परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् ।
धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥४-८॥
Transliteration:
Through Bhagavad Gita chapter 4 verse 8 Lord Krishna emphasizes to Arjuna reasons for coming of an avatar (God manifest in human form). What cosmic phenomenon… what upheavals in society mandated coming of an avatar (God manifest in human form)! Lord Krishna for himself never even once said he was an avatar of that era! Vedas (Hinduism revelations), Upanishads (independent treatises) and Advaita Vedanta doctrine of Hinduism propagated by Adi Shankaracharya makes it absolutely clear that God Almighty was the only truth of life. Other than God Almighty nothing exists in entire cosmos.
When whole cosmos results from doings of God Almighty, maintaining order in cosmic system also is responsibility of God Almighty! In a situation of utter chaos when adharma (lawlessness) bared its fangs and evil tendencies peaked… to save humble and pious, God Almighty manifest self to save mankind from rigors of day-to-day life. Those with godly thinking, sages and saintly people need to be saved even at cost of exterminating those guilty! Saving lives of innocent on mother earth is direct responsibility of God Almighty. Evil mongers, those indulging in crime need to be dealt with an iron hand. Dharma (righteousness) needs to be established at all costs.
Re-establishing Dharma (righteousness) was not an easy task… something that could be accomplished by manifest human being, the physical form! It is in times of such distress… God Almighty manifests self to cleanse society of its ills and place Dharma (righteousness) back on its footing. To bring order in society if death of untold millions was necessitated, then so be it! Sinners must not go unpunished. Those indulging in heinous crimes must get a befitting reply to their ugly acts of omission! Mounted with this power of enthusiasm Lord Krishna emphasizes to Arjuna that Yuga after Yuga… manifestation of God Almighty was ordained in cosmic system! Even God Almighty could not refuse his coming to maintain law and order in society.
The Explanation:
Kali Yuga… the Dark Age, metal age is that period in the entire history of mankind when moral and ethical values take a back seat. With passage of time values in society finally declined to its lowest ebb. Even efforts by man gods like Mahavira, Gautama Buddha, Jesus Christ and Prophet Mohammed would fail to restore order in society. None except God Almighty himself could succeed in re-establishing Dharma (righteousness). Order needs to be established in a society where values are in decline day by day. It is only at the end of ghor Kali Yuga God Almighty manifests self in human form to re-establish Dharma (righteousness).
As God Almighty was pure cosmic consciousness… direct manifestation of God Almighty on mother earth was totally ruled out! It is in such times mankind witnesses coming of a saviour, messiah… who against all odds, adversities finally succeeds in re-establishing Dharma (righteousness) against evil forces of adharma (lawlessness). This messiah, saviour in Hinduism is termed as an avatar (God manifest in human form). Such was the power exhibited by Lord Krishna in battle of Mahabharata between Pandavas and Kauravas that people mistook Lord Krishna for God himself. An ordinary mortal manifests so much godly power that people called him direct manifestation of God Almighty on mother earth. Lord Krishna was an avatar of his era (God manifest in human form). None could parallel or equal powers of Lord Krishna.
In a society dominated by ego and materialistic riches, those with godly thinking found it difficult to survive. People following ethical and moral values to the hilt could not withstand onslaught of barbarians who delighted in haunting truthful people. To save these saintly people, commoners… masses from existing ills of society, torments of perpetrators of crime… one amongst us finally lifts arms by manifesting godly powers that be. In such times of distraught… no spiritual master could survive. History is replete with instances when renowned saints and sages of different era suffered at hands of such willful tormentors. It is only in times of full adversity; manifestation of godly powers became an absolute reality on mother earth! Lord Krishna was one such person who took unto himself responsibility of cleansing entire mankind on mother earth.
Lord Krishna was such an avatar… saviour, messiah of Dwapar Yuga who finally fought these tormentors to hilt and succeeded in re-establishing law and order in society. But all acts of Lord Krishna were passive, indirect! He manifested his powers through Arjuna by defeating Kauravas in the sacred battle of Mahabharata. The battle of Mahabharata was no ordinary battle. In history of Hinduism it has been termed as Dharma Yuddha (battle of Dharma, righteousness). Such battles are fought once at the end of cycles of Yuga. Every 3500 to 5000 years, society comes full circle! When values in society reach its lowest ebb, a Dharma yuddha (nuclear war of highest proportions) was mandated by God Almighty. Total cleansing of the society was made possible only by a mother of all wars… a full-scale nuclear war!
The transition from Kali Yuga to Satyuga (golden era) was gradual! Nothing gigantic could be accomplished overnight. For winning Dharma yuddha of Mahabharata, Lord Krishna indulged in very meticulous planning at each and every stage of war! If rot in society is to be removed forever… one needs the administrative capability of Chanakya coupled with that of a man God like Mahavira, Gautama Buddha, Jesus Christ or prophet Mohammed. Chanakya got hundred kings killed in one night. To save lives of millions… if a few hundred are eliminated, then no sin is incurred as per Lord Krishna! An avatar… a saviour, messiah always indulged in welfare of entire mankind… not a few limited kingly people! Only an ordinary mortal totally truthful in life could manifest powers of God that be. For an avatar, practicing ruthlessness was unavoidable!
Unless God comes and re-establishes Dharma (righteousness)… faith of mankind in God Almighty could not withstand test of time! Almost similar conditions as existed in times of Lord Krishna exist today. Then came Lord Krishna and in present people await coming of Kalki avatar… a saviour, messiah of present era! Such would-be the ruthlessness practiced by this one-man army that he alone would be responsible for death of 5.5 million people! In the awaited world war 3, another 1200 million people world over are expected to perish! Such would-be chaos world over that only teachings contained in Bhagavad Gita could provide the needed succor to ailing mankind. Mankind having learnt its bitter lessons… the aftermath of world war 3 would witness start of golden period… Satyuga (golden era)!
The spiritual power that lay hidden in Bhagavad Gita was unique! As per Bhagavad Gita… the physical manifest life carried no meaning! The truth of life always laid elsewhere. It was our soul atman, the consciousness within that was the absolute master and controller of human life. Every soul atman in its cosmic sojourn manifested human form to work out its karma… remove dross impurities within! By travelling spiritual path when human beings finally succeeded in reaching stage of enlightenment forever; in absence of dross impurities within… our soul atman, the spirit within finally regained its lost original pure prime pristine primordial form. No sooner an enlightened one left mortal frame, one reached stage of salvation moksha forever. The liberated soul atman finally entered abode of God (kingdom of God)… termed Vaikuntha in Hinduism!
The concept of an avatar in Hinduism was unique in all respects! The essence of spirituality lay in scriptures of Hinduism. Only by assimilating pearls of wisdom contained in Bhagavad Gita… human beings finally realized shallowness of manifest physical life! For travelers of spiritual path… nothing could be nobler than coming of Kalki avatar in present times.
Commentary by: Vijay Kumar “Atma Jnani”… The Man who Realized God in 1993 – May 14, 2013
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