FATHERS DAY: LESSONS FOR HINDUS FROM KRISHN'S YUG.
Thakur Ranjit Singh
Normally, Krishn Janam Astmi and Fathers Day in NZ falls near each other. Therefore, I wish to extract some examples of father-son relations from Dwaapar Yug of Krishna to enlighten our friends.
Therefore, this Father’s Day, I wish to republish some knowledge of rare father-son relationships during times of Krishn and Mahabharat.
This FATHERS DAY, you may be cursed to have a son like Kans who usurps and steals his father's property. Or a son like Ashwatthama, born through a respected Guru Dron but became evil through bad company.
Or like Diryodhan, who was spoilt by a blind father. Hope you are neither a blind father like Dhritrsatr nor spoil and undeservedly favour your children who become a curse to your family.
The luckiest father would have an understanding, compassionate and sacrificing son like Deovrat, better known as Bhishm Pitamah, or like Abhimanyu, Ghatotkatch or Krishn, who all were pride to their respective fathers and families.
Unfortunately, those singing Ramayan in the Mandali existing in my village of Rarawai in Ba for over sixty years seemed to have learnt little, as my experience with the new generation reveals. We need to question relevance of such religious rejoicing and singing when in action, they seem to have learnt nothing and remain parrot-like, learn nothing from what they sing and preach. So, they may find out from this posting what sort of sons my generation has produced.
Please read this synopsis and get detailed knowledge through your pundits.
Those confused with when we celebrate Fathers Day, this day in Northern Hemisphere (Canada/USA) falls on THIRD SUNDAY OF JUNE every year, while in Southern Hemisphere (NZ/FIJI/Australia), it is on FIRST SUNDAY OF SEPTEMBER.
Have a blessed, and enlightened FATHERS DAY .....Please read on....
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| VASUDEV-KRISHN - Father Vasudev takes his son Krishn to Nandji in Gokul for safety. Krishn regards Nandji as his father and Yashoda as his mother. He was a pride to both his fathers: Vasudev and Nandji, and both his mothers: Devaki and Yashoda. Any father would be blessed to have a natkhat (naughty), yet loving, compassionate and obedient Kishan Kanhaiya as his son. |
1) KRISHN - VASUDEV/NAND: we always talk about two mothers of Krishn, but rarely mention His two fathers.
Vasudev was his “biological” father who faced all sorts of atrocities, troubles and dangers in jail of his brother-in-law (Sala), Kans, in Mathura, where Kans's his sister, Devaki gave “birth” to Krishn.
After birth, Vasudev faced many dangers in delivering Krishn from life-threatening situation from Mathura to Gokul, to safety and care of Nand (and Mata Yashoda).
Krishna is also referred to as Nand Lala (Nand’s son) where apart from two mothers, he also had two fathers - Nand and Vasudev. Krishna never felt he had any other father but Nandji. The story of Krishn balances off all the negative tales of "Sautelapan” and “Maybha” parents. (Of adopted children).
Here is a very exemplary relationship where the son shone as a pride for both pairs of His parents. The lesson is that love and affection exposed in nurturing children override relationship of birth. Heart and love of children can be won with affection - and love.
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| ARJUN (Bahnoi), KRISHN (Sala) and ABHIMANYU (Bhanja)- This son was a pride to his father for his courage and determination, and gave the only lineage of Pandavs - Raja Parikshit. You can feel proud if you have a dutiful and courageous son like Abhimanyu |
2) ARJUN -ABHIMANYU: Abhimanyu was a son who raised the profile of his warrior father Arjun by sacrificing his life, knowing that he would not be able to complete and come out of the "Chakravyuh" - (the trap, multiple defensive walls). He could only enter it but could not come out alive.
He was Bhaine (nephew) of Lord Krishn, son of his sister Subhadra. Krishna could have saved Abhimanyu, but He allowed fate to take its course so that an angry and vengeful Arjun could complete the path of Mahabharat and divert that fighter stance to destroy evil.
This episode also substantiates the medical science that children are affected by their environment when in the mother's womb. Abhimanyu was still in Subhadra’s womb when he first heard his uncle Krishn telling his sister about the secrets of the almost impenetrable military formation known as the Chakravyuh. But then Subhadra fell asleep while listening to Krishn's story, and so the unborn child was able to hear only part of the secret. Hence he could not break out of it alive, and hence sacrificed his life for the honour of his father and clan.
Any father would be proud of a son like Abhimanyu. The lesson is for sons to stand up to attempt the impossible for love and honour of their family and clan.
He died but left the last Chirag or lineage of Pandavs - Raja Parikshit, who was in his wife Uttra’s womb when he died in breaking out of Chakravyuh in Mahabharat.
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| DHRITRASTR- DURYODHAN: A very bad combination where the lust and greed for his son's success blinded the already blind king. Hope you do not get a villain son like Diryodhan or become a blind father like Dhritrsatra |
3) DHRITRASTR- DURYODHAN: This was perhaps the most unholy relation between a father and a son. It is a lesson to all fathers that they should not spoil their children and submit to all their demands in selfishness for their glory, and accept their unrighteous (sinful, wrong) acts silently. That resulted in complete annihilation (destruction) of Kauravs and vansh (lineage) of the blind father, who was literally as well as spiritually blind.
While this aptly applies to a father-son relation in Fiji politics, I will refrain to name them. At times, the downfall of a father is the "uch akanchaaye" or selfish greed for success of the son, who, like Duryodhan, turns out to be evil and sinful.
A father (and also a mother) who blindly overlooks the bad deeds of his son may cause the destruction of his lineage and glory. Love for a son should never blind the father of the choice between the right and the wrong. Dhritrsatr was such a blind father, in all respects of blindness
Pray you do not have a child like Diryodhan, or even be a blind father who spoils their children, that leads to destruction, loss, dishonor or destruction of the clan.
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| BHIMSEN, HIDIMBI and son GHATOTKATCH. While from an ogre (rachasi) lineage, he was a son any father could be proud of. Another dutiful and courageous Pandav son, like his cousin, Abhimanyu. You are blessed with a son like him. |
4) BHIM-GHATOTKATCH: Rarely mentioned in our parvachans, he was a Pandav Kul, son of Bhim Sen born through an ogre (rachasi) woman from lineage of Hidimba, when Pandavs were in “agyaat vass" (secret exile) in the forest.
This son was the salvation of Pandavs in Mahabharat and was instrumental in victory of Pandavs, when he created havoc in the battle. Hence, Karn was forced to use the deadly and sure-shot weapon reserved for Arjun’s death on Ghatotkach who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Even born in a Rachas Kul (Ogre lineage) or of low-maternal association, he stood tall for his father, lineage, heritage and Kul.
Pray you get an exemplary son like Ghatotkach, who changed the course of Mahabharat, was instrumental in saving life of Arjun and hence the victory for Pandavs.
5) UGRASEN-KANS: The less said, the better. Ugrasen was Nana (maternal grandfather) of Krishn, and was imprisoned by his own son, Kans.
Sadly we still have present-day sons like Kans who usurp the property of their parents, abuse their retirement funds and discard or mistreat them. And sing glories on fathers day but mistreat for the rest of the year. Pray nobody has a son like him who was also very unkind and brutal to his sister Devaki and brother-in-law (Bahnoi) Vasudev.
Contrary to belief of some that Kans was a reincarnation of Ravan, this was not so. Equivalent of Ravan and Kumbhkaran in Dwapar Yug were Shishupal and Dantavakr, who both were killed by Krishn.
Pray none of you get a son, brother or Mama like Kans, who steals the property of his father and ultimately meets an appropriate death from hands of his Bhaine, Krishn.
The lesson is that if you behave like Kans, you will end up like him.
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| BHISHAM PITAMAH: Because of his big sacrifice to remain bachelor for the happiness of his father, he was given a boon (vardan) to have "icha mrityu" (die when he wishes). He left us with the lesson of a son's ultimate sacrifice for happiness of his father. Any father is blessed to have a son like Pitamah (Deovrat) |
6) SANTANU-BHISHAM PITAMAH: Thankful are fathers who have a son like Bhisham (Deovrat), who sacrificed his 'Jawani" and whole adult life, and vows never to marry for the happiness of his father. How many sons we have now, who will agree to their fathers remarrying for their happiness, after (untimely) death of their mothers?
I know sons who object to happiness of their widower fathers having a companion after death of their mothers. Many sons in our community who hail wah wah to Bhisham Pitamah need to learn from his sacrifice and pita prem (fatherly love).
Great are sons who can be as understanding and act like Bhisham for happiness of their lonely fathers, and not become an obstacle to their happiness in their advanced age.
Many modern-day sons need to appreciate that we humans are social creatures and need company and partners for companionship.
Pray that we have sacrificing, compassionate and understanding sons like Bhisham Pitamah.
7) GURU DRON - ASHWATHAMA: While considered an avatar of Lord Shiv and being son of such a sage, the fact that Ashwatthama sided with unrighteous (sinful) Kauravas, he lost all praises, especially when he vents on killing the Pandavs.
The lesson, "sangat seh gunn aaye, sangatt se gunn jaaye” (the company of a child determines his character) is relevant here. Even born of good and righteous parents, a child in wrong company will be like this son of Guru Dron Acharya.
Hence all fathers need to be wary of this. The lesson here is that if you need your children to be your pride, you need to ensure they are in the right company.
DISCUSSION
I hope both fathers and sons will learn and get some knowledge and understanding on important relationships in a family.
I also hope these synopsis and thoughts will generate interest for you to delve deeper into these subjects, which are not mere historical stories, but still relevant to modern men. And hope you grasp the underlying message from our scriptures and Leela of Krishn in becoming better human being.
After a happy and fruitful Janam Astmi, FIJI PUNDIT wishes you all a very Happy Father’s Day, which falls on the first Sunday of September in the Southern Hemisphere. Those in Canada, USA and Britain in Northern Hemisphere have there's on third Sunday of June.
[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is an Auckland journalist and a media commentator, and runs his blog FIJI PUNDIT. He is originally from Fiji. E-mail: thakurjifj@gmail.com]
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