Happy Janmashtami.... Jai Shri Krishna....!!

82nd BLOG POST -->>

Janmasthami is the birthday of Lord Krishna, the re-incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who gave us the vital message of the Bhagwat Geeta. The festival of Janmashtami is now popularly celebrated outside of due largely to the extraordinary efforts of many Krishna-devotees and many Hindu organizations. Reach out to all your fellow Indians on this auspicious occasion and wish them Happy Janmashtami ….!!

According to the Hindu religion Lord Krishna was born in the Dwapar Yuga which came just before the Kaluga. The Jhankis (tableaux) depicting many significant scenes from Lord Krishna’s life are the intrinsic part of Janmasthami. Devotees also make beautiful Jhulans (Cradles) for the Krishna. In some parts of India, young men break the Matka (Earthen Pots) filled with butter and curds. The most important tableaux is that of baby Krishna. An idol of baby Krishna is placed on a cradle, which is rocked to recreate scenes from Krishna’s infancy. The devotees believe that anyone who makes a wish and while rocking the cradle in which the Lord is, his or her wish will be granted on this day.

In Vrandvan, every year the Rasleelas or the folk theatre acting out stories from Lord Krishna’s life. This begins much before the Janmasthami day. These Rasleelas are staged by professional drama troupes or even young children. These dramas characterized by colorful and equally colorful backgrounds. Rasleelas are usually accompanied by musicians and are very popular among the people. The language spoken by the actors and the actresses is the Brajbhasha, but sometimes, Hindi is also used.

The essence of Sri Krishna Avatar is beautifully explained in this Sloka from Bhagavad Geeta:-

“Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya, Glanirva Bhavathi Bharatha,
 Abhyuthanam Adharmaysya,Tadatmanam Srijami Aham’.
Praritranaya Sadhunam Vinashaya Cha Dushkritam,
Dharamasansthapnaya,Sambhavami Yuge-Yuge.”

Lord Krishna to Arjuna
(Shrimat Bhagavad Geeta)

Meaning of above Sloka is :- Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharatha, and a predominant rise of irreligion-at that time I descend myself. To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I, Myself, appear, ages after ages( I’m born in every age).

In the Bhagvat Geeta, this is what the Lord Himself promised. The Lord never failed to keep his promises down the ages. He incarnated down to the earth from his heavenly abode at the Vaikuntha, to save his devotees. In different forms, Lord Vishnu, the sustainer and the Supreme Soul, came down to the earth, one after another, just like "the waves in an ocean". But, His Avatar (incarnation) Lord Krishna is said to be God Himself incarnated. It was the eighth day of the new-moon fortnight (Krishnapaksha) of the month of Shravanaa.

Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, where his parents lived in captivity of the evil Kansa and he as a young boy came and vanquished his maternal uncle Kansa  to ascend the throne and free his parents, celebrates Janmashtami with great  enthusiasm. The main celebrations are performed at the Dwarakadhish temple, Mathura in the form of Jhulanotsava and the Ghatas during the entire month of Shravana.

Indian mythical heritage overflows with a pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. The celestial powers figure in the beliefs of the people and the divine influence plays an important part in their lives. Yet, among these deities, the most beloved is Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu. Janmasthami is a celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna and every ritual in the celebration of this auspicious occasion is associated with various phases of his life, which have been immortalized in both the religious and the folk literature.

I’ve a movie on Shree Krishna in which the story of birth of Shree Krishna is given. Story is something like as given below:-

Kansa, the King of Mathura (North India) was extremely ruthless and an evil force. His subjects were inexplicably terrified of him. When Kansa’s sister Devki was married off to Vasudeva, an aakashvani or voice from the sky was heard prophesying that Devaki’s 8th son would be the destroyer of Kansa.

Kansa immediately drew his sword to kill Devki but Vasudeva intervened and pleaded Kansa to spare his bride. Vasudeva assured that he would hand over every new born of his to Kansa. Kansa ordered both Devki and Vasudeva to be imprisoned immediately.

When Devki gave birth to her first child, Kansa came to the prison cell and slaughtered the newborn. This continued till he killed the first six sons of Devki. Meanwhile, people of Mathura were fervently praying to the Gods to spare them from Kansa’s tyranny.

Even before her 8th child was born, Devki and Vasudeva started lamenting its fate and theirs. Lord Vishnu appeared before them and said He would come soon and rescue the couple and all of Mathura. He instructed Vasudeva to carry him to the cowherd chief Nanda in Gokul right after his birth. Here, Nanda’s wife Yashoda had given birth to a daughter who was to be exchanged with baby Krishna.

Vishnu assured them that “nothing shall bar your path”. At midnight on 8th day of lunar month Shaven i.e. on Ashtami, the divine baby was born in Kansa’s prison. Remembering the instructions of Lord Vishnu, Vasudeva held the child tightly to his bosom and started for Gokul, but found that his legs were in chains. He jerked his legs and was unfettered. The massive iron-barred doors unlocked and opened up, miraculously.

Vasudeva While Crossing Yamuna River.

While crossing river Yamuna, Vasudeva held his baby high over his head. The rain fell in torrents and the river was in spate. But the water made way for Vasudeva and surprisingly a five-mouthed snake (Anant Shesh Nag) followed him from behind and provided shelter over the baby.

When Vasudeva reached Gokul, he found the door of Nanda’s house open. He exchanged the babies and hurried back to the prison of Kansa with the baby girl. Early in the morning, all the people at Gokul rejoiced the birth of Nanda’s beautiful male child. Vasudeva came back to Mathura and as he entered, the doors of the prison closed themselves.

When Kansa came to know about the birth, he rushed inside the prison and tried to kill the baby. But this time it skipped from his hand and reached the skies. The child transformed into the Goddess Yogamaya, who told Kansa:- “O foolish…! What will you get by killing me? Your nemesis is already born somewhere else. Your end is inevitable.” Saying so, she vanished.

In his youth Krishna killed Kansa along with all his cruel associates, liberated His parents from prison, and reinstated Ugrasen as the King of Mathura.

Jai Shri Krishna

Thanks

Parveen Kumar Sahrawat