Thus Spake the Divine - Krishna Jayanti

Thus Spake the Divine

Krishna Jayanti

Krishna Avatara is full of Divine Leelas. In this chapter, Poojyasri Maha Periyava brings out the effulgence of Sri Krishna through a euphoric metaphor of His dark complexion at the time of His birth.

Lord Krishna’s life marks the passing of Dvapara Yuga and beginning of the Kali Yuga, which is also considered as the current age. In Gita, Sri Krishna says, “When the entire world is sleeping, the Jnyani is awake”. This means that the Jnyani is always in a consciously awakened state with the light of wisdom, while others are ignorant and remain in the dark. When we see a ray of light in dense darkness, we are happy to welcome it. When we see an oasis in the desert, we are extremely happy. Similar is the birth of Lord Krishna.

Sri Krishna and darkness are very closely associated with each other. Let us see this connection in detail. Sri Krishna was born during the midnight of Tamil month Avani on Krishna Paksha Ashtami {Krishna Paksha is a period of 15 days, which begins on the Full Moon Day (Purnima) and culminates on New Moon Day (Amavasya)}. What is one year is equivalent to one day for celestial beings (Devas). When it is Uttarayana to us on this earth (the motion of the sun from South to North), it is Dakshinayana in the heavens (the motion of sun from North to South). Our one day is equivalent to one month for our Pitrus (dead ancestors). Our Shukla Paksha is their day and Krishna Paksha their night. What is the connection between all these and Krishna’s birth?

Krishna was born at midnight. It was midnight for all Devas and Pitrus. That is the time when dense darkness penetrates throughout. The place, where Krishna was born, was a prison, which was dark inside. Thus, everything was dark when Krishna was born. His complexion is also black and thus he is christened as Krishna, which in Sanskrit means black.

But despite there being darkness all around and Sri Krishna himself being dark, He is the Light of Wisdom. Like a lightning strikes amidst dense rain clouds, He is the light of wisdom that appears amidst dense darkness. Wisdom is more valuable only in a place, which is absorbed with ignorance. Krishna’s eminence glittered similarly. Gita propounded by Him is heard across the world. Shrimad Bhagavatam, which exhibits His innumerable divine acts (Leelas) and miracles, is considered the most renowned scripture among His devotees.

Body gets light from the eyes; breath gets light from the wisdom. Krishna is also known by his pet name “Kannan”, meaning eye in Tamil, who gives light of wisdom to all living beings on this earth. His persona enchants both the inner eyes and the outer eyes. Our ears enjoy the nectar of the musical Flute played by Krishna and our mind is enriched with the preaching of Gita. The light is amidst the darkness and He is that light too.

In just one avatara, Sri Krishna has demonstrated multifarious divine plays (Krishna Leelas). He is the most mischievous child who turns into several personalities as he grows. He is a cowherd; flutist; admirer of His own accomplishments (when he fought with Chanuran and Mushtigan, His maternal uncle Kamsan’s aides); great wrestler; a great political strategist (Rajathantri); He brought under control seven bulls, which was a pre-condition to marry the daughter of King Nagnajith; a great chariot rider; protector of the aggrieved (as in the case of Draupadi when she was being harassed in the Durbar of Kauravas); He is a kind-hearted friend for His devotees (as in the case of his erstwhile friend Kuchela); He conferred salvation not only to Bhishma but also to the hunter who killed Krishna (as per Krishna’s order). Likewise, He has demonstrated a lot of divine plays.

The world consists of different kinds of personalities, both virtuous and wicked. There are heroes and villains, thieves, womanisers, fools, lazy, hard-working, egoistic and arrogant, misers and spendthrifts, compassionate, stone-hearted, illiterates and scholars, and so on. Even to liberate those with wicked qualities, Krishna disguised Himself with similar roles, such as cunning, deceitful and so on. Krishna Avatara is very unique as it is in this Avatara that Krishna gave salvation to different kinds of people by suitably demonstrating his leela.

There will be exactly 180 days gap between Shivarathri and Krishna Jayanti. On the Shivaratri night, the Lingam, an abstract representation of Lord Shiva, the Light of Wisdom, emerged. On the Krishna Jayanti night, the same Paramatma, engrossed in darkness, emerged as Sri Krishna, an embodiment of wisdom and compassion.

This article is a snippet from the Book Thus Spake the Divine, is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.