A question from Mahabharat for the devotees of Krishna?

Question

He promised before the beginning of the Battle of Kurukshetra that He would remain without weapons and would not use His strength for either of the parties but he broke his promise and raised wheel of chariot on Bhishma.

Why Krishna broke his promise?

Answer 1

I will not go into details of how Krishna pick up the weapon.

Bhishma was great devotee of Krishna, and when Shri Krishna vowed he will not use weapons in mahabharata... Bhishma laughed and said - I will make you break you promise" Hence he used fierce arrows on Arjuna

shri Krishna picked up wheel as weapon on Bhishma, just to fulfil his bhakta's wish

For shri Krishna .. no vow is bigger than his Bhaktas !!

Answer 2

Shree Krishna broke his promise for 3 reasons

Arjuna was not fighting with his will and could take up the path of dharma fully, so Krishna jee had to take control in his hand so he understands it and feels the need for it. If Krishna jee is ready to break his vow this action is every bit worth. Krishna jee did this to rejuvenate Arjun and make him realise what is Dharma.

Bhism pitamah had cross vowed that he would make Shree Krishna pick weapons in the war. Bhism was a devotee of Shree Krishna and He never would let his devotee down at any cost. Even if this requires Him breaking his vows/promises. This proves that Krishna jee would do anything for his devotees and how much He loves them.

Most importantly Shree Krishna did this to give a message to all present there and the whole world that nothing is bigger than Dharma or doing the right thing. It is true that vows are meant to be kept but if your vow is breeding adharm, is a wrong act or supporting adharm in any way then breaking that vow is the only dharma. This was a lesson and a chance for all the people on Kauravs and adharm side what He meant to say was forget all the relationships, favours, pratigyas, vows and promises and support the Right/Dharma. Particularly for Bhism pitamah, Dronacharya, Kripacharya, King of Madr etc they all were on the evil/adharm side because of favours, vows, promises and relationships. He clearly said that for the protection of dharma and right if I have to break my vow I shall do it. This makes it very clear that if Krishna jee always shows us the right path and knows dharma much better than others, if He is ready to break his vow this the only right. He tried his every bit gave everyone chances explained in every possible way but unfortunately, they were adamant and still stayed with evil and the wrong path for false stuff could not see the truth. People did not understand then and do not understand now.

Answer 3

In the Kurushtra was ferocious Bhishma attacked Pandavas with force unheard of. Pandavas army was torn apart at tens and hundreds places. Soldiers started running here and there. Scores of them died on the battle-field in their futile attempt to attack or escape the mighty Bhishma.

Sri Krishna told Arjuna to protect his men by attacking the leader Bhishma. There was no other way but to remove Bhishma if Pandavas had to win the war. Everyone intently watched this terrifying battle between the old and the young great warrior.

Arjuna was faltering, many a arrow from Bhishma hit Arjuna. He was bleeding profusely. Sri Krishna thought, "If this continues defeat of Pandavas is not far away." Therefore, in a bid to thwart the onslaught of Bhishma, Sri Krishna lifted the nearby wheel of a broken chariot and ran towards Bhishma as if to put and end to his life! The vow that Sri Krishna would not take to arms was thus broken!

Seeing the Lord Himself rushing towards him, Bhishma dropped his weapons. With tears flowing from his eyes Bhishma spoke thus, "O Keshava, O Merciful, how lucky am I that the Lord of Universe Himself has decided to liberate this ordinary Bhishma from the snares of worldliness. O Madhava, come, be quick, let me die at your hands. Who can be happier and lucky than me to get such an wonderful and rare opportunity."

Sri Krishna was reminded of his vow. He threw away the wheel and retreated back to his chariot. For his Bhakta - devotee - the Lord had broken his vow!...

Answer 4

Because Krishna in IT S great wisdom knew one day that someone will see/read this and know the quickest way to take on your own personal ego (Bhishma) is The Fold of Eight Path which symbol is the Wheel.

Answer 5

Bhismadeva speaks of it in the
Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 1: Creation, Chapter 9: The Passing Away of Bhishmadeva in the presence of Lord Krishna, verse 38:

May He, Lord Sri Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, who awards salvation, be my ultimate destination. On the battlefield He charged me, as if angry because of the wounds dealt by my sharp arrows. His shield was scattered, and His body was smeared with blood due to the wounds.

PURPORT

The dealings of Lord Krishna and Bhishmadeva on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra are interesting because the activities of Lord Sri Krishna appeared to be partial to Arjuna and at enmity with Bhishmadeva; but factually all this was especially meant to show special favor to Bhishmadeva, a great devotee of the Lord. The astounding feature of such dealings is that a devotee can please the Lord by playing the part of an enemy. The Lord, being absolute, can accept service from His pure devotee even in the garb of an enemy. The Supreme Lord cannot have any enemy, nor can a so-called enemy harm Him because He is ajita, or unconquerable. But still He takes pleasure when His pure devotee beats Him like an enemy or rebukes Him from a superior position, although no one can be superior to the Lord. These are some of the transcendental reciprocatory dealings of the devotee with the Lord. And those who have no information of pure devotional service cannot penetrate into the mystery of such dealings. Bhishmadeva played the part of a valiant warrior, and he purposely pierced the body of the Lord so that to the common eyes it appeared that the Lord was wounded, but factually all this was to bewilder the nondevotees. The all-spiritual body cannot be wounded, and a devotee cannot become the enemy of the Lord. Had it been so, Bhishmadeva would not have desired to have the very same Lord as the ultimate destination of his life. Had Bhishmadeva been an enemy of the Lord, Lord Krishna could have annihilated him without even moving. There was no need to come before Bhishmadeva with blood and wounds. But He did so because the warrior devotee wanted to see the transcendental beauty of the Lord decorated with wounds created by a pure devotee. This is the way of exchanging transcendental rasa, or relations between the Lord and the servitor. By such dealings both the Lord and the devotee become glorified in their respective positions. The Lord was so angry that Arjuna checked Him when He was moving towards Bhishmadeva, but in spite of Arjuna's checking, He proceeded towards Bhishmadeva as a lover goes to a lover, without caring for hindrances. Apparently His determination was to kill Bhishmadeva, but factually it was to please him as a great devotee of the Lord. The Lord is undoubtedly the deliverer of all conditioned souls. The impersonalists desire salvation from Him, and He always awards them according to their aspiration, but here Bhishmadeva aspires to see the Lord in His personal feature. All pure devotees aspire for this.
http://vedabase.net/sb/1/9/38/en1

Answer 6

If you follow the life of Krishna, it is a tale of accomplishing things with varied and often unorthodox measures, and technically he raised the wheel of the chariot, it was not a weapon.

Answer 7

Bhisma was great devotee of Lord Krishna. He had always kept his promise.
Lord borke his promise to keep his devotees promise when Bhisma challeged him.
In other words for devotees of Lord he is ready to do anything even break his promise. That is what he proved to Bhisma and to the world and to the devotees,.

Answer 8

Krsna knew that Arjuna could never kill his Pitamaha. He also knew that with Bhishma on the battle field, victory was not possible for Pandavas. So Krsna wanted to force Arjuna to fire arrows to Bhishma. Arjuna was always on the side of Dharma. Krsna knew that if he takes the weapon, by breaking the pledge, Arjuna would become helpless and fight against his Pitamaha.

Answer 9

Have you remember he said that Who came agianst the good and support evils had to die because dharma is more important then these excellent natured person like Bhisma, Karna.
If they support devil and look peerlees, invinceble then there is no harm to breach the code of conduct not to talk about promises.
If Bhisma breach his promise not to marrige and accepteds the throne of HastinaPur. War of Kurushetra never faught.

Answer 10

Actually,Krishna symbolises life in its full flavour.HE tells us what it is and how it should be lived.One has at multiple occasions make choice between greater devil and the lesser one.Krishna stands and makes the choice for the truth.His message of life is hidden.