Janmashtami: The Birth of Krishna, the playful one.
Many great personalities in the history of mankind have preached righteousness. But whereas most preferred to view life from the periphery, Krishna chose to participate in life like it were a celebration.
Janmashtami is celebrated on the day Lord Krishna was born. Considered an avatar by many, every moment of his life brought great comfort and inspiration to everyone who knew him or even heard of him.
Krishna faced many obstacles and challenges during his life, right from the time of his birth where he was smuggled out of prison to save his life, until the very end. Yet amongst the deities of India, he is regarded as the sweetest, loving and most playful of all.
His very life was dedicated to nothing other than Dharma or righteousness. Dharma was his sole concern; to protect it, assert it and uphold it was his life’s true mission. Krishna could exercise decisive will and great courage when required. He was the greatest in personal combat and the ultimate warrior and charioteer of his time, yet he possessed a heart softer than the butter he loved so much. He was a master statesman who advocated peace, but never at the expense of dharma.
Many great personalities in the history of mankind have preached righteousness. But whereas most preferred to view life from the periphery, Krishna chose to participate in life like it were a celebration.
How did he do it? what was his life’s Sadhana or spiritual practice?
Krishna’s sadhana was unconditional love; possibly the greatest of all sadhanas. Where many proclaim that unattachment is the path to higher living and expansion of consciousness, Krishna proved that his attachment to every living being, irrelevant of their nature, righteous or evil, human or animal, was the highest form of loving and living.
Of all the lessons the life of Krishna may teach us, the most important was the way he lived. He lived full of love and joy at all times, from morning until night. An incredible and constant sadhana, which he practiced from the moment he was born until his very last breath.
Today on Janmashtmi, he inspires us to smile at our problems and love unconditionally. Krishna was not really a renunciate, he was not truly a philosopher. He was a devotee and a lover, of his people and of the world.
