From a satsang with Paramacharya of SWAHA, H.H. Pt. Hardeo Persad
In a time when the asuras, or demonic forces, traversed the earth, causing great distress among the people, devotees earnestly appealed to the Lord for His divine intervention. Sincere prayer, after all, always brings results. In response to their heartfelt pleas, the Lord manifested Himself. Even today, if we pray with the same sincerity, devotion and conviction from the depths of our hearts, with total dependence and surrender, the Lord will answer our prayers. Moreover, the intensity of our appeal will determine His response.
In this instance, the Lord appeared in the prison of Mathura, where His parents, Devaki and Vasudeva, were imprisoned by King Kansa, who feared their child. Krishna manifested in the magnificent four-armed form of Vishnu. Having lost numerous children to King Kansa, Devaki and Vasudeva were awestruck and in total surrender when Krishna, their eighth child, arrived. Krishna was then taken to Gokula Puri, where He grew up in the home of Nanda and Yashoda.
Child Krishna
Shree Krishna’s complexion was dark like rain clouds, with large eyes, mischievous expressions, chubby cheeks and curly locks. As we envision Shree Krishna in our minds, so He appears to us. The inhabitants of Vraj yearned for His presence. Even the demonic forces craved the darshan, the divine vision, of the Supreme Purusha, Lord Krishna. Out of compassion for His devotees, He manifested Himself and lived a simple life in the rustic village. Under the loving care of His mother, Yashoda, with the Lord as the child and the devotee as the parent, every act became an offering of devotion.
One morning in Vraj, as Yashoda was performing her daily chores after putting Krishna to sleep, she heard a voice outside asking for charity. It was a yogi, Lord Shiva Himself, visiting to see baby Krishna. Yashoda gathered alms to give him and brought Shree Krishna out to meet the yogi. Bhagavan Shankar, upon seeing Kanhaiya, the Supreme Purusha, as a baby, was amazed by the Lord’s delusive potency, his maayaa, and circumambulated mother and child five times.
Heaven on Earth
The presence of Shree Krishna brought heaven to earth. His favourite instrument was the flute, and He enchanted all the gopis in the village with its melodious sounds of peace and love. Even the divinities would come to witness His dance and song. Shree Krishna created joyous, loving and ecstatic memories for all, which became cherished as He eventually left Gokula Puri to continue His divine leela.
Shree Krishna’s Teachings
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Shree Krishna served as the charioteer of Arjuna, guiding him along the righteous path. Arjuna, troubled about fighting his relatives, was reassured by Shree Krishna, who taught that death is merely a transition and the body is transient. Shree Krishna’s teachings to Arjuna revealed the nature of the soul, jiva, as avinashi—indestructible, unborn and deathless. He declared, “Weapons cannot cut it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot wet it, nor can the wind make it dry.” Shree Krishna reminded Arjuna, “You are part and parcel of me.”
The Path to True Happiness
By focusing on devotion to Him, remembering His many divine pastimes, and reflecting on His advice, we can attain Aham Brahmasmi—the realisation that the Lord and I are one. True happiness, Shree Krishna taught, lies in equanimity of mind, being unaffected by pleasure or pain. Our attachments and aversions to people, things and situations cause distress. When we pray and make offerings to Him, it is not the material offering that matters, but the attitude with which it is made. An offering made with love and a disinterested spirit, without expectations, embodies true devotion.
Ultimately, we will all reach this state of devotional ecstacy. On the journey, we must remember that we are entitled to our actions, but not to the fruits thereof, as expectations lead to unhappiness. The Lord knows best. Our duty is to perform our actions as offerings to Him. He is the Indweller, the Atma, and by making everything an offering to Him, we align our lives with divine purpose, finding peace and fulfilment in His eternal presence.
