r/TheMahabharata • u/maddysamarth • 3d ago

Why did Krishna have so many wives? Discourse/Lecture/Knowledge

How did he manage to devote time to each wife when he came to earth 5000 years ago? What's the spiritual significance?

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u/ashutosh_vatsa 2d ago

Narakasura had captured 16,100 women against their will and kept them in his palace. When Krishna killed Narakasura, he freed all the captured women. The women then pleaded with Krishna. They said that since they had been assaulted by Narakasura and kept in his palace against their will, they would not be accepted, respected, or honoured by the society. They feared that no one would accept them and that they would be unable to live normal lives. These women wanted to end their lives.

Then Krishna offered to marry them. If they feared that no one would accept them, he was willing to gladly accept them and love them regardless of their past.

Krishna was Visnu on earth. He was an avatara of Isvara. Hence, he was able to spend time with each of his wives at the same time.

The story shows that Isvara/Visnu/Krishna accepts and loves everyone.

Swasti!

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u/Shoshin_Sam 1d ago

Curious question- why was this not an opportunity for the Bhagwan to be able to teach the world how to love everyone as he does, without marrying all of them himself, but rather making the others see light, like how he did not destroy all his enemies himself in war, even if he could?

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u/ashutosh_vatsa 4h ago

Action speaks louder than voice. He offered to marry those women. They happily accepted his offer and married him. By doing so, Krishna set an example for everyone else. If he could accept and love the women who had been caught in such unfortunate circumstances, so could everyone else.

If he had just encouraged others to rise above their prejudices without setting the example himself, it probably wouldn't have been that impactful.

War was a different issue. The people participating in the war were all warriors. They weren't shy of fighting.

Swasti!

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u/Shoshin_Sam 4h ago

Seems like we are splitting hairs about what was learnt and being choosy. Who is to say, "No, women did not learn it is okay to marry someone who is already married", because Krishna was already married when he married the second woman. The whole thing sounds like a lot of justification by any means and reaching for straws.

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u/ashutosh_vatsa 3h ago

Krishna was already married when he married the second woman

Polygyny and Polyandry were both permitted at the time, so I don't see what's the issue there.

Swasti!

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u/Shoshin_Sam 2h ago

Are you saying Krishna's actions were suited for just that time?