Krishna-as-I-know
Jai Shri Krishna, Radhey Radhey, Govinda, Gopala are amongst the few commonly used slogans/ words at Shri Krishan Janmasthami. I tried to find the significance of the various rituals related to the festival but couldn’t find anything that I could strongly associate with.
I am no Learned but am in a pursuit of finding logics that help me practice rituals with faith rather than forceful implementations. Through this blog, I wish to walk you along my thought process. To begin with Janmasthami can be broken down into two words, Janam + Asthami. Which means birth on the 8th Day as per the moon calendar (Here it is related to the decreasing visibility of moon after full moon has occurred). For those who have just got introduced to this festival, Lord Krishna was the 8th Child of Devaki Maata, who after being born was taken away by his father and handed over to his foster parents.
Coming to Rituals, The Nirjala fast (Not consuming water or food entire day) that people keep is symbolic to a part of struggle that a pregnant woman lives before delivery, while she is empty stomach for hours. The chanting that people practice before midnight helps them focus and strengthen their core and meet their true selves, the devotional songs motivate them and bring them joy. They fill all with positive energy. The food that you usually get to eat after opening your fast and the Prashad that is served at midnight includes panch tatva charnamrit and Panjeeri, they are the perfect way of restoring nutrition in your body.
While Krishna’s Mother Devaki is a true example of the extent of sacrifice that a mother makes for her children, the bond that Lord Krishna shared with his foster parents indicates the strong relationship of love that humans can/should share above any relationship. The life that Krishna lived includes love for humans, animals, nature and music, mischief as a child and the demons that he killed are all indicative that as humans we all have powers and opportunities to live different aspects of life and should know when to let go of one and let the other one rule as the situation demands. Here it is important for me to Mention about Balram His elder brother, Shri Radhey the ideal example of selfless love and Shri Rukmani the ideal wife. His friendship with Sudama is a unwritten rule book on friendships.
I really don’t know who God is and how do we nomenclate someone as one, all I know is that people have admired the way of living of certain humans/ Gods who lived in form of humans on earth, to show you the right, the wrong and the basic principles of life. They have through their lives laid guidelines of how a life should be lived in the four stages as defined in Vedas.
Manisha Dawar