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Gokulashtami Sri Krishna Jayanti marks the celebration of
the birth of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Lord Sri Krishna was born on the 'Rohini'
nakshatram (star) on Ashtami day. This festival is also known as Sri Krishna
Jayanti and Janmashtami. The actual day of celebration can be on two different
days as the star 'Rohini' and Ashtami may not be on the same day. This occurs
between August and September on the Christian calendar. Celebrations are held
on a grand scale in all Krishna temples, especially the ones in Vrindavan,
Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), Dvaraka (Gujarat), and other regionally famous temples.
Great indeed are his
many Leelas and the way in which he charms one and all. Several sages and seers
have paid homage to him. Narada, Sri Kulashekara Azhwar, Andal, Tirumangai
Azhawar, Nammazhwar have sung glorious verses in praise of Lord Krishna who
embodies Shudda Satvam. The Bhagavad Gita coming from the Lord is the absolute
truth that has withstood the test of time and has formed the basis and
inspiration for many Acharyas and Azhwars. The story of how he
killed, one after another, all the demonic adversaries - Pootanaa, Shakata, Agha,
Dhenuka, Baka, Keshi and a number of others - even in his infancy, signaled the
advent of a peerless savior of mankind. He also liquidated the wicked kings like
Kansa and Shishupala and got vanquished the terrorizing Jaraasandha and
Kaalayavana. His role in the historic Kurukshetra war in humbling the arrogant
and despotic Kauravas and crowning the just and noble Paandavas, finally earned
him the unchallenged position of Dharma Samshaapaka - the establisher of Dharma.
A striking feature of
his character was his supreme detachment to power. Though he had personally
destroyed many an evil ruler, he never coveted those kingdoms for himself. He
installed the next of king as the rightful heirs in those places. And he himself
remained utterly simple and unassuming till the very last. After the killing of
Kansa, he chose for himself a menial task like the receptionist at the court of
Ugrasena whom he himself had installed as the king of Mathura. Himself a king
and known all over the land as the mightiest and the wisest on the face of the
earth, he however mixed freely with one and all. He embraced his old, poor
friend Sudaama and ate with extreme relish the dry beaten rice offered by him
and left him endowed with rich presents. This was indeed a
wonderfully rare, inborn trait with him. He mingled freely with the cowherd boys
and girls in the Nandagokula and they loved him more than their life for his
charming manners and heroic exploits. he subdued Kaaliya, the dreaded
seven-headed King Cobra. Once he protected the Nandagokula against the wrath of
Indra himself. Indra, growing jealous of Krishna's superiority, had brought down
rains in torrents and the entire area was threatened by deluge. Sri Krishna
called his cowherd playmates and asked them to apply their little fingers to the
adjoining Govardhana Mountain and raise it up - he himself taking the major
burden. And lo, the mountain
went up and acted as an umbrella over the Nandagokula. Indra conceded defeat and
Krishna's unchallenged superiority was established. How beautifully the story
depicts Krishna as a born organizer of men who could inspire even boys with a
high purpose and for superhuman efforts! The towering genius of
Sri Krishna lies in a particularly baffling aspect of his personality. This
relates to some of his apparently outrageous violations of the prescribed code
of conduct. A strange anecdote in his life helps us to unravel this enigma. When
all the children of Paandavas were killed by Ashwatthaama and even the child in
the womb of Uttara, the wife Abhimanyu, was killed by him, Sri Krishna came
forward to save the progeny of Paadavas by breathing life back into that still
born child. Sri Krishna's utterance at that moment makes strange reading:
"May this child come to life, if I have observed brahmacharya, if I have
stuck to truth and if my wealth of virtues has never diminished." And of
course, the child came to life and became the future king of Bharatavarsha,
Parikshita. Sri Krishna had indeed uttered falsehoods so many times, had broken
his pledges, had wives and even `married' 16,000 ladies! But still none of these
actions violated the truth of his statement. The inference is that he did all
these actions in a spirit of supreme detachment, motivated only with the highest
goal of safeguarding Dharma. Sri Krishna himself
often affirms this role of his while he explains to Arjuna the intricacies of
the highest spiritual philosophy. At one place he says that he was engaged
incessantly in worldly actions only for the welfare and sustenance of society,
though he himself had no need or desire to be satisfied by the society. On
another occasion he assures that he would take birth whenever Dharma declines
and Adharma raises its ugly head. He declares his role as the protector of the
good and the holy and the destroyer of the unholy and the wicked, and as the
establisher of righteousness. The parabramhan as
Sriman Narayana was manifested in Sri Krishna - the adorable son of Devaki and
Vasudeva. The word Krishna itself refers to the causal force of all divine and
joyful works (Sarva devata karyam karoti iti va Krishnaha). At the same time,
Krishna also refers to the causal force, which destroys the demonic energies and
removes ignorance (Daityan karshayati iti va Krishnaha). Sri Krishna personified
in himself all the various Divine Paths - the Bhakti, the Jnaana and the Karma
to reach the highest goal of God-realization. And his personal example gave
authority to the great gospel he preached to Arjuna on the battlefield of
Kurukshetra. It is said of Bhagavadgita, "The Upanishads are the Cow,
Krishna the milker, Partha the calf, and nectar of Gita, the milk." No
other scriptural text propounds all the various paths to Divinity in such a
profound and yet so concise and easily intelligible manner to the commoner as
the Bhagavadgita. The setting of the Gita is also wonderfully unique,
Kurukshetra representing the eternal battlefield in the human soul. With all his superhuman
qualities and achievements, Sri Krishna never appeared distant to any of his
fellow human beings. In fact he was dearer to them than their own nearest kith
and kin. He was ideal in all his human relationships - a darling son to his
parents, an endearing friend and comrade, a devoted disciple, a loving husband
and a trusted brother. The shadow of his greatness never marred these bonds of
the heart. After preaching the
sublime teachings of Bhagavadgita and manifesting his awe-inspiring Vishwaroopa
to Arjuna, he remained his bosom friend as ever before. That was his unique
trait even as a tiny tot. Once, Yashoda - the foster-mother - learnt that her
child Krishna had eaten mud. She was alarmed and asked him to open his mouth.
But when Krishna did so, she was stunned to see illimitable universes dancing in
the little cavity of his mouth. However, her shock of coming face to face with
Divinity Incarnate did not last long. Again, the child Krishna cast his spell
with his mischievousness, and remained the adored child of Yashoda as before. Sri Krishna Jayanti,
therefore, signifies not merely the birth of a great and Divine Teacher of
mankind in some distant past but the lighting of the spark of the Divine Power
in every one of us, which spurs us on to play our dynamic part in this world of
practical and hard realities with a sense of high spiritual purpose.
Krishna represents the total power of attraction (Aakarshna Shakti) like
a magnet of infinite rise. Hence Krishna is the source of joy. The cultural aspects
are represented by the traditionally dressed devotees. The raas or dance is also
done with devotees taking part with spiritual fervor. Sri Krishna who manifests
all levels of joy, is also the source of spiritual joy, which overrides mental
or emotional joy, just as emotional joy overrides physical joy. If all the three
are integrated and interdependent, then the observance of the festival takes on
the full meaning of Sri Krishnaarpanamastu - let everything be offered to Sri
Krishna. One of the main
occupations of people was to look after the huge herds of cows. They used to
live in settlements known as Gokul. Nanda, a friend of Vasudev was the owner of
one Gokul. The wedding of Vasudev
and Devki was celebrated with great solemnity. Kansa was riding the chariot in
which the newly wedded couple was going towards Gokul. Suddenly a voice from
heaven said, "Kansa, fool. You are taking your sister with great pomp. But
her eighth son will kill you." Kansa was from the
beginning a bad man. On hearing that warning he stopped the chariot and there
and then was ready to kill his sister. Vasudev began to argue with Kansa.
Finally he succeeded in persuading him not to kill Devki, with the promise that
he would bring all her children to him as soon as they would be born, so that he
could dispose of them as he pleased. With this Kansa was satisfied, and decided
in his mind to kill all the future children of Devki. Kansa was a Yadav, but
he began to behave like a demon. He began by throwing his father Ugrasen into
prison, and he became king. Then he put Vasudev and Devki under strict
surveillance in a prison at Mathura. The entire Yadav people began to pray for
liberation from the tyranny of Kansa. Kansa eliminated every
child of Devki soon after birth by smashing him against a washing stone. In this
way six children were one after the other destroyed. Devki conceived her seventh
child. But by divine power this child was changed from Devki's womb to that of
Rohini, the second wife of Vasudev, who was living in Gokul. This change was
kept secret, and the people thought that Devki had a miscarriage, and so Kansa
too thought. But in fact the seventh child was born at Gokul as the son of
Rohini and his name was Balram. So six children of Devki had been killed and the
seventh one had "disappeared". Kansa was now more vigilant than ever.
He reinforced the prison security. Vasudev heard a voice
in his mind, "Get up and take the child to Gokul." The gates of the
prison were suddenly opened and the guards were fast asleep. Vasudev put the
child in a basket and went out. On account of the heavy rain the Yamuna was
swollen. But as he stepped out of the prison the rain stopped and the dim light
of the moon showed the way. A huge snake taking the shape of an umbrella
protected the child. As he reached the river the waters were divided leaving a
dry path for Vasudev to cross. Vasudev reached Nanda's
house when everybody was sleeping. He went into the room of Yashoda, Nanda's
wife. He saw a small girl playing near Yashoda. He took the girl and left his
son, Krishna, in her place, and immediately returned to Mathura. "Dahihandi" The celebration of Krishna's birth is also known as "Dahihandi". An earthen pot ("handi") filled with curds and "jvari" ("jondhala")- a grain blown out by parching ("lahya") - is tied from a high rope. Young men form a human tower by climbing one upon the other to break the pot. Then the contents are eaten as "prasad" amidst acclamations of "Govind", "Govind", another name for Krishna.
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Copyright LPS USA Organized 1989
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