Thank you Pro an Janu for getting this thread started! I've always found the political aspect of this show fascinating and lamented the fact that many of those scenes were cut. The storytelling seems to be inspired by Kanhaiyalal Munshi's classic novel series, Krishnavatara, and RS brilliantly blends that purely human adaptation with his signature devotional touch.
From a practical perspective, the model of representative government provided by the Yadavs is really ahead of its time and worth studying. The portrayal of Kans as a petulant dictator, the difficulty of defeating him because of disunity among those who oppose him, and the characterization of Akrur as a courageous and tireless resistance leader all ring true in the modern world.
From a social/cultural perspective, as Janu said it is very valuable in helping us understand the ultimate tragic fate of the Yadavs in Dwarika. We see how, from Treta to Dwapar, as we got closer to Kaliyug, human nature itself changed. Loyalty and unity became more and more rare, the emphasis on individualism rather than collectivism grew, bringing with itself its own advantages and disadvantages.
From a devotional perspective, these political scenes highlight for us the unique natures of Vasudev and Akrur, both examples of different types of devotees, one who accepts God's will even when it kills him and one who has the kinds of doubts and questions we ordinary people have and feels the need to do *something*, even when nothing is in his power. The evolution we watch him go through from this introductory scene in Ugrasen's court up until Krishna blesses him with that divine darshan on the way to Kans vadh is a masterpiece in characterization and really instructive for us as devotees. Looking forward to retracing that journey with you guys scene by scene!
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