A few years back I came across this article in “Bhavans’ Journal” and had preserved it for future reference. Today I was clearing some old papers at Home and chanced to come across this. I thought that I shall share this with you all.
One can not be but wonderstruck with the deep understanding and analysis of the author of this article. (Unfortunately I find that I have omitted to jot down the name). Read and enjoy:-
Rama and Krishna -A Comparison in Symbology
“Dwividhohi vedokto dharma; Pravruthilakshno Nivruthilakshanacha”
Pravruti-(action in mundane life) - signified by Lord Rama.
Nivruti- (Redemption from the thraldom of Samsara) - signified by Lord Krishna.
It is said “Live as Rama lived and learn what Krishna has taught”
There are many incidents between the two avatars that are in striking contrast.
1. Rama- born of parents who had no issues for long, were pining for issues and who had undergone penance to beget children; while Krishna was the eighth child for his parents who, for that reason and due to circumstances in which they were placed, were not at all eager to get issues.
2. Rama was born in broad daylight; in a palace, as the eldest; Krishna was born in the middle of night, and was the youngest.
3. Rama was very fair in complexion, while Krishna was dark
4. Rama enjoyed life in the palace as a prince till his twelfth year, while till the twelfth year Krishna faced dangers and fights for survival. Kamsa had employed many emissaries and strategies to do away with the child.
5. The first victim of Rama was a woman (Tataka) while the first victim of Krishna in regular combat was a man (Kamsa).
6. Rama’s life was Dharma-oriented (Ramo Vigrahavan Dharma); while Krishna was Karma-oriented. Krishna even said “Sarva-Dharma Parityajaya”
7. Rama was a man of “Eka PatniVrata” while Krishna has “Bahu-Bharyatwa”- a population of wives, so to say.
8. Lakshmana the incarnation of Ananta was a younger brother of Rama. The same Ananta in his subsequent incarnation as Balarama was the elder brother of
Krishna.
9. Rama protected the son of Surya (Sugreeva) and killed the son of Indira (Vali) while Krishna did the opposite. He protected the son of Indira (Arjuna) and killed (caused to be killed) the son of Surya (Karna)
10. Rama killed Tataka with a poisonous arrow that is he emitted poison. Krishna absorbed the poison and killed Putana.
11. Rama was deluded for a time (fainted) in his war with Ravana. Krishna brought back the deluded man Arjuna, to his full faculties and made him fight to victory.
12, Rama’s wife was forcibly taken away by Ravana. Krishna forcibly took away Rukmini and married her.
13. Rama was the cause for mutilating and deforming a woman, Soorpanaka. Krishna made the deformed woman , Kubja, straight and beautiful
14. Rama was a king in his own right. Krishna was never a king himself, but was a king-maker.
15. Rama never claimed that he was an incarnation. In fact he had to be reminded of that at the last stage in his life. Krishna announced that he was the Lord himself as soon as He was born.
16. Rama belonged to Solar dynasty. Krishna belonged to the Lunar dynasty-the yadava branch.
17. Rama represented the perfect Jivatman (Ramante asmin yoginaha iti Rama) while Krishna was the Paramatman-the God (Karshanaat Krishna)
18. “Ramayana” means the “goings of Rama”. He was leading to the goal. It can also mean “going to Rama” just as “samudrayan” in the case of the river. Whereas in the case of Krishna, he was the goal. He was always calling unto Himself-“mamekam charanam vraja”
19. Rama fought the great battle himself (jivatman fighting the battles of samsara). Krishna was the “sakshi in the great battle, while others fought.
20. Rama left behind a prosperous Ayodhya while Krishna had his city Dwaraka and his entire Yadava race destroyed before he left.
21. Even the names of cities in which they lived held out opposite meanings. “Ayodhya” means a city which is not vulnerable to any kind of wars, which should mean the mental state of “sthithaprajna”; while “Dwaraka”, Krishna’s city, means the “Door” that opens to the “Perfect state”; one being the Means and the other the End.
22. While Rama had to weep many times in his life, Krishna lived throughout as personification of cheerfulness. Krishna’s eyes became moist only once in his whole life; that was when his childhood friend Sudhama called on him.
23Krishna is accepted as Poorna -Avatara. Rama has not been accepted as such.
24. Even with only one wife Rama could not lead a happy and harmonious life with her, while Krishna with an army of wives, could lead the happiest of lives with no complaint from any of these women that she had been neglected for one evening.
25. While in the forest, Rama goes in search of the golden deer to satisfy his wife meaning that he went in search of kanchan to satisfy his kamini. In the attempt he lost both Kanchan & Kamini. Krishna went into the forest in search of the jewel “Syamanthaka” and gets also two Kaminis in the bargain-namely Satyabhama and Jambavati, that is Krishna gains Kanchan and Kamini in one shot.
26. With the bow and arrow always hanging on his shoulders, Rama led a warrior’s life throughout upholding and protecting Dharma. Krishna went with a flute in his hands enchanting the world with his divine music. He too was protecting the righteousness and upholding Dharma. While the former did it with his prowess the latter did it with his love.
27. Rama was ready to take up arms when required. Krishna refused to take up arms even when everybody expected him to do so.
28. Sita was lost. Rama wandered in search of her weeping and inquiring of even inanimate objects whether they had seen her. On the other hand, it was Krishna who had been lost, and the gopis in Brindavan did exactly the same thing as Rama did in Ramayana.
29. Rama had to go to forest to fulfil the purpose of his incarnation, whereas for Krishna, his mission took him to palaces frequently.
30. Rama was insulted by his enemy in so far as his wife was kidnapped by his enemy, while we see Krishna was respected by his enemies (the Kauravas) when he entered their durbar.
31. Rama’s sons lived independently of him and were finally crowned by Rama himself before his departure. Krishna’s sons and grandsons lived under his shadow throughout and were annihilated by the great Sire himself before his departure.
32.Rama’s name is chanted as “Sitaram” prefixed with that of Sita, his legally wedded wife, whereas in the cas4e of Krishna, we chant his name as “Radha Krishna” prefixing his name not with any of his legally wedded wives, but with that of another man’s wife, simply on the basis of devotion.
In Ramayana sage Valmiki narrates to Sage Narada all the qualities of Sthithaprajna, and asks him whether there is any person living who satisfies the description, for which Narada answers that Rama, the scion of Ikshwahu dynasty is a standing example of that. But when we come to Bhagvad Gita (essence of Mahabharata) Arjuna does the opposite. He asks the Lord as to what qualities distinguish a “sthithaprajna” and the Lord recounts those qualities. The purpose is the same but the approaches are from diametrically opposite directions
