Many of his sublime acts serve as a glaring example of how Yogis are capable of performing great miracles, explains Dr Asha Goswami
The scriptures are replete with many references of Shri Krishna’s unique qualities such as truthfulness and righteousness. Apart from that, he was recognised as the most perfect individual in every sphere of human activity; noblest of all, overshadowing all the great men of his times in respect of wisdom and valour. Over and above all his noble qualities, his great mastery in yoga is highly acclaimed when he is hailed as a great Yogi or the lord of Yogis as Yogeshwara and accredited with many yogic siddhis or the miracles he performed in his eventful life.
Apart from performing severe tapas, he is also said to have preached unique yoga by discharging all routine functions with intense concentration and balance of mind with undisturbed inner tranquility and by keeping his consciousness at a blissful state. Hence, he is acknowledged as a best instance of an ideal Yogi in active life. Consequent upon that, many of his sublime acts also serve as glaring example of how Yogis are capable of performing great miracles. However, a long list of miracles attributed to Krishna may be prepared. But reference is made to his much publicised miracles right from his birth in a divine form — that of Chaturbhuja Vishnu. As a child, he cast illuminating visions to his foster mother Yashoda and afterwards as a grown-up that of Vishwarupa darshana to Arjuna, and next that of terrifying vision to the Kauravas. He is also said to have granted divine eye to Arjuna, Dhritarashtra and the assembled kings at the Kaurava court; to have heard in Dvaraka distressed Draupadi’s call for help from Hastinapore; and to have answered that call of her by making Dushasana and the assembled kings seeing her garment stretch endlessly.
Further, he is also stated to have multiplied the remains of the cooked food by Draupadi; to have healed the sick; straightened the deformed Kubja; brought back to life on rare occasions (once preceptor’s son, and other time Uttara’s son); and created an illusion of darkness during Jarasamdhavadha episode of the Mahabharata.
Thus, it is evident that Krishna’s life was full of many such wonderful acts which are titled as miracles by the people at large who firmly believe in his divinity. But on account of many poetic exaggerated accounts interspersed with the genuine historical narratives, the same are also believed as not belonging to the original chronicles of his life, and rather the later additions which were engrafted upon his true saga with the avowed purpose of glorifying him. In this regard, it is also important to note that the science has banished all beliefs in legends and such incidents that are full of the element of miracles. As, according to science, the miracles can never happen, since these serve as interruptions in the laws of nature; and also that there is scarcity of valid proof regarding their historicity. Hence, the great reasoners like Hume could easily deny the possibility of such miracles. Even philosophers like Plato are prone to set less value to the legends, fanciful myths about the Gods and angels.
Does such enlightenment discredit the miracles related to divine and holy persons like KrishnaIJ The most pertinent answer would be that if the incidents of Krishna’s life bearing the element of miracles, are proved historical on the basis of textual evidence, then his genuine miracles too, which seem similar to the Yogic perfections, may also be sorted out with the help of the same evidence. Surprisingly contrary to the scientific view-point about the miracles, in religious belief miraculous act is a fact and is assigned to God or divine as an extraordinary event. Miracle also evidences the immediate presence and operation of God and is included among the varied forms of God’s revelation or praakatya, which are named as ‘visible manifestation, prophecy, prediction and miracles’. Thus, religion treats miracles which are assigned to holy and divine as factual happenings. Provided these are accompanied with the triple evidence of authenticity, credibility and discrimination showing that these occurred then and there in connection with a purpose which serves as a sufficient guarantee for their credibility and genuineness.
Besides, the general credibility of the narratives on miracles has also to be ascertained on the basis of the nature of the narratives which if found satisfactory must be treated as a solid proof of miracles’ authenticity. The other test of their credibility suggests that there must be a marked reserve and discrimination of the miracles of the divine and holy persons and these be not for making mere show-off of the divine power and not for its glorification or for the glorification of the godly persons, but instead to reveal holy and noble purpose to the advancement of the good cause. Thus, apparently the scientific and religious views on miracles of the divine run contra. If the scientific view is tenable, there is also equally no reason to disbelieve the miracles ascribed to the holy and godly persons like Krishna and others in the chronicles of the ancient scriptures like the epics and the Puranas which claim for themselves the title of the fifth Veda. Not only this, scriptures all over the world are full of the narratives which refer to the element of miracles in relation to their religious leaders, prophets, and godmen. Hence, to reach the most befitting answer to whether the scientific outlook discredits in total the element of miracles in the life of Krishna, recourse be made to ascertain the historicity of his miracles on the basis of the historicity of the chronicles which refer to such miracles.
The writer is a noted Indologist and authority on Krishnaite Studies
