Janmashtami is the midnight when Lord Vishnu appeared as Krishna in Mathura, as the son of Devaki and Vasudeva, to reduce the burden of the earth, which had increased due to evil rulers like Kamsa, Jarasandha, Narakasura, and others. On this day, upon the prayers of Lord Brahma and other devatas, Lord Vishnu, out of compassion, appeared as Krishna for us. He didn’t just come and enjoy, but He came to uplift the noble people and destroy the evil people. So, to remember this, we celebrate Krishnashtami. On this day, Krishna was not born, but appeared to our eyes.
All the forms of Lord Vishnu are eternal and have existed since the beginning, just that they were not visible to our eyes. Whenever the need came, Lord Vishnu appeared in that form on the earth, visible to all of us. Whenever the task is done, He in that form disappears from the earth and is not visible to us. Therefore, He is away from the cycle of birth and death. For example, Lord Vishnu is like the police. The police can go inside the jail whenever they want for investigation, or beat up the thief, and can come out of the jail whenever their task is done. Similarly, Lord Vishnu can enter the womb of the mother anytime and can come out of that womb anytime.
Lord Vishnu stayed in Devaki’s womb for only 3 months. After 7 months of pregnancy, Yogamaya Durga transferred Balarama from Devaki’s womb to Rohini’s womb. For the rest of the 3 months, Lord Vishnu was present in Devaki’s womb. And then, He appeared from Devaki’s womb in His four-armed divine form. Whereas we, on the other hand, are like thieves. Thieves have to stay in jail for a fixed number of years, or even a lifetime. Similarly, we don’t stay in the mother’s womb for a lifetime, but for a fixed number of months (9 months). So, we are born, and Lord Vishnu appears. So, there is a difference between Him and us.
So, to remember this divine compassion of Krishna upon us, we do remember Krishna on the occasion of Janmashtami. People, especially in Vaishnavism, perform a whole-day Upavasa on this day and then, at night, the pooja starts, and at midnight, 12 AM, all celebrate the appearance of Krishna, because it was the time when Krishna appeared as the son of Devaki and Vasudeva.
DO WE STILL NEED HIS TEACHINGS IN OUR LIVES TODAY?
Yes. We need His teachings in our lives, even today. Tell me who is free from tension, stress, anxiety, and all. Krishna’s teachings, in the Bhagavad Gita and Uddhava Gita, are very important for us in our lives. We all fear death. But Krishna is the one who says, ‘Don’t fear death. Like how you change clothes daily and wear new clothes, in the same way the soul too changes one body and enters another new body as per its karmas.’
Krishna tells about the nature of the soul. He says, ‘We aren’t this body. This body is different; we are different. As I said above, the body is like you wearing a T-shirt and pants. Are the T-shirt and pants or skirts or saari or dhoti you wear the same as you?? No. They are just needed for the protection of the body, for covering our body. In the same way, T-shirts and pants are not us; this body is not us. The soul present within the body is the real “You”. And that soul is as eternal as Bhagavan Himself is. It cannot be cut down into pieces by weapons. It cannot be burnt by fire. It cannot be moistened by water, and cannot be dried by air. It is harmless and indestructible; just the time when it leaves this body is known as death, and when it enters a new body, it is known as birth.
But the distinction is, we are different, and Bhagavan is different. Bhagavan is the indweller and is the Bimba (the original doer), and we are His pratibimba (dependent on Him and do as He makes us do). When Bhagavan appears, He doesn’t change the body, nor does His soul enter a new body; He appears. But He appears in the same transcendental form with which He is in Vaikuntha. On the earth too, His transcendental form is the same as it is in Vaikuntha. But in our case, we are not like that. We are born and die one day.
Krishna talks about the different kinds of Yagyas in the Bhagavad Gita, like Gyaana Yagya, Bhojana Yagya, etc., which means that different activities we do are a Yagya and not just a simple task. For example, when we eat, it is a Yagya. Krishna is present as Vaishvaanara in everybody’s stomach and accepts the food oblation, which we insert in our body through our mouth. He accepts it, digests it, and it goes to different cells as nutrients for their nourishment. So, we cannot just dump anything in our stomach just because we want to eat. He says, ‘You have the right to do your karma and not on the result. The result is in our hands.’ But here, we need to keep in mind that Krishna doesn’t say, ’ Don’t expect results. If you are working in a company and you aren’t being paid. When you ask and if they say, quote Krishna’s words to you, how would you feel? So, Krishna means here that you should not be over-attached to the results. You should have a goal and work for it, but should never be over-attached to the results.
Krishna talks about controlling the mind. He agrees with the fact that the mind is difficult to control, but one should control it by practice and detachment. Now here, detachment doesn’t mean leave everything and run away to the forest and hold your nose.
Here, detachment means the feeling of satisfaction in whatever you have. ‘This much is enough’ is what detachment is. But this doesn’t even mean you shouldn’t strive for your dreams and achievements, but don’t be much attached to them. You need effort, but not overattachment to results. You got what you needed. You take only as much as you need. You are not overly attached to anyone or anything. For example, if a person eats curd rice daily. After 2–3 days, he would be bored with it and would want to eat something else. He wants to taste a new taste every day. That means he/she is attached to the food. Whereas some people are there who would eat curd rice for a year with great joy. That is detachment. Like, even if you are there, you are not there. You should have ‘Prema’ (love and respect) but not ‘Sneha’ (which is overattachment).
Krishna talks about His presence in various best elements in nature. For example, He is the taste in the water and tasty food; He is the beauty in people. For example, if a person is good and knowledgeable, then it means Krishna is specially present in them in that knowledge aspect. If a person is good at speaking, then Krishna is specially present in them in their voice. He is the flow in air, within trees He is the Ashvattha tree, within Vedas, He is Saamaveda, within Pandavas He is Arjuna, within devatas, He is Indra, within Senapatis, He is Kartikeya, within birds, He is Garuda, within devotees, He is Prahlada. This means He has His special presence in these personalities and not that He is them.
Krishna talks about how anyone can get closer to Him. If you are devoid of arrogance and hatred, and are friendly with everyone, and stay the same in happiness and sorrow (you don’t express too much happiness during joy and don’t express too much sorrow during the time of sorrow and NOT being emotionless), then you can come near Krishna. Consider Krishna as the supreme and the almighty present in everyone. Consider Him as the source of all. We all are pearls, whereas He is the source thread which connects us. He is the root cause of everything and is the supreme enjoyer of all kinds of sacrifices. Bow to Him, praise Him, remember Him, and at last, without arrogance, surrender to Him. Offer Him whatever you do, eat, say, drink, etc. Like how our belongings are safe in banks and lockers, our karmas are safe with Krishna Bank if we offer our Karmas to Krishna. That’s why I write ShriKrishnarpanamastu at the end of every answer.
Krishna talks about what He does to the people whom He wishes to bless. He first would take away all their wealth, their relations, and everything, and would check if he/she leaves Him. He will try to test you in various ways, whether you leave Him or stay surrendered to Him. The one who stays surrendered to Him, He provides them with all the wealth, and at the end, He provides them His eternal abode, Vaikuntha itself.
Krishna says, ‘Leave all kinds of overattachments, and surrender to Me; I will free you from all sins, don’t worry.’ Krishna here assures that surrendering to Him will lead to the removal of all sorrows. So, all these teachings are there for us only. So, through Arjuna, Krishna taught all of us important lessons that come in our need in our day-to-day life. Not only this, Krishna at every step of His avatara gave us various lessons. So, all of His teachings are needed even today.
Hope this helps!
Jay SriRam!
ShriKrishnarpanamastu!