By Shri Parimal Nathwani
Dwarka, Gujarat

Shri Krishna Janmashtami this year coincides with Teacher’s Day, i.e. September 5. Shri Krishna is also a teacher who has been enlightening mankind on different subjects like yoga, knowledge, duty, religion and spirituality. This is why we say – ‘Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum’.

Shrimad Bhagvad Gita is a unique scripture, which has taught true meaning of life and art of living to human being. The great leader Shri Krishna’s qualities as a teacher come to galore in Gita. The knowledge and guidance for life consisted in 18 chapters of Gita could hardly be found in any other scripture or book of the world.

Indians, who are completely under influence of Macaulay’s education system and blindly following the western model not only for goods/materials but also for knowledge, have come to term of late that Shri Krishna established modern principles of management, communication, war room strategies, etc. in Shrimad Bhagvad Gita. People spending thousands of rupees on purchasing medicines to come out of depression should know how depressed the brave Arjun was, who brokedown completely and put down his arrows & bow at a time when 1.8 million soldiers were poised and positioned to cut throat of one another. However, the great psychologist Shri Krishna removed all the doubts from Arjun’s mind, boosted his morale and brought him out of great depression just through questions and answers depicted in 700 shlokas of Gita. Even after 5,000 years, Gita still enlightens thousands of people day in day out.

Shri Krishna never talked about renunciation, but his life demonstrated saying of an Upnishad ‘तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा ’ (Ten Tyakten Bhunjitha). Bhagvad Gita is also termed as Upnishad. He never clinged to worldly pleasures, but detached himself from the same despite enacting human role.

Shri Krishna remained neutral to Arjun and still inspired him to follow his duty. Shri Krishna has always asked the devotees for completely devote their life to the Lord, but his answers to Arjun’s questions in the battlefield of Kurukshetra were completely logical.

Shri Krishna logically throught Arjun to fight against his relatives for betterment of mankind and assured him that if he wins he would get kingdom on this earth and if he is martyred he would get a place in heaven. Shri Krishna empowered Arjun for taking right decision by imparting knowledge.

In short, Krishna is a universal teacher and he is also my deity. Krishna means who attracts you. Though I like all the roles played by Him, my favourite is His role as Dwarkadheesh. Now, since I am native of Devbhoomi Dwarka district as I belong to Jamkhambhalia. The bigger and noteworthy incidents of Shri Krishna’s life and almost all great works were done by Him as Shri Dwarkadheesh. However, his playful and naughty childhood in Gokul-Mathura and Vrindavan is no way less charming or his bravery acts in young age also cast a spell on the devotees. But major events of his life like his marriage with Rukshmani, killing Kal Yavan, battle of Mahabharat, meeting Sudama in Dwarka, etc, he was Dwarkadheesh and for what we call him ‘Jagadguru’ – the world famous discourse of Gita took place in his capacity as Shri Dwarkadheesh. He did not forget his classmate Sudama. When middle-aged poor Sudama visited Dwarka, Shri Krishna welcomed him with warmth and respect. He removed his poverty. The under construction bridge on the Gomti River from Jagat Mandir to Panchkui is symbol of this evergreen friendship and hence the bridge is named Sudama Setu.

Even today, spending a couple of minutes before idol of Shri Dwarkadheesh in Dwarka creates positive energy in mind and body due to vibes coming from His idol. Jay Dwarkadheesh.

(Mr. Parimal Nathwani is Group President of Corporate Affairs at Reliance Industries Ltd and also a Member of Rajya Sabha)