Janmastami Message

Janmastami - Devotees usually fast all day and look forward to a midnight service commemorating the appearance of Sri Krishna over 5000 years ago. All day long they remember Krishna by meditating upon His holy name and His pastimes.

The Janmastami story begins "Once the world was overburdened by the unnecessary military forces of different kings who were actually demons, but were posing themselves as the royal order..." Even Bhumi, the earth goddess, was disturbed by the activities of the demoniac kings.

Krishna's parents did not have an easy time. For years they were persecuted by wicked King Kamsa. They did not even see Krishna grow up. At Krishna's birth Vasudeva, Krishna's father, risked life and limb to save Krishna. In the dead of night Vasudeva carried the newborn child to a nearby village to shelter Him from Kamsa's wrath. Kamsa had killed Vasudeva’s and Devaki’s first six children. Finally, when Krishna had evaded his grasp, Kamsa ordered the killing of all the newborn children in the area.

And even as Krishna grew up in the house of Nanda & Yasoda, many dangerous personalities tried to infiltrate the idyllic village of Vrindavan with the plan to kill Krishna and the other children there. Nanda and Yasoda were Krishna's foster parents, and they, as any parents, worried and prayed endlessly that Krishna should be protected from any harm.

The Janmastami story is a special story. Krishna's parents and foster parents are the heroes of our story. They went through so much for little Krishna. They had tremendous courage. Every parent can empathize with them, and like them, every parent who raises their children with love and teaches them to follow the path of dharma are heroes.

In the Kaliyuga the path of dharma is to chant the holy names of God, especially the mahamantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare – and in this way one can come to experience one’s eternal nature and one’s eternal connection with God.

Krishna explains: Aham sarvasya prabhavo - “I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.” Gita 10: 8

In that same chapter –Gita 10: 12 - Arjuna comes to experience Krishna as He is and thus describes Him as: Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan - "You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier.”

Today (whether it's Janmastami or any day, it doesn't matter) do a little extra something for Krishna. When you take a step toward Him, He will take a hundred toward you. Like Arjuna, you can develop a relationship with Krishna, and like Arjuna you will also begin to experience Krishna as the supreme transcendent reality and the guiding force in your life.