Maharishi Śuka continued, “The day infant Krishna flipped over and slept on his tummy, was a day of festivity in Gokula. It was a coincidence that Krishna’s birth-star Star Rohini was ruling that day”.

The Lord ensured that he rolled over exactly on the day his birth star Rohini was ruling!

Learn to study the connection between any infant and his/her birth star (janma nakshatra). Study his/her mental disposition on such days. As you map them, you will be in a position to map the physical and mental growth which takes place on these days in the infant. In this case, the Lord decided to roll over exactly on the day his birthstar was ruling.

“On that day, a special bath was given to Krishna”.

Although the infant was bathed daily, on such special occasions, the ladies collectively bathed him. Special bath on special days is as per scriptural dictates. On festive days, we (Indians) customarily have an oil bath. Elderly married women at home oil our hair and body. They give ārati to us and then we take a head-bath. Sadly, this custom is quickly fading away. In these present days, it is hard to find married elderly women. More importantly with the introduction of shampoos and conditioners, this custom has evaporated completely. The shampoo and conditioner bottles lined up in bathrooms are the only customs known to the present generation.

Just as scriptures mandate special bath for special occasions, they also specify rules for eating. Before eating, customarily a rangoli design is drawn (using rice flour) on the floor. A lamp is lit. The Lord is worshipped and thereafter the person begins to eat. Now-a-days is there anyone who follows this tradition? These are days when people eat when standing or walking. How can food eaten in a haphazard manner digest properly? Can such food be classified as pure, cooked food? It cannot.

“In the presence of all assembled women, Yashoda bathed her child while Vedic Brahmin scholars chanted hymns from the Vedas”.

There are certain stipulated mantras which must necessarily be chanted when bathing. All of you should at least make it a habit to chant or listen to those mantras while bathing. “I am bathing in the sacred waters of Ganga, Yamuna and other auspicious rivers. Due to this all the sins that have been chasing me from innumerable lifetimes are being washed away. I am now travelling towards divinity. Lethargy and all other forms of impurity are being completely destroyed in me”- is the essence behind these prayers offered during bath.

There should be a firm belief that the water used for bathing is the sacred water from River Ganga, Yamuna, Kaveri or Krishna rivers. When such implicit faith exists, the water with which you are bathing gets energized automatically. More importantly, after bathing the mind experiences calmness and peace. Mental calmness is itself the proof that the water was energized.

Try this experiment. Chant hymns with firm faith during bath. After bathing, check whether you feel peaceful or not. You will realize that those mantras had positive effect on you. It is incorrect to curse others, throw soap and other objects due to anger during bath.

Choose to remain silent during bathing. Can’t you remain silent at least during that short time? Just because waterproof mobiles have been invented, it is necessary to engage in conversation even while bathing?

Mobile addiction has taken a toll on people’s health. There are many who can’t stay without checking their mobile every second. Eternally they are engrossed in watching videos. The increased lethargy due to this does not permit their body to engage in any productive work. If the phone is unavailable for even a day, the person is on the verge of going mad. This is a horrible addiction.

I do not advise that mobiles should be discarded. Restrict mobile usage to only as much as necessary. Set it aside and then engage your mind in other productive work. Only then the mind will experience calmness. If 24/7 we are hooked on to a mobile, it pollutes the mind. It is sinful. This habit needs immediate correction.

“Vedic Brahmin scholars chanted the auspicious Vedic hymns as Krishna was being bathed. Auspicious musical instruments were played. Ladies sang joyously. Gokula was filled with an air of festivity. All inhabitants celebrated that Krishna had rolled over”.

Even to this day, when the infant flips over, it is considered a day of festivity. If along with celebration, the rituals mentioned herein are adhered to, then it would be truly appreciable.

“The infant was decorated in fine garments. The parents then honoured the Vedic Brahmins by gifting them with plentiful food grains, clothing, ornaments and healthy cows”.

The Brahmins were supplied raw ingredients such that they could cook at home. It is called swaymapāka. In this procedure, instead of feeding the Brahmin, the host gives raw ingredients using which the Brahmin can cook sattvik meals at his home per his taste. This is a customary ritual. It is incorrect to force a Brahmin to eat the food prepared at your home. The host who insists that Vedic Brahmins should eat in his home, should also ensure that food is cooked with absolute purity. Purity is crucial because it is believed God visits our home on special occasions in the form of Vedic Brahmins. Along with food-grains, the Brahmins should be offered clothing and dakshina (money offerings). What is more important is to ensure that the offerings are made with total love and reverence.

Cows were often given in charity since the earliest eons because all Devatas reside in a cow. Our learned elders declared that offering fodder to a cow is extremely meritorious. Offering fodder to cows paves the way to liberation.

In these days when multi-storied apartments are on the rise, it is impractical for any individual to rear cows. People these days rear dogs. They enjoy the antics of the dog, but they refuse to offer fodder to any cow. Rearing dog is not wrong. Along with it, learn to love cows. Offer them some fodder. Revere the cow. The cow’s milk, urine, and dung are medicinal in nature.

Narayanaya namah