11 Aug 2020 HYN Himalayan Yoga Academy
Janmashtami, the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, is celebrated in various parts of the country with great enthusiasm. The festival is celebrated with most fervor in Mathura, which is said to be his birthplace. The Mathura, ruled by the evil King Kansa, whose sister, Princess Devaki, was Krishna’s birth mother. Devaki and Vasudeva were married with a lot of fanfare, however, a prediction said that the couple’s eighth son would cause Kansa’s downfall.
According to legend, Krishna was the eighth son of Devaki and Vasudeva. Devaki was the sister of Mathura’s cruel king Kansa, and it was prophesied that her eighth son would be the cause of his death. The moment Kansa got to know about the prophecy, he had both Devaki and Vasudeva imprisoned and, one by one, killed all their sons until Krishna was born.
All hell broke loose when Kansa heard of this and imprisoned Devaki and Vasudeva instantly. The evil king got their first six children killed, but at the time of the birth of the seventh child, Balaram, the fetus is said to have been mystically transferred from Devaki’s womb to Princess Rohini’s. When the couple’s eighth child, Krishna, was born, Vasudeva managed to rescue the baby and gave him to Nand Baba and Yashodha in Vrindavan.
KRISHNA, KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI, BHAGAVAD GITA AND YOGA
ॐ कृष्णाय नमः “Om Krishnaya Namah”
Meaning: ‘Accept my salutations, Oh Sri Krishna.’
Date and time of celebration
Krishna is believed as the eighth avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu. He is said to be born on the eighth day of the Krishna Paksha (Dark Moon Time of the month) in the month of Bhadra (August- September) according to the Vedic calendar. As per Drik Panchang, devotees observe a fast on this day and abstain (fast) from consuming grains until the next day’s sunrise. Krishna Janmashtami is also known as Krishnashtami, Ashtami Rohini, Srikrishna Jayanti, Gokulashtami, Sree Jayanthi, etc.
About Krishna Janmashtami
Janmashtami is the birthday of Lord Krishna, which is celebrated with great ardor and zeal in Mathura during the monsoon season. If we go by the Nepali calendar, this important day falls on the Ashtami or eighth day of the Krishna Paksha or dark fortnight of Bhadra month. No one knows when this festival originated! Maybe a thousand years ago, this festival found its foothold in our culture. One would come across various legendary stories and myths encircling the birth of Janmashtami.
Among all of them, the most widely accepted view is that Lord Krishna is the eighth avatar (incarnate) of Lord Vishnu. We all know from the Mahabharata that the birth of Lord Krishna was to kill the demon Kansa, who happens to be his maternal uncle. Whenever there is some imbalance in the universe regarding peace and prosperity, it is said that Lord Vishnu comes to save humanity from the hands of demons.
Bhagavad Gita Relates
The tale of the Mahabharata has a lot to do with the life of Lord Krishna. During the Dharma Yuddha (righteous war) between the two Pandavas and Kauravas, Lord Krishna played the charioteer of Arjuna. He was encouraging Arjuna on various segments of life like Dharma (righteous path), Karma (deeds), Theistic Devotion, Yogic ideals, salvation, knowledge, etc., because Arjuna was in emotional commotion in killing his brothers and cousins. The verses mentioned in this book are often called a life guide or spiritual dictionary.
Lord Krishna stated that whenever there is prominence of evil deeds in this universe, he will reincarnate in various looks and attire to show the path of right and peace to all. The Gita, as it’s commonly called, is a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and Sri Krishna, Arjuna’s charioteer, friend, and counselor. The story opens to the scene of a battlefield just prior to the start of a gigantic war, with Arjuna asking Krishna for guidance.
THE BHAGAVAD GITA AND YOGA
The ancient scripture, Srimad Bhagavad Gita, is a treasure for ‘yoga’ lovers. The Holy Scripture speaks about the detached way of life through its 700 verses (shlokas) divided into 18 chapters. It is the conversation between Arjun and Lord Krishna. Though all 18 chapters are considered as yogic paths which are associated with the Yogic message, four chapters are specifically applied in human life. The Bhagavad Gita is the most treasured and famous of spiritual or yogic texts. Composed of 700 verses, the Bhagavad Gita was written in the third or fourth century BCE as part of the epic text the Mahabharata.
The three types of ‘yoga’ advocated by the Bhagavad Gita are – Karma Yoga, Bhakti, Jnana Yoga, and Dhyana Yoga.
1) Karma Yoga (Yoga of Action)
Karma Yoga comes from ‘Karma’, which means action. Bhagavad Gita says that one should act selflessly without attaching himself or herself to the outcome. The Karma yoga is known as the Path of Work. Considered the most practical of all the paths, it is a path of action. To be one with the divine, a spiritual and Hindu believer must act selflessly. In other words, a person should do what is right, not because they want to be rewarded, but simply because right is right.
2) Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Devotion)
Considered as one of the easiest forms of ‘yoga’, Bhakti yoga means doing ‘bhakti’ or worship of the lord selflessly. It is said that this form of yoga can be practiced even in regular life, as one does not need to leave everything or follow a rigorous regime to attain salvation through this form of ‘yoga’. This form of yoga simply advises one to get absorbed in the supreme soul. It advises to feel that supreme power into one’s soul and vice versa. It asks to always keep the mind engaged in ‘me’, i.e., the supreme lord – Lord Krishna.
3) Jnana Yoga (Yoga of knowledge)
This last yoga of Bhagavad Gita talks about ‘Jnana’ or ‘knowledge’ through which one can attain salvation. Unlike the other two forms, this one advocates to know the absolute, the Brahman. Like the other two, it does not advise to practice a form of meditation. Rather it asks to know beyond name and form of the doer of an act and understand him as per his nature.
4) Dhyana Yoga (Yoga of Meditation)
Sitting and concentrating the mind on a single object by controlling the thoughts and the activities of the senses, is realized as Meditation. Let the yogi practice meditation for self-purification. If you feel you have no love for Krishna or not much devotion, then chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra under proper guidance, and love for Krishna will manifest in your heart.
Hare Krishna Maha Mantra
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे
हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे
“Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”
Meaning: An Ode to Sri Krishna and Lord Rama, who are both two bodies but one being, as they are the incarnations of Sri Hari Vishnu. So, accept my salutation.
HAPPY KRISHNAJANMASHTAMI (BIRTH DAY OF KRISHNA)