Krsna: Lord or Avatara? by Freda Matchett

Author:Freda Matchett [Matchett, Freda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Ethnic Studies, General, Regional Studies
ISBN: 9781136118340
Google: ut8rBgAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2013-01-11T03:42:37+00:00

They have already been recognised by the garland-seller as ‘the supreme cause of the whole universe’ (viṣvasya jagataḥ kāraṇaṃ param, 10.41.46), and for the spectators in the arena:

These two are Lord Hari Nārāyaṇa in person, who has manifested aspects of himself by descending here in Vasudeva's house (etau bhagavataḥ sākṣād dharer nārāyanasya hi / avatīrṇāv ihāṃśena vasudevasya veśmani // 10.43.23)

The effect of the sight of Kṛṣṇa upon the women of Mathurā is particularly devastating (41.24–9,31). They become confused (v.25), leave their tasks, however urgent (v.26) and envy the cowherd women (who had earlier envied them) for having been so closely associated with Kṛṣṇa (10.41.31; cf. 10.44.13–16).

Like the Viṣṇu, the Bhāgavata has a fairly restrained account of the death of Kaṃsa and the other deaths which immediately precede it. Rather than dwelling upon the physical agonies suffered by Kaṃsa at Kṛṣṇa's hands, it describes his mental panic after hearing that his great bow has been broken. On the last night of his life, portents of death crowd in upon him (10.42.26–31). His obsessive hatred of Kṛṣṇa is stressed in 10.44.33. There is no suggestion after his death that Kṛṣṇa feels any kind of remorse towards Kaṃsa's widows. On the contrary, the widows themselves say that their husband's plight was the result of his disregard of Kṛṣṇa (10.44.47–8).

The Bhāgavata shows a concern for tying up loose ends at this point in the story which is shared neither by the Viṣṇu nor the Harivaṃśa. Besides installing Ugrasena as king in his son's place (vv12–14), Kṛṣṇa also welcomes home those who have left Mathurā during Kaṃsa's rule. To the meeting with Vasudeva and Devakī related in Viṣṇu 5.20.95–105 is added another with Nanda in which Kṛṣṇa sends him and his people home with words of afffection and gratitude. The Bhāgavata alone says that Kṛṣṇa and Rāma are invested with the sacred thread at this point (10.45.26–30), and that Sāndīpani teaches them ‘the whole of the Vedas, with their auxiliary branches and Upanisads’ (vedān akhilān saṅgopanisada, v.33) as well as the use of weapons.

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