9/5/2014 Krishna's Game of War

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Krishnas Game of War
04 Feb 2014 0 Comment
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Sadhguru narrates a story from the Kurukshetra war to illustrate why
involvement is the key in life, whether we already know the outcome or
not. Among the lesser known of the many Mahabharata stories, this short
South Indian tale is also a unique Krishna story, featuring a king from
Udupi and Krishnas penchant for peanuts.
Questioner: Sadhguru, it is said that Sage Vyasa wrote Mahabharata
even before it happened, and only then did all these events occur. It is also
said that someone told Kamsa that Krishna would come and kill him. How
can people know things before they actually happen?
Sadhguru: Thats called a prophecy. Are some parts of our lives
predetermined, and if it is so, what is the point of all this striving? I have
to tell you a story from the Mahabharata. During the Kurukshetra war,
which was described as the Dharma Yuddha, the mother of all battles, no
one could remain neutral. You had to be either on the Kaurava side or the
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9/5/2014 Krishna's Game of War
http://www.ishafoundation.org/blog/yoga-meditation/history-of-yoga/krishnas-game-of-war/ 2/5
The reason why
you should not
know your future
is, if I tell you
what will happen
tomorrow, you
will not
participate in
todayKrishna is
not like that he
knows tomorrow,
but still, he totally
participates in
today.
Pandava side. Hundreds of kings started aligning themselves on either
side. Since Jarasandha of Magadha, who used to be a major force, was
dead, his grandsons had split up. Most of the Magadhas joined the
Kaurava side; a few of them joined the Pandava side. Almost the whole of
Arya Varta took sides. Only one chose to remain neutral the king of
Udupi.
This Udupi king said to Krishna,
Everyone is going to fight. Those
who fight a battle have to eat. I will
be the caterer for the Kurukshetra
war. You know, the Udupi cuisine
is quite popular. Even today, a lot
of the Udupi people are caterers.
Krishna said, Fine. Someone has
to cook and serve, so you do it.
The Udupi king was serving food
for both sides.
The battle lasted for 18 days. Every
day, thousands of people died. It
was a challenge to manage the
catering. If you keep cooking for
the same number of people, a lot
of food would go waste. If you cook
less and the soldiers do not have
enough food, it will not be good
either. But the Udupi king served
well. Amazingly, every day when
he cooked, the food was enough for all the soldiers, and no food was
wasted. People were amazed how he managed to cook the exact amount of
food, because no one knew how many people died on each day. By the time
they took accounts, it would have been too late. Definitely, the caterer did
not know how many people died on that day, but every day, he cooked
exactly the amount of food that was necessary for the remaining soldiers.
When someone asked the Udupi king how he managed this, he said,
Every day in the night, Krishna likes to eat boiled peanuts. I peel them
and keep them in a bowl. He eats just a few peanuts, and after he is done, I
count to see how many he has eaten. If he has eaten 10 peanuts, I know
tomorrow 10,000 will die, so I cook tomorrows food for 10,000 people
less. Every day, I count these peanuts and cook accordingly, so it turns out
right.
Life happens on many levels. There is a poem in Eternal Echoes about
knowing the beginning and the end it is called Pranam.
Poem
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9/5/2014 Krishna's Game of War
http://www.ishafoundation.org/blog/yoga-meditation/history-of-yoga/krishnas-game-of-war/ 3/5
My awareness knows yesterdays and tomorrows,
my loves domain is only today
Knowing the beginning and the end,
still have to play the game in the middle
The joy of love was coupled
with life-taking venom,
the wondrous grace of the Guru
with heart-breaking sadhana
The fire of enlightenment
with ridicule and failure
the blissfulness of the being,
the rapture of fulfillment, enjoined
with the pain of the body
Is this a joke
Is this Shivas will
Is he compassion
Or cruel
O Shambho! Let me tell one and all:
I do not want it any other way,
I do not want it any other way!
- Sadhguru
In this story, Krishnas predicament is the same Knowing the beginning
and the end, still have to play the game in the middle. People always want
to know their future. The reason why you should not know your future is,
if I tell you what will happen tomorrow, you will not participate in today. If
I tell you that you are going to die tomorrow, you will say, If I am anyway
going to die, why should I meditate? Why should I go to work? This is the
state of mind you are in. Krishna is not like that he knows tomorrow, but
still, he totally participates in today.
Knowing the beginning and the end, you still have to play the game in the
middle. Otherwise, there is no game, because the game is only in the
moment. Now you may ask, Knowing tomorrow, you are still making us
play today? You must play today even if you know tomorrow. Or you
must withdraw from all play, but you are not capable of that. Anyway you
play so better play well. You anyway have to perform action why do it
half-heartedly? Better to do it well.
Editors Note: Watch the Leela series, where Sadhguru explores the life
and path of Krishna. Available as a free webstream one part every
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POSTED IN: YOGA & MEDITATION, HISTORY OF YOGA, SADHGURU, MASTER'S
WORDS
TAGS:
Forest Flower, krishna stories, mahabharata stories
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Duryodhanas Big Mistake

No Black and White in Life
Krishnas Game of War
Image courtesy: Fight between Bishma and Arjuna from Wikipedia
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