“Krishna was born on 20th July, 3227 B.C., during the early morning
at 3 a.m.” - Baba
Sri Krishna Jansmashtami celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, the Avatar of
the Dwapara Age. Many are the saints of this land who have dedicated their life
to the adoration and veneration of Lord Krishna. Tulsidas, Meerabai, Chaitanya
Deva and Purandaradasa poured out their devotion to Lord Krishna in the form of
songs which remain popular in Bharat even to this day. The story of His life
and His leelas (Divine sport) has enchanted the people of Bharat for millennia,
for it tells us about God’s pure love for His devotees. Krishnashtami is a
festival whose celebration is marked by fun and gaiety that recalls the joy
experienced by the Gopalas and Gopis (cowherds) in the company of Krishna
during His childhood days at Brindavan.
Today we
celebrate Krishna's birthday. Where was he born? In a prison. What were his
possessions? Nothing. Born in a prison, he was taken to the house of Nanda, and
then he went to Mathura. He owned nothing. But he became the greatest figure in
the world. What does this show? Worldly possessions are not the secret of
greatness. Krishna's greatness consisted in His permanent state of bliss (ananda).
The Ramaayana is intended to
promote the reign of truth and righteousness on earth. The Krishna Avathaar was
intended to give a perennial message to the world. He sought nothing for
himself. He kept nothing for himself. He gave away everything to the people. He
slayed his maternal uncle, Kamsa. He installed Kamsa's father, Ugrasena, on the
throne. He did not covet the kingdom. He befriended the Pandavas, defeated the
Kauravas, and crowned Dharmaja as the emperor. He did not make himself king. He
was a king without a crown. He was the king of kings. He had no kingdom of his
own. But he ruled over the hearts of the millions. It is this profound truth
that is proclaimed by the Krishna principle (Krishna thathva).
If you enquire deeply, you will
find that every Avathar has incarnated to convey a special message and carry
out a particular mission.
The incarnation of Krishna proclaimed the doctrine of divine love,
as manifested by the cowherd maids (Gopikas). Today, man is like an earthen pot
filled with nectar. His body may be made of clay, but his spirit is eternal.
The Divine has to be experienced through the body. Hence, human birth should
not be treated as something trivial. Human life is worth living --it should be
cherished as something precious.
But today, such a precious gift
is being treated as dirt. It is essential to realise the value of human
existence. What is the goal of human life? It is to go back to the source from
which we came. Our duty is to return to our primordial, original home.
All of you who are here have
come from different parts of India and the world. After your stay here, you
have to go back to your native places. Likewise, human beings have come to the
planet earth as pilgrims. They have to return to their original home. You have
come from the Aathma. You have to go back to the Aathma. You have come from the
Brahman (Supreme Self). You have to merge in the Brahman. You have incarnated
as a spark of Brahman. You have to become the Brahman. That is the ideal. That
is the goal. In between, there may be many impediments. You should ignore them.
Have unshakable faith. That is true devotion.
Whatever you do, remember the Omnipresence of the Divine. Do every
act to please God, out of love and not out of compulsion. Divinise every act.
The Lord declares in the Gita, "Having been born in this transient and
unhappy world, worship Me."
Krishna called upon Arjuna to
stand up and face the battle, reminding him of what was in store for the evil
minded Kauravas. He adjured Arjuna to have full faith in Him and do his duty.
Then Arjuna declared, "I shall do as You bid me (Karishyevachanam
thava)." Then Krishna declared, "You have now become My true
devotee." And He exhorted Arjuna to rise and fight the battle, which would
end in the complete destruction of the Kauravas and the wicked quartet,
Duryodhana, Dussaasana, Karna, and Sakuni.
The great teaching of the Gita
is this: Put your trust in God, carry on your duties, be helpful to everyone,
and sanctify your lives. Dedicate all actions to God. That is the way to
experience oneness with God. God is in you. You are in God. This oneness is the
basic truth. Chant the name of the Lord and render social service in a spirit
of selflessness and devotion to God.
Krishna is omnipresent. The word has three meanings:
(1) "Krishithi-ithi Krishna
--The man who ploughs is Krishna." The heart is the symbol of a field. The
heart should be cleared of weeds (evil qualities). It should be filled with
love. The seeds of the Lord's name should be sown in it. Krishna encourages the
devotee to do all this.
(2) "Karshathi-ithi Krishna
--Because he attracts, he is Krishna." Krishna has the supreme power of
attraction. By his words, his sport, his music, and all his actions he attracts
all people. This power of attraction is present in everyone. Hence, everyone is
potentially Krishna.(3) "Krushyathi-ithi
Krishnah --Because he imparts bliss, he is called Krishna." Everyone seeks
happiness. The Divine, who is the embodiment of happiness, is in you. God wants
you to be happy, but you do not realize it. Try to recognize the source of bliss
within you. It is not the true nature of man to be unhappy. When anyone is
otherwise, people around him are concerned about him. You should always be
happy, because you are the embodiment of the Aathma. Never give way to worry.
As a spark of the
Divine, you have to behave like the Divine. Do not give room for grief. What
use is there in turning over the beads of the rosary while your mind is
thinking of mundane matters? First of all, purify your mind. Dedicate all
actions to God. Free yourself from all attachments. Treat all things as gifts
from God for which you are the guardian and not the owner.
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