Krishna in The Mahabharata - Krishna As A Political Reformer

Krishna As A Political Reformer

Krishna was the key political figure in overthrowing Kamsa or Kansa, the king of Surasena Kingdom. The kingdom of Surasena was the native kingdom of Yadava clans constituted by the Andhakas, Vrishnis and Bhojas. By overthrowing Kansa, Krishna re-established the old king Ugrasena on the throne and stabilized the kingdom from collapse due to factional fighting within the kingdom.

The next threat came from outside the country, from the Magadha Kingdom. The ruler of Magadha, Jarasandha, attacked Surasena many times and weakened its military. Krishna and other Yadava chiefs all tried their best to hold on. At last they had to flee from their native kingdom to the south and to the west.

Later, with the initiative of Krishna, the Yadavas who fled from Surasena formed a new kingdom called Dwaraka. Its capital was Dwaravati, a city well protected by mountains on all sides, in an island, not far from the Gujarat coast. This made it immune to attacks from land. The kingdom prospered by sea trade with seafaring kingdoms.

Krishna also established a tie-up of Yadavas with the Pandavas, a faction of Kurus, who were fighting against the established Kuru Kingdom. This tie up also benefited the Yadavas, strategically. With the help of the Pandavas they overthrew the Magadha king Jarasandha who was their biggest enemy. For this assistance, Krishna in turn helped the Pandavas to win the Kurukshetra War against the Kurus headed by Duryodhana. Thus the rule of the Pandava Yudhisthira was re-established by Krishna at Indraprastha, the modern-day Delhi.

However, The Yadava chiefs fought the Kurukshetra War, on both sides, and even after the war ended, the enmity among the Yadava leaders continued. After 36 years, since the Kurukshetra War, another war broke among the Yadavas, in their own kingdom. This resulted in the absolute destruction of the Yadava kingdom in Dwaraka, with Balarama and Krishna also departing due to grief. This fight among Yadava is also attributed to a curse from Gandhari, mother of Duryodhana to Krishna.

But the help Krishna extended to the Pandava Yudhisthira, paid off. When the rule of Yudhisthira ended, he established the Yadava prince Vajra on the throne of Indraprastha along with the Kuru prince Parikshit, at Hastinapura. Thus the royal lineage of the Yadavas continued through Aniruddha's son, prince Vajra, great grandson of Krishna and grandson of Pradhyumna. Parikshita was the son of Abhimanyu and the grandson of Arjuna and was also grandson to Yudhisthara, son of Draupadi's daughter Sutanu and Asva, Krishna 's son by Jambavati. Similarly, Satyaki's daughter's son Bhuti who was grandson of Bhima and founder of Malavas was made king of Saraswat nagar. Krishna and Rukmini's daughter was married to Bali, son of Kritavarma, whose son Andhaka got Mrittivakata. Bali was nephew to Yudhisthara and Duryodhana, married to their sister. Another son of Jambavati, Samba 's son, cousin to these three founded Moolsthana or Multana. Pradyumna, Krishna 's son, Krishna 's brother Gada and Samba had married three daughters of Vajranabha and shared his kingdom. What is the source for the reference to Draupadi's daughter and Satyaki's daughter's son as grandson of Bhima and Rukmini's daughter marrying Kritavarma's son who also married Duryodhana's sister? Late Sri. Kulapati K.M.Munshi's famous narration of the life of Lord Krishna, Krishnavatara (Volumes 1 to 8) published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan is a very good read into the political aspects of Lord Krishna, painting Krishna not as the God Almighty but as a human Hero and a Great Leader. A very interesting read between the lines into the inner aspects of politics by Krishna as a human being.

The following sections shows glimpses of Krishna's political life, as a supporter of the Pandava cause, and as a mediator among his own kinsmen.