We have heard innumerable stories about Lord Vishnu’s Eighth Avatar or incarnation better known as Shri Krishna He was referred to as the purna avatar because he never backed out of revealing his true form to his devotees and was an epitome of kindness, compassion and empathy. There are stories about him lifting the Govardhan Parvat( Mountain) on his little finger to showing his mother the entire universe in his mouth.
Krishna is represented in the Indian traditions in many ways, but with some common features iconography typically depicts him with black, dark, or blue skin, like Vishnu.
The fundamental differences between Shri Rama( the Seventh Incarnation) and Shri Krishna were:
Shri Rama: He was referred to as Maryada Purushottam. He was the ideal son, husband and father. The era he lived in, believed in upholding the moral code or dharma irrespective of all consequences. That is why he chose to live out his exile or send his wife away from him to maintain his responsibility to the people as a ruler.
Shri Krishna on the other hand was born in an era where morality was already declining. Being a god he knew the final consequences of all events yet he could not actively intervene. He instead chose the path with least collateral damage. His choices being more like choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea. He gave the believers in him hope, his solutions often being more of divine strategy then of moral responsibility.
Unlike Krishna’s life and times which is well documented there are many arguments that surround about his death. While some believe that Krishna died at the age of 125 while another set of people say that his age of passing was 88.
I’ll like to share some stories of Krishna regarding the avatar’s passing
The most popular legend is as follows:
At the end of Kurukshetra War what was left was devastation and destruction everywhere. Gandhari the mother of the Kauravas was grieving the death of her sons in the battle which according to her could have been avoided. Krishna and the Pandavas came up to her to offer condolences and apologies. But by then her grief had turned into deep seated anger against them.
With help of Sanjay, King Dhritarashtra’s escort, Gandhari confronted and cursed Krishna that if her devotion towards Lord Vishnu and her allegiance towards her husband were true, then 36 years later he would die, Dwaraka would perish and the entire Yadava clan be destroyed in the manner that he had made kings of Kuru kill one another. Krishna allowed Gandhari to vent out her venom and he accepted the curse quietly with a gentle smile on his face.
Gandhari , with her anger all gone, fell down at Krishna’s feet and begged forgiveness. He then assured her that her curse would take effect not only because of her true devotion to him but that change is inevitable as that is the law of the Universe.
After Yudhishtra’s coronation as the king of Hastinapur,Krishna went back to Dwaraka from where he ruled a kingdom where people were happy, peaceful and prosperous.
One of Krishna’s sons Samba (by his wife Jambavati) was said to be notorious for troubling people.Once great rishis among who were Vishwamitra, Durvasa,Vashishta and Narada came visiting Dwaraka. Samba and his friends decided to play a prank on them. Samba disguised himself as a pregnant woman and was escorted by his friends to the audience with the rishis. They were then requested to predict whether the woman would give birth to a son or a daughter. The great rishis saw through the disguise and feeling insulted cursed Samba by saying that he would give birth to an iron mace that would be responsible for the death of his entire clan.
The unground bit of the iron ended up in the stomach of a fish that was caught by a hunter named Jara who used this piece as a tip of an arrow. Their words came true with Samba delivering an iron mace. When King Ugrasena was told about this he advised Samba and his friends to grind the iron mace and cast the dust into the Prabas Sea. The careless boys,however left a tiny piece of iron intact and cast it. Over the years the ground up iron washed on to shore and drew onto Eraka grass which was used by the Yadavas to make weapons. Once during the festivities a fight ensued amongst the Yadavas and it ended with entire clan fighting each other and finally being destroyed.
One day while Krishna was meditating under a tree Jara mistook his partly visible left foot for that of a deer and shot at it with the iron tipped arrow.On discovering that it was Krishna whom he had shot fatally, Jara was besides himself. But Krishna, who knew it was time for him to shed his avatar, forgave Jara
Discovering his mistake, he begged for forgiveness but Krishna revealed that in Tretayug, Krishna was Rama and he had deceived Vali (Sugreeva's brother) by shooting him from behind and was now reaping the result of his karma. Vali had been reincarnated as Jara and was destined to kill Krishna.
Thus ended the Eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
