KRISHNA'S KALAMITY

To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to? As for an idol, a craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it. A man too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot. He looks for a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple. (Isaiah 40:18-20)

According to Hinduism, Krishna is the principal avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu, a deity worshiped as the protector and preserver of worlds. But could this lofty deity protect or preserve himself? Several years ago, the new year would hit his godhood with a direct and humiliating defeat.

The scene took place in January 2003 just outside New Delhi, India's capital city. After spending six years and $417,000, the faithful of Narsinghpur had very nearly completed their marvelous project -- a glorious 108-foot concrete statue of Krishna.

Shivram Sharma, the priest at a small temple nearby was praying inside when he suddenly heard a loud noise and felt a tremor. Tearing out of the temple to see what was happening, he watched the massive statue topple to the ground. When it was over, not only was Krishna prostrated on his back, helpless and broken, but he had crushed to death three people and injured a dozen others. Two who died had been doing a final polishing of the statue when it came down. Said Sharma, "This was a bad omen." Since Hindus believe that an image contains the actual presence of the god it depicts, this definitely was a bad day for Lord Krishna and his devotees.

I can't help but draw a comparison with the biblical story of Dagon, the national god of the Philistines. In 1 Samuel 5:1-5, we see the Philistines carting the ark of the covenant off to Ashdod, the site of Dagon's temple. After carrying the ark inside this pagan temple and setting it beside Dagon, a strange thing happened. Dagon fell face down on the ground before the ark. When the people set him back up, he fell again, this time severing his head and hands.