Śrivatsānkam manōraskam vanamālā virājitaṃ

Śankha chakra dharam dēvam Krishnaṃ vandē jagadguruṃ

Krishnāṣṭami is the birthday of the universal Guru (Jagadguru) Krishna. Just as the footprints of infant Krishna are drawn outside the home inviting Him into our home, we must also invite Him into the inner temple known as our heart! With this invitation, our life will attain fulfilment.

Akin to external darkness, Krishna was dark-complexioned. This is because His philosophy is to remove a thorn with the aid of another thorn. Therefore, taking on the complexion of the dark rain-bearing clouds and using it as His weapon, the Lord decided to shatter completely the spiritual ignorance (ajnana) which is nothing but darkness within the living entities.

‘Krishna! Krishna!’ – within the word ‘Krishna’ is contained tremendous unexplainable force of attraction. Just upon being addressed as ‘Krishna’, the Supreme Lord makes Himself visible to us in a charming form draped in golden silken garments, holding the flute, wearing the peacock feather on His head and with the garland of forest flowers (vanamālā) around His neck. Just upon calling Him we are blessed with His vision! In fact, the moment we close our eyes and call Him out, in our mind’s eye we see the peacock feather, the flute, His golden silken garments and His dark complexioned charming form.

Isn’t it amazing? Although Krishna has innumerable forms, only this form appears in our mind’s eye when we think of Him. This is because this is the form He took on when He imparted the Supreme Teaching to Arjuna. For this reason, it is also the form of the Universal-guru (Jagadguru roopa).

Innumerable living entities have worshipped the Lord through the nine forms of devotion (navavida bhakti) and have obtained upliftment. Even the greatest mystics (siddhas) have worshipped Him and obtained liberation.

During the Lord’s incarnation as Krishna, He exhibited innumerable transcendental sports containing boundless significance. Limitless specialities were contained in each transcendental sport of His. Through them numerous living entities were uplifted.

Behind every word uttered by the Lord is contained a special teaching. The Lord will not utter any word unless and until there is a significant teaching embedded in it. Bhagavatam is entirely filled with His teachings. Every word He utters is loaded with special import. In the absence of any teaching to be imparted, He prefers to remain mum. If the Lord opens His lips, it is to be understood that there is some significant message He seeks to convey. If He utters a word it is to be understood that it is a matter of utmost importance.

Maharishi Garga has, in His composition Garga-Bhagavatam, highlighted many important hidden purports contained within the actions of this Lord. Totally pleased with the ‘Bhramara-Gita’ – the wonderful extra-ordinary prayer sung by the Gopikas, the Lord smiled gently thereby blessing them and filling them with total peace.

The truth is that the Gopikas (cowherd-women) themselves were the bhramaras (bumble bees) who flocked around the Lord. Many supreme saints had been reborn as Gopikas.

With the intent of re-establishing dharma, in Kurukshetra -the land for righteousness (dharma kshetra)- the Lord pointed out to Arjuna every enemy present in the battlefield and thus merely with His gaze, He drained from these enemies all their strength and vitality.

During the war, Bheeshma, the supreme devotee of the Lord who was in the enemy camp, revolted against the Lord by worshipping Him through a display of valour. The Lord who was totally ecstatic seeing Bheeshma’s worshipful display of valour, broke His vow during the battle for the sake of this dearest devotee. In the end, this Supreme Lord also got the Vishnu Sahasranama shloka to flow from the lips of Bheeshma Pitamaha and then bestowed him with liberation.

Isn’t this astonishing? He had the Vishnu Sahasranama hymn flow from the lips of the same warrior who, in great indignance, had taken up arms against Him.

This Lord honours and showers immense respect upon those who place implicit faith upon Him. In the form of a soul mate He stands by them always. He showers them generously with immense wealth. Towards this, the story of Sudāma (Kuchela) in Bhagavatam is the proof. Like a minister He gives them timely good advice. Assuming the role of a Guru, He teaches to them their duties. In the form of a father, He tolerates all their mistakes. As a mother He pampers and cajoles them. Assuming the form of a charioteer, He drives them i.e. He leads them along in this journey of life.

The word charioteer should not be mistaken for a driver who drives a vehicle. It must be understood that the Lord leads us forward in this journey of life. He can, at one go, lead the entire kingdom and the entire country in the right path.

Assuming the role of a friend, He teaches noble values. Assuming the role of our relative, He helps us. The Lord played all these different roles in the case of the righteous Pandavas, who had placed implicit trust upon Him. At every moment, He guarded them as the eyelid guards the eye. He wiped away the ills that had afflicted the earth due to spread of unrighteousness.

Although the Lord, who is the master of the eight supernatural powers, had eight principal wives and sixteen thousand other wives, He remained an eternal celibate. As the master of Yoga and as the Universal-guru (Jagadguru) He illumined divinely all through the world. Although at times He appears like a Yogi and atother times like a bhogi (enjoyer), His transcendental sports left even learned scholars speechless.

In Madhurāṣṭakam, the composer has aptly glorified the Lord saying-

Vacanam madhuram, Charitam madhuram, Vasanam madhuram, Valitam madhuram, Calitam madhuram, Bhramitam madhuram Madhurādhipate akhilam madhuram

What an extra-ordinary glorification of the Lord this is!

The Lord stole the minds of the Gopikas. It is not limited to this. He attracts the minds of all living entities towards Him. While in Gokula He would steal butter from every home. Stealing butter implies He usurped their hearts and their sins. To learned scholars like Bheeshma and Uddhava, He was the master who imparted the knowledge of Yoga.

Krishnastu bhagavan swayam- Srikrishna is none other than the Supreme Lord himself! Even after recounting His essence millions of times, it always continues to fall short.

This Lord who is a master in mental health, an astute politician and an epitome of dispassion, has remained in this universe in the form of Bhagavad Gita which was composed for the protection of the virtuous and for ensuring that the human beings of this Kali period would adhere to the righteous path and righteous practices.

In those homes where Bhagavad Gita is chanted, in those homes where Bhagavad Gita is memorized, in those homes where Bhagavad Gita still exists and in those homes where it is glorified, Lord Krishna resides. He eternally follows such people and He sits on their shoulders. Hence it is imperative to hold on to Bhagavad Gita and transform this life into a successful one. In this otherwise dreaded period of Kali, the journey of life can be made easy with the help of Bhagavad Gita. You will be rewarded with a firm mind and absolute self-confidence.

It is evident to us that sensory desires must be curbed through wisdom, discriminative reasoning, detachment and other such qualities. We will be bestowed with the wisdom to perform every action as an offering to the Supreme Lord.

As such, in accordance to the instructions issued by the Supreme Lord each of you must unfailingly adhere to the righteous duties (dharmas) as applicable to you. Complete all the responsibilities entrusted to you. Only then will this Lord, who roams in Brindavan, enter the home known as your heart and will fulfill all the mental desires (mano vancha). He will shower you with Yoga. May the grace of Lord Krishna flow towards all of you! May you all be blessed with the inclination towards righteousness!

Janmāṣṭami message on ETV on 02/09/2018