The Sage Uttanka’s Burning Anger
In ancient times, the noble sage Uttanka, a powerful brāhmaṇa and disciple of Veda teachers, performed severe austerities and upheld dharma with great vigor. However, he once found himself overwhelmed with anger and grief.
It happened after the great Kurukṣetra war, in which many kings had perished. Uttanka, unaware that Kṛṣṇa had played a divine role in facilitating this war to establish dharma, blamed Him for the widespread destruction.
With eyes burning with fire, Uttanka confronted Śrī Kṛṣṇa, intending to curse Him for allowing such carnage.
Kṛṣṇa’s Calm and Wisdom
But the Supreme Lord smiled gently and spoke words soaked in truth and compassion:
“O brāhmaṇa, I do not act for destruction. I act to preserve dharma. The war was necessary to cleanse the Earth of burden and to uphold righteousness.”
Still fuming, Uttanka raised his hand to utter a curse.
But before he could do so, Kṛṣṇa revealed His universal form (Viśvarūpa)—the blazing, all-encompassing, divine vision in which all beings, times, and worlds existed.
The Revelation of Truth
Uttanka stood frozen, tears filling his eyes. In that moment, he saw:
- Kṛṣṇa as the Source of Time
- The devastation of the war as part of divine will
- The souls of the slain kings ascending by Kṛṣṇa’s grace
- The balance of dharma being restored
Uttanka fell at the Lord’s feet, ashamed of his anger.
Kṛṣṇa’s Unique Blessing
Seeing Uttanka’s sincerity and transformation, Kṛṣṇa bestowed upon him a special boon:
“Whenever you are thirsty in the desert, think of Me. I will send rain from the skies and water from the ground to sustain you.”
True to this promise, it is said that even today, in the arid regions where Uttanka once wandered, sudden water springs appear when His name is remembered.
Lessons to Be Learned:
- Even great sages can become clouded by misunderstanding, but Kṛṣṇa’s mercy dispels illusion.
- The Lord’s actions may seem harsh externally, but they always preserve the eternal balance.
- Forgiveness and divine vision are greater than punishment.
- When we surrender our ego, the Lord blesses us in ways beyond imagination.
- Remembering the Lord with faith can bring sustenance even in the most desolate places—physically and spiritually.
As the Bhagavad-gītā says:
“na me pārthāsti kartavyaṁ…”
“O Arjuna, I have nothing to gain in the three worlds, yet I act to uphold the balance of dharma.” (BG 3.22)
The story of Sage Uttanka’s encounter with Lord Kṛṣṇa and the revelation of the Viśvarūpa (universal form) is found in Chapter 127 of Harivamsa Purana 3.
