Happy Janmashtami to all

Janmashtami is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Krishna, who is considered, not only an incarnation of Almighty but ‘The Jagat Guru’ as well. 

The ‘Bhagavad Gita, compiled on his teachings, is one of the greatest and most read books on Dharma in the world, which influenced and shaped all later ‘religions’ and Dharmas of India including Buddhism, Sikhism, and their numerous branches as well as Indian Sufism.

There are several stories relating to Krishna's birth, childhood, and youth - which may not be true or factual but, they do carry deep philosophical meanings and some great messages. 

Here are just a couple - to ponder upon. 

Krishna's parents, Vasudev and Devki were put in a small - dark cell by Kans - the evil king of Mathura.

There was a prediction that a son of Devki would kill Kans - and bring an end to his tyranny. 

Krishna's birth in a confined prison - in the middle of the darkest night - appears as a ray of hope in the darkest periods of the people of that time. 

One should remember that even in the darkest periods of life - when one feels trapped in an inescapable prison, help or relief can appear in some form and pull us out of that pit.

Another meaning is that - most of the time - God appears in our lives during our sad and dark periods.

We hardly remember God while enjoying - eating and dancing in joyful parties and happy celebrations. 

It's the times of desperation when we seriously try to reach out and pray to the Almighty with all sincerity from the core of our hearts.

In other words - The Lord takes birth in our hearts during the sad and darkest moments of our lives.  

                       Stealing butter from the hanging pots

In early childhood, Krishna is seen stealing or getting butter from the pots that are hanging quite high on the ceiling. He uses all kinds of means to reach the pot of butter - using a chair, a stool, or a ladder - and even creates a human pyramid of his friends and climbs on it to get to the pot of butter.

Butter is the essence of milk - it represents the Truth or essence of human life.

Just like the pot of butter was hanging high - Truth resides in the highest realms of our consciousness. 

Though it may be difficult - yet - one should strive to get it.

Just as Krishna used all kinds of tools including the human pyramid - we should also try to apprehend the Truth by using every tool available - such as a bonafide Guru - holy Scriptures and help from fellow seekers and devotees - by staying in the company of Saints in the form of a Satsang.

There are many other stories that carry wonderful messages along with them - only if we care to dive deep and try to understand the hidden meanings behind these mythical tales.

And finally - the biggest and most important part of Krishna's life is the teachings of practical Dharma to Arjun on the battleground - in the form of Bhagavad Geeta.

However, the essence of Krishna's life is in his unwavering, joyful spirit in every situation. May it be love or war - in all kinds of strife - he always remains calm and joyful. 

Krishna embodies divinity, wisdom (Vivek), and righteousness - the traits that can reshape our spiritual journey and help us achieve our goals.

Millions of people - all over the world - acknowledge and honor this day by celebrating it in many different ways. However, the greatest celebration and tribute would be to learn - understand, and adopt his teachings in our lives.

May the teachings of Lord Krishna always be with us guiding us toward the path of devotion and righteousness.

                                          'Rajan Sachdeva '

Krishna gets the butter and distributes it to others

                                       Always Calm and Happy

                         Humility 

(Pics are taken from the web)