Three very great sages once came to Lord Krishna’s palace in Dwaraka. Krishna
was resting. When he was informed of their arrival, he said, “Please tell
them that I shall be there in a short while. In the meantime, let them be
welcomed with proper respect and devotion.”<br>
<br>
Unfortunately, over the years, Krishna’s relatives and others who were close
to him had become very undivine. Because they were dear to Krishna, they
used to get everything for the asking. As a result, they became corrupted
by the pleasure-life. They used to drink and quarrel and do all kinds of
unthinkable things.<br>
<br>
A few members of Krishna’s immediate family did not have any respect for
the sages and saints who came to pay homage to Krishna. These relatives felt
that as long as they had Krishna, it was enough. To them, all other spiritual
people were as worthless as straw.<br>
<br>
Krishna’s son, Samba, was then twenty-five or twenty-six years old. Even
though he was no longer a child, he and some other young men decided to play
a practical joke on the three sages. Samba’s friends tied an earthen pot
on his stomach and dressed him in a nice sari. Then they brought him before
the sages. The young men said to the sages, “This woman is with child. Please,
before Krishna comes, can you tell us whether she will give birth to a boy
or a girl?”<br>
<br>
Since the sages had occult vision, they immediately saw that the young men
were mocking them. They became furious. “You are Krishna’s relatives! You,
Samba, are his own son! You dare to make fun of us! Yes, this ‘woman’ will
give birth, but she will give birth to an iron rod. This rod will bring about
the destruction of Krishna’s entire clan. You have no respect for spiritual
people. We are great sages and you have mocked us.”<br>
<br>
At that moment, Krishna entered the hall. He was so sad to hear the curse
of the sages. At the same time, he knew that his relatives deserved it. The
sages also felt sorry that they had uttered such a dreadful curse, but they
did not have enough capacity or forgiveness-power to withdraw it. In spite
of this unfortunate turn of events, Krishna stayed and had a long talk with
the sages, and they received Krishna’s blessings. Krishna was beyond, beyond
everything. He advised them and illumined them, and then the sages departed.<br>
<br>
In due course, the curse came true and Krishna’s son gave birth to a heavy
iron rod, like a club. Samba and his cousins realised that their destruction
was imminent. They went to Krishna and begged him to save them. Krishna said,
“You have done something unpardonable, unpardonable. What can I do? All right,
grind the whole iron rod into a powder. It will take a very, very long time.
When it becomes powder, you must throw the powder into the sea.”<br>
<br>
With utmost enthusiasm and zeal, the young men started grinding the rod.
But after a short time, they stopped and simply threw the rod into the sea.
They did not grind the whole rod into powder, as Krishna had told them to
do.<br>
<br>
Many, many years later, after the battle of Kurukshetra, the iron rod came
up to the surface of the sea and the prophecy of the sages came true. Krishna’s
family members started drinking heavily and fighting among themselves. Krishna’s
dearer-than-the-dearest friend, Satyaki, who had fought so bravely on the
side of the Pandavas during the battle, was killed in a quarrel. One by one,
all of the great warriors in Krishna’s family were killed in this drunken
brawl.<br>
<br>
When Krishna saw that his dearest Satyaki had been killed, he said, “There
is no need to stay on earth any longer.” In the meantime, Krishna’s brother,
Balarama, had been observing the brawl. He saw the level to which the great
heroes had descended and he was disgusted. “Enough, enough!” he said. “Our
family has become so corrupt!” He entered into the forest and in his meditation
he gave up his life-breath.<br>
<br>
When Krishna heard that Balarama had left the body, he said, “My time has
also come. Let me go and join him.” Krishna went to a beautiful place. There,
he sat down under a tree and he started meditating; he wanted to give up
his life.<br>
<br>
A hunter was passing by. He saw Krishna’s form and thought it was a beautiful
deer. To him, Krishna’s left foot looked like the ear of the deer. The hunter
aimed his arrow at the ear and released it. The arrow entered Krishna through
the sole of his left foot—and that was the only weak point in Krishna’s body.
All his limbs and all the other parts of his body were invincible, but his
left foot was vulnerable. Whenever he fought, he used to keep that foot well-protected.
But he knew that it was weak and Balarama also knew it.<br>
<br>
When the hunter came to claim the deer, he saw Krishna lying on the ground
with the arrow piercing his foot. The hunter cried pitifully for forgiveness.
But Krishna answered him, “No, it is not your fault. My time has come. That
is why this has happened. It is all predestined.”<br>
<br>
“How is it predestined?” asked the hunter.<br>
<br>
“This is the curse of Gandhari,” Krishna told him. During the battle of Kurukshetra,
Gandhari’s hundred sons were all killed by the Pandavas. She was heartbroken.
After the battle, she said to Krishna, “You do not know what suffering I
am going through! I am cursing you. The same thing will happen to your dear
ones. They will quarrel and fight among themselves and they will all be killed.”<br>
<br>
Krishna said to Gandhari, “Mother, I am not responsible for the deaths of
your sons. I begged them not to fight. I begged them to give just five villages
to the Pandavas, but they would not listen to me. From the beginning to the
end, your sons were so undivine.”<br>
<br>
Gandhari answered him, “No, no! I know you are God. You could have averted
this war if you had wanted to. You could have saved my children and all my
dear ones. But because of your partiality for the Pandavas, you did not do
it. Therefore, I am cursing you. Exactly the same thing will happen to you.
All your dear ones will kill each other.”<br>
<br>
Gandhari’s dreadful curse came true and Krishna’s entire clan was destroyed.
You may ask how Gandhari could curse someone as great as Krishna. The fact
is that Krishna could have nullified the curse, but he chose to accept it.
His attitude was, if you want to strike me, then strike.<br>
<br>
Sri Chinmoy&nbsp;