A take on Sri Krishna's demise

The Great Battle of Kurukshetra was about to begin.

Yes, yes, we all know how Arjuna's bow slipped from his hand and how he grappled with despondency from the thought of killing his cousins and teachers - a part of his family.

We also know how Sri Krishna persuaded him to fight. Fight rather than give up. Fight for righteousness. Because if no one fought for righteousness and let evil prevail, the world would soon face ruin.

We know how Arjuna and the rest of the Pandavas won. Also, how the evil cousin's mother Gandhari cursed Krishna that none of his children would survive. His line would end, just as Gandhari's sons were killed off in the Great Battle of Kurukshetra.

The Battle of Kurukshetra had also come to an end.

We come to the funeral of Sri Krishna.

Or rather, the event organised by the people to honour the Avatar of Vishnu.

Nobody knew how he died. But his existence was honoured as he wiped out much of evil from the world. As the Avatars of Vishnu would do, yuga after yuga.

Sri Krishna had taught the secret of work to mankind, as he had taught the Sun and the first of men - Manu, and all, millenia ago. Work, work and work, but give up the fruits of work to God. Work by being detached. That way, you will slowly be released from the burden birth and death in consecutive cycles bring you.

We are deviating from the point.

No one knew how Sri Krishna died.

Some said he meditated on Radha before being dispelled in glorious light. They said the theory of *Nishkam karma* worked only because he as God, melted away in the presence of the pure, unrelenting love and vyakulata of Radha to meet her beloved. They argued that the fruits of work melted in the face of the purity and unfathomable depth of her want of the Lord.

Some said he was hurt when his kith and kin died and after that he swallowed his pain away and meditated on the Universe and achieved union with it - notwithstanding the fact that he himself was the Universe.

Some said, he achieved the state of his childhood - as Gopala and lay in wait for the next time he would be needed to free the Earth of its evils and till then would continue in slumber and would occasionally bless his worshippers, privately, secretly.

But the funeral of Sri Krishna was attended by thousands. A funeral pyre had been created and burnt, without lighting up a body. It was simply a token of his demise.

Yes, no one knew how he died. The Pandavas too had left, long ago.

The Gods viewed from above.

The heavens were quiet.

Because not even they, knew what had happened. Or rather, the Lord of the Universe did not want to share how his demise took place.

Every one of the Gods felt haunted.

Urvashi, Menaka, Rambha - the ethereal dancers of heaven sat the furthest from the the heavenly mirror. They, like all others, felt subdued and questioned their purpose in a heavenly life.

Everyone tried to cheer Lord Indra, the Head of the Devas, but couldn't.

Lakshya was the secret son of Lord Indra.

He was the source of Lord Indra's misgivings.

Because Lakshya was hit emotionally and mentally, much like Arjuna.

Lakshya was in charge of maintaining the black holes.

But having read the Geeta, having seen the journey of his half-brother Arjuna, he was now motivated to only winning Moksha.

Indra tried to console Lakshya, saying that Gods would all attain Moksha after their roles ended, but Lakshya was fuelled more and more towards God realisation even then.

Just like his name - Lakshya, meaning goal.

As Lakshya fell into Tapasya more and more, the Gods inevitably started being afraid. The Martyaloka (Earth) was being threatened by an upsurge of ever growing black holes. The Swargaloka's (heaven's) time slowed down, perhaps because even black holes could swallow up time.

Few days later, no one could swivel Lakshya from his place of Tapas. He had entered a deep stage of Meditation.

The Lesser Gods became frightened and now they approached Vishnu. Only Lord Vishnu gave a single mandate - first visit Sri Krishna's so called funeral.

This brings us here.

As Lord Indra watched, everyone watched.

The bonfire having been lit, would stay as such all night long.

Lakshya's meditation brought him to the place of the bonfire, in his mind's eye.

Sri Krishna felt the swirling questions he had.

His father had often broken the rules. So had Arjuna.

How did they attain God realisation?

How did doing Prayaschitta make do?

What must be there while doing a Prayaschitta?

Sri Krishna said, everything occurred according to the wishes of God. Not even a blade of grass moved without the Lord's wishes.

He reminded Lakshya that Valmiki was once Ratnakar Dasyu. His one-pointed and astute tapasya was what changed him.

Lakshya stopped, and seemed confused.

If you know everything, he said in his mind's eye, to Sri Krishna, can you tell me where I have the doubt?

Yes.

I know.

You were Radha's husband in your previous birth. And you couldn't win her love with your love, and so you pledged that you would perform austerities till she loved you and not me.

You were reborn in heaven.

And now you are in charge of the black holes.

My son, swallowing Radha's love will not allow you to grow and go beyond.

Focus on my palm as I press on your chest, Sri Krishna said to Lakshya.

Lakshya felt something small, pinpointed on his chest. It grew. It was not euphoria, neither was it anything describable. The feeling soared and he felt...elation, warmth, like he was a part of everything but weightless. Radha never belonged to him, because she belonged to everyone, because God belonged to everyone.

Decide what you want in life, Sri Krishna said.

Lakshya's meditation broke in a jolt.

He remembered feeling sad before. But now he was at peace that transcended everything else. There wasn't anything he wanted anymore.

Indra and the other Devas secretly cheered.

The black holes were okay.

The Earth and the heavens were safe.

And secretly, Lakshya was blessed. He would find love as a human before crossing the *Samsarasagara* with his chosen wife after that life, having performed austerities together.