Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji on Krishna Ashtami – August 9, 2012 – Mysore
Harih om tatsat
Sri Maha Ganapathaye Namah
Sri Saraswathyai Namah
Sri Pada Vallabha, Nrusimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Sri Krishnaya Namah
Vasudeva sutam devam
kamsa chanoora mardhanam
devaki paramanandam
krishnam vande jagadgurum
Sri swamiji is very happy to be present at Mysore and celebrating the Sri Krishna Janmashtami among you all. Many people around the world who are awake are watching now on yogasangeeta. Sri Swamiji has told about Sri Krishna’s birth in Kannada in a very subtle way. It is no secret. Krishna avatara is a glorious one. He went through many hardships. He was born in jail, born in dark when nobody was seeing. Immediately after birth, he had to cross the river and was taken to Yashodha’s house, drenching in rain. He has not seen mother’s love. No father’s love either. No naming and feeding ceremony were done. In forest someone gave name. In Krishna’s life history, it became as if kri stands for Kashta – troubles. All these details are told in His avatara story. How difficult was his childhood is also described. He took birth in scared atmosphere. He was not scared. He scared the people around Him. He is fearless.
He said: Don’t do upasana of body. You must do the upasana of the tatva and merge with the Shakti like how you read what is in the book and don’t eat the book. He shows that body is not the medium for higher salvation, only the inner Soul and strength is the way to salvation! He never said directly that He is God, but He did show few glimses of his power in a very subtle way. In Rama avatar, Rama always told that he was Dasharatha’s son. He never told that he was Vishnu. In Krishna avatara, He held the sudarshana chakra, showed his vishwaroopa 5-6 times, fearful and dreadful forms. He put an end to the wicked kouravas. In all characters like Balabhadra,Subhadra, Devaki, Vasudeva, Yashodha, Satyabhama, Rukmini, He got blamed. Even in the case of his wife Rukmini who is Lakshmi herself for eons, He was forced to kidnap her to get married. There is a reason for every blame He took. It is for the welfare of the world. It is very difficult to know His tatva. He has shown us how human life is and has set himself as an example. He said no one can hold me with ego. I can be gained only by devotion. Bhakthi is the only path for merging with Krishna.
We say, we have struggled so much to upbring our own children and to earn money for our own sake. No where Krishna was taken as example. In Rama avatara so much Rama was given as example but not in Krishna avatara.
Then Why was He called Jagadguru? He killed demons. True! He protected Pandavas. True ! He had to undergo so much of politics. He did not preach to every one. He killed many people then why call him Jagadguru? He destroyed the bad to protect the noble. All those who saw His vishwaroopa in the court of Kouravas also could not reform themselves. He thought only Arjuna is eligible not just because he is His relative but because only he can uphold dharma. He left Uddhava also. He showed His life as message, as a Guru bhoda. He preached Bhagavat Gita straight from his mouth .He gave Vishnu Shahasranama. He is the speaker and the spoken. He is the writer, He makes people write. His is a complete incarnation. Such purna roopi Krishna had to go through many difficulties. Even when He died, He had a difficult and an unfortunate demise. It is very difficult to define Krishna tatva in Krishna avatara. In Jayalakshmi mata’s bhajans Krishna’s powers and good deeds are immensly described. It is very easy to translate into telugu. When we listen to Sri JayaLakshmi mata’s bhajans on Krishna, it is like listening to Bhagavatam. Krishna’s incarnaton is not a simple one. Krishna did upadesha to his disciple Arjuna. Arjuna indicates ignorance. Krishna dispelled ignorance and gave knowledge. He wanted to spread His tatvam in the form of vayu. So he looked up many times. Nobody knew why Krishna looked up so many times. They thought it is because He had Anjaneya on the dhwaja (flag) of the chariot.
In all aspects of life, we should pray to Lord Krishna and get rid of all sorrows. The mere word Krishna can overcome every obstacle in life!