Thread by @Indic_Vibhu

⚜️Did you know ?

🌺।।Uddhava was a close friend, confidant, cousin and devotee of Sri Krishna।।🌺

And, The Uddhava Gita is a sacred spiritual discourse that Sri Krishna gave to his devotee and cousin Uddhava towards the end of his earthly life.

A Thread 🧵

Uddhava was the son of Devabhaga, who was Krishna’s paternal uncle (Vasudeva’s brother). This makes Uddhava Krishna’s cousin.

Towards the end of Krishna’s earthly life, Krishna imparted the Uddhava Gita (a spiritual discourse similar to the Bhagavad Gita) to Uddhava, containing profound teachings on devotion, dharma, and renunciation.

This story, set during Krishna’s final days as an avatar, records the conversations between Krishna and Uddhava , later known as the Uddhava Gita, where Uddhava asks heartfelt questions about Krishna’s actions in the Mahabharata, and Krishna offers deep, enlightening answers.

From childhood, Uddhava had been close to Krishna — driving his chariot, serving him, and staying by his side in many ways. But he never once asked Krishna for any gift or blessing.

As Krishna’s time on earth was coming to an end, he called Uddhava and said, “Dear Uddhava, in this life I have given blessings to many people, but you have never asked me for anything. Why don’t you ask now? I want to leave feeling I have done something for you too.”

Uddhava still didn’t want anything for himself. But he had one question that had been on his mind since childhood: he had always been puzzled by the difference between Krishna’s teachings and some of his actions, especially during the events of the Mahabharata.

So he asked, “Prabhu, you taught us to live one way, but sometimes acted another way. In the great drama of the Mahabharata, I didn’t understand many of your actions. Will you explain the reasons to me?”

Krishna replied, “Uddhava, what I told Arjuna during the Kurukshetra war became known as the Bhagavad Gita. What I tell you today will be known as the Uddhava Gita. Ask freely.”

Uddhava began, “Krishna, first tell me — who is a real friend?”

Krishna answered, “A true friend helps in times of need, even without being asked.”

Uddhava then pressed further:

“You were a dear friend to the Pandavas. They trusted you completely as their protector in times of trouble. You knew everything — past, present, and future. Then why didn’t you act like a true friend in the dice game? Why didn’t you stop Yudhishthira from playing? Or, if you didn’t stop him, why didn’t you make sure he won so that dharma would prevail? Why didn’t you step in when he lost his wealth, his kingdom, and even himself? Why didn’t you stop the game when he began betting his brothers?

And when Duryodhana offered to return everything if Yudhishthira bet Draupadi, why didn’t you intervene? Instead, you only acted when Draupadi was about to be disrobed. You claim you saved her modesty by providing endless clothes — but after she was dragged into the hall and insulted in front of everyone, what modesty was left? Helping in the middle of a crisis is one thing, but coming after the worst has happened — is that dharma?”

These, Uddhava said, were not just his own questions—they were the questions of anyone who knows the series of events that led to the Kurukshetra war.

Krishna smiled and replied, “The law of this world is simple: the one who uses wisdom and clear judgment wins. Duryodhana had that kind of cleverness; Yudhishthira did not."

“Duryodhana didn’t know how to play dice well, so he let his uncle Shakuni play for him. That was smart. Yudhishthira could have done the same and asked me — his cousin — to play on his behalf. If Shakuni and I had played, who do you think would have won?

“But Yudhishthira made two mistakes. First, he never thought to include me in the game. Second, he actually prayed that I should not come to the hall, because he didn’t want me to know he was forced into playing. His own prayers kept me outside the hall."

“I waited just outside, ready to come if anyone called me. But when the brothers lost, they only cursed their fate. They didn’t call me. Draupadi also didn’t call me when she was dragged into the hall — she tried to argue her way out using her own strength. Only when she realized she couldn’t save herself did she cry out, ‘Krishna, save me!’ That’s when I could act — and I came immediately. Tell me, is that my fault?”

Uddhava nodded at the explanation, but asked again, “So, Krishna, does this mean you will only help when called? Won’t you come on your own to protect people and uphold justice?”

Krishna smiled, “Uddhava, everyone’s life unfolds according to their own karma. I don’t interfere; I only watch. I am the witness.”

Uddhava pushed further, “So you’ll just stand by, watch us make mistakes, and let us suffer the results?”

Krishna replied, “Think deeper. If you truly believed I was standing beside you, watching, would you dare to do wrong? The real problem is that people forget I am always present as a witness. Yudhishthira thought he could play without me knowing — that was his mistake. If he had remembered I am always there, the whole game would have gone differently.”

Hearing this, Uddhava was filled with devotion. “What a deep truth! Calling on God, praying to Him — these are just ways to remind ourselves of His presence. But when we know, truly know, that nothing happens without Him, how can we forget and act wrongly? This is the very teaching you gave Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita. You were his charioteer and guide, but you never fought for him."

“The real lesson is to realize the witness — the divine presence — within and around us, and merge our mind into that God-consciousness. That is our higher self — pure, loving, and blissful. That is the truth: Tat Tvam Asi — You are That.”

The Uddhava Gita reminds us that God is ever-present as the silent witness in our lives.

Remembering this truth keeps our actions aligned with dharma and our hearts rooted in devotion.

Jai Sri Krishna 🙏🌺