Uddhava Gita Poem by Shankaran Kutty

“I’m the scruples in the heart of all living beings
I ‘m their start, their being, their conclusion
I’m the wits of the senses,
I’m the beaming sun amongst lights
I’m the song in revered lore,
I’m the sovereign of deities
I’m the cleric of great seers…”

(Lord Krishna describes himself thus in the Bhagvad Gita. Yet, one very pertinent question I have always had when I read the Mahabharata, was asked by his good friend, Uddhava, in a discussion with Krishna just before the Lord returned to Vaikunta. “Why didn’t you stop the Mahabharata War? More pertinently, on that fateful day in Hastinapur, during the game of dice, why didn’t you let Yudhishtr win? Why did you allow Adharma to have its way? “ The response from the Lord is often known as Uddhava Gita or Hamsa Gita. A brief synopsis of Krishna’s response is what I have tried to depict in this effort.)

The greatest of wars was a distant memory
Faded, the ruins the war had wrought
Thirty Six years of Golden rule
To the land, the peace it craved had brought

For the Lord, the mission of this avatar done
It was time to ascend to his heavenly abode
With benevolence, Emperor Yudhishtr reigned
In peace, the mighty Yamuna flowed

And so it was one day, the Lord
Pulled his childhood friend aside
“Udhhava, my friend, from our childhood days
You have been my closest friend and guide.

But the time has come for me to leave
So pray, tell me what boon do you seek “
So in affection to his childhood friend
Madhava that day did fondly speak

On hearing his friend to him thus speak
Tears filled the eyes of the Yadava
Holding his friend in a warm embrace
Gently he began: “O Keshava

Your friendship has been my greatest boon
What more this life, would this old man need
Just your blessings that my remaining time
A life of goodness, I may lead.

Nothing I need, but since you ask
A question may I ask of thee
It has rankled in my mind forever my Lord
So the doubt, won’t you clear for me”

“Why doubt, my friend? ”, Lord Krishna said
To Udhhava, who stood by his side
“We have lived our lives in mutual trust
We never had anything to hide “

“You are the Lord of the seven worlds
You came, to uphold our Dharma
You taught us to lead a life of Good
You taught us the essence of Nishkarma

My Lord, many a time a disconnect
Between your words and deeds I did see
I have been at a loss to understand
If it is my ignorance, pardon me”

“My discourse to Arjuna” Lord Krishna said
As Bhagvad Gita, the world would know
And my response to you today, my friend
As Uddhava Gita, forever shall glow

So speak out and not for a moment shall thee
Hesitate to clear your mind
And pray, in my words the ultimate truth
I promise you shall find “

“That day in Hastinapur, my Lord
When was played the game of dice
Couldn’t you have stopped the Pandava King
From falling to the temptation of vice

For that day in Hastinapur my Lord
The seeds of the war were sown
When Draupadi you saved, yet Dharma was raped
Where, my friend, had you gone?

You could have stopped the game itself
Or helped the King of Dharma win
But it was the dance of the Devil that day
You helped perpetrate, the sin

They saw you as their protector, O Krishna
You were their Apatbandhava
Where were you when needed most
Your presence, to protect the Dharma?

And look around you today, your people
Kill each other, their race decimate
And yet you, you their leader hasn’t lifted a toe
But just left them to suffer their fate”

Thus spoke in anguish, the Yadava elder
The Lord himself, gave a wry smile
He lifted his head, wiped his friend’s tears
And thus gently spoke, after a while

“The Yadava race, by my presence, their fortune
Has grown to be so powerful, yet insolent
If I leave them thus and to the heavens depart
The human race itself will end

So for humanity, its greater good
The Yadavas, from this earth must leave
So look beyond, and for the human race
Rejoice my friend, and not bereave.

As for the other question you ask of me
Why that fateful day in Hastinapur
I stood and watched, yet not intervene
That truth will win, to ensure

I was there, my friend, in Hastinapur
Outside the palace gate
With the hope in their prayers, the Pandavas
Would call for me, did I wait

Yet Yudhishtr from the bottom of his heart
To me that day did pray
Not to come and help him win
But for me to stay away

For proud was he, the eldest Pandava
Yet, wise to know his fate
He knew the suffering was his to endure
To save him, it was too late “

“You have me lost again my Lord”
Said the aged Yadava
“Your blessings are only for those who ask
Is that so, O Madhava ? ”

“You forget what you have learnt my friend
It is our Karma that lets life go by
Our Karma, drives what you call as fate
Our joys, our sufferings, till one does die

I am not its creator, not its preceptor
Just a witness by your side
I was there by Yudhishtr when the evil
Game he played, out of hollow pride”

This confused Uddhava ever more
“Then what is your role my friend
To watch your devotees do evil deeds
When their minds are enslaved by the fiend

You watch the sins then pile up high
As a “witness” to all evil deed
Then watch us suffer for the sins we commit
You are the Lord indeed “

Thus burst out the Yadava elder
In anger and in despair
To his Lord, yet his childhood friend
He spoke so true and fair

Lord Krishna stood unflustered
His face so serene and calm
And around his confused friend
He put a comforting arm

“My friend”, quietly said the Lord
“Of my presence if you perceive
Then how can you err in your deeds
Your conscience, how would you deceive

Like the shadow trailing you
Unknown would be my presence
Like the unseen hand to the blind
I would provide guidance

From my believers, all I demand
Is to repose complete trust
In me as their lord, their saviour
And remember me, you must

When before every act you do
You think of me and pray
Then I would forever be beside you
To guide you, the right way

Let not your power, your arrogance
Makes you my presence deride
Remember that every fall
Happens due to ones pride

So come to me my children
Unto me you shall surrender
Your ego, your pride, your wealth
Then your peaks you will conquer“

And the Lord continued his sermon
With the nuances of Bhakti and Yoga
With folded hands and in awe
Stood his friend and Bhakt, Uddhava.

And thus was the Uddhava Gita
Conveyed by the Lord to mankind
He blessed us before he departed
With the greatest teachings one can find.

(Even after reading through the teachings of Uddhava Gita, it still rankles inside me that Krishna could have averted the Mahabharata war. And he would have, despite Yudhistr or the other Pandavas not asking for his help or even remembering him. For, once the Lord accepts one as his bhakt, he then becomes a slave unto his Bhakt’s hands – ready to do anything for him. So I feel that if he had wanted to, Krishna would have.. certainly. Perhaps, the reason why he did not stop it was that he wanted the war to happen. In his infinite wisdom, he would have done so to avoid another even greater catastrophe. One never would know.)