KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI: SELF-REALIZATION THROUGH UNITY OF CULTURE

 

KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI: SELF-REALIZATION THROUGH UNITY OF CULTURE

Janmashtami is celebrated with great fervor and zeal in India on the 8th day of the dark fortnight which is called Ashtami of Krishna Paksha as per the Hindu Calendar, an auspicious day of birth of lord Krishna on this planet. Lord Krishna is the incarnation of lord Vishnu and is the most powerful soul ever. His birth took place in Mathura and that’s why the Mathura is called Krishnabhumi.

Krishna's Birth itself symbolizes the path of knowledge from “Darkness towards the light”. Birth in the prison symbolizes self-realization out of ignorance. Ashtami depicts the eight principles of Ashtang Yoga with practice (Abhyasa) or hard work. The journey to self-realization involves the removal or shedding of ignorance through eight spiritual principles as described by the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali named yamas (abstinences), niyama (observances), asana (postures), pranayama (breathing), pratyahara (withdrawal-self extraction), Dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (self-realization).

Chinmaya magazine Under Krishna Demystified by Bhavit Mehta (Sep 2010), provides a beautiful explanation of the symbolism contained in the image of Sri Krishna.

·  Lotus (Kamala) is the symbol of purity and enlightenment; the pure spirit arises from the “dirty” waters of the emotional mind.

·  The flute (murali) represents much more than just enchanting music. Each of its seven openings represents our various faculties: five senses, mind, and intellect. When we surrender our personality to Him, the music that flows out through us is the divine melody of Krishna, bearing the touch of His glories and perfections.

·   His Peacock feather (mora-pankha) is a symbol of beauty and knowledge.

·  Corresponding to the ocean and the sky, with one depicting the universal depth and the other the vastness is the blue body (Shyama-varna) conjointly reflecting the infinite.

·  His yellow garment (peelu-pitambara) symbolizes light, that covers only his body i.e., only the lower regions of the cosmos. Beyond it is a region of abysmal darkness, with no light but its galaxy of colors and its sounds and echoes.

·    Krishna also known as Gopal, the word ‘go’ also means ‘senses and ‘pal’ mean nurture–so Krishna nurtures our five senses. Krishna takes cows to graze and protects them from everything cow symbolizes earth as she has earth-like forbearance and the capacity to feed mankind. Metaphorically, Krishna protects the earth from evils and sustains it.

The renowned "Chappan Bhog," a vegetarian platter composed of 56 delicacies from across the nation that is considered as beloved by Lord Krishna, is really what makes the Janmashtami festival platter unique. the dishes celebrate different rasas or emotions. "The dish must contain the following five flavors or rasas: savory, sweet, sour, salty, and spicy. It is a symbol of the oneness and the unity of our culture,"

Lord Krishna's favorite food is Makhan mishri, which is why the famed Chhapan Bhog offered on the occasion of Janmashtami is unsatisfactory without a bowl of Makhan Mishri as a bhog, which is not just delicious but also full of health benefits.

During fasting, many people enjoy the Falahari meal. Dhaniya Panjiri, is offered as Janmashtmi prasad as eating grains is often prohibited during fasting so coriander seeds are used in place of wheat flour, panjiri is often served with Charnamrit. Coriander helps in promoting digestive functions.

It took Krishna (self-realized state) a long time to eliminate the ego (Kansa). "If you are facing problems externally, you then to reach the ultimate have to go deeper within you," is the essence of the saying. The ultimate awareness of our genuine identity, our actual potential, and the limitless powers and possibilities inside us is the goal of the art of self-realization.