Janmashtami – Celebrating Lord Krishna
Krishna Janmashtami is the birthday of Lord Krishna, the eighth Divine Incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It falls on the 8th day of the dark half of the month (in the waning part of the lunar cycle between the full moon and the new moon) of Bhadrapada (August-September). It is a festival celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm by Krishna devotees all across the world. It falls on 16th/17th August 2014 (US/India). This article discusses the spiritual significance of Krishna Janmashtami.
Lord Krishna – The Complete Incarnation
But why did Lord Krishna incarnate into the physical realm anyway?
Incarnations of God appear for special reasons under special circumstances. Whenever there is much unrighteousness, whenever confusion and disorder set in on account of unrighteousness and baffle the well-ordered progress of mankind, whenever the balance of human society is upset by selfish, ruthless and cruel beings, whenever irreligion and unrighteousness prevail, whenever the foundations of social organisations are undermined, the great Incarnation of God appears in order to re-establish righteousness and to restore peace.
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्या, ग्लानिर्भवति भारत । अभ्युत्थानम् अधर्मस्या, तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ।।
yadaa yadaa hi dharmasya, glaanirbhavati bhaarata.
abhyutthaanam.h adharmasya, tadaatmaanM sRRijaamyaham.h..
Hey Bhaarata (Arjuna). It is Faith which teaches renunciation and is responsible for the elevation and well-being of human beings. Whenever in the passage of time, (yadaa yadaa) Faith (or dharma) is weakened or is under attack, (glaanirbhavati) – and whenever adharma spreads without control (abhyutthaanam.h) – it is then (tadaatmaanM) that I re-incarnate myself (sRRijaamyaham.h) with all my powers to restore Faith. Whenever there is a decline of righteousness, and the rise of unrighteousness, then I re-incarnate myself to teach dharma.
An incarnation is the descent of God for the ascent of man. The work done by the Incarnation of God and His teachings produce a benign influence on human beings and help them in their upward divine unfoldment and Self-realisation.
Lord Krishna – Physical Manifestation
His enchanting form with flute in hand is worshipped in myriads of homes in India. It is a form to which is poured out devotion and supreme love from the hearts of countless devotees not only in India but also in the West. Millions of spiritual seekers worship Him and repeat His Mantra, Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.
Audio – Krishna Mahamantra by Yogi Hari
(from the album ‘Garland of Moksha Mantras’ by Yogi Hari)
Lord Krishna – His Roles in Life
Lord Krishna was great in knowledge, great in emotion, great in action, all at once. The scriptures have not recorded any life more full, more intense, more sublime and grander than the life of Sri Krishna.
Krishna played various roles during His stay in the world. He was Arjuna’s charioteer. He was an excellent statesman. He was a master musician; he gave lessons even to Narada in the art of playing the veena. The music of His flute thrilled the hearts of the Gopis and everyone else. He was a cowherd in Brindavan and Gokul. He exhibited miraculous powers even as a child. He killed many demons.
He revealed His Comic Form to His mother, Yasoda. He performed the Rasa Lila, the secret of which can only be understood by devotees like Narada, Gauranga, Radha and the Gopis. He taught the supreme Truth of Yoga, Bhakti and Vedanta to Arjuna and Uddhava. He had mastered every one of the sixty-four fine arts. For all these reasons He is regarded as a full and complete manifestation of God.
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27 Responses to Janmashtami – Celebrating Lord Krishna
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Really such a nice blog you have written.Your thoughtfulness will always be remembered.
Krishna Janmashtami which many times called as Nandlala in many states, many ladies ready dress for Krishna on this occasion for their nandlala.
Very nice post. Shri Krishna philosophy well explained. Happy Janmashtami to all.
Allways bless my family .. God… i owe you a lot for all the blessings that you had given to me till now.. just one that wish .. ( you know ) and thats all.. love you
I love you kirshna
JAI SHREE RADHEY
Subh Janmaastami to all of you! Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya! Jai Sri Krshn!
Jay sree krishna
A WONERFUL AND DIGINITY FESTIVAL ENJOYED BY ALL HINDUS AND OTHERS,
Namaste: As is said above about the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Krishna at times – when the whole mankind falls in a great problem or struggle for day-today living itself. He not only destroys the evil forces and establishes Dharma for smooth living or making people to perform their stipulated activities normally but also allowing us to know how firm we should be at times and to follow Him as He also follow and perform so many daily activities -as he is not supposed to do, except to show for us. How so kind of Him. No one can explain or describe about Him with our words in prose or poetry, even Vedas also said they could not
explain or describe Him except to show the way only to reach Him.
This is my interpretation with my little knowledge by hearing from somany Pravachanams
by eminent people. Anand
fantastic i did not know about this .thank my radhekrishna.i want to know more about radhekrishna bhakti yog and want to find them.please help me . i do not know about meditation, but i eager to know about this please sir………… radhe radhe jai shri krishna
[…] Lord Krishna’s Birthday – Janamashtami […]
I happened upon your blog by chance, but glad I did.
I have just started learning all about meditation and how it can benefit me, thanks for sharing this information.
Andy
thank you very much ….I was born in Dominican republic, but I Started my meditation in 1994 I like very much yours e-mails……..
Dear friends,
To be in this world, do what ever is good for every one.
For this Sri Krishna"s teachings are more than anything else, in any walk of life
today ,tomorow and day after., better to be in tune with the real exposure towads,
Supreme truth of yoga, Bhakti and Vedanta to all the human who adore it.
Nothing is required , surrender and see the results.
with kindest reagards,
Hare krishna ,
rahul
FIRST OF ALL WISHING ALL INDIANS A VERY HAPPY SHREE KRISHNA JANAMASHTAMI.
LORD KRISHNA IS BEING CONSIDERED AS BEST MOTIVATOR EVER,BEST MUSICIAN AND HIS LESSON IN SHRI BHAGWAT GEETA TAUGHT TO ARJUNA IS COMPLETE KNOWLEDEGE TOWARDS LIFE.
S.C.MISHRA (INDORE)
Hare Ram Hare Ram, Ram Ram Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
i love my krishna very much.he is my all and all….my soul and my body…..
Krishna ko mahsus kar ke todekho aapni life syle aur kudh ko bhi change mahsus karenge aap..jab ye pata hoga ki aap krisha ke hi aansh hain aur unse hi bichad ke har jagah santi dundte fir rahe hain,,,, Makhan
plz agar app shri krishna ke darshan karne virndavan jarur aao
radhe radhe japte jao par radha jarur milegi or lord krishna to ?????????
lord krishna save us…………
After reading all the comments, it will now go to show to all readers that he who recites such holy verses and meditates upon the Lord is sure to feel as though he is before the Diety to whom he is praying and the lord is sure to grant his wishes. T.S.Sundaram.
Further to what I have written so far in the comments column about Lord krishna, readers will be happy to know that Narayaneeyam is an extempore composition in elegent and lucid sanskrit verse sung in praise of Lord Krishna by Melpattur Narayana Bhattathiri. It is a fervent appeal to the Lord to cure Shri. Bhattathiri of the disease of rheumatism with which he was afflicted. It consists of 1036 verses in 100 dasakas. Narayaneeyam is nothing but Srimad bhagavatham in another form.
Melpattur Bhattathiri had an attack of rheumatism which brought him to guruvayoor and he brought into being the poem Narayaneeyam, which has become immortal and a blessing to millions of devotees suffering from physical and mental afflictions. It is strongly recommendeded that Narayaneeyam should be included for parayana daily which will bring the best of everything in life for himself- the reader, and his family.
Narayaneeyam is a long devotional poem On Lord narayana at Guruvayoor that made him and the shrine of lord krishna at Guruvayoor at which it was composed by Sri. Melpattur Narayana Bhattathiri famous. That the shrine had already the reputation of curing Rheumatism is known from references in literature earlier than Narayana bhattathiri.
When the name “Janmashtami” celebrating Lord krishna comes to my mind, the famous” NARAYANEEYAM” written by the famous sanskrit scholar, Sri. Narayana Bhattatiri of Melpattur comes to my mind. Narayaneeyam occupies in the Stotra literature a position and popularity similar to that enjoyed by the Mukapanchasati on kamakshi at kanchior the Krishnakarnamrita of Krishna Lilasuka.