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Raam and Krishn : a comparison
Both Raam and Krishn are incarnations of Vishnu in human form.
Both had Moon in their Lagna.
Both are beyond the scope of planets, that is why both showed the whole
Universe in their mouth to their mothers.
They can also be considered as
human beings of extraordinary capacities and who, by constant effort elevated
themselves as God. If that human element is removed, they cannot be our models.
Still there are many differences between them.
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(1) Shree Raam belonged to Tretaa Yug and people during those days were
more disciplined, faithful and the customs etc, followed Dharm more
rigidly. |
Krishn was in the end of Dwaapar Yug which was a time full of suspicions.
“Sandeh Dwaaparau chaatha” says the Amar Kosh. No one believed the other
and so Krishn’s task was to establish Dharm at such times was definitely
more difficult. So, the intelligent moves that were necessary for Krishn
were not required for Raam. |
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[Padm Puraan,
1/9a Genealogy shows that Raam was just 15 generations before Krishn's appearance.
In Raam's Vansh, His 15th generation king Shrutaayu was killed in Mahaabhaarat war.
So even if we take Raam's existence (which was some 10,000 plus years) just at the
end of the Tretaa Yug, as Krishn was born at the end of the Dwaapar Yug, it means
that only 15 generations passed between Raam and Krishn's appearance. Thus only 15
kings lived in the whole Dwaapar Yug (Dwaapar Yug = 864,000 years).
Bhaagvat Puraan, 9/1-2
lists 25 names of kings till Brihadwal who was killed in MBH war by Abhimanyu. This
shows that only 25 kings rules for 864,000 years. Is it possible?] |
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(2) Raam was born in Soorya Vansh, that is why He was authoritative by the royalty
(Soorya's quality) |
Krishn was born in Chandra Vansh, that is why He was charming (Chandra's quality). |
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(3) Raam was born in Punarvasu Nakshatra (Cancer) |
Krishn was born in Rohinee Nakshatra (Taurus) and Rohinee is the Nakshatra of love,
passion, and sexuality. Rohinee-born are tactful and analytical. Beautiful persons
are born in Rohinee Nakshatra. |
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(4) Raam was born at noon time (midday) |
Krishn was born at midnight time. |
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(5) Raam was born as a prince in a palace. |
Krishn was born in a prison with struggle. |
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(6) Raam spent His childhood as a prince. |
Krishn's childhood was spent as a Gwaalaa. |
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(7) Raam was educated by two Brahmarshi - Vashishth and Vishwaamitra. |
Krishna was educated by an ordinary Rishi Saandeepan Muni. |
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(8) We do not hear anything about paying Guru Dakshinaa by Raam. |
Krishn specifically pays His Guru Dkashinaa saying that if He did not
pay Guru Dakshinaa His education will not be complete. |
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(9) Raam ruled as a King. |
Krishn never ruled. |
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(10) Raam never preached |
Krishn was a great preacher. He preached Geetaa to the whole world. |
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(11) Raam lived for more than 11,000 years |
While Krishn lived only for 125 years. |
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(12) Raam traveled from North to South to kill Raavan |
While Krishn traveled all the way from West to East to kill Narakaasur. |
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(13) Raam saved Soorya's son Sugreev and killed Indra's son Baali |
While Krishn killed Soorya Putra Karn an saved Indra Putra Arjun. |
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(14) Raam had taken Ek Patnee Vrat (One man one wife) and He had only Seetaa as
His wife. |
While Krishn had no such kind of vow, wherever He found the need he married.
He had 16,108 wives. |
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(15) Raam always lived within the limits, so He is called "Maryaadaa
Purushottam" Raam |
While Krishn performed many Leelaa, so he is called "Leelaa Purushottam"
Krishn. |
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(16) Raam was centered around duties and actions |
Krishn was love and Bhakti main. |
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(17) Raam had always been polite, He felt happy when others were happy (see
below) |
While Krishn had His own politics and policies (see below) |
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(18) Raam is more respectable, |
Krishn is more lovable. |
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(19) Raam is synonymous with Para-Brahm. Raam means Ramaneeya, Aanand and Aanand is
Brahm. “Aanando brahmeti vyajaanaath” says Taittireeya Upanishad. |
Krishn means one who attracts, one who brushes us up, one who cleanses, one who wakes
us up. So, Krishn makes us study himself. |
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(20) While Raam is adorable and towering, |
Krishn is like a friend and easy to approach. |
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(21) Raam’s period was more balanced, |
While Krishn's circumstances were a special situation. Krishn’s period is nearer
to us. Kali Yug is the child of Dwaapar. The injustice of Dwaapar has increased
now. So, the Divinity has to take another Avataar now to set right so many
incongruities. |
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(22) Raam fought the A-Dharm Viruddh war Himself, in fact he had to all
the work Himself, that is Soorya's characteristic. |
While Krishna taught others to fight for Dharm and He manipulated others to
do work. |
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(23) Raam upholds the rules and discipline. |
While Krishn breaks them all as the situation arises |
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(24) While Raam’s period was more balanced, |
Krishn's circumstances were a special situation. Krishn’s period is nearer to us. Kali
Yug is the child of Dwaapar. The injustice of Dwaapar has increased now, so, the Divinity
also has to take another Avataar now to set right so many incongruities. |
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(25) Raam respected others and did what others liked
--While crossing the River Gangaa, Kevat says, "I will not take you across
Gangaa until I wash your feet, because their dust might turn my boat into a woman and
this is the only means to feed my family, besides it is difficult to feed my existing
family, how I will be able to manage two wives?" At this Raam says, "By
whatever way your boat is saved, do the same and take us across the River."
--While crossing the sea also Raam behaves in the same way. When Sea says, "I can
be dried because of your influence, but there will be no greatness of mine in that."
Raam says, "In whatever way our monkeys can go across this sea, do the same."
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--But Krishn always used his politics dealing with people in Mahaabhaarat Kaal. There
are two incidents where Krishn Himself has said - "Yes I could stop these events
to happen, but it is better if they happen in their own course - they were Kurukshetra war
and the destruction of Yadu Vansh. |
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(21) In "Raam -'ra' is Agni Beej. Agni burns everything, thus absorbing it
without any distinction of friend or foe and still remains the same. The very
essence of "OM Poornmad Poornmidam Poornaat Poornamutachyate Poornasya
Poornamaadaaya Poornamevaa Vasishyate".
In fact both does the same thing - absorb everything else unto itself. but
the process and method are different.
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While in Krishn - Kleem is Kaam Beej or in other words 'Aakarshan', or attraction
or attracting. In fact both does the same thing - absorb everything else unto itself,
but the process and method are different. |
But Kaam creates lust, attracts and finally absorbs destroying every other thoughts.
During the Vastraakshep (Draupadee Cheer Haran) , Krishn comes to the rescue only
after she releases the hold on her meager dress and calls Him with both hands and
mind, which means if one is even slightly attached to himself, Krishn will stay back.
He comes to rescue only when one puts all the faith in him - the ultimate surrender.
So basically Krishn reflects our own faith - light - the connection with Moon - exactly
what it does - reflect the light of Sun - Aham in us. Funny, one can reach him through
love or loath, but either way is attraction.
Dharm cannot exist in a vacuum. It has to exist in human society. There is an instance
in Mahaabhaarat wherein Arjun declares that he would kill Karn on that particular day
and fails to do so. Yudhishthir cajoles him and says, “Throw your Gaandeev out if you
cannot kill Karn“. Arjun immediately gets angry and says that he would kill anybody
who insults his Gaandeev bow. Krishn at that moment says, “Arjun, You do not know what
Dharm is.” and goes on to narrate the
story of Kaushik, a sage
who uttered the truth and became responsible for the death of an innocent person at the
hands of thugs. He goes on to explain that sometimes, by truth, untruth gets an upper hand.
So, Dharm has to be decided based on the particular situation. This is the basis on which
Krishn has to be understood.
We cannot consider both of them, Raam and Krishn, as imaginary characters. Vyaas Jee and
Vaalmeeki Jee just wrote their epics based on living personalities, of course mixed with
the Nava Ras to make their
works beautiful. This was necessary for the poets to see that they enter the hearts of the
readers. If they had written these stories as just reports (like in history), they would
not become universal and would not stay for long. So, we should consider Raam and Krishn
as epic heroes with a firm historical foundation. The great poets had the capacity to tell
a story which is good for humanity with a palatable taste. As Eeshaavaasya Upanishad tells
us, “Hiranmayen paatren sathyasyaapi hitam mukham” is the method adopted.
To enjoy and learn from an epic, we should take the gist and forget the externals. One
should not question whether there could a man with ten heads, whether monkeys could talk
like humans, whether a snake can bow to the one who danced on its head, whether a man
can manage thousands of wives etc, Anyone who wants to enjoy an epic should have an
attitude of “willing suspension of disbelief”.
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