Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
After the Krishna Leela tales on bravery of Krishna like fighting Kaliya – seven-headed snake and lifting of Govardhan mountain, Prince Uttar and Draupadi’s 5 sons urge the Vidushak (clown) to tell them the tale of their uncle’s Krishna fight with Kans. Krishna has eventually killed Kans (king of Mathura) for all the ills he inflicted on the Yadav clan and even on his parents – Devika and Vasudev.
Kans comes to know from Krishna’s father – Vasudev about his 8th child – Krishna, who informs him that his sons Krishna (8th child) and Balram (7th child) are being brought up by Nand and his wife Yashoda. After knowing the whereabouts of Krishna, Kans tells his minister – Akroor to bring Krishna and Balram to Mathura. Akroor leaves to Nand’s village, and after reaching there informs Nand about inviting Krishna to Mathura to meet Kans. Akroor informs them about the evil plan of Kans who wants to kill Krishna. Both Nand and Krishna are unfazed by the danger and Krishna agrees to go to Mathura. As he was about to go, Yashoda cries a lot as he told her that he will not come back to Mathura again in the near future. Krishna supports the crying mother and even eats butter from her hand just to remember his last meeting with her. He also meets Radha and informs her that he will not perform Ras Leela again in another city than his village. He says that Ras Leela is only possible when Radha and Krishna are together in one place.
After that, Krishna and Balram goes with Akroor and reaches Mathura and finds Kans’s wrestler men – Chanoor and Mushtik who challenges Krishna to lift a heavy bow which was kept in the square. Krishna goes and lifts the bow and even breaks it to prove his strength and vigor much to the surprise of both men and then all the people cheers for Krishna. Trivakri is a women who has deformations in her body because of which she cannot stand straight and is always bended. She seeks Krishna’s blessing for her health condition. Krishna gives his blessing making her get rid of all the deformations and then she becomes completely fine and now can stand straight. After seeing this, all the people bow down to Krishna by lying on the floor and seeks blessings from him. Kans comes there and meets Krishna and when Krishna asked for Kans blessing, he doesn’t wish to give him a blessing. Krishna suggests Kans to release his parents and also Kans’s father Ugrasen. Krishna also wanted Kans to return the kingdom back to Ugrasen, he also informs him that if he apologize, he will forgive him for all his ills and crime. Krishna even goes on to say that it is confirmed that his death is not taken by Kans so he doesn’t have any fear from Kans.
Sooner then, Kans wants both brothers to fight his wrestler men Chanoor and Mushtik in a wrestling bout to show their mettle and strength. They begin to fight his men with arm wrestling with Balram fighting Mushtik and Krishna fights with Chanoor. Both brothers defeats Mushtik and Chanoor making Kans much more annoyed. Kans challenges Krishna to fight him and says that if he is killed by Krishna in that wrestling bout then his men will kill his parents. Kans has made the order with the intention to emotionally weaken Krishna and making him lose for the sake of his parent’s life. In the ensuing fight between Krishna and Kans, Krishna defeats Kans, and at that moment his men tries to kill Krishna’s parents. Krishna then rescues them by bringing a shield of light that stops the killing and destroying that men. Krishna then re-appears in his avatar of Lord Vishnu in front of Kans who sees Krishna as Lord Vishnu and then dies. Akroor and the other people there begins to chant Krishna’s name.
After that Krishna Leela showing the death of Kans at the hands of Krishna, Vidhushak, 5 sons of Draupadi and everybody chants Krishna’s names. Krishna then speaks in the Virat’s assembly about the need to sacrifice to ward off evil and injustice from the society. Krishna makes to them clear that in this time Duryodhan is only responsible for all the evils because of whom the entire Kuru clan will suffer and to be destroyed. Krishna also says that Pandavas will sacrifice a lot and asks them to choose between sacrifice or allow injustice to prosper. He wants them to make a choice after a thought process. In particular, he asks Draupadi about one’s sacrifice for the betterment of the entire society. After that assembly, Abhimanyu and Princess Uttara are married with Krishna doing the kanyadan and knotting the couple’s clothes.
Vidhur begins to leave from Hastinapur for Virat’s kingdom after taking blessings from Bhishma [As Duryodhan upon Shakuni’s insistence has agreed for a peace negotiation with Pandavas and not having a war soon]. Vidhur hopes to successfully convince the pandavas and Draupadi for shunning the war, and making them sign the peace agreement. Vidhur leaves from there and reaches Virat’s kingdom. Abhimanyu and Uttara takes blessings from Pandavas, Krishna, and then Draupadi. Draupadi hesitates to give him her blessing because she knows about the outcome of war which she learnt from Krishna (her 5 sons die, entire Shantanu clan will die except 5 Pandavas). At that moment, Vidhur comes in and suggests her to give a blessing for Abhimanyu’s long life and also tells that during the time of war, the truth is that only hope remains and blessings take the back seat.
While in Hastinapur, Shakuni informs Duryodhan that Krishna is the focal point of the war and the strongest ally of Pandavas and thus Krishna is needed to be taken off from the war in some way. Furthermore, Shakuni informs Duryodhan that Krishna will definitely come to Hastinapur for championing a peace negotiation between Pandavas and Kauravas. In Virat’s Kingdom, Vidhur and his assistant sanjay convinces the Pandavas to first look for the peace solution before waging the war. Vidhur speaks that its a Raj Dharm (justice of the kingdom) to first seek peace and if this doesn’t work then can wish to have a war. Arjun and Yudhishtir are at first reluctant for the peace agreement but Krishna steps in and tells them to look for the Dharm (righteous) even though that they will what really Dharm means to them even if they close their eyes. Pandavas thinks to go ahead with the peace agreement before the war and informs the same to Draupadi. Draupadi thinks and remebers the words of Krishna who told that war will definetely happen and only Pandavas will survive the war. Krishna also told her to fight for Dharm and strengthen her heart and mind in losing her loved ones. Draupadi responds to Pandavas that they should not agree for a peace negotiation with kauravas as she was insulted in open assembly and the insult was for all the women of Aryavart.
Nonetheless, Pandavas couldn’t comment on her, and Krishna starts to go ahead in leading the peace proposal to Hastinapur. Draupadi confronts Krishna and he informs her that war is inevitable as he indicates that Duryodhan will not make the peace agreement to succeed. Krishna then leaves from Virat’s kingdom to Hastinapur. Duryodhan laughs on Krishna’s earnest effort in leading the peace efforts between two sides. Shakuni informs Duryodhan not to be complacent since if Krishna stands tall with Pandavas then Bhishma, Karna, Drona, and Jayadratha’s strength will be halved. Upon hearing it, Duryodhan informs Shakuni that he doesn’t believe in the power of Krishna and says that only when he arrests Krishna then his power will be known. Shakuni argues by saying that he will not be able to fully utilize his sorcery and magic skills in the war if Krishna stands tall with Pandavas. Duryodhan then speaks more on his plan to kidnap and arrest Krishna in the assembly to bring insult and disrespect to him. Shakuni’s believe on Krishna coming to Hastinapur comes true as Krishna reaches their kingdom on a rousing reception. Duryodhan speaks with Shakuni on arresting Krishna when he sees Krishna approaching to meet Dhritrashtra. Shakuni informs Duryodhan that Krishna has the ability to hear from a far distance and wants him to be mute. Krishna hears their conversation which he has earlier heard as well, and looks at Shakuni with thoughts in his mind. Krishna then speaks with Dhritrashtra and Gandhari while also getting their blessings.
Later, in the Hastinapur’s assembly, Krishna speaks with Dhritrashtra that he is just a caretaker king as he doesn’t have the power and his son Duryodhan holds the power. Krishna wants the king to give 5 autonomous regions to Pandavas and another condition is that Duryodhan and Kauravas need to apologize to Draupadi by touching her feet, and these condition are enough to not have a war. Duryodhan doesn’t agree to Krishna’s suggestion and instead goes ahead with his plan to arrest Krishna which he has earlier hatched up with Shakuni. It is seen that Krishna is arrested in the assembly and is locked in chains by Duryodhan and his brother Dushyasan. What price will Duryodhan and Shakuni pay for this gross insult meted out to Krishna in Hastinapur’s assembly ? Will it prepone the inevitable and impending Kurukshetra war ? How would Pandavas react to Duryodhan’s opportunistic and unmindful act ? Stay tuned to Mahabharat @ 8:30 PM on Star Plus for this development.
Image credit: Twitter page of Star Plus
Krishna Leela Tales on Mahabharat: Episodes from 10th May 2014 to 19th May 2014
+ Sneak peek of 20th May 2014 and Upcoming Krishna’s arrest by Duryodhan
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