The term ‘akhand brahma-chari’ in Sanskrit means akhand, unbroken and brahma-chari is translated as a celibate, meaning the one whose vow of celibacy has remained unbroken. A monk of the Hindu order, especially a youthful one is fondly called a brahma-chari, who supposed to remain celibate throughout his life.
Among Ram and Krishna, the two avatars of Vishnu, the latter is the more colourful one. Rama, in contrast, is the upholder of the highest moral values and defender of the righteous order, he is also somewhat aloof. Krishna, on the other hand, is the playful deity, who comes and touches people’s lives in myriad ways. These two incarnations of Vishnu are worshipped by the most, including the Vaishnavites themselves. Among the both, Rama had only wife, Sita, who herself was the incarnation of Lakshmi, the celestial consort of Vishnu, while in the Hindu scriptures, Krishna, the eighth avatar, is reported have 16108 wives.
Krishna, among others, was reverentially worshipped by many celibate and celebrated sages of his time as their idol, and ideal: The lord of all the akhand brahma-charis of his time-the ones who had taken a vow of unbroken celibacy. There were many who mocked at them, and rightfully so; for, how can a husband of 16108 wives would be a person of unbroken celibacy? For a man of ordinary vision it was indeed the case, but the seers saw what the other ordinary mortals did not, or could not see.
In the great Sanskrit epic of ancient India, Mahabharata, at the end of the Great War, fought between the armies of Kauravas and Pandavas, Ashwathama slays the foetus of Parikshit in the womb of Uttara, by using the deadliest of weapon called Brahmastra-literally meaning the weapon given by Brahma, the first in the Hindus’ holy trinity.
It is said that only an akhand brahma-chari could revive the foetus. As a matter of challenge, all sages and seers of that time were asked to touch Uttara’s womb with stalks of kusha (Elephant–Desmostachya bipinnata) grass (According to the Vishnu Purana, Kusha grass is considered to be Vishnu), but none of them dared to take up the challenge.
Seeing the crucial time slipping by, Lord Krishna, himself picked up the kusha grass stalks, and gently touched Uttara’s womb. Lo and behold, the foetus came back to life again!
Krishnaand akhand brahma-chari? A husband of 16108 wives! Yes, for akhand brahma-chari actually translates to: akhand (undivided), brahma (consciousness), chari (functions), i.e. the one who functions in undivided consciousness, the one who is without duality.
Echoes of when Jesus said -I and my father are one (John 10:30)?
