Krishna Ashtami Message of His Holiness

[Guest guest]

Pujya Sri Swamiji returned to Mysore after a 42 day tour to the US. This was the

98th world

Tour of Pujya Swamiji. Sri Swamiji was given a warm reception at the Datta

venkateswara

Temple and welcomed to the Universal prayer hallby Pujya Sri Datta Vijayananada

Teertha

Swamiji and all the devotees. Swami Manasa gave a welcome address. Dr. Phani

gave a

brief report of the event that took place in the tour. Pujya Swamiji blessed the

audience

with a divine message( enclosed as attachment). Later Sri Swamiji performed Sri

Krishna

Puja as devotees chanted the 108 sacred names of Krishna. After Mangala harati

devotees

and Jaya Laxmi Mata Matrumandali members performed Dolotsavam to Sri Swamiji.

Mr.

Ramdas Member of the Legislative Assembly of Karnataka offered respects to Pujya

Swamiji. Sri Swamiji then distributed butter to all the devotees.

MESSAGE

 

Vasudeva Sutam Devam Kamsa Chanura Mardanam

Devaki Paramanandam Krishnam Vande Jagadguru

 

Prostrations to Lord Krishna, who was born to Vasudeva, who has annihilated the

wicked

demons - Kamsa and Chanura, who was the cause of happiness for Devaki, who is

Jagadguru (Verily the Teacher to the Entire Universe).

In this Shloka Bhagavan Vyasa describes Krishna as annihilator of Kamsa and

Chanura, the

wicked demons. In Bhagavata, numerous demons are annihilated by Krishna, then

why

names of Kamsa and Chanura are emphasized? When there are so many devotees of

Vishnu, why do we say that Narasimha incarnation is for Prahlada only?

Similarly we talk of

a strong association between Krishna and Arjuna? Why? Did Krishna not have other

devotees?

This is because all the names referred to in these verses are the principle

cause for the

incarnation. In a way they are the reason for the incarnation itself. In fact,

it is like telling

the summary of the whole story in the form of a verse. Vyasa Bhagavan utters

their names

because he wants the readers to get the merit of reciting the whole scripture,

just by

reciting one verse.

As one reads the Bhagavata, or in fact the story of Vishnu's incarnation, one

understands

that the almighty had to undergo severe physical pains in order to bring

orderliness in the

society to protect the world. Krishna's incarnation is to remove ignorance and

suffering.

His mother did not have hospital delivery. He was born as Ayonija (spontaneous

i.e. not

through the womb). He had no medical care. He was born in the dark corner of a

prison,

and His parents were in chains. He was carried across the Yamuna in heavy rain.

Why did

He undergo all this hardship?

Just like a professor who rehearses His lessons, Just like a guru

who repeats a

mantra millions of times before giving it as an initiation to a disciple, Just

like a mother

who smells or tastes the quality of food before feeding the child, Just like a

doctor who

tests the effect and side effect of a newly discovered Medicine on animals

before giving to

human beings, Krishna also underwent these rigorous methods to show that

everyone has

to take the hardships in life. He is therefore the Guru who has shown the path.

Desire exists in every human being. Desire is the feminine aspect of an

individual. Krishna

alone is the masculine entity in the world. All others are filled with desire

and so feminine

in nature. Krishna is called 'Pumsa Mohana Rupaya' i.e. He, who's charm is the

attractive

even for the male, who's beauty bewilders all the beings, who is enchanting and

most

beautiful phenomenon, He who is absolute Purusha i.e. Paramatman. All the beings

are the

Jeevatmas filled with desires, engrossed in darkness.

In Rama's incarnation, He addressed Himself as son of Dasaratha, not as son of

Kausalya,

because he did not want to His two other mothers to get disappointed. He also

followed

the traditional method of introducing himself through the paternal lineage.

Valmiki

however addresses Rama as 'Kausalya Supraja Rama' and the story continues……… In

this

Shloka also Vyasa addresses Krishna as Vasudeva Suta (son of Vasudeva). Rama,

being

incarnation of Vishnu is aware of everything that is happening, yet He cries for

Seeta. He

requests the trees, the clouds, the birds and everything that He comes across to

tell Him

the whereabouts of Seeta. Why this hardship to the almighty? Why should Krishna

end His

incarnation by the arrow of an archer? Vali (Sugriva's brother) who was killed

by the arrow

of Rama fired from behind a tree, wishes to kill Rama in the same way. Rama

fulfils his

wish in the incarnation of Krishna, when Vali is reborn as the archer who hits

the arrow to

Krishna's great toe mistaking it to be an animal. The answer to such

paradoxical

situations is simple and clear. All these are preplanned. It is all in

accordance with the

divine plan that squares many equations. This is not a hardship at all. A child

once asked

Swamiji, " Don't you feel pain in cheeks. You are always smiling and laughing. "

Swamiji

replied, " Don't you feel pain. You are always chewing the gum. " The boy replied,

" I enjoy

the gum. It gives a juice. " Swamiji too replied, " I too enjoy smiling and

laughing. It makes

others happy. I attempt to make them happy and forget their sorrow. In fact it

pains me if

they don't laugh despite my efforts, not in my cheek or lips but in the heart. I

find other

methods to make them happy. Still if they don't laugh, I don't feel hurt, I just

keep smiling.

Someday they will realize that they are doing a mistake and will start being

happy. It is all

a part of the divine play " .

Krishna was born in darkness to dispel our darkness. He was born in the prison

to liberate

us from bondage. He was taken in the rain as soon as he was born and the river

gives way

to Him, to show that He has the five elements under His control. He is therefore

the

messiah for Liberation of the soul, therefore aptly called Jagadguru. Krishna

Ashtami is

Gnana Ashtami- the dawn of divine knowledge.