𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘃𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝘆𝗮𝗱𝗵𝗮𝗻 & 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗸𝘂𝗻𝗶?
Wonderful explanation by Krishn himself:
From his childhood, Uddhav had been with Krishn, charioting him and serving him in many ways. He never asked for any wish or boon from Sri Krishn. When Krishn was at the verge of completing His Avatar, he called Uddhav and said,‘Dear Uddhav, in this avatar of mine, many people have asked and received boons from me; but you never asked me anything. Why don’t you ask something now? I will give you. Let me complete this avatar with the satisfaction of doing something good for you also’.
Even though Uddhav did not ask anything for himself, he had been observing Krishn from his childhood. He had always wondered about the apparent disconnect between Krishna’s teachings and actions, and wanted to understand the reasons for the same. He asked Krishn, ‘Lord, you taught us to live in one way, but you lived in a different way. In the drama of Mahabharat, in the role you played, in your actions, I did not understand many things. I am curious to understand the reasons for your actions. Would you fulfil my desire to know?’
Krishn said, ‘Uddhav, what I told Arjun during the war of Kurukshetra was Bhagavad Gita. Today, my responses to you would be known as ‘Uddhav Gita’. That is why I gave this opportunity to you. Please ask without hesitation.’
Uddhav starts asking – ‘Krishn, first tell me who is a real friend?’
Krishn says, ‘The real friend is one who comes to the help of his friend in need even without being called’.
Uddhav : ‘Krishn, you were a dear friend of the Pandavas. They trusted you fully as Apadhbhandava (protector from all difficulties). Krishn, you not only know what is happening, but you know what is going to happen. You are a great gyani. Just now you gave the definition of a true, close friend. Then why did you not act as per that definition. Why did you not stop Dharmaraj (Yudhisthir)
from playing the gambling game? Ok, you did not do it; why did you not turn the luck in favour of Dharmaraj, by which you would have ensured that dharm wins. You did not do that also. You could have at least saved Dharmaraj by stopping the game after he lost his wealth, country and himself. You could have released him from the punishment for gambling. Or, you could have entered the hall when he started betting his brothers. You did not do that either. At least when Duryodhan tempted Dharmaraj by offering to return everything lost if he betted Draupadi (who always brought good fortune to Pandavas), you could have intervened and with your divine power you could have made the dices roll in a way that is favorable to Dharmaraj. Instead, you intervened only when Draupadi almost lost her modesty and now you claim that you gave clothes and saved Draupadi’s modesty; how can you even claim this – after her being dragged into the hall by a man and disrobed in front of so many people, what modesty is left for a woman? What have you saved? Only when you help a person at the time of crisis, can you be called ‘Apadhbandhava’. If you did not help in the time of crisis, what is the use? Is it Dharm?’ As Uddhav posed these questions, tears started rolling from his eyes.
These are not the questions of Uddhav alone. All of us who have read Mahabharat have these questions. On behalf of us, Uddhav had already asked Krishn.
Bhagavan Krishn laughed. ‘Dear Uddhav, the law of this world is: ‘only the one who has Vivek (intelligence through discrimination), wins’. While Duryodhan had vivek, Dharmaraj lacked it. That is why Dharmaraj lost’.
Uddhav was lost and confused. Krishn continues ‘While Duryodhan had lots of money and wealth to gamble, he did not know how to play the game of dice. That is why he used his Uncle Shakuni to play the game while he betted. That is vivek. Dharmaraj also could have thought similarly and offered that I, his cousin,

would play on his behalf. If Shakuni and I had played the game of dice, who do you think would have won? Can he roll the numbers I am calling or would I roll the numbers he is asking. Forget this. I can forgive the fact that he forgot to include me in the game. But, without vivek, he did another blunder. He prayed that I should not come to the hall as he did not want me to know that through ill-fate he was compelled to play this game. He tied me with his prayers and did not allow me to get into the hall; I was just outside the hall waiting for someone to call me through their prayers. Even when Bheem, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev were lost, they were only cursing Duryodhan and brooding over their fate; they forgot to call me. Even Draupadi did not call me when Dusshasan held her hair and dragged her to fulfil his brother’s order. She was also arguing in the hall, based on her own abilities. She never called me. Finally good sense prevailed; when Dusshasan started disrobing her, she gave up depending on her own strength, and started shouting ‘Hari, Hari, Abhayam Krishn, Abhayam’ and shouted for me. Only then I got an opportunity to save her modesty. I reached as soon as I was called. I saved her modesty. What is my mistake in this situation?
‘Wonderful explanation, Kanha, I am impressed. However, I am not deceived. Can I ask you another question’, says Uddhav. Krishn gives him the permission to proceed.
'Does it mean that you will come only when you are called! Will you not come on your own to help people in crisis, to establish justice?’, asks Uddhav.
Krishn smiles. ‘Uddhav, in this life everyone’s life proceeds based on their own karm. I don’t run it; I don’t interfere in it. I am only a ‘witness’. I stand close to you and keep observing whatever is happening. This is God’s Dharm’.
‘Wow, very good Krishn. In that case, you will stand close to us, observe all our evil acts; as we keep committing more and more sins, you will keep watching us. You want us to commit more blunders, accumulate sins and suffer’, says Uddhav.
Krishn says.’Uddhav, please realise the deeper meaning of your statements. When you understand & realise that I am standing as witness next to you, how could you do anything wrong or bad. You definitely cannot do anything bad. You forget this and think that you can do things without my knowledge. That is when you get into trouble. Dharmaraj’s ignorance was that he thought he can play the game of gambling without my knowledge. If Dharmaraj had realized that I am always present with everyone in the form of ‘Sakshi’ (witness), then wouldn’t the game have finished differently?’
Uddhav was spellbound and got overwhelmed by Bhakti. He said, ‘What a deep philosophy. What a great truth! Even praying and doing pooja to God and calling Him for help are nothing but our feeling / belief. When we start believing that nothing moves without Him, how can we not feel his presence as Witness? How can we forget this and act? Throughout Bhagavad Gita, this is the philosophy Krishn imparted to Arjun. He was the charioteer as well as guide for Arjun, but he did not fight on his own.’- Realize that Ultimate Sakshi/ Witnesser within & without you!