For this week’s reading diary, I chose to read Part A of Shri Krishna of Dwarka re-told by C. A. Kincaid. As always, the author introduces the concept of good and evil, yin and yang, darkness and light in Chapter 1: The Coming of Krishna, when Lord Vishnu brings two hairs – one white and one black – to life. He creates Balarama, a serpent incarnation of Shesha, out of the white hair and Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu himself, out of the black hair. These Indian epics have taught me something about revenge: it is always the monster who possesses such great vengeance within himself. I was reminded of this by Prince Kansa who is a demon. I think there is something to be learned from this in real life – the power of forgiveness. How ugly it is to be filled with vengeance and how wasteful it is to spend so much time and energy on this black hole from which nothing good comes. In this reading, the power of the galaxy is once again mentioned: “at midnight on the eighth day of the dark half of Shravan when the constellation Rohini was visible in the heavens…” I love how much meaning is placed on this!
Constellation of Rohini, located within the constellation of Taurus. Source: AstroVed.
I was so shocked by the
vivid massacre of all the baby boys that occurred in Chapter 2: The Childhood
of Krishna. I did enjoy the explanation of how Nanda and Yashoda came to raise
Krishna and Balarama as their own children. The story of Putana who took the
form of a beautiful woman and would then poison the baby boys was awful! I don’t
understand how some of these things were thought up, but I know that in the end
good will conquer evil.
