Why are African people dark? It is said that fair or dark colours are the gift of God or nature. The Karma also believes that God has created dark and fair people to make the world beautiful. But the question is why are the people of Europe white and the people of Africa dark? Is there an answer to this in Sanatan Dharma texts? Yes! Today, The Karma is going to tell you, according to Mahabharat, why the people of Africa are dark.
In the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata, Dhritarashtra asks Sanjay for a map of the whole world, about the mountains and forests of the whole world and also about the people living in these places. Thus, in chapter 11 of the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata, Sanjay tells Dhritarashtra about the island of Shaka. Shak Island is considered to be today’s Africa.
In the Bhishmaparva, Dhritarashtra asks Sanjay about the map of the entire world and the mountains and jungles of the world. In the Adhyay 11 of Bhishma Parva of Mahabharat, Sanjay informs Dhritarashtra about an island named Shak. Shak Island is believed to be modern-day Africa.
In the Adhyay 11 of Bhishma Parva of Mahabharat, Sanjay informs Dhritarashtra about an island named Shak and says that there, there is a big mountain called Ap Shyam. The livelihood of the people living in this area depends on living around this mountain named Shyam. Do you know that in Hindi or Sanskrit, the word Shyam is used for black or dark? Sanjay says that Bhagwan Sri Krishna resides near Shyam Parvat. Bhagwan Krishna lives here. Since Bhagwan Krishna’s complexion is Shyam or dark, the complexion of the people living here is also black due to his divine influence-
Read and understand these Shloks of Adhyay 11 of Bhishma Parva of Mahabharat–
उत्तरेण तु राजेन्द्र श्यामो नाम महागिरि: ।
नवमेघप्रभ: प्रांशु: श्रीमानुज्ज्वलविग्रह: ।।
यत: श्यामत्वमापन्ना: प्रजा जनपदेश्वर ।
The meaning of this Shlok is that on the northern side of Shakadweep, there is a great mountain called Shyam which looks like thick dark clouds. This dense dark mountain imparts its colour to others. That is, because of the canopy of that dense mountain, the people there are black.
श्यामो यस्मात् प्रवृत्तो वै तत् ते वक्ष्यामि भारत ।
आस्तेSत्र भगवान् कृष्णस्तत्कान्त्या श्यामतां गत : ।।
That is, Shri Krishna resides on this huge dense mountain, therefore, Bhagwan Shri Krishna imparts his Shyam, i.e., black colour to the people living there, due to which the people there have also become black.
Now you would think that Shri Krishna was born in Mathura and always stayed in India, then who is this Shri Krishna? Let us tell you that in every Yug, Bhagwan Krishna keeps appearing at different times all over the world.
According to the Brahmavaivarta Purana, Shri Krishna is the foundation of the world and the universe was created from him. Parameshwar Shri Krishna resides in Golok which is many times higher than Vaikunth. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva were born from this Golok resident Shri Krishna. This Golok resident Shri Krishna sometimes incarnates as Vishnu, sometimes as Ram, and sometimes as Mathura resident Shri Krishna himself. According to the Anushasan Parva of Mahabharat, Krishna is also the one who was born from the womb of the wife of Dharma, the manasputra of Brahma. According to a legend of Anushanshan Parv, Dharma’s wife Ruchi prayed to God that he should be born as a son in her house. So, Bhagwan Vishnu incarnated from her womb as Nar, Narayan, Hari and Krishna. Nar and Narayan live in Badrikashram. Nar Narayan aimed to establish the welfare of the world based on penance, while Hari showed the way for the welfare of the world based on devotion. Krishna, the son of Dharma and Ruchi, showed the way for the welfare of the world through Yog. That’s why this Krishna is also called Yogeshwar.
Apart from this, the mention of Mahabali Krishna is also found in the Yuddhakand of Valmiki Ramayan. This is Golok resident Shri Krishna only. Similarly, Shri Krishna, the resident of Golok, has appeared on Shak Island near Shyam Parvat by the name of Shri Krishna. Earlier the people of Africa used to worship him and because of his boon, the complexion of all the people of Africa is dark.
