Krishna Janma Rahasya - Secret behind the persona...

If ever there is a persona that has ruled people’s hearts from time immemorial is that of Lord Shri Krishna. From the cute-innocent looks of infancy to his antics of childhood with his friends at Brindavan to his studentship at Sandipani Ashram to his travails of achievements as youngster at Mathura to the most intellectual strategist in the greatest Mahaabhaarata war to him as the effective yet efficient King of Dwarka, each etch an image that’s unforgettable in our minds. He has even been appreciated as the most revered Guru of his time and continues to be in the present times too. It is intriguing how such a person really existed who could practically cast himself in the hearts and minds of people en masse. A deeper probing will possibly open doors to revealing the secret behind the birth and making of this wonderfully gracious and powerful personality.


LORD KRISHNA’S BIRTH IS NO ACCIDENT…

It is said that the birth of Lord Shri Krishna was not by accident or by natures demand for such a divine being’s presence, but the intense inner desire of his mother Devaki. When Devaki had just entered her teens she was terrified by the cruelty and sufferings inflicted by Kamsa her cousin on the people of Mathura. Thus began the journey of her intense prayers to Lord Mahavishnu to give her a son who was different & made a difference to the lives of others. By the time she was 15 years old she was married to Vasudeva. Soon after the wedding rituals were complete, Devaki informed her husband Vasudeva about her desire of begetting a worthy son. Vasudeva was impressed upon his wife’s desire and made it his dream too to beget such a son as imagined by Devaki. Thus Devaki began fervently praying to Lord Mahavishnu supported by Vasudeva. There is a lot of meaning in the prayers of Devaki on how and in what form she wishes the lord to bless her with the son.

THE PRAYER OF DEVAKI…

Oh God of gods bestow me with male child who

  1. Has a unique body with beautiful features
  2. Should be marked with all auspicious characteristics
    1. Born in an auspicious way
    2. At an auspicious time
    3. In a unique and auspicious manner
  3. Must be and become extremely pleasing to all
  4. A radiating personality who is ever effulgent
  5. A strong person – physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually
  6. Should be ever youthful
  7. Should be a wonderful linguist – who talks pleasingly and is fluent with the human language (Manushya Bhasha) as well as the language of the gods (Deva Bhasha)
  8. He should be
    1. Highly learned
    2. Highly Intelligent and Extremely clever
    3. A genius of sorts in life, love and war
    4. An artistic individual in all forms of art, dance & music
    5. An expert judge of time and circumstances
  9. An authoritarian on the Vedas who can see and speak scriptures
  10. An individual with a purity of thought, actions and emotions – chaste in every way – a person who can live and depict Nishkaama Prema (pure love free from lust)
  11. A calm individual who is
    1. Patient
    2. Tolerant
    3. Forbearing
  12. A shy, happy & fun loving person who drives away sorrows of others yet at the same time be serious, self-controlled, steadfast, and firmly determined in all situations that will present before him.
  13. He should be gentle, compassionate, liberal, grateful and respectful to all concerned.
  14. He should be a self-satisfied person who possesses equilibrium of the mind
  15. He should be popular, heroic, most powerful, all famous protector of surrendered souls and a well-wisher of devotees and also who is partial/ biased towards them.
  16. He should be so attractive encompass their hearts and reside within it.
  17. An extremely religious person who should be all worshippable
  18. An all honorable, magnanimous personality who will grow up to be the supreme controller
  19. A person who will have acquired and gained mastery over the 3 gunas – Sattva Guna, Rajo Guna and Tamo Guna.

 This intense and elaborate prayer of Devaki with the support of Vasudeva performed day in day out had persuaded Lord Mahavishnu to reveal his form to them and then guide them to achieve this wish of theirs. The lord replied – “For you to beget such a son you have to prepare yourselves and need to

  1. Perform austerities to energize yourselves
  2. Meditate and contemplate on this form of mine in ISOLATION.
  3. Despite this the soul will have to attain purity through Yoga
  4. It is only in the 8th birth that the soul will be ready

Therefore I ask you to conceal this four armed form of mine and commence your PENANCE (or saadhana)”.


THE LORDS ACTION…

Vasudeva and Devaki performed all necessary yagna’s and austerities as per the vedic tradition so that they get the necessary energies to procreate their most wished/ desired child. Once this was ready Vasudeva requested the Lord Mahavishnu to provide them with complete isolation. The lord thus planned and blessed them with what they wanted – made an akashvani (Prophesy through the celestial voice) “The 8th son of Devaki and Vasudeva will SLAY you Kamsa”. As a reaction to this, Kamsa 

  1. Kamsa immediately attacked Vasudeva’s Kingdom and was about to kill Devaki at this moment Vasudeva tried to reason it out with Kamsa & used the Neeti Shastra. According to Neeti Shastra when life is in danger, you can do whatever to protect yourself. And Vasudeva just did that & he said that It is the 8th Child that is propheciated and not her why do you want to kill her, she is after all your sister. I promise to bring the child to you when it is born. This pacified Kamsa’s anger & fear of Kamsa and he thus put Vasudev & Devaki in his prison guarded by his soldiers.
  2. The couple Vasudeva and Devaki being jailed was the play of Lord Mahavishnu and thus the Lord gave them the ISOLATION they needed to meditate & contemplate upon his divine form.
  3. The sequence of events that unfolded over the next 15 years was the real phase of inner development to ensure the manifestation of the Lord’s aspect in the womb of Devaki. This period of isolation and the loss of lives of newly born children strengthened Devaki & Vasudev internally – emotionally as well as spiritually. The soul through the passage of 7 births attained purity through each of the births, evolved, prepared and paved the way Devaki’s womb for the lords manifested form to be born through her. Devaki this meditates and allows the foetus over these 7 births to imbibe
  4. Purity and robustness through the proper evolutionary process.
  5. Imbibe the knowledge of the soul and the universe that –
    1. the body changes but the soul remains the same
    2. A sober person is not bewildered by change
    3. The wise do not lament for the living or the dead; sadness or happiness, deeds and activities or the age.
  6. A year after being jailed Devaki delivers her first baby. It was a beautiful girl baby and the soldiers promptly informed Kamsa about its birth. Kamsa summoned Vasudeva, who brought him the new born infant. When Kamsa saw the baby girl he was pleased with its looks and asked Vasudeva to take her back to the Jail as it was not a boy baby. Vasudeva returned back to their cell in the Jail.
  7. It was now to ensure that the lord takes birth through the purified soul Narada appeared at the palace of Kamsa. If Kamsa will be pitiful, there will be no avatara. To deviate Kamsa's mind, he had brought flowers with eight petals. He said to Kamsa, “That eighth child will be the reason for your death. He asked Kamsa as to why he allowed Vasudeva to go with the child?” Kamsa replied, “But it's the first one!” Narada who had brought the flower with him said, “Look at the flower. Which is eighth petal?”. Kamsa said, “1,2,3…8. Yes this one!”. Narada then said, “Okay, count from the other end side!”. Kamsa said, “1,2…8. This one!” And now the enraged Kamsa went to the cell of Vasudeva & Devaki and slayed the 1st baby.
  8. Like this right from the 1st baby delivered by Devaki (in her 18th Year) and subsequently in her 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, 28th & 30th year of her life she had delivered a child which were mercilessly slayed by Kamsa and then the 33rd year of her life the lords aspect manifested in the form of the 8th child which was a baby boy who went on to be called Krishna. 

THE UNIQUE BIRTH OF SHRI KRISHNA…

It was the night of Ashtami of Sharavana Maasa (The 8th day of the month of Monsoon) Krishna Paksha (The waning phase of the moon) and with the star Rohini on the aspect. The clouds had hovered throughout the day and by evening it was absolutely dark. As night progressed the downpour had begun and with time it intensified to heavy rain. For the first time the people noticed nature’s heightened state and the river Yamuna was in-spate.  It is said that Yamuna was so excited to receive the lord that she ebbed and flowed at her best peak. It is also mentioned in the Bhagvatam that just as the moon doesn’t form in the night but effortlessly and silently it appears in the sky so also lord Krishna noiselessly appeared on amidst the thunder, lightning and the roaring cheer of nature’s various aspects. Vasudev noticed the smiling baby and looking at it heard an inner voice “take me to Brindavan” and then a bright light led the way. Vasudev found a discarded bamboo basket with a big leaf of Ashwatha (peepul tree) and placed the baby in it. No sooner he placed the baby the Ashwatha leaf grew large due to the divine energy of the child and another leaf too just like this was put on the baby as a blanket. 

Vasudev then noticed that the gates of his cell automatically opened on their own and the light led the way for his exit. As he walked through the exits of the jail he noticed all the guards in deep slumber. Following the light (as though it was day light) Vasudev walked out of the jail and in front was the Yamuna ebbing in full glory. As he stepped into the river the water the waters of Yamuna were very excited to touch the feet of the Lord and its waves rose high. The lord then put his tiny feet out of the basket and once the waters of Yamuna touched the feet of the lord the river calmed down leaving space for Vasudeva to cross it. Sesha the divine snake to protect the baby from the downpour covered the basket with its hood from behind as Vasudeva walked in front. Vasudeva reached Brindavana, silently entered the house of Nandaraaj and as per the divine voice suggestion exchanged his baby for the girl baby of Nandraaj and Yashodha. Promptly Vasudev with the baby girl walked back to his cell in the jail of Mathura. Automatically all the gates closed as they entered. Finally when Kamsa got the news of birth of the baby and he rushed to the cell of Vasudev & Devaki he was surprised to see a beautiful girl baby. Just as before when he wished to crash the baby against the wall – the baby slipped out of his hand turned herself into the form of divine mother Mahamaya and pronounced “NO one can kill me Kamsa, I am the divine manifested form of Shakti. The boy who is poised to slay you has taken birth elsewhere and will one day come to Mathura slay you and relieve people of your tyranny. Until that day it will be my duty to protect Devaki & Vasudeva as they are under my protection.  The baby girl was none other than the yogmaaya manifested human form called Mahamaya.  – WHAT A UNIQUE BIRTH

They say when you earnestly pray, god answers and fulfils that most venerable prayer. Hence Lord Mahavishnu fulfilled the wish of Devaki and Vasudeva. Their prayers were not only to elevate them and release them of the misery in prison but also for the upliftment of mankind. Thus the boy grew up at Brindavana as Krishna. By virtue of birth Krishna acquired the Rajasic Qualities (Rajo Guna) of Vasudeva & Devaki as the suckling baby Krishna acquired the Saatvik qualities from Yashodha and the Tamasik qualities from Pootana. After the war, just before Krishna departed from the bodyKrsihna cried “AMMA” in pain when struck by the arrow of the hunter. His mothers’ arrived instantly at that spot – Devaki, Yashodha & Pootana – Shocked to see Pootana when both Devaki & Yashodha asked Pootana why she had come? Pootana replied “he has sucked my milk too and that why I am here, in this regard I am his mother too”. This laid a very hard foundation as to why we in Bharat as a matter of fact all Sanatani’s or Hindu’s call the cow “Gou Maata”.

Had it not been for the prayers of Devaki & Vasudev and the Lord Mahavishnu’s considerate acceptance to fulfill this prayer the cute child would not have:-

  • Had the unique birth
  • Received the right Upbringing of Yashodha & Naandraaj
  • Be unequally courageous, brave and fierce strategic from the milk of Pootana
  • Would not have kicked the wheels of the cart & killed the demon Shakatasura
  • Become as heavy as a mountain so that Tranavarta could not lift him
  • Play over and dance on the hood of Kalinga the Serpent
  • The world would not have heard the Song of the Lord – Bhagvad Geeta
  • None would have deciphered between Right & Wrong when every day we tread on Dharma Kshetra (the pathway of Duty).
  • Saved and elevated thousands of lives who prayed to him fervently – Draupadi, Rukhmini, Arjuna, Vidura, Bheeshma, Bheema …. The list is endless.
  • Above all give us pathways to evolve into better beings by choosing the pathway that is best suited to ones one nature and character.

Krishna is not just a name it’s a mantra, its energy manifested in every human that unveils itself in silence and above all it’s that activant force that involves to help others evolve. Just one call and he always answers.

On each Ashtami of Krishna Paksha Shraavana Maasa its best we sit back contemplate on this persona and replay within ourselves the secret of his birth and the purposefulness of his life here prior to us and also during this very birth who has reached out to us as a father, brother, friend, husband, Guru and of course as God. It’s just a matter of time for us to realize in the numerous ways he has reached out to us. That’s why we always end and offer everything we think & do at his feet by says “Krishna-arpanam-astu”. May the radiance of Krishna always fill our hearts and minds and drive away the ignorance with knowledge, clear hindrances and problems with solutions, drive out the darkness through rightful enlightenment. Wishing all of you a blessed Janmashtami…

NOTE:- I give due recognition and credit to the owners of the pictures and paintings that I found on the internet and have used only as a depiction to the act of the lord that were apt to the article on the internet hence request your kind hearted cooperation in using these pictures..

 

 

 

No comments:

Post a Comment