27 Aug 2024 – Sri Krishna Jayanthi (excerpts from Amma’s message)
Janmashtami is the sacred day on which Lord Krishna incarnated to revive dharma and samskara—righteousness and spiritual culture. Bhagavan’s divine life story and teachings inspire millions to walk this path of truth and righteousness to this day. Through his captivating divine lilas, he gives immense joy to everyone and uplifts them.
In order to visualize and worship God, we have to attribute some concept and form to God. In avataras, we find a blend of both human and divine qualities. This blend helps us to build an intimate relationship with God, while at the same time inspiring us to strive to emulate God’s divine qualities.
Krishna’s life is known as Sri Krishna Lila —the divine play of Lord Krishna. How can life become a play? We have been told life should be taken seriously. But through Krishna’s ever-fresh, unfading smile, we come to understand that, to him, life and the actions he engaged in were nothing but a lila. He is the only person to transform his entire life into a celebration.
Bhagavan was an unparalleled personality who served as the ideal for those moving in any sphere of life. Even today, Sri Krishna’s life and the path he walked inspire millions. He was the most brilliant person the world has ever seen: a tremendous ruler, a man of courage and strength, a great wartime strategist, diplomatic and a possessor of penetrating vision. Sri Krishna Bhagavan encompasses everything. He performed great deeds that would require a normal person 5,000 lifetimes to achieve—deeds that were tremendously beneficial to the world.
Grieving doesn’t bear any fruit. What has gone will never return. If we keep on grieving, it will lead to depression. So many people fall into this trap. Children, if we take birth, death is certain. We can only accept. Continuing to grieve will neither help us nor those who have left us. Let us pray for their souls. This is the essence of what Krishna shows us throughout his life of constant acceptance.
When we understand that we are all essentially one, we will understand the ultimate insignificance of our problems. People with such understanding are able to fully embrace all situations with an open heart. They don’t swim against the current but flow with it. An adept swimmer enjoys playing amidst the ocean waves. Similarly, if we understand the spiritual principles we will become able to transform all the challenges we face into joyful experiences, instead of being immersed in sorrow. Perform actions with puja-manobhava (offering them as worship) and accept all that comes in life with prasada-buddhi (viewing it as God’s gift in return for our worship).
Sri Krishna’s biggest mission was the awakening of innocent love for God in people’s hearts. The fame of Sri Krishna’s melodies on the flute has spread throughout the world. Not just humans and animals, but all beings, sentient and insentient, were drawn to those melodies. Sublime love and devotion destroyed the jiva’s ego. When a jiva becomes as hollow as a flute, then omkara —the primordial sound from which the universe was created—emerges from within. This is the melody that emerged from Krishna’s flute.
One may be a wrongdoer, but if innocent devotion dawns within, he will soon become dharmic. Lord Krishna gives his word that such a person will gain eternal peace.
In reality, Sri Krishna’s life and the Gita are about managing life. They show us how to live. We can see the Gita and the Bhagavatam in many homes. But very rarely are they opened and read by the family members.
The Lord shines forth as the blazing Sun of love. We should not close the windows of our heart due to indolence, selfishness, and ego. We should invite and welcome those brilliant rays of love into our hearts. Amma prays to the Paramatma that her children should receive this grace.