Sri Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji on Sri Krishna Janmashtami – September 1, 2010 – Mysore
Krishnam vande jagadgurum
Sri Krishna Janmashtami is a very special festival because Krishna is Jagadguru, the Universal Teacher. His teaching of Bhagavadgita in Mahabharata given to Arjuna is very easy to grasp and follow. It is globally accepted by all faiths. Its teachings and examples have been adopted by many. Such a Krishna’s Birthday is indeed very special.
Of many Avataras, incarnations of God, ten are most famous. Although these are divine incarnations, yet they frighten us because in each there was so much of suffering and so much of difficulty. Krishna, Rama, Matsya, Vamana, Narasimha, all had a divine birth and yet lived in very dire situations. Man before being born lives inside the womb for nine months, in a very miserable state. From the fifth month, he is conscious of his difficulty, yet upon being born, he forgets it all. That is illusion.
Krishna took birth only for the purpose of removing ignorance from the world. Krishna’s stories, the incidents in his life, his childhood pranks, his words, his actions, every one is extremely meaningful. It is not play and pranks. Every incident is an Upadesha, a spiritual teaching, from the miracles performed in infancy to his showing the Vishwa Roopa, his universal form to Arjuna. Krishna’s is a Poorna Avatara, a full, comprehensive, complete divine incarnation.
Butter comes from churning. When by mental churning, doubts are removed, butter of True Knowledge emerges. Whatever we listen to, we should ponder over it and engage in mental churning.
Krishna, being divine, could have lived without performing any karma. Yet he fully experienced as is evident in all the incidents of his life, involving his birth, growth, childhood, parents, marriage, children, friends, and so on. Yet he experienced everything without attachment. He did not take upon himself other people’s karma as has been done by some other Gurus. Such an action builds up ego in the devotees. Krishna allowed everyone to experience their own karma. He made them learn their lessons by themselves. He made Arjuna fight. Krishna was the puppeteer, the driver. He was at the battlefield. But he did not fight. Arjuna is a king among devotees. He only wanted Krishna’s presence with him. Krishna could have destroyed all the enemies in the battlefield effortlessly. Yet he did not wield a weapon. He made people experience their own suffering. He made them cry. He made them wipe their own tears. He pretended to give his Peetambara, his robe. He made it appear as if he saved the situations. He made people praise and adore him for his divine protection. It was all a drama. He did not feed them. He made them cook their own food. He made them feed themselves. Yet each thought that Krishna had fed them. He did not.
In Kurma incarnation, the turtle bore the entire burden upon its back. Narasimha also suffered, taking upon himself the fierce form, and killing the demon. Krishna’s personal suffering was not even of the size of a mustard seed. He merely acted out. It was the Pandavas that suffered. They talked, they fought, and they won. Krishna merely said, “I will not fight. I will play my flute. I will dance with the girls.” His associations and interactions were all without attachment. He spoke and acted as each situation demanded. Even with the Kauravas. He made people poke themselves in the eye. He did nothing. He is not an uncle, he is not a father. He is none other than the Universal Teacher, the Jagadguru.
Krishna’s goal is to bestow Paripoornatva, wholeness to each of us. He gives the assurance of his help. But he does not chant the Mantra, he does not perform the Homa. He makes us do it, Our guru, like Krishna. He is more clever than Krishna. He cries when devotees cry, to the extent that they end up comforting him. He creates that illusion. In reality he suffers no pain. You get fooled into thinking that he is happier than you are at your good fortune. Yet he feels no joy. Like a magnet, he draws us close. We feel his vibrations. We join with him. If you are a fake devotee, he also fakes. If you think that you have fooled your Guru, that means that you got fooled. He acts as if he got fooled. Only a true disciple of the guru will understand Krishna.
Sri Jayalakshmi Mata has converted the entire Bhagavatham into simple songs. Many have been sung and danced to. In just four lines, she was able to convey an entire story. Krishna’s stories have been beautifully presented by the children. I give my special blessings to you. Have a Happy Birthday Krishna! Jai Jai Krishna!
Jaya Guru Datta