Lord Krishna and Hanuman were greatest diplomats of world: EAM Jaishankar

Jaishankar also said for the world's 10 big strategic concepts pertaining to international relations in today's discourse, he could give an equivalent for every concept from the epic Mahabharat.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday (January28) said Lord Krishna and Lord Hanuman were the greatest diplomats of the world. The External Affairs Minister was interacting with the audience in Maharashtra's Pune city in a question-answer session during the launch of 'Bharat Marg', the Marathi translation of his book 'The India Way'.

"Lord Shri Krishna and Lord Hanuman were the greatest diplomats of the world. I am saying this very seriously," Jaishankar said. 

"If one looks at them in the perspective of diplomacy, what situation they were in, what mission was given to them, how they had handled the situation," he said.

"Hanumanji, he had gone ahead of the mission, he had contacted Goddess Sita, burnt Lanka...he was a multi-purpose diplomat," the minister said.

Jaishankar also said for the world's 10 big strategic concepts pertaining to international relations in today's discourse, he could give an equivalent for every concept from the epic Mahabharat.

"If you say today it is a multi-polar world, at that time what was happening in Kurukshetra (the site of the battle of Mahabharat), that was multi-polar Bharat, where there were different rajya (kingdoms), they were told 'you are with them, you are with me'...a couple of them were non-aligned...like Balram and Rukma," the minister said.

"We sometimes say Pakistan did this or that, and we will show strategic patience. The best example of strategic patience is the way Lord Krishna handled Shishupal. He (Lord Krishna) forgave him 100 times," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)