janmashtami 07

JANMASHTAMI - 02/09/07

Janmashtami pooja is the one of the most well known pooja of India. The whole nation celebrates the divine birth of Lord Krishna on this day. All of us wish ‘Shubh Janmashtami’ to each other and happy birthday to Bal Gopal or child Krishna. The day, indeed, commemorates the auspicious birth of ‘Murlimanohar’ (name of Lord Krishna as he loved to play flute) on the earth in order to destroy evil things. According to the Hindu mythology, Lord Krishna was born at midnight. Hence, the birth ceremony is also celebrated with great zest and enthusiasm at midnight.Janmashtami is celebrated on the eighth day i.e. the Ashtami in the month of Shravana. The legend has it that Banke Bihari, was born on the 'Rohini' nakshatram (star). According to the Gregorian calendar, the month of Shravana corresponds to that of August and September. Mythology also reveals the fact that that Bhagwaan Sri Krishna was born on a dark, stormy and windy night to end the rule and atrocities of his maternal uncle, Kansa.

Distinguished guests: Mr. Ashok Shah (USA)

Shakti and Neha Chourey (7 yrs) - our daughter and grand daughter from USA.

Pallavi fala sobre Janmashtami
Pallavi speaks about Janmashtami

KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI
(SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA)

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
This is the birthday of Lord Krishna, the eighth Divine Incarnation. It falls on the 8th day of the dark half of the month of Bhadrapada (August-September). This is one of the greatest of all Hindu festivals. Lord Krishna was born at midnight. A twenty-four hour fast is observed on this day, which is broken at midnight.
Temples are decorated for the occasion. Kirtans are sung, bells are rung, the conch is blown, and Sanskrit hymns are recited in praise of Lord Krishna. At Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, special spiritual gatherings are organised at this time. Pilgrims from all over India attend these festive gatherings.
The Lord appeared when the moon entered the house of Vrishabha at the constellation of the star Rohini, on Wednesday, the 8th day of the second fortnight of the month of Sravana, which corresponds to the month of Bhadrapada Krishnapaksha according to the Barhaspatyamana, in the year of Visvavasu, 5,172 years ago (from 1945), which means 3227 B.C.
Study the Bhagavatam and the Pancharatras, which are equal to the Upanishads. You will know all about the glory of Lord Krishna, His Lilas and superhuman deeds. The eighth Avatara, Krishna, who has become the Beloved of India and the world at large, had a threefold objective: to destroy the wicked demons, to play the leading role in the great war fought on the battlefield of Kurukshetra (where he delivered His wonderful message of the Gita) and to become the centre of a marvellous development of the Bhakti schools of India.
There is no true science except devotion to Lord Krishna. That man is wealthy indeed who loves Radha and Krishna. There is no sorrow other than lack of devotion to Krishna. He is the foremost of the emancipated who loves Krishna. There is no right course, except the society of Sri Krishna's devotees. The Name, virtues and Lilas (divine pastimes) of Krishna are the chief things to be remembered. The Lotus Feet of Radha and Krishna are the chief objects of meditation.
Sri Krishna is the ocean of bliss. His soul-stirring Lilas, which are the wonder of wonders, are its waves. The honeyed music of His flute attracts the minds of His devotees from all three regions. His unequalled and unsurpassed wealth of beauty amazes the animate and the inanimate beings. He adorns His friends with His incomparable love.
His palms bear the signs of a lotus and discus, the right sole of His feet of a flag, lotus, thunderbolt, an iron goad, barley seed, and the Swastika. His left sole has the rainbow, triangle, water-pot, crescent, sky, fish, and a cow's footprint. His Form is composed of condensed universal consciousness and bliss. His Body pervades the entire cosmos.
Devotion is the only means of attaining Lord Krishna. Bhakti kindles love for the Lord. When love is directed towards Krishna, man is freed from the bondage of the world.
Though Lord Krishna appeared in a human body, He had a divine body not composed of the five elements. He did not take any birth here in the usual sense of the term. He did not die. He appeared and disappeared through His Yoga Maya as He has declared in the Gita. This is a secret, known only to His devotees, Yogis and sages.
His enchanting form with flute in hand is worshipped in myriads of homes in India. It is a form to which is poured out devotion and supreme love from the hearts of countless devotees not only in India but also in the West. Millions of spiritual seekers worship Him and repeat His Mantra, Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.
Lord Krishna was great in knowledge, great in emotion, great in action, all at once. The scriptures have not recorded any life more full, more intense, more sublime and grander than the life of Sri Krishna.
Krishna has played various roles during His stay in the world. He was Arjuna's charioteer. He was an excellent statesman. He was a master musician; he gave lessons even to Narada in the art of playing the veena. The music of His flute thrilled the hearts of the Gopis and everyone else. He was a cowherd in Brindavan and Gokul. He exhibited miraculous powers even as a child. He killed many demons. He revealed His Comic Form to His mother, Yasoda. He performed the Rasa Lila, the secret of which can only be understood by devotees like Narada, Gauranga, Radha and the Gopis. He taught the supreme Truth of Yoga, Bhakti and Vedanta to Arjuna and Uddhava. He had mastered every one of the sixty-four fine arts. For all these reasons He is regarded as a full and complete manifestation of God.
Incarnations of God appear for special reasons under special circumstances. Whenever there is much unrighteousness, whenever confusion and disorder set in on account of unrighteousness and baffle the well-ordered progress of mankind, whenever the balance of human society is upset by selfish, ruthless and cruel beings, whenever irreligion and unrighteousness prevail, whenever the foundations of social organisations are undermined, the great Incarnation of God appears in order to re-establish righteousness and to restore peace.
An Incarnation is the descent of God for the ascent of man. A ray from the Cosmic Being in His potential state of manifestation descends on earth with mighty powers to keep up the harmony of the universe. The work done by the Incarnation of God and His teachings produce a benign influence on human beings and help them in their upward divine unfoldment and Self-realisation.
The Incarnation comes to reveal the divine nature of man and makes him rise above the petty materialistic life of passion and egoism.
The greatest manifestations are called Incarnations proper. Rishis, Munis, prophets, sons of God and messengers of God are minor manifestations.
The Incarnations usually come with their particular or favourite groups or companions. Lord Rama came with Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna. Lord Krishna came with Balarama, Devas and Rishis. Sanaka came with Sanandana, Sanatkumara and Sanatsujata. Some, like Sri Shankara and Ramanuja, come as teachers and spiritual leaders. Some, like Chaitanya, are born to instill devotion in the hearts of people and turn their minds towards God. The Incarnations proper, like Krishna, come only when there is widespread catastrophe in the world.
On the holy Krishna Janmashtami, the ladies in South India decorate their houses beautifully, ready to welcome the Lord. They prepare various sweetmeats and offer them to the Lord. Butter was Krishna's favourite, and this is also offered. From the doorway to the inner meditation room of the house the floor is marked with a child's footprints, using some flour mixed with water. This creates the feeling in them that the Lord's own Feet have made the mark. They treat the day as one of very great rejoicing. There is recitation of the Bhagavatam, singing and praying everywhere.

Meeta Ravindra fala sobre Lord Krishna
Meeta Ravindra speaks abou LOrd Krishna

भगवान श्रीकृष्ण

त्रेतायुग में भगवान् राम का अवतार राक्षसों का अंत करने के लिये हुआ था तो द्वापर में भगवान् कृष्ण ने पृथ्वी पर सत्य और धर्म की मर्यादा की पुनस्र्थापना के लिये अवतार ग्रहण किया था। देवकी के गर्भ से उत्पन्न वसुदेव पुत्र की लीलाएँ अद्भुत थीं। कंस को मारने के लिये जिनका जन्म हुआ था, उसे कंस के भय से भाद्रकृष्ण अष्टमी की अ‌र्द्धरात्रि में यमुना के उस पार गोकुल में नंदबाबा के घर वसुदेव जी ने उन्हें पहुँचा दिया। पुत्र के रूप में श्रीकृष्ण को पाकर यशोदा का जीवन धन्य हुआ।
गोकुल की गलियों में आनन्द उमगा। कंस के क्रूर प्रयास उस प्रवाह में प्रवाहित हो गये। पूतना, शकटासुर, वात्याचक्र-सब विफल होकर भी कन्हैया के करों से सद्गति पा गये। मोहन चलने लगा, बड़ा हुआ और घर-घर धूम मच गयी-वह हृदयचोर नवनीत चोर हो गया था। गोपियों के उल्लसित भाव सार्थक करने थे उसे। यह लीला समाप्त हुई अपने घर का ही नवनीत लुटाकर। मैया ने ऊखल में बाँधकर दामोदर बना दिया। यमलार्जुन का उद्धार तो हुआ, किन्तु उन महावृक्षों के गिरने से गोप शङ्कित हो गये। वे गोकुल छोड़कर वृन्दावन जा बसे।
वृन्दावन, गोवर्धन, यमुना-पुलिन, व्रज-युवराज की मधुरिम क्रीड़ा के चलने में सबने और सहायता दी। श्रीकृष्ण वत्स-चारक बने। कंस का प्रयत्‍‌न भी चलता रहा। बकासुर, वत्सासुर, प्रलम्ब, धेनुक, अघासुर, मयपुत्र व्योमासुर आदि आते रहे। श्यामसुन्दर तो सबके लिये मोक्ष का अनावृत द्वार है। कालिय के फणों पर उस व्रजविहारी ने रास का पूर्वाभ्यास कर लिया। ब्रह्माजी भी बछड़े चुराकर उस नटखट की स्तुति ही अन्त में कर गये। इन्द्र के स्थान पर गोवर्धन पूजन किया गोपों ने और गोपाल ने। देव-कोप की महावर्षा से गिरिराज को सात दिन अँगुली पर उठाकर व्रज को बचा लिया। देवेन्द्र उस गिरिधारी को गोविन्द स्वीकार कर गये। कंस के प्रेषित वृषासुर, केशी आदि जब गोपाल के करों से कर्मबन्धन मुक्त हो गये, तब उसने अक्रूर को भेजकर मथुरा बुलाया उन्हें। नन्दबाबा राम-श्याम तथा गोपों के साथ मधुपुरी पहुँचे।
राजा को सन्देश मिला धोबी की मृत्यु से श्याम के पधारने का। उस दिन का उनका अङ्गराग मार्ग में ही उस चिर च@ल ने स्वीकार करके कुब्जा का कूबर दूर कर दिया। कंस का आराधित धनुष उसके गर्व की भाँति तोड़ डाला गया। दूसरे दिन महोत्सव था कंस की कूटनीति का। रंगमण्डप के द्वार पर श्रीकृष्णचन्द्र ने महागज कुवलयापीड़ को मारकर उसका श्रीगणेश किया। अखाड़े में उन सुकुमार श्याम गौर अङ्गों से चाणूर, मुष्टिक, शल, तोशल से मल्ल चूर्ण हो गये। कंस के जीवन की पूर्णाहुति से उत्सव पूर्ण हुआ। महाराज उग्रसेन बन्दीगृह से पुन: राज्यसिंहासन पर आये।
श्रीकृष्ण व्रज में कुल ग्यारह वर्ष, तीन मास रहे थे। इस अवस्था में उन्होंने जो दिव्य लीलाएँ की, वे भावुकों का जीवनपथ तो प्रशस्त करती हैं, पर आलोचक की कलुषित बुद्धि उनका स्पर्श नहीं कर सकती, फिर तो श्याम व्रज पधारे ही नहीं। उद्धव को भेज दिया एक बार आश्वासन देने।
अवन्ती जाकर श्यामसुन्दर ने अग्रज के साथ शिक्षा प्राप्त की। गुरुदक्षिणा में गुरु का मृतपुत्र पुन: प्रदान कर आये। मथुरा लौटते ही कंस के श्वशुर जरासन्ध की चढ़ाइयों में उलझना पड़ा। वह सत्रह बार ससैन्य आया और पराजित होकर लौटा। अठारहवीं बार उसके आने की सूचना के साथ कालयवन भी आ धमका। कहाँ तक इस प्रकार युद्धमय जीवन सहा जाय। समुद्र के मध्य में दुर्गम दुर्ग द्वारिका नगर बना। यादवकुल को वहाँ पहुँचाकर श्रीकृष्ण पैदल यवन के सम्मुख से भागे। पीछा करता हुआ यवन गुफा में जाकर चिरसुप्त मुचुकुन्द की नेत्राग्नि से भस्म हो गया। उधर से लौटते ही जरासन्ध सेना लेकर आ पहुँचा। श्रीकृष्ण आज रणछोड़ हो रहे थे। बलरामजी को भी साथ भागना पड़ा। दोनों भाई प्रवर्षण पर चढ़कर भाग छूटे। पाण्डवों का परित्राण तो श्रीकृष्ण ही थे। महाभारत के युद्ध में अर्जुन का सारथी बनकर भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण ने पांडवों को विजयश्री दिलाई। इस महायुद्ध में उन्होंने अधर्म और असत्य का विनाश कर फिर से धर्म और सत्य की सत्ता स्थापित की। श्रीकृष्णचन्द्र पूर्णपुरुष लीलावतार कहे गये हैं। भगवान् वेदव्यास की वाणी ने श्रीमद्भागवत में उनकी दिव्य लीलाओं का वर्णन किया है।