Happy Krishna Janmashtami

हे भारत ! जब-जब धर्म की हानि और अधर्म की वृद्धि होती है, तब-तब ही मैं अपने रूप को  रचता हूँ अर्थात साकार रूप से लोगों के सम्मुख प्रकट होता हूँ ॥ 4-7॥

साधु पुरुषों का उद्धार करने के लिए, पापकर्म करने वालों का विनाश करने के लिए और धर्म की अच्छी तरह से स्थापना करने के लिए मैं युग-युग में प्रकट हुआ करता हूँ ॥ 4-8॥

Whenever there is decay of righteousness, O Bharata, And there is exaltation of unrighteousness, then I Myself come forth ; For the protection of the good, for the destruction of evil-doers, For the sake of firmly establishing righteousness, I am born from age to age.

Birth Of Lord Krishna – 

At the stroke of the midnight, when the constellation of stars was in Rohini nakshatra, in the month of bhadra (August to September), the great Lord Vishnu incarnated as Little Krishna as a savior of His devotees, annihilation of the demons and establishment of dharma. Krishna was born to Devaki and Vasudev in a prison in Mathura. Devaki’s brother Kansa who ruled the kingdom of Mathura was desperate to kill little Krishna as soon as he was born. The reason was that it was foretold that Devaki’s eighth son would demolish the evil Kansa who had spread fear and terror among the people. Before little Krishna was born, he gave darshan to Devaki and Vasudev and told them that soon after his birth he should be transferred to Gokul at Nand baba and Yashodha’s house and bring back their little baby girl to the prison.

In the midnight by the Divine plan of the Lord, the guards went into a deep slumber and the latches broke off. At that moment, Vasudev ji quietly took away the new born from the prison of Mathura to Gokul by crossing the turbulent river Yamuna and placed him at Nand baba and Yashodha’s house and took back the baby girl to the prison. As soon as Kansa came to know about the birth of a child, he rushed to the cell and tried to kill the baby girl. The moment he tried to smash her on the wall, the girl flew into the space and took form of Goddess Durga. She said, “The one who would kill Kansa has already taken birth in Gokul”. When Kansa came to know that the eighth son of Devaki has already taken birth in Gokul, he ordered the demons one by one to kill little Krishna.

Krishna ‘The Saviour’ – 

When Krishna was 6 days old, the demoness Putana disguised as a beautiful lady, tried to feed Krishna by applying deadly poison on her chest. But her efforts went into vain. Krishna killed Putana. Then came Shaktasur, Trinavarth (in the form of a tornado), Vattsasur (in the form of calf), Bakasur (in the form of bagula/ crane), Aghaasur (in the form of a python), Dhenukasur (in the form of a donkey), Keshi (in the form of a horse), Vyomasur and Pralambhasur. The life of all the demons was put to an end by little Krishna.

Though Krishna was very naughty, He had a charismatic personality too. He loved eating butter and drinking milk which he used to steal from various houses of gope and gopis. Krishna lovingly fed all the monkeys and peacocks with his favorite butter.

Leela’s from the Life Of Krishna – 

Once mother Yashodha got annoyed with Krishna and tied him to okhal. The powerful little Krishna dragged himself along with the okhal to the courtyard where two ancient trees named ‘Yamla Arjun’ (who were the sons of Kuber named Nalkuber and Manigreev) stood firm and steady. Nalkuber and Manigreev had become trees by the curse of Narad muni as they were bathing in the river uncovered along with the ‘Apsaras’. Narad muni got angry at their shameless attitude and cursed them to become trees. But the curse became a boon as the trees stood in Nand baba’s courtyard and viewed all the leela’s of Krishna. As Krishna with the okhal crossed between the two trees, the trees got uprooted and fell down with a loud thunder. Thus, Yamla Arjun were relieved from the curse and attained the kingdom of God.

Kalianaag, a water snake with hundred hoods, along with his wives lived in a pond named ‘kali-deh’ which was connected to river Yamuna. The residents of Vrindavan started dying after drinking the poisonous water. Thus, there would be disturbance in his leela’s. So one day He jumped into the pond. Krishna at the tender age of 6 years danced on the head of the hundred hooded snake for five hours. The snake got injured badly and promised never to come back to Yamuna.

After killing Bakasur and Aghasur, Krishna along with his friends ‘gopes’ went for a picnic. All sat down in a circle and shared their food with one another. Krishna sat in the center of the circle and fed his friends with a variety of pickles, curd and rice with his own hands. When Brahma ji saw this sight he thought that how could God behave in such a manner by feeding others with his tasted food. He cannot be God; he is just an ordinary person. In his pride, Brahma ji made all the gope, gopis and calves of Vrindavan disappear. Lord Krishna recognized Brahma ji’s ego and he himself became all the gope, Gopis and calves with all their attire and accessories as it is. Thus, Brahma Ji realized Krishna’s divinity, asked for forgiveness and sang the glory of the Lord.

In order to destroy the ego of Indra Devta, Krishna asked Nand baba to begin worshiping the Govardhan Mountain who gave food and shelter to all the villagers and animals and stop worshiping Indra devta. Indra devta was furious and in his wrath he ordered the thunderclouds to burst incessantly. The 7 year old little Krishna effortlessly lifted the Govardhan mountain on his little finger in order to give refuge and shelter to all the residents and animals of Vrindavan from the downpour. Indra realized that Krishna was the Lord and asked Him for forgiveness.

कृष्ण means Attraction –

Each and everyone was attracted towards Him. No one could escape his charismatic personality. All the gope, gopis, cows, peacocks, monkeys were attracted towards Him. Krishna always carried his flute with him. The flute signifies that the one who is devoid of all the vices, worldly attractions and hatred is eligible to be in the divine company of the Lord. The divine love and attraction between all the Gopis and Krishna is beyond the physical realm. True love is divine which knows only to give and not to get in return.  

Destruction of the Demons –

Kansa invited Krishna and Balram to Mathura for Dhanush Yagya. Kansa sent his minister Akrurji to escort Krishna and Balram from Vrindavan to Mathura.  Yashodha maiya and the gopis could not bear the pain of separation from Krishna. From then onwards, Yashodha maiya never spoke a word to anyone and became silent. Gopis spent their whole life (about a hundred years) waiting to meet their beloved Krishna once again.

Krishna and Balram showed their power and strength by defeating the mighty wrestlers of Kansa named Chanur and Mushtik and an elephant named Kuwalyapedh who possessed the strength of hundred elephants. Krishna jumped onto the stage where Kansa was seated. He pulled his hair and dragged him onto the ground and killed Kansa mama.

In spite of being the Lord himself, Krishna took refuge of ‘Sandipani muni’ in Ujjain and considered him as his Spiritual Guru. Krishna was so intelligent and quick that he learnt 64 arts in just 64 days. He set an example to the world for the need of a spiritual master in one’s life for the all round development of the disciple.

Life of Shri Krishna was filled with great difficulties which he faced with a smile on his face. After killing kansa, his two wives ‘Asti and Prapti’ had no one to support them. Thus, their father ‘Jarasandh’ became furious. Therefore, Krishna was attacked by ‘Jarasandh’ 17 times. Each time Jarasandh attacked Krishna, Krishna destroyed his army and Jarasandh went absconding.

At the same time, Kalyaman, a powerful demon, asked Narad muni, “who is the strongest of all with whom I can fight?” The answer was Krishna. Kalyaman attacked Krishna. Krishna ran into a cave of a King named Muchukund. Muchukund was blessed with the power of destroying a person whoever he would look at. While Muchukund was sleeping, Krishna put his yellow drape over him. When Kalyaman entered the cave, he thought that Krishna was sleeping. He gave Mukhukund a hard punch. As soon as Muchukund woke up, he stared at Kalyaman who was destroyed to a heap of ashes. Krishna was very clever. He knew how to get his work done. 

On the 18^th attack by Jarasandh, Krishna and Balram ran away and constructed the city of Dwarika where all the yaduvanshi’s were ported and given protection. Later, Jarasandh was killed by Bheem under the guidance of their mentor Krishna.

Krishna was married to 16,108 queens. Every step taken by the Lord was for the betterment and protection of his loving devotees.

Krishna supported the ‘Pandavas‘ in the war of Mahabharata. Arjun considered Krishna as his friend and guide. The Lord was blamed for stealing the precious stone ‘मणि’ by Satyajeet though it was not true.

In all the difficulties of life, Krishna was always smiling. He saw life as a leela and a play of the Divine power. In the end, Krishna went to his abode and foretold that city of Dwarika would ultimately submerge in water and this would bring an end to the generation of Yadhuvanshis. Lord Krishna showed from His life that he loved all but was never attached to anyone.

Teachings from Lord Krishna’s life –

1. Krishna’s life is his personal diary. His life was filled with difficult situations. An ordinary person does not have to face so many hardships as much as Krishna did. He always kept smiling in all the difficulties of life.
2.  In the Rajsuyyagya, all the kauravas and pandavas were appointed with some duties. Lord Krishna was so humble and loving that He took the duty of picking up the left over plates (झूठी पत्तल ) of all the invitees.
3. Krishna incarnated for the betterment (उद्धार ) of the masses whether they were his loving devotees or the demons. Krishna was very compassionate.
4. कृष्ण means attraction. The one who chants His Holy name {नाम  जप }, listens to his leelas (events of His life- कथा  श्रवण ), sings to His glory {कीर्तन} lovingly gets attracted towards him like an iron filling gets attracted to a magnet.

   Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare !!

   Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare !!

5. God loves humbleness and modesty and dislikes ego. Krishna could not bear the ego of Indra devta, Brahma and the Gopis of Vrajdham. He shattered their ego and developed divine love in their hearts.
6. Lord Krishna narrated all His teachings in the form of ‘The Bhagwad Gita’ to Arjuna in the battlefield of Mahabharata.

The Spiritual Master wishes everyone a very Happy Janamashtami. His love and blessings to all the devotees.

Hare Krishna !!