Lord Krishna appeared over
five thousand years ago in Mathura, India
to Devaki and Vasudeva in the jail cell of the tyrant Kamsa. The place of His
birth is known as Sri Krishna Janmasthana. He appeared with His brother
Balarama in response to the demigods' prayers for protection from the
widespread influence of demonic administration on earth.
Previously, the demigods and
demons had been at war in the heavens. When the demons were defeated by the
demigods, they decided to instead attack this planet earth. Thus, they invaded
the earth by discretely taking birth as princes in powerful royal families of
the time.
And as the earth became overrun
by militaristic activities of these kingly demons, the demigods including the
Earth goddess earnestly sought Lord Visnu's protection. Seeing the
deteriorating social and political conditions and hearing the prayers of the
demigods, the all-compassionate Supreme Lord Sri Krishna decided to descend
for the benefit of all.
The Supreme Lord descends from
time to time in this material world to reestablish the teachings of the Vedas.
In His Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna promises: "Whenever and wherever there
is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, 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 millennium after millennium." (Sambhaavami
Yuge, Yuge)
Although eternal the Lord appears
in specific circumstances out of mercy for His devotees. In fact, His
principal biography, the Srimad Bhagavatam states, "the learned men
describe the births and activities of the Unborn and Inactive."
Therefore, although He appears within the material dimensions of time and
space, He is most definitely not of it.
Historically, Lord Krishna
appeared on the midnight of the 8th day of the dark half of the month of
Sravana. This corresponds to July 19th 3228 BC. He exhibited His pastimes for
a little over 125 years and dissappeared on February 18th 3102 BC on the new
moon night of Phalguna. (His departure marks the beginning of the current age
of corruption known as Kali.)
The great scholar Srila
Vishvanatha Chakravarti neatly outlines Lord Krishna's activities in this way:
the first three years and four months were spent in Gokula, then equal lengths
of time in Vmdavana and Nandagram, eighteen years and four months in Mathura
, and finally ninety-six years and eight months in Dvaraka totalling 125 years
of manifest pastimes. See the Krishna-lila chart.
Lord Krishna's early pastimes are
briefly summarized at the website Krishna's Adventures in Vraja"During
this childhood time , He grew up as the son of His foster parents Nanda and
Yasoda in the midst of the idyllic beauty of Gokula, Vrindavana, and Nandagram.
Not only did He destroy numerous demons, but also performed His famous rasa
dance.
Krishna enjoyed the dance of love
(rasa-lila) with the gopis many of whom are expansions of His own internal
energies. The supreme gopi known as Srimati Radharani is the object of Krishna
's highest devotion. This beautiful dance would occur in the autumn season at
night under a full moon when Lord Krishna would captivate the young gopis with
the extraordinary music of His flute . These esoteric pastimes constitute the
most confidential expression of divinity ever revealed.
Usually the conception of
sprirtual perfection consists of overwhelming feelings only of awe and
reverence at God's majesty. However, in these pastimes each devotee loves God
either as a master, a best freind, a mischievous son, or even as an intimate
lover, thus revealing the infinite possibilities of divine love. These early
pastimes of Lord Krsna in Vrindavana illustrate the extraordinary intimacy
that one can have with God. These pastimes are described in detail by Sri
Visvantha Chakravarti in his Sri Krishna Bhavanamrta Mahakavya.
When Krsna and Balarama were
older, They were invited to Mathura
, where Karnsa, Their demonic uncle, was planning Their death in a wrestling
match against two large and powerful wrestlers. When Kamsa saw his wrestlers
defeated, he ordered his friends to drive the brothers out of Mathura ,
plunder the riches of Their cowherd friends, and kill Their fathers, Nanda and
Vasudeva. However, Krishna immediately killed Kamsa and Balarama killed his
eight brothers. Lord Krishna then established the pious King Ugrasena as the
emperor of several kingdoms.
In Mathura,
both Krishna and Balarama were initiated by Gargamuni in the Gayatri
mantra> Later They went to live under the care of Sandipani Muni who
instructed Them in all the Vedic arts and sciences in sixty-four days and
nights especially in military science, politics and spirituality. As an
offering (guru-daksina) to Their teacher, They recovered his son from death.
Although God does not need instruction from anyone else, Lord Krsna and His
brother set the perfect example : one must accept instruction from and serve a
bona-fide spiritual master to advance in spiritual life.
For the next eighteen years, They
continued to live in Mathura
halting the impending threat of many demonic kings. Later in Their pastimes
Lord Balarama married a princess named Revati. Lord Krsna married many queens,
the foremost among them being the extraordinarily beautiftil Queen Rukmani.
(See Sri Rukmani website for the story of Their marriage). Both Krishna and
Balarama established Their palaces in Dwaraka off the coast of western India ,
where They enjoyed married life for many years. Although They were married,
Lord Krishna and Lord Balrama exhibited the quality of detachment from
material life perfectly.
When They were about ninety years
old, the great world war of Kuruksetra took place. This climactic battle
brought together all the major world leaders. Lord Krsna took the role of a
charioteer on the side of the pious Pandavas, while Lord Balarama refusing to
participate went on a pilgrimage tour thereby blessing the entire land of India
. At the start of the war, Lord Krishna displayed His stupendous Universal
Form delivered His famous message known as the Bhagavad-gita, literally the
Song of God. This Song contains the essence of all knowledge having been
spoken by the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Himself. This war concluded with the
destruction of the demonic kings and the reinstatement of the righteous
Pandava princes. Having completed Their mission, Balarama and Krsna resumed
Their life in Dvaraka where They spent some thirty-five more years before
ending Their earthly manifest activities The foremost description of Lord
Krishna's activities occurs in the Srimad Bhagavatam,
literally "the Beautiful BooK of God".
Janmashtami celebrates the birth
of one of the most famous Gods of Hindu religion, Bhagwan Krishna, on the eighth
day (Ashtami) in the month of Sravana or Savana. Lord Sri Krishna was born on
the 'Rohini' nakshatram (star). It is generally celebrated in the month of
August-September according to the Christian Calendar. Legend has it that Sri
Krishna was born on a dark, stormy and windy night to end the rule and
atrocities of his maternal uncle, Kansa.
Position of Stars at the time of Birth:
It was only on the eighth day of the second fortnight, in the month of Sravana
when, the moon entered the house of Vrishabha in Rohini Nakshatra (star) that
Lord appeared. According to Barhapatyamana, the month of Sravana corresponds to
the month of Bhadrapada Krishnapaksha. Lord was born in the year of Visvavasu,
appx. 5,227 years ago.
Celebrated for over Two Days:
Janmashtami is celebrated for over two days as "Rohini" nakshatra and
Ashtami may not fall on the same day. The first day known as Krishnashtami, as
the birth of Bhagwan Krishna falls on the eighth day after Raksha
Bandhan, which generally falls in the month of August. The second day is
known as Kalashtami.
Welcome the Lord at Midnight:
It is only at midnight between the first and the second day that birth of Sri
Krishna took place. The actual festivities begin during midnight in this 48 hour
period. The celebration reaches its peak at midnight, with the birth of Lord
Krishna, with lot of hymns, arti taking place and blowing of the Conch (shankh),
rocking the cradle of Lord. The idol of lord is bathed with Panchamrit (A
mixture of milk, ghee, oil, honey and Gangajal). The Panchamrit is later
distributed as Prasad to the devotees along with other sweets. While some Fast
on the first day and break it at midnight for others the fasting continues for
both days. The period coincides with rainy season.
Jai Shri
Kriskna
