Inquiries Into the Absolute: Digest 201, Relationship between LordKrishna and Dharma

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Digest 201, December 31st 2006. Answers by His Holiness Romapada Swami Maharaja

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Relationship between Lord Krishna and Dharma

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Question: What is the relationship between Krishna and Dharma?

 

Answer: Dharma or the codes of religion are laid down by God Himself. This is

stated by Yamaraja, or Dharmaraja, who is the executor of these laws: "dharmam

tu saksat bhagavat pranitam - real religious principles are enacted by the

Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself." No one else - not even the topmost

demigods fully situated in the mode of goodness, what to speak of fallible

human beings - can manufacture religious principles. (SB 6.3.19) Thus Krishna

is the establisher of Dharma.

 

This is natural because principles laid down by the Supreme Personality of

Godhead, Krishna, can alone be infallible and universally applicable to

everyone. Manufactured ideologies and rules legislated by any imperfect person

or by collective opinion are bound to be defective & biased and cannot benefit

all living entities at all times. Thus, real religious principles are those

given by the Lord Himself in the form of Vedic scriptures. The Vedas are not

man-made, they are 'apaurusheya', directly manifested from the breathing of the

Supreme Lord.

 

Krishna also states in the Bhagavad-gita that He comes to re-establish

religious principles - 'Whenever there is a decline in religious principles

(dharma) and predominant rise of irreligion (adharma), Krishna appears within

this world to reestablish the principles of religion.' (BG 4.7-8)

 

The codes of dharma are quite intricate and at times even appear contradictory

and irreconcilable. What holds well as dharma for a particular person or

circumstance can prove to be unrighteous in a different situation. However,

knowing dharma to be the laws of God, we can also understand that the ultimate

purpose of dharma is to please Krishna - this becomes the basis for

ascertaining what is dharma and reconciling differences.

 

This is the verdict given by Suta Gosvami when asked by the assembly of sages

to kindly tell, in an easily understandable way, the highest religious

principle and the essence of all scriptures. Suta Goswami answers right away

without any hesitation or ambiguity that "the supreme occupation [para-dharma]

for all humanity is that by which men can attain to unmotivated and

uninterrupted loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord" and "the

highest perfection of performing one's occupational duty (dharma) is to please

the Personality of Godhead - samsiddhir hari tosanam." (Srimad Bhagavatam

1.2.6&13)

 

Quite often there seems to be much cause for perplexity as to what the standard

of dharma should be in a particular circumstance/context. This is the setting

in which the Bhagavad-gita is spoken, in response to Arjuna's bewilderment

about his real duty or dharma, and his subsequent surrender to Krishna as a

disciple. Krishna's conclusive direction to Arjuna was "sarva dharman

parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja" - to abandon all other subordinate

varieties of dharma and surrender to Him exclusively.

 

In several instances, it appears to the uninformed that in the course of His

pastimes Krishna is violating or inducing others to violate the principles of

righteousness --- which those who do not have a deep grasp of Krishna's

transcendental position find it extremely difficult to comprehend. A typical

example is Krishna encouraging Maharaja Yudhisthira to speak a lie in order to

overpower Dronacharya. Krishna is however establishing through these instances

that true morality and the highest dharma is to abide by Him and please Him -

this is the real criterion and the Absolute basis on which the right course of

action is to be decided in all circumstances.

 

In other words, virtue for the sake of virtue without caring to please Krishna

is not beneficial. There are examples of asuras like Ravana and Jarasandha

observing Vedic regulations, respecting brahmanas and liberally giving charity

etc. But because they were inimical towards Krishna, the ultimate goal and

shelter of all religious principles, their so-called adherence to dharma was of

not much value. On the other hand, by trying to please Krishna, even if it

means transgressing conventional codes of ethics, as when Yudhisthira spoke an

untruth or the gopis and wives of the brahmanas left their homes to meet

Krishna, their actions are considered to be the highest dharma. (We should note

however that these are not meant to encourage licentious / irreligious behavior

in the name of service to Krishna. These are exceptional examples meant to

illustrate a higher principle, whereas in the normal course of life Krishna's

devotees strictly abide by the highest theistic conduct, for the sake of

pleasing Krishna and un

der the guidance of saintly devotees, mahajanas who are well-versed in the

application of scriptural conclusions apt to time, place and circumstances.)

 

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