| Who else other than Bhagawan can describe the
attributes and features Lord Krishna who was born over five thousand
years ago during the Dwapara? He being The One with many forms and
names does know anything and everything and hence His discourse on
Krishnavataar detailing the birth and related event of Bhagawan Sri
Krishna as if it was orchestrated by Him...yes, it was His Own
Divine plan to descend...Read on an exclusive Divine Discourse
delivered on 6th September 1977 in the Brindavan Hostel, Whitefield,
Bangalore.
This day is being celebrated as the Birthday of Krishna, not for
the reason that Krishna is being born every year, but, because the
hour, the asterisk, the month and the season during which he was
born ages ago, recur every year, and this day, we have the same
conjunction as happened when he was born millennia ago.
Krishna was born in prison! This fact teaches us that God has to
incarnate or present himself in the dark and narrow prison—house of
our hearts, so that we may derive light and earn freedom. Maya is
the delusion that hides the truth of Being; is tends to identify
one's truth as the physical body with its appurtenances and prompts
us to cater to the cravings of the flesh. Man forgets the Divine in
him; he listens to the call of the animal in him; and, he falls from
his high destiny.
But, when Krishna is born in the cellar of the
mind, he is saved; man must become aware of God within the cavity of
his heart. Yesterday, while returning from Ooty, we halted at
Bandipur Wild Life Sanctuary and, riding on a tame elephant, we
moved into the forest to catch a glimpse of wild elephants. Imagine,
sitting on an elephant, we were seeking elephants! When we caught a
glimpse of a trunk in a bush, we were overcome with delight.
Sitting on a tame, domesticated elephant, we were eagerly searching
for an elephant in its natural surroundings, unaffected by
artificial habits and skills. Man too is everywhere ignoring the
Atma within himself in its natural environment and trying to seek
the shadows that attract him.
Sri Krishna was born as the eighth child of Devaki. This is
significant, for Samadhi is the eighth stage of spiritual effort,
coming after Yama, Niyama, Asana, and Pranayama. Pratyahara, Dharana
and Dhyana. These are grouped as Ashtanga Yoga, the Eightfold
Discipline. The Lord can be visualised only after the seven steps
are successfully negotiated and the mind purified in the process.
The term, Samadhi, is generally identified with a temporary loss of
consciousness, or even more, a temporary heightening of the
consciousness. But, we have to judge the state by the effect it has
on the person and his attitude towards himself and others. Samadhi
means, sama (equal) dhi (intelligence) that is say, intelligence,
grasping the equality (fundamental) of every being. Not only will
all idea of difference and distinction disappear, but, even the idea
of duality—heat and cold, grief and joy, good and bad—disappears.
And, when man reaches that state, the Lord is born, automatically
in his consciousness.
The moment Krishna was born, the chains that bound his father fell
off; the doors that had been bolted flew open, the prison guards
were immersed in the ocean of bliss, so that they could not
recognise any event or thing in the material world. The fire of
hatred that was burning in them was cooled; darkness gave place to
the dawn of wisdom. The sky showered raindrops to soften the earth
and suppress the dust. How can the elements operate against the
Divine will? Sound, touch, light, taste, and smell—all became
sublime to celebrate the new Era of Peace and Plenty. Vasudeva, as
instructed by the Voice, placed the child in a basket and carried it
on his head across the Yamuna river (which parted to give him the
right of way) to Gokul where at the same time, Yasoda, Consort of
Nanda, had given, birth to female child. Just when he emerged from
the prison, a donkey brayed to indicate a good omen! But, Vasudeva
was afraid it will waken the guards; so, he held its feet with both
his hands (after placing the basket on the ground) and prayed that
it keep silent. That was the depth of his devotion to the Lord whom
he was transporting, as per His directions.
When he went to Nanda's house and entered the lying‑in‑room, she had
just delivered a baby‑girl. There was no one there, except, the
sister of Nanda, Radha, who was at that time nine years old.
Vasudeva brought the babe over and placed the Lord by her side. The
female child is Maya Shakti, for, she ushers the Avatar of the Lord.
Yogashakti too has to be ever with the Avatar, and it too had come
as Balarama, born to Rohini, another wife of Vasudeva. Mayashakti
played her ruse as soon as she was placed in the bed of Devaki. She
cried aloud, awakening the guards; they reported the arrival of the
child, to Kamsa. He expected that the eighth child would be a boy;
but, nevertheless, he took hold of the girl and smashed it upon a
rock. Mayashakti flew up into the air, declaring that the person who
was to kill Kamsa was growing up safe in Gokulam.
Though Kamsa slaughtered a number of babies from Gokulam, Krishna
escaped his eye; Krishna systematically overpowered and killed
various emissaries sent by Kamsa, to Gokulam under various pretexts.
Putana, a demoness assumed a charming human form, and came to
Nanda's house, offering to breast‑feed the child. She said, "Mother!
You have lost a number of newborn kids. Perhaps, my breast milk
might save this one,” and Yasoda believed that she was a woman of
true compassion and that her milk might have the holy effect she
claimed it had. She handed the baby Krishna over to Putana; but,
Krishna knew her intentions; he drew out her breath itself and left
her dead.
But, let us pay more attention to the boy Krishna than to his
exploits. All these exploits reveal that Krishna being Divine, no
one could harm Him or suppress Him. According to the folk‑belief,
they bored the ears and nose of Krishna, in order to ward off the
death that had carried away many children from the family. On the
nose they put a golden wire.
The nose‑ring had a small‑sized pearl. The pearl is won by diving
into the depths of the sea; so, it symbolises the Viveka or
discrimination that is won, after diving into the secrets of the
objective world. And, since it marked the tip of the nose, it also
sought to emphasise the need to concentrate, to meditate on the tip
of the nose—the eye should not be fully open, for, it will distract
the attention, nor should it be closed, for sleep would intervene
and put an end to the process of meditation. It should be half‑open,
the sight of both eyes being directed to the tip of the nose, where
Krishna wore the pearl.
Krishna's complexion was neither fair nor dark; it was three parts
dark and one‑part fair, an amalgam of both. Since they were
Vaishnavas, the parents placed a line of musk on the centre of the
brow. He wore silver bangles on His wrists, such as cowherd boys
wore those days in that part of the country. But, the kankans that
Krishna wore were not mere bangles or kankans. They had profound
implications. One rite that every Hindu has to honour before
entering on any enterprise of a sacred nature, like performing a
Yajna or undertaking a vow, or taking on a new stage of life, was
the tying of a kankan to the wrist, in memory of the determination
that he evinces to fulfill that vow or carry out the duties of that
stage of life. Krishna had taken three vows, and the kankans were
symbolic of his determination to fulfill them. They were as
mentioned by Him in the Gita: (1) Dharma samsthapanarthaya
Sambhavami yuge yuge. I shall incarnate myself in every age, to
revive and resurrect Dharma (2) Yogakshemam vahamyham. I shall bear
the burden of ensuring peace and prosperity of all who rely on Me
and (3) Mokshayishyami maa sucha. I shall save all those who
surrender wholeheartedly to Me and I shall liberate them from the
cycle of birth and death. Therefore, Krishna has assured man that He
would save him from penury and grief, and from sin and its terrible
consequences, provided He adheres to Him and adores Him; He has also
assured the world that He would come in human form and lead mankind
into the Dharmic path and thus, liberate them from grief and the
succession of births and deaths.
He says, when promising His Grace to all who adore Him with no other
thought, that all who do so will receive His Grace; there is no
restriction of caste, creed or colour or country of origin; no one
receives special favour as a result of erudition or age or caste.
Krishna was the embodiment of Prema; His Prema had no bounds. How
fortunate you are that you have today the same Krishna, the full
Prema Avatar, moving among you! I shall show you the very Kaustubha
that I was wearing at that time. (Here, Baba waved His hand and in a
trice, a brilliant flash of light revealed a unique jewel in His
palm—the Kaustubha, famed in the Bhagavata and the Puranas. A
big‑sized Emerald of unexcelled green blue, rectangular in shape,
bordered by splendorous diamonds, hung on a gold chain. (Baba moved
among the students, teachers and others and graciously allowed every
one of them to see the sacred jewel very close).
Krishna moved among men as an ordinary person and drew them to the
observance of His prescriptions by means of His Divine Prema. He
refrained from parading His Divine Insignia, the Conch, the Wheel,
the Mace and the Lotus. He did not wear even a Crown. While a boy,
He followed the cows into the pastures with just a towel bound round
His head. (Here, Baba called for a longish towel, and He wound it
round His head, to show how Krishna appeared at that time. He
announced that, in those days, as now, there were peacocks in plenty
in and around Brindavan and Gokul, and so, when He came across a
feather fallen from its wing, He stuck it between the folds of the
towel. It was a moment of rarest and finest delight, when Baba stood
revealed as the boy Gopala, before hundreds of awestruck but
adoring devotees) When the Pandavas celebrated the Ashwamedha and
the Rajasuya Yajnas, Krishna asked for some assignment being given
Him, so that He might be of service. Though He could destroy the
entire Kaurava brood, He tried His best to instill good sense into
them in order to save them. Then as well as now, the teaching and
the message are the same: "Know thyself, that is the only right way
to know Me.” Being associated ardently with men, winning their Love
through Love, and, through a process of correcting their vision and
purifying their consciousness, leading them to the realisation of
the God which is their core—this is the task, then as well as now.
Unless the human form is assumed, no one will come near; if the
appearance is super‑human, people will keep away. So, as the Sastras
say, Daivam Maanusba rupena, the Divine in the Form of Man, has to
come, to save mankind.
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Artwork photo courtesy of The
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International,Inc.
Original painting:
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The Five Elements are the products of the Lord's Will; so, they obey
the Will of Krishna. Whatever Krishna said came true. The only
correct definition of Truth is, 'that which Krishna speaks'. Believe
in that. Be firm in that belief. One day, when Krishna went on a
stroll with Arjuna, He pointed to a bird perching on the branch of a
tree; He asked Arjuna, "Do you see that peacock?" and Arjuna
answered, "Sure. I do,” "Oh. Arjuna. It is not a peacock. It is an
eagle," said Krishna and Arjuna promptly agreed that it was an
eagle. Soon, Krishna corrected Himself and pointing to the same
bird, said, "I am sorry. It is a dove.” Arjuna too corrected himself
and said, "Yes. I see now it is a dove, all right.” Krishna laughed
at Arjuna and said, "It is not a dove at all; it is a crow,” and
Arjuna agreed without demur, "Undoubtedly it is a crow.” Krishna
then accused Arjuna of stupidity, because he was saying 'Yes' to
whatever he said—the bird was peacock, eagle, dove, crow. Arjuna
said, "What you say is the Truth, for me. You can make a crow a
dove, a peacock an eagle. Why should I differ from whatever you
declare? Your word is the Truth I go by.”
You too, must develop that faith and not be turned away by your
egoism or others' cynicism. Develop Viveka and Vairagya and then,
your hearts will bloom into fragrant beauty. You have here a picture
of Sai standing on a Lotus. Sai Krishna will install Himself in the
Lotus of your heart. He will be ever with you as guard and guide and
he will shower Grace on you. He will be the Mother, Father,
Preceptor and God, He will be the nearest kinsman, He will be your
All.
Therefore, I desire that you learn well the subjects taught you as
part of the curriculum; discharge your duties as students to the
best of your skill and intelligence. Follow the disciplines imposed
for your betterment. Practise Japa and Dhyana and cultivate the
attitude of Seva. Become good sons and good citizens, and bring
honour to the family, the society and the country. |
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Imagine the birth
of Lord Krishna, the wonderful event that had happened in the
Dwapara over five thousand years ago...With eyes turned closed,
shutting down the senses, steering the mind deeper into the world of
imagination and fantasy, day dreaming Beloved
Krishna...Read on Jullie Chaudhury's poetic
imagination of the great grand happening in the Dwapara, the day we
reminisce in the immediate Divine presence as Sri Krishna
Janmashtami.
…And The Prison Gates Flung Open…
Parthinandan Radhey Shyama…
Hey Giridhari Sai Murari…
Dwapara Yuga,
With brutal atrocities the earth shook,
The time was imminent for the birth of the Lord,
For the simple and the pure hearted a heavenly accord,
Demons and demonic kings were on a rampage,
Divine companions were sent ahead to set the stage…
The four armed Narayana,
With Shankh, Chakra, Pushpa and Gada,
As His parents chose Devaki and Vasudeva,
Though imprisoned and harassed by Kamsa, her brother,
Devaki was radiant for she was the chosen Mother…
The Lord did reveal Himself to His parents,
But soon the fog of maya grew dense,
The prison gates flung open,
Then,
Unseen were the showers,
Of heavenly flowers,
Celestial beings together did proclaim,
Tathastu, Jai Ho, Ameen, Amen…
Yamunaji parted to make way,
For the Lord,
As mystics and sages continued to pray,
And the hood of Adi Sesha formed an umbrella,
Protecting the charming Gopala,
Even as Gokuldham,
Opened wide its arms,
To receive Narayana as Krishna…
Nand ke dulara,
Yeshoda ke bala,
Endeared Himself to the gopis, gopas,
Peacocks, each blade of grass, birds and flowers,
Cows and calves,
Changing fears and tears into merry laughs…
Krishna and Radha,
Radha was the adhaar of Krishna,
The embodiment of bhakti,
The personification of devotion was she,
Radha and Krishna together constitute,
The absolute truth,
Gaudiya Vaisvanism worships Her as the Goddess Shakti,
The most important incarnation,
Of Mother Laxmi was She…
The gopis yearned for Krishna,
For them He was the only Purusha,
The rest prakriti,
Replete knowledge, complete bhakti…
The individual and the Super Soul,
An inner understanding of the supreme goal…
A mental transmission,
Not a conception,
From the mind of Vasudev into the womb of Devaki,
A feat possible with achieved beings, you see,
Then, from Mathura to Gokul to Brindavan,
Krishna charmed all in Madhuban,
Everyone rejoiced with Madhusudhan…
His cherubic face, His mischievous ways,
Oh, the enthralling sound of His flute as cows did
graze,
In pastures green,
Celestial beings joyfully watched, though unseen,
Heaven descended on Earth,
With the Lord’s birth,
Slaying of demons was a mere play,
Antics of Kanhaiya kept growing each day…
Giridhari, Mukunda, Madhava, Keshava,
Janardhana, Damodara, Murlidhara,
Soon slew the mighty Kamsa,
The pride of all was Nand Kishora…
Pandavas, Kauravas and Kurukshetra,
To the warring brothers,
When Krishna,
Offered Himself,
Or His army,
The Kauravas chose an increase in their military,
But the Pandavas never did deter from their choice,
‘Only Krishna’,
Said the Pandavas in one voice…
On the battlefield, Krishna,
Taught and advised Arjuna,
Timeless teachings, transcendental wisdom,
Compiled later into the sacred Bhagawad Gita…
And this,
Is how it was in Dwarka,
Rukhmini, Sathyabhama,
Expansions of Laxmi and Radha,
Jambavati, Kalindi, Mitravrinda,
Nagnajiti, Bhadra and Lakshana,
16100 maidens He rescued from Narakasura,
Marrying them and reinstating,
Their respect in society,
A mass women rehabilitation,
As captive women were degraded by society,
Even so, these maidens had attained this ultimate
status,
After many, many lifetimes of austerity…
Krishna expanded the same form into many,
He could do so with His mystical potency,
As He is of Godhead, the Supreme Personality,
For His Queens in Dwarka ensured peace and harmony…
Krishna is the 57th name in the Vishnu Sahasranam,
Meaning – the Dark One,
The One who attracts, the attractive One,
And also – The Existence of Bliss,
In spite of this, all names and forms are His,
Traditional belief based on scriptural details,
Zeroes down the date of the birth of Lord Krishna,
To 21st of July 3228 BCE,
And He is said to have ascended from Earth,
Possibly on 18th February 3108 BCE…
Lord Krishna gave up His mortal coil,
At Prabhasa,
He ascended to Vaikunta,
The sky did glow luminescent and bright,
But Earth had lost its brilliant light…
That was Dwapara Yug,
And this is what we read and hear,
But did He even once stand close and near?
With the delightful Lord Krishna,
Were we ever face to face?
Did we witness those leelas that still do us amaze…?
Together let us proclaim as it was done then,
Jai Ho, Halleluiah, Ameen, Amen,
The prison gates have once again flung open,
This time of the mind,
For time has been gentle, time has been kind,
Shades of blue, Krishna blue,
Has taken on an orange hue,
Pitambar dhari,
Is now Sai Murari,
Oh, what a boon and blessing,
The very sight of Him does bring,
The self same Krishna,
Is residing on Earth right now,
As He frolicked in Vrindavan, we were maybe,
A dust particle beneath His lotus feet,
A blade of grass, a gopa or a gopi,
Or perhaps a calf or a cow,
To be in His divine presence,
Blessed again somehow…
Devakinandan, Yashoda ke Bala,
Is here as Eashwarinandan, Sai Gopala,
He has come to fling open the prison gate,
Of our mind,
To elevate our fate,
So that we may find,
The mind can be a foe,
The mind can be a friend,
If we master the mind,
Miseries would end…
A desiring mind and many a mindless desire,
Sai Krishna is here to guide us some place higher,
Of trivial pettiness,
And petty trivialities to rise above,
To be an instrument of His unconditional love…
Teachings so simple yet profound,
His voice so pure, the most soothing sound,
If we but allow it to,
It will fling open the prison gates,
Of a narrow mind,
And we will find,
Him, in all that we do,
And all that He exhorts us to,
Oh, what a wonderful view,
Is just waiting for us all,
To one family we do belong,
Different notes of the one divine song,
A fatherhood of God and a brotherhood of man,
For that is His divine plan,
All creatures both great and small,
Beloved Bhagwan created them all,
Oh, what a wonderful view,
Awaits us all,
If we only but Help Ever, Hurt Never,
Love All and Serve All…
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