Within the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna stands out as one of the most enigmatic and deep characters. While not the main person in the epic, the very narrative and philosophy of which, Krishna's presence truly makes a world of difference. The Mahabharata offers a character to the outsiders who are trying to understand Hinduism that gives an insight into the Hindu ideas of divinity, ethics, and spiritual wisdom.  

The Multi-faceted Krishna

The Krishna as portrayed in the Mahabharata, much to the extent that a deity to be worshipped, was a cousin, a friend, an advisor, a charioteer, and now a diplomat. Such manifold portrayal shows a basic understanding of divinity in Hinduism as being both transcendent and immanent, beyond this world but deeply involved in it.

Krishna Himself says in the Bhagavad Gita: 

"Though I am unborn, imperishable, and the Lord of all beings, yet by controlling My own material nature, I manifest Myself by My own maya (divine power)." (Bhagavad Gita 4.6) 

Thus, He taught that the divine is not removed yet takes part in human affairs, but these affairs do not affect the divine. This remains a crucial understanding in Hindu theology.

The strategist par excellence   

In achieving all of his goals throughout the epic, Krishna demonstrates finely-tuned strategic thinking. Be it trying to negotiate peace before the war or working out unorthodox methods to wage war during battle, he is seen out-of-the-box handling situations creatively. His case clearly shows that at times knowledge calls for disobedience of traditional boundaries.

Krishna discusses with Arjuna in a more intellectual way when Arjuna begins to waver about going to war rather than order him to get up and fight!. This shows that real leadership entails confronting those deeper-qestions that are the motivating factor behind any action:  

"Thus, without attachment, one should perform one's duty and engage in action for the sake of the Supreme." (Bhagavad Gita 3.19)

Krishna's Morality: Ethics Beyond Simple Right and Wrong 

Perhaps the hardest for any new student of Hinduism is Krishna's momentary situational ethics that would reinforce a slew of other and conflicting ethical paths. 

Like an instance in which he suggested Bhima strike Duryodhana below the waist, or when he speaks falsely to help in the defeat of Drona, it situates Krishna as an advocate of methods that at times seem to run counter to ordinary morality

The above episodes should teach a pretty sophisticated understanding of dharma as relative and contextual. The Mahabharata itself shows through Krishna that dharma is not merely following rules but determining the nature of an act depending on an understanding of the deeper principles behind them:

"When adharma (unrighteousness) is mistaken for dharma and dharma is perceived as adharma, those who live in this age of darkness have their intelligence bewildered." (Bhagavad Gita 18.32) 

This implies that knowing how to best apply ethical standards can be an especially cloudy judgment call: a lesson of this sort would have far-reaching applications within our morally muddy modern scenario.    

Krishna balancing opposites  

Krishna's character finds the most stunning balance of seemingly opposite attributes: playful and serious, practical and philosophical, compassionate and cold when the situation calls for it. This teaches the Hindu understanding of wholeness: that spiritual maturity involves integrating and giving a place to various aspects of existence instead of denying them. 

The Udyoga Parva presents Krishna, knowing that war was inevitable, still attempting peace negotiations: one is "to pursue right action without consideration of consequences.

"Gain and loss, profit and failure really exist for one who is foolish; wise is that man who does his duty without caring for the fruits of action." (Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva 78.27)

The supreme teaching– Action in devotion    

The most important teaching of Krishna is that spiritual life is not distinct from worldly duties but is found rather within them when performed with the right consciousness. It is a spirituality of action, not of escape: 

"Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give away, and whatever austerities you perform-do that as an offering to Me." (Bhagavad Gita 9.27)  

This union of the spiritual with the worldly gives Hindu philosophy a striking present-day relevance. 

Lessons for Modern Life 

For Krishna, the contemporary seeker has these five lessons: 

Skillful action counts- Intention is insufficient, we must have the proficiency to perform whatever we engage in 

Wisdom is balance- Balance a seemingly opposite-like quality 

Ethics require discernment- Moral principles should be carried out with wisdom, not crosswise 

Divinity lives in the commonplace- Sacred and secular do not exist in separate spheres 

Detached engagement- Act without clinging to the outcome 

Begin Your Study 

To begin with, if the study of the Mahabharata and its contents is a new world for you, then I recommend beginning with Krishna-centric chapters:

The Bhagavad-Gita (Bhishma Parva) 

 Udyoga Parva-the peace embassy 

Mausala Parva-Krishna's last days  

Bibek Debroy's full English translation of the Mahabharata, Eknath Easwaran's Bhagavad-Gita, and Ramesh Menon's narrative retelling are all readable translations.

By reflecting on Krishna's figure in the Mahabharata, we get an insight into not just Hindu theology but to correct living in a wise manner among a lot of its complications. His teachings have shown that spirituality is not escaping from life's battle, but it is rather engaging it with wisdom, skill, and devotion; a lesson that today is vibrant with relevance.