Who is Goddess Yogmaya, and how is she associated with Lord Krishna's birth?

 

When Kansa got to know his sister’s eighth son will kill him, he put Devaki and Vasudeva under arrest. He used to kill each of her sons and when the 7th son came, Yogmaya (Goddess Durga) delivered that son from Devaki to Vasudeva’s another wife’s Rohini’s womb. As a result, Balarama was born who was an incarnation of Adi Shesha. Then finally the eighth avatar came, Lord Vishnu’s avatar, Krishna came. He put all soldiers under sleep and opened all the doors of prison. Vasudeva put Krishna inside a basket and walked past Yamuna and put him at his friend, Nanda Baba’s house. Nanda had given birth to a daughter who Vasudeva brought with him.

When Kansa tried to kill that girl, she fled and showed her real form as Goddess Durga. She said Kansa wouldn’t achieve anything by killing her because his death has already taken birth. Yogmaya went to the Vindhya hills and appeared as Vindhyavasini Devi. She also took birth as Subhadra who was the sister of Krishna and Balarama. Even the Gopis had worshipped Goddess Katayani in the forest of Vrindavan to please her. Rukmini Devi worshipped Durga to attain Krishna. Goddess Durga was the family diety of Krishna.

What are some interesting facts about Lord Krishna that everyone should know?

 

Mother : Lord Krishna has two mothers - Sri Devaki and Sri Yashoda (foster mother).

Step mother : But, Rohini ji is also mother of Lord Krishna as she is mother of Balarama ji.

Father : Lord Krishna has two fathers Vasudeva and Nanda Gopa (foster father)

Guru : Lord Krishna had two spiritual guides Rishi Sandipani and Goddess Radha.

Step brother : Lord Balbhadra ji is step brother of Lord Krishna.

Step sister : Sri Subhadra ji is step sister of Lord Sri Krishna.

Lover : Sri Radha Rani -epitome of pure love- is proverbial lover of Lord Sri Krishna.

Wives : Lord Krishna has 16108 wives ; but, he stayed with 8 divine consorts : Rukmini, Satyabhama, Kalindi (Yamuna) , Lakshmana, Bhadra, Nagnajiti, Jambavati, and Mitravinda.

Daughters : Sushila , Charumati ; Bhadra are prominent daughters of Lord Krishna.

Sons : Lord Krishna had 80 sons.

Tulsi : Sri Tulsi (Vrinda ) is an essential part of all rituals related to Lord Sri Krishna.

Cows : Lord Krishna is known as Govinda - Gopala , protector of cows

Friend : Sudama ji is proverbially known as the best friend of Lord Krishna.

Meals : Lord Krishna is daily offered 8 meals that consist of 7 special dishes.

56 Bhog : This special food (56 food items) is known as 56 Bhog.

Yogeshwar : Lord Sri Krishna is known as Lord of Yoga.

Jagatguru : Lord Krishna is also known as universal teacher.

King : Lord Krishna is proverbial Mathuradhish (king of Mathura) and Dwarkadhish (king of Dwarka).

Absolute : Lord Krishna is known as Purna avatar (Lord Vishnu) as he is adorned with 16 divine qualities.

Fact : One cannot demystify the most enigmatic ; ocean of utmost love, care and protection !

Prayer : "ॐ कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय हरये परमात्मने।

प्रणतः क्लेशनाशाय गोविन्दाय नमो नमः॥"

(Lord Krishna ; Vasudev ; Hari ; Paramatma (supreme consciousness) ; Govinda ! Salutations to vanquisher of all forms of distress)

“करारविन्देन पदारविन्दं

मुखारविन्दे विनिवेशयन्तम्।

वटस्य पत्रस्य पुटे शयानं

बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि॥१॥”

(One’s mind constantly remembers ; Sri Bal Krishna ; who softly puts his lotus like toe with his lotus inside his lotus like mouth. He rests calmly on a leaf of sacred banyan tree ;while expressing divinity)

Note : Last pic displays Lord Sri Badrinath Shrine in Garhwal Himalayas)

Pic Credits : Google Images / Web

What is the hidden meaning behind Lord Krishna stealing butter?

 Lord Krishna had many reasons behind stealing butter.

Spiritual message behind stealing butter:

1. The leela of stealing butter teaches us that we should seek refuge in Lord Krishna to attain knowledge from ignorance.
2. The leela of stealing butter also teaches us that we should seek refuge in Lord Krishna to attain joy and happiness in our lives.

Reason behind stealing butter:

1. In childhood, Lord Krishna loved to steal butter and eat it.
2. Kans had committed many atrocities on the subjects in his kingdom, one of which was that he used to take butter as tax from the people of Braj.
3. Krishna used to steal milk and butter and feed it to his companions to stop all the milk and butter from going to Kans.
4. Krishna broke the milk pots and stopped it from being sent to Kans' palace.

Why did Krishna spill butter on the ground after stealing and eating it:

• Krishna had difficulty stealing butter from the high hanging baskets and so the butter would fall.

Why is Lord Krishna otherwise called Nithya Brahmachari?

 Lord Krishna is eternal Brahmachari.

Radha and Gopis once asked Rishi Durvasa about how Krishna is a Brahmachari.

She said: "How is Krishna a brahmachari [sexually chaste one] ? How is this sage a person that eats only Durba grass?"

• Uttara bhaga, Gopala Tapani Upanishad.

This is what Durvasa said in reply

Your beloved Krishna is the original creator of the two kinds of bodies.

On the tree of the body are two birds. One is an expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is a witness. The other is an enjoyer. They are an enjoyer and a non-enjoyer. The first enjoys, and the second is Krishna.

In Him we do not find material so-called knowledge and ignorance. This ignorance and real knowledge are different. How can Krishna, who is full of real knowledge, become a materialistic enjoyer ? He who desires pleasure is desireful. He who does not desire pleasures is not desireful.

Krishna, who is free from birth and death, who is unchanging, who cannot be cut, who stays by the Yamuna [river], who stays among the Surabhī cows, who protects the Surabhi cows, who stays among the cowherd boys, who stays in all the Vedas [scriptures], who is glorified by all the Vedas, who has entered all living entities, and who controls all living entities, is your husband."

• Uttara bhaga, Gopala Tapani Upanishad.

Krishna is beyond all material feelings and emotions. He is beyond birth and death and is glorified by the Vedas. How can such a supreme God thus be affected by any human feelings like list of desire ?

Srimad Bhagavatam similarly explains this during the Rasaleela chapters

Lord Krsna enjoyed with that gopi, although he enjoys only within, being self-satisfied and complete in Himself. Thus by contrast he showed the wretchedness of ordinary lusty men and hardhearted women.

• Chapter 30, 10th Skandha, Srimad Bhagavatam.

Listening to the piteous prayer of the Gopis, the Ruler of the Masters of Yoga laughed loudly. Although he was ever-revelling in his own self, out of mercy and grace he conferred bliss on them.

• Chapter 29, 10th Skandha, Srimad Bhagavatam.

Krishna is far beyond material emotions. No one should compare Krishna's actions with the actions of any normal human.