Indra was at his witÕs end Ð the impertinent demon Narakasura had stolen his motherÕs earrings! Lord Krishna, always helpful, agreed to confront the enemy. But seated on Garuda, his trusty eagle, and accompanied by the gentle Satyabhama, would Krishna be able to overcome NarakasuraÕs formidable defences? Would his gleaming discus ever find its mark? This is the story of why the first of four days of Diwali - the Festival of Lights is named after Naraka!
Vishnu, they say, is just one of a powerful threesome, the highest lords of the universe. However, though Brahma has created the universe and Shiva can destroy it, it is up to the great god Vishnu to keep all creatures within it well and happy. Always compassionate, he is also the wisest of the trinity. It is he who good-naturedly sorts out the mess the others create and above all, Vishnu always favors the good and the pure.
Queen Kunti, a tragic and heroic figure, emerges from an explosive era in the history of ancient India. Her teachings are simple and illuminating outpourings revealing the deepest transcendental emotions of the heart and the deepest philosophical and theological penetrations of the intellect. At the conclusion of the devastating Kurukshetra war, Queen Kunti approaches Lord Krishna as He prepares to depart the scene of the battle. Kunti's words are words of glorification impelled by a divine love steeped in wisdom. Kunti's spontaneous glorification of Lord Krishna and her description of the spiritual path are immortalized in the Mahabharata and the Bhagavata Purana (Srimad-Bhagavatam), and they have been recited, chanted, and sung by sages and philosophers for thousands of years. As they appear in the First Canto of the Bhagavatam, Queen Kunti's celebrated prayers consist of only twenty-six couplets (verses 18 through 43 of the Eighth Chapter), yet they are considered a philosophical, theological, and literary masterpiece. Let her heartfelt words of wisdom bring solace to your soul.
The Yadava tribe fled to distant Dwaraka to escape the wrath of the mighty Jarasandha, the ruler of Magadha. This king, whose very name made the strong quake, had to be subdued if the Pandavas were to establish their supremacy in the area. Only their cousin Krishna, a Yadava hero, could help them and this is the tale of his triumph.
Ever wondered what made Lord Krishna marry the 16,100 women held captive by a demon? Of these prisoners, one was Princess Abhaya Dhaarmaseni, and this is the story of her adventures through the Mahabharata. The princess of a little-known kingdom in western Bharatavarsha, Abhaya's idyllic life is thrown into disarray owing to the run-up to the Rajasuya announced by King Yudhishtira of Indraprastha. The only hope is her friend Krishna Vaasudeva of Dwaraka. But there is a greater danger lurking in eastern Bharatavarsha. Lord Bhauma of Kamarupa (who later is infamously known as Narakasura) plots to use religion to extend his dominion that wrecks Abhaya's kingdom and kills her father. What is Bhauma's plan? How does a lone princess stand up against this sinister zealot? Caught up in the larger hustle of the Rajasuya, can Krishna reach her on time to prevent the disaster?
A never-before action packed retelling of Lord Krishna's life, Krishna Gopeshvara is the first in a trilogy that narrates the early life events of Lord Krishna from the time of Kamsa's capture of the Mathura throne to his killing by his nephew-as was foretold by the tyrant king's own priest. Styled as a historical fiction, Krishna and Kamsa are portrayed as men pursuing their narratives according to their understanding of the world around them. What entails is a clash of two narratives-the dharmic one symbolized by Krishna and the other a totalitarian and despotic narrative epitomized by Kamsa. The only assumption that has been made is that Krishna was a highly gifted young man. In the story of the battle between an uncle he must kill to survive lies embedded the truth of a nation gone rogue and a critique of the social, cultural and religious circumstances of Mathura, Magadha, Kashi, and other leading power centres of Aryavarta-which holds relevance even in our times-thus setting the stage for the great epic of Mahabharata. The careful portrayal of the other kings and princes of the Mahabharata era shows how often flaws in character can lead to devastating consequences, affecting, sometimes, the nation as a whole. Thus, human psychology is laid bare, including the inherent limitations of man. Weaving a riveting account of the life of the Lord, the political intrigues, discussions on dharma and debates on the position of women in the society, Krishna Gopeshvara is a perfect portrayal of the Vedic era with a deep resonance to the times we live in.
