The story of Lord Krishna’s birth
Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of God Vishnu is worshiped as a supreme God in Hinduism. Born in northern India (around 3,228 BCE), Lord Krishna’s life marks the passing of the Dvapara age and beginning of the Kal yuga (which is also considered as the current age).
History and Background
References to Lord Krishna can be found in several Hindu mythological books, especially in the epic Hindu book, the Mahabharata.
Lord Krishna is also described as an important figure in the Bhagavata Purana. This is another Hindu epic book that dates to the 10th century B.C. In the text, Lord Krishna is described as the charioteer for the warrior Arjuna who had guided him morally and gave military counsel to the leader.
Read Here : Janmashtami 2017 - Quotes, Messages, Whatsapp Status
The figure of Lord Krishna is depicted as having blue or blue-black skin. He holds a flute (bansuri) and sometimes accompanied by a cow or cowherd. Krishna is also known by many other names, such as Govinda, Madhusudhana, Vasudeva and Mukunda. In the books, he is also depicted as a child who performs playful pranks like stealing butter.
The divine birth
There came a time when Mother Earth was unable to bear the sins and cruelty committed by evil kings and rulers. Mother Earth then prayed to Lord Brahma, the creator of the Universe, to relieve her from these sinful kings. Lord Brahma prayed to the supreme Lord Vishnu for reincarnation and to relieve the Mother Earth from these evil rulers. Lord Vishnu accepted the request and assured to defeat tyrannical forces.
The ruler of Mathura, Kansa was one such evil king. He had a sister named Devaki, who was married to Vasudeva. The day Devaki and Vasudeva got married, a voice from the sky forecasted that Devaki's eighth son will bring an end to Kansa’s rule and will kill him.
Frightened Kansa held the couple. He then vowed that he will kill every child of Devaki and Vasudeva. Seeing their first seven children being killed by the cruel Kansa, the imprisoned couple feared giving birth to their eighth child.
History and Background
References to Lord Krishna can be found in several Hindu mythological books, especially in the epic Hindu book, the Mahabharata.
Lord Krishna is also described as an important figure in the Bhagavata Purana. This is another Hindu epic book that dates to the 10th century B.C. In the text, Lord Krishna is described as the charioteer for the warrior Arjuna who had guided him morally and gave military counsel to the leader.
Read Here : Janmashtami 2017 - Quotes, Messages, Whatsapp Status
The figure of Lord Krishna is depicted as having blue or blue-black skin. He holds a flute (bansuri) and sometimes accompanied by a cow or cowherd. Krishna is also known by many other names, such as Govinda, Madhusudhana, Vasudeva and Mukunda. In the books, he is also depicted as a child who performs playful pranks like stealing butter.
The divine birth
There came a time when Mother Earth was unable to bear the sins and cruelty committed by evil kings and rulers. Mother Earth then prayed to Lord Brahma, the creator of the Universe, to relieve her from these sinful kings. Lord Brahma prayed to the supreme Lord Vishnu for reincarnation and to relieve the Mother Earth from these evil rulers. Lord Vishnu accepted the request and assured to defeat tyrannical forces.
The ruler of Mathura, Kansa was one such evil king. He had a sister named Devaki, who was married to Vasudeva. The day Devaki and Vasudeva got married, a voice from the sky forecasted that Devaki's eighth son will bring an end to Kansa’s rule and will kill him.
Frightened Kansa held the couple. He then vowed that he will kill every child of Devaki and Vasudeva. Seeing their first seven children being killed by the cruel Kansa, the imprisoned couple feared giving birth to their eighth child.
One night Lord Vishnu appeared before them. He told them that in the guise of their son, he will return and rescue them from Kansa's autocracy.
The divine baby was born and the day he was born, Vasudeva found himself magically freed from prison. He ran away with the infant to a safer house and Lord Vishnu removed all the obstacles from Vasudeva's path.
Vasudeva reached a house in Gokul, exchanged Lord Krishna with a new born girl of Yashoda and Nanda and returned to the prison with the girl child. As soon as Kansa came to know about the new-born, he again tried to kill the child. The infant ascends to the heavens and transformed into the goddess Yogamaya and said, "O foolish Kansa! What will you get by killing me? Your nemesis is already born.”
Meanwhile, Krishna was raised as a cowherd in Gokul and became a skilful musician. On his return to Mathura, he slayed Kansa and restored his father to power.
Sri Krishna and Bhagavad Gita
Krishna befriended with the Pandava Prince Arjuna and became his counsel. In the Kurukshetra war, which was between the Pandavas and Kauravas (led by King Dhritarashtra), Lord Krishna became the Arjuna’s charioteer. Sri Krishna tried to avoid the battle despite the provocations by the Kauravas.
Dhritarashtra refused any compromise and war became inevitable. Sri Krishna offered a choice to his dearest friend Arjuna – either to choose Sri Krishna, or he could choose Krishna’s armies. Arjuna chose the counsel of Sri Krishna.
The war happened in Kurukshetra and it was on the battlefield when Sri Krishna gave the immortal dialogue of the Bhagavad Gita. This aspiring passage also mentioned how one can seek union with the God. The Bhagavad Gita did not require world renunciation but encouraged world acceptance.
The Bhagavad Gita and the life of Sri Krishna played an important role in making spirituality accessible to ordinary people. The central message of Bhagavad Gita and Sri Krishna was for man to take part in desireless action – motivated not by human ego, but for the divine cause.
The divine baby was born and the day he was born, Vasudeva found himself magically freed from prison. He ran away with the infant to a safer house and Lord Vishnu removed all the obstacles from Vasudeva's path.
Vasudeva reached a house in Gokul, exchanged Lord Krishna with a new born girl of Yashoda and Nanda and returned to the prison with the girl child. As soon as Kansa came to know about the new-born, he again tried to kill the child. The infant ascends to the heavens and transformed into the goddess Yogamaya and said, "O foolish Kansa! What will you get by killing me? Your nemesis is already born.”
Meanwhile, Krishna was raised as a cowherd in Gokul and became a skilful musician. On his return to Mathura, he slayed Kansa and restored his father to power.
Sri Krishna and Bhagavad Gita
Krishna befriended with the Pandava Prince Arjuna and became his counsel. In the Kurukshetra war, which was between the Pandavas and Kauravas (led by King Dhritarashtra), Lord Krishna became the Arjuna’s charioteer. Sri Krishna tried to avoid the battle despite the provocations by the Kauravas.
Dhritarashtra refused any compromise and war became inevitable. Sri Krishna offered a choice to his dearest friend Arjuna – either to choose Sri Krishna, or he could choose Krishna’s armies. Arjuna chose the counsel of Sri Krishna.
The war happened in Kurukshetra and it was on the battlefield when Sri Krishna gave the immortal dialogue of the Bhagavad Gita. This aspiring passage also mentioned how one can seek union with the God. The Bhagavad Gita did not require world renunciation but encouraged world acceptance.
The Bhagavad Gita and the life of Sri Krishna played an important role in making spirituality accessible to ordinary people. The central message of Bhagavad Gita and Sri Krishna was for man to take part in desireless action – motivated not by human ego, but for the divine cause.
In this way Lord Krishna became the supreme God and is considered as the creator of the whole world. He was born to save humanity from the terrible rulers and kings.
Janamashtmi
Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm in India. As per the Hindu calendar, this religious festival is celebrated on the Ashtami of Krishna Paksh or the 8th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadon.
(Image Courtesy: Shutterstock)
Janamashtmi
Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm in India. As per the Hindu calendar, this religious festival is celebrated on the Ashtami of Krishna Paksh or the 8th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadon.
(Image Courtesy: Shutterstock)
- The Times of India
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