(e) What distinction did Vivekanand point between the teachings
of Christ and Sri Krishna? Do you agree?
Answers
Explanation:
It is easy to understand Christ. But It is certainly not easy to figure out Krishna.
It is easy to see the love of Jesus, who allowed others to destroy his body, took on all our sins and forgave his offenders. But it is hard to see Krishna’s love when he destroyed others’ bodies, forgave them by taking on their negative karmas, and freed their souls.
It is easy to understand one who avoids fighting for the love of peace. But it is not easy to understand one who fought with love for peace . Krishna taught how, if war becomes inevitable, one can fight with love for justice, and not with anger for revenge.
It is easy to respect a celibate like Christ who rejects his body to reach his soul. But it is almost impossible to understand Krishna’s complete acceptance of the body, and absence of conflict between flesh and spirit.
It is easy to understand messiahs like christ who accepted devotees only as disciples. One can revere these masters, touch their feet, and worship them from a respectful and polite, formal distance. One has to raise oneself to a level of maturity to associate with the mater.
It is hard to understand a Krishna who accepted love of any form. He came down to the devotees and met them on their grounds, at their level.
With Krishna, a playmate could climb on his back and picnic with him; a mother could tie him up and scold him; a sister could fuss and complain to him; a lover could fight, play and be intimate with him; an elder could curse him; a friend could gossip and laugh with him; and anyone could imbibe the most profound and abstract wisdom from him. He accepts them all, as long as the source is pure love.
It is easy to accept a saint like Christ who is serious, aloof, quiet, and who extols misery and hardship as virtues. It is not easy to accept a Krishna who laughed, danced, sang, celebrated and played through life. Krishna showed how one can go through suffering without a sense of misery. He showed that life is meant to be a celebration, not a dreary schedule of duties.
If we could remove the preconceived notions of how a God should be, we can see Krishna as the most simple, natural, authentic and innocent person ever – a man whose life was an open invitation to love, celebrations, friendship and intimacy