Lakshagrah: The Bigger Picture

Posted by Harsh Nevatia Aug 23, 2008

There were two reasons that the events immediately following the Lakshagrah incident were essential for Krishna. The first was Karna. Karna had been befriended by Duryodhan and would fight for him in the inevitable War. Karna had been given an invincible armor by his father Surya. As long as he wore that armor Arjun would be able to kill him in battle. And to get to Duryodhan Karna had to die. Karna was also a great believer in charity and would never let a mendicant go empty-handed. Krishna had planned to get hold of Karna’s armor by asking someone to beg for it. But ‘dharma’ demanded that Karna be given an invincible weapon in return. Krishna needed someone who would be the victim of that invincible weapon so that Arjun could then kill Karna. He needed someone with demonic powers who would trouble the Kaurava army so much that Karna would be forced to use that weapon he was saving for Arjun. After escaping from the Lakshagrah, Bhim met the demoness Hidamba and married her. Their son Ghatotkacha had demonic powers and would willingly sacrifice his life to his father’s cause. This would not have been possible had the Pandavas remained in court.

After escaping from the Lakshagrah the Pandavas eventually settled down as poor brahmins in the village of Ekachakra and mixed with the commoners there. When these commoners realized that the family living with them were none other than the princes of Hastinapura they were astounded. They recalled with pleasant surprise the congenial and humble behavior of the royal scions and their mother and even the help rendered by the Pandavas in the times of distress. It was this approval from the public at large that was essential to establish the righteousness of the Pandavas.