.
This was given to him by Agni after Ajuna allowed Agni(Fire) to devour the Kandava Forest.
This was kept in the custody of Varuna.
Beside Lord Krishna no one except Arjuna could wield the bow in the mortal world.
6.Khatvanga is a long, club or staff created to be used as a weapon.
It is a divine weapon of polysemic significance and accoutrement of chthonic deities and ‘left-handed path’ (Sanskrit: vamamarga) holy people in
Dharmic Traditions such as Shaivism.
7.Narayanastra.
One of the three Great weapons of Mass destruction, others being Brahmastra, Pasupatastra, Narayanstra would destroy anything and the only way to escape its wrath is to drop all the weapons and prostrate before it.
Aswathama used it unsuccessfully and under instructions from Krishna Arjuna had it withdrawn.
8.Brahmastra-Though not used in the Mahabharata war, it is one of the Great weapons.
Please read my post on this.
9.Pasupathstra.
Though this was obtained by Arjuna from Lord Shiva, Karna from Parasurama, Arjuna did not have the occasion to use this and Karna could not as he
was cursed to forget the launching Mantra, by Parasurama.
10.Aindra astra: Presiding Deity: Indra, the god of weather Weapon’s Effect: Would bring about a shower of arrows from the sky.
Used by both the sides.
11.Varunasta.
Presiding Deity,Varuna, Water.
This will ensure heavy downpour.
12.Vayvastra,
Presiding Deity, Vayu, God of Wind.
This will create uncontrollable winds.
13.Vasvi astra: A deadly weapon like Pasupata.
Karna used this.
14.Vajra: Indra’s favorite weapon. Arjuna used this.
15.Indrastra.
A powerful missile used to scatter the opposing army. Users. Arjuna,Drona, Ashwatthama, Yudhishthira.
16.
Naga astra: Presiding Deity: The Nagas Weapon’s Effect: The weapon would have an un-erring aim and take on the form of a snake, proving deadly upon impact.
Karna used this unsuccessfully against Arjuna.
Krishna saved Arjuna from its wrath.
Apart from these traditional weapons like Sword, Spear, Bows and Arrows, Gada, Dagger were used.
You must be logged in to post a comment.