The world today is a restless place. Wars burn across continents, leaving behind broken cities and broken lives. Families are pushed out of their homes, children grow up not knowing peace, and the sound of gunfire often replaces the sound of laughter. The fear of nuclear conflict—something humanity once hoped to leave in the last century—still hangs over us.
But war is not the only form of violence. There is another kind of quiet war—a war of economic and political pressure. Big powers, sitting at the top of the global table, often try to control or bend the rising economies to their will. They call it “cooperation” or “aid,” but often it is a tool to keep weaker nations dependent.
In such a world, the ordinary person feels small. You watch the news and see injustice everywhere—against women, against the poor, against nature itself—and you wonder: can anything truly change?
More than two thousand years ago, in the Bhagavad Gita, a warrior named Arjuna faced a similar sense of helplessness. Standing on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, he saw the scale of the coming destruction and questioned whether fighting was worth it. It was then that Lord Krishna gave him the words that have carried through centuries:
“Whenever there is a decline in righteousness and an increase in injustice, O Arjuna, I appear on earth.”
This was not just a promise for Arjuna. It was a message for all of humanity: when evil becomes too great, when injustice threatens to destroy the balance of the world, the divine will act.
On Janmashtami, as we remember Krishna’s birth, it is impossible not to wonder—do we need such an intervention again?
A New Battlefield
Our times are not free from war, but the main battlefield today is not always marked by tanks and trenches. It is often in meeting rooms, trade negotiations, and international summits. Big powers use economic policies, sanctions, and loans as weapons. Rising economies are told to follow certain paths in the name of “development,” but these paths often serve the interests of the powerful.
Debt is another silent chain. Nations borrow for growth, but the conditions attached to those loans can lock them into dependence for decades. If they resist, they risk being cut off from trade, investment, or diplomatic support. It is a new form of empire—one without flags, but with the same imbalance of power.
In this way, the strong keep their grip, while the weak struggle to break free.
The Wounds of Society
Beyond global politics, the wounds within societies are just as deep. Women continue to face violence, harassment, and discrimination. This is true in countries rich and poor, in cities and villages. Even in places where laws exist to protect them, the reality often tells a different story. The gap between what is promised and what is lived is wide and painful.
Corruption is another sickness. Institutions that should protect fairness and truth are often the very ones that protect the corrupt. People lose trust in leaders, in justice systems, and in the idea that honesty can survive in public life.
Add to this the rising climate crisis, where greed and carelessness push the planet closer to disaster. Natural disasters grow more frequent and severe, yet little changes because powerful interests refuse to act.
Why Krishna’s Message Matters Now
Krishna did not appear in peaceful times. He was born into a prison, under the rule of a cruel king. His very birth was an act of resistance—a sign that tyranny would not last forever.
His role in the Mahabharata was not only as a strategist or a warrior, but as a guide. He reminded Arjuna that standing aside in the face of injustice is also a form of wrongdoing. You cannot wash your hands and claim innocence while evil grows stronger.
For nations today, especially rising economies, this is a lesson in courage. The pressure from big powers can be overwhelming. It is easier to give in, to avoid confrontation, to accept unfair terms in exchange for short-term safety. But Krishna’s words are clear: action is necessary when dharma—righteousness—is under attack.
Janmashtami as a Political Reminder
In many places, Janmashtami has become a festival of rituals—fasts, prayers, and celebrations. But if we look deeper, it is also a political reminder. It tells us that injustice, no matter how strong, is never permanent. It calls us to act, not just hope.
If we see powerful nations exploiting weaker ones, if we see women denied their dignity, if we see corruption turning truth into a joke—then the spirit of Janmashtami demands we resist. This resistance can be on many levels: through fair trade, through standing firm in negotiations, through protecting vulnerable communities, through making choices that do not harm the planet.
The Inner Battle
Krishna’s battlefield was not only outside; it was also inside Arjuna’s mind. Fear, doubt, and confusion are weapons as dangerous as any sword. In today’s world, the same is true. People are often too busy, too distracted, or too afraid to take a stand. Technology connects us instantly to events across the world, but it also floods us with so much noise that truth becomes blurred. The fight for justice is not only against corrupt systems or unfair powers—it is also against our own tendency to remain passive.
Rising Economies and Self-Respect
For countries trying to grow, the greatest danger is losing self-respect. Accepting unfair deals, allowing foreign powers to dictate policy, or selling natural resources too cheaply may bring temporary benefits but cause long-term harm.
Krishna’s advice to Arjuna was to fight without being attached to the result—to do what is right because it is right. For rising economies, this could mean building alliances based on fairness, strengthening domestic industries, investing in education, and resisting the temptation of easy but costly loans.
The road may be harder, but the dignity it preserves is priceless.
The Climate of Greed
One of the most dangerous battles of our time is the war against nature. Climate change is not a distant threat—it is here. Floods, droughts, and heat waves are becoming normal. Yet powerful nations, along with major corporations, often treat the environment as something to exploit, not protect.
Rising economies are often told to cut emissions while the biggest polluters continue business as usual. This hypocrisy is another form of pressure—expecting the poor to pay for the mistakes of the rich.
Krishna’s philosophy of balance applies here too. Dharma is not only about how we treat each other—it is also about how we treat the earth.
The Role of the Individual
It is tempting to think that these problems are too big for ordinary people to solve. But Krishna’s teachings make it clear: each person has a role. Change begins in small actions—how we vote, what we buy, how we treat others, what truths we choose to speak or stay silent about.
If individuals act with integrity, their combined force can challenge even the largest powers. And in that sense, each of us can be a small avatar of change.
Light in Dark Times
Krishna was born at midnight, in the darkest hour. This is more than just a detail in a story—it is a symbol. Light can be born in the deepest darkness. Hope can begin in the most hopeless of situations. Janmashtami, then, is not just about remembering a past event. It is about believing that even now, justice can return. But belief alone is not enough; action must follow.
We live in an age where big powers shape the fate of smaller nations, where economic pressure can be as damaging as war, where corruption and inequality weaken societies from within, and where the planet itself is under threat.
In such a time, the message of Krishna is more than spiritual comfort—it is a practical guide. Stand firm in what is right. Act without fear. Do not let the powerful decide your destiny without your consent.
As we celebrate Janmashtami, let us remember that the divine promise in the Gita is not only about God arriving to save us. It is also about awakening the divine strength within each of us, so we can be part of the change the world so badly needs.
Perhaps the Avatar we are waiting for is already here—in the courage, unity, and righteousness we choose to live by.
(Author is RK Columnist and can be reached at: [email protected])
