Krishna Bhagavaan

explained from the vedic scriptures

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Krishna Bhagavaan

मम योनिर्महद् ब्रह्म तस्मिन्गर्भं दधाम्यहम् |
सम्भव: सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत || 3||

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तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रद: पिता || 4||

“          As it is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrita (Adi. २.१०६), Sri Krishna is the original primeval Lord, the source of all other expansions.

 

All the revealed scriptures accept Sri Krishna as the Supreme Lord. Furthermore (Caitanya-caritamrita Adi २ – २४.२६ ), it goes on to relate that Lord Krishna Himself is the one undivided Absolute Truth and ultimate reality. He manifests in three features, namely the Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan (the Supreme Personality).

 

            The Svetasvatara Upanishad (५.६) elaborates that Lord Krishna is the topmost of all the gods. “He is the most esoteric aspect hidden in the Upanishads which form the essence of the Vedas.

 

Brahma knows Him as the source of himself as well as the Vedas. The gods like Shiva and the seers of the ancient, like Vamadeva rishi realizing Him, ever became dovetailed in His service and therefore they naturally became immortal.” And in (६.७) it continues: “Let us take our final resort at Him who is the Transcendent and the only adorable Lord of the universe, who is the highest Deity over all the deities, the Supreme Ruler of all rulers–Him let us know as the Paramount Divinity.”

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In The upanishads

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In The Bhagavad Gita

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Birth In The Material world

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Avatara In The World

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Understanding his Activities

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Sri Krishna's Beauty

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His Eternal Abode

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who is Sri Krishna ?

“           The GopalaTapani Upanishad, explains and has numerous verses that explain the nature of the Absolute Truth Lord Krishna.

 

A few of such verses include the following: “Brahma with his full awareness emphatically said, ‘Sri Krishna is the Supreme Divinity. (१.३) He who meditates on Sri Krishna, serves Him with unalloyed devotion and [makes His transcendental senses gratified by engaging one’s own spiritual senses in] rendering service to Him–all of them become immortal and attain the summum bonum, or perfection of life. (१.१०)

 

Further it states, Sri Krishna is that Supreme Divinity as the Paramount Eternal Reality among all other sentient beings and the Fountain-source of consciousness to all conscious beings.

 

He is the only reality without a second but as a Supersoul (परमात्मा) dwelling in the cave of the hearts of all beings He rewards them in accordance with their respective actions in life. Those men of intuitive wisdom who serve Him with loving devotion surely attain the highest perfection of life. Whereas those who do not do so never gain this highest beatitude of their lives. (१.२२)

 

Sri Krishna who is most dear to you all is the cause of all causes.

 

He is the efficient cause of the creation of the universe as well as the superintending force for propelling the jiva souls. Therefore, although He is the enjoyer as well as the Lord of all sacrifices, He is ever atmarama, self-satisfied.” (२.१७)

 

            The Svetasvatara Upanishad (४.७-८) goes on to describe that, “The Supreme Lord is He who is referred to by the mantras of the Rig-veda, who resides in the topmost, eternal sky, and who elevates His saintly devotees to share that same position.

 

One who has developed pure love for Him and realizes His uniqueness and appreciates His glories, is freed from sorrow. What further good can the Rig mantras bestow on one who knows that Supreme Lord? All who come to know Him achieve the supreme destination.”

 

            This is further corroborated in the Katha Upanishad (२.३.८-९) wherein it says: “Beyond the Brahmajyoti (nirguna or formless Brahman of the Lord) there is the Great Purusha viz., Purushottama God who is all-pervading (as the Brahmajyoti) and without any empirical attributes, but having sat-chit-ananda–transcendental embodiment.

 

He who realizes this Purushottama-tattva is finally liberated. Attaining a spiritual body he renders eternal service to the Purushottama [Supreme Being].

 

            The Transcendental Personality of Godhead is beyond the purview of occult vision. But He can be apprehended through a pure transparent mind imbibed with intuitive wisdom born out of unalloyed devotional practices in the very core of one’s own unstinted heart – those who have really got such a vision have gained final beatitude.”

 

What does Mahabharata says about the Supreme Being?

 

            The Mahabharata also explains how Lord Krishna is the One Supreme Being. In it when Grandfather Bishma-Pitamaha was giving the last of his advice to King Yudhisthira while on the battlefield of Kurukshetra before leaving this world, King Yudhisthira asked,

 

  • Who is the One God in the world?
  • The One Object which is our sole refuge?
  • By worshipping whom does one obtain all that one desires?
  • Which is the One Religion which is the foremost of all religions?
  • What is the mantra, reciting which, man becomes freed from bondage to birth?”

            In answer to this the great Bishma responds, “Krishna is the Lord of the Universe. He is the God of Gods. He is the foremost of all beings.

 

By Him is pervaded this universe. Meditating on Him and on His many names man can transcend all sorrow. The foremost of all religions is Sri Krishna. He is the highest energy. He is the highest penance. He is the highest refuge. He is the holiest of holies. He is the beginning of all creation and the end of all creation. Krishna is the eternal Brahman. Surrender yourself to Him and you will be one with Him (with Sri Krishna) the Lord of the past, the present and the future: the Supreme Soul.”

 

            In the Bhagavad-gita (10.12-13), Arjuna also explains that Lord Krishna is the,

 

  • Supreme Brahman,
  • The ultimate
  • The supreme abode and purifier
  • The Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person.
  • He is the primal God, transcendental and original, the unborn and all-pervading beauty.
  • All the great sages such as Narada, Asita, Devala, and Vyasa proclaim this.
  • Sri Krishna is the original Personality, the Godhead.
  • He is the only sanctuary of the manifested material world.
  • He knows everything and is all that is knowable.
  • He is above the material modes (त्रिगुण).
  • With limitless form, He pervades the whole cosmic manifestation.

       -Bhagavad Gita – 11.38

 

Sri Krishna is the father of the complete cosmic manifestation, the worshipable chief and spiritual master. No one is equal to Him, nor can anyone be one with Him. He is immeasurable

       -Bhagavad Gita 11.43

 

There are many more verses signifying the Supreme Being, Afterall how can we be able to mention it all here? He is limitless. 

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how does sri krishna explains about himself through bhagavad gita & other scriptures ?

“              In the Bhagavad Gita ( १०. ८ ) Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna, “Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.” He is the source of all spiritual and material worlds

 

            Lord Krishna further relates that all other sages and creators also originates from Him:

 

“The seven great sages and before them the four other great sages and the Manus [progenitors of mankind] are born out of My mind, and all creatures in these planets descend from them.” Bhagavad Gita ( १०. ६ )

 

            Jambavan also praises Lord Krishna,

 

  • You are the ultimate creator of all creators of the universe, and of everything created.
  • You are the underlying substance.
  • You are the subduer of all subduers,
  • The Supreme Lord and Supreme Soul of all souls.” ( Srimad Bhagavatam –१०.५६.२७ )

            As Lord Krishna is the source of everything, it is not possible for others to determine His origin. He explains to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, “Neither the hosts of demigods nor the great sages know My origin, for, in every respect, I am the source of the demigods and sages.” ( Bhagavad Gita – 10.2 )

 

            Arjuna also admits to this fact after having understood Sri Krishna’s real characteristics saying: “O Sri Krishna, I totally accept as truth all that You have told me. Neither the gods nor demons, O Lord, know Thy personality.

 

Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe! ( Bhagavad Gita10.14-15 )

 

            O great one, who stands above even Brahma, You are the original master. Why should they not offer their homage up to You, O limitless one?

 

O refuge of the universe, You are the invincible source, the cause of all causes, transcendental to this material manifestation. ( Bhagavad Gita – 11.37 )

 

            On the battlefield after realizing Sri Krishna, Arjuna says, You are air, fire, water, and You are the moon! You are the supreme controller and the grandfather.

 

Thus I offer my respectful obeisances unto You a thousand times, and again and yet again! Obeisances from the front, from behind and from all sides! O unbounded power, You are the master of limitless light! You are all-pervading, and thus You are everything! ( Bhagavad Gita – 11.39-40 )

 

            You are the father of this complete cosmic manifestation, the worshipable chief, the spiritual master.

 

No one is equal to You, nor can anyone be one with You. Within the three worlds, You are immeasurable.” ( Bhagavad Gita – 11.43 )

 

            Even the immeasurable spiritual area called the Brahman is actually a tool that Lord Krishna uses in which to create the cosmic manifestation.

 

As He explains, “The total material substance, called Brahman, is the source of birth, and it is that Brahman that I impregnate, making possible the births of all living beings, O son of Bharata [Arjuna], It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father. ( Bhagavad Gita – 14.3-4 )

 

            Of all that is material and all that is spiritual in this world, know for certain that I am both its origin and dissolution. ( Bhagavad Gita –7.6 )

 

            I am the generating seed of all existences. There is no being – Moving or Unmoving – that can exist without Me. ( Bhagavad Gita – 10.39 )

 

            Know that I am the original seed of all existences, the intelligence of the intelligent, and the prowess of all powerful men.” ( Bhagavad Gita – 7.10 )

 

            Lord Krishna creates the material manifestation, and later absorbs it back into Himself. Then at His will, He again creates. “At the end of the millennium every material manifestation enters into My nature, and at the beginning of another millennium, by My potency I again create.” ( Bhagavad Gita – 9.7 )

 

            “My dear Lord (Sri Krishna), the original purusha-avatara, Maha-Vishnu, acquires His creative potency from You. Thus with infallible energy He impregnates material nature, producing the mahat-tattva. Then the mahat-tattva, the amalgamated material energy, endowed with the potency of the Lord, produces from itself the primeval golden egg of the universe, which is covered by various layers of material elements.” ( Srimad Bhagavatam – ११.६.१६  )

 

            Because Lord Krishna is the source of everything, there is obviously nothing that He personally needs from it, nor is He ever entangled in it.

 

He is like the warden of a prison who can go in or out of it at any time he wants. Yet He is still overseeing it. “O son of Pritha (Arjuna), there is no work prescribed for Me within all the three planetary systems. Nor am I in want of anything, nor have I need to obtain anything–and yet I am engaged in work. ( Bhagavad Gita – 3.22 )

 

            There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of action. One who understands this truth about Me also does not become entangled in the fruitive reactions of work.” ( Bhagavad Gita – 4.14 )

 

            “The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna said: ‘O brahmana, I am the speaker of religion, its performer and sanctifier. I observe religious principles to teach them to the world, My child, so do not be disturbed.” ( Srimad Bhagavatam  – १०.६९.४०  )

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Lord KRISHNA IS THE SOURCE OF ALL INCARNATIONS ( avataras ) OF GOD

“        Numerous references establish Sri Krishna as the Absolute Truth, yet it should be understood that He is not simply another incarnation of God, but He is the source of all other incarnations of the Lord. This is verified in Srimad Bhagavatam verse (1.3.28) where it explains:

 

एते चांशकला: पुंस: कृष्णस्तु भगवान् स्वयम् ।
इन्द्रारिव्याकुलं लोकं मृडयन्ति युगे युगे ॥ २८ ॥

 

 which means, “All of the (previously mentioned) incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Sri Krishna is the Original Personality of Godhead.

 

All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists (नास्तिक). The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.”

 

            So herein we can understand that Sri Krishna either descends directly, or it is one of His plenary portions who appears in order to perform the necessary activities.

 

This is further explained in the following verses, which shows that even Maha-Vishnu, the Creator of the cosmic manifestation, and Garbhodakashayi Vishnu, the expansion in each universe, are plenary portions of Lord Krishna.

 

“The Supreme original Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, expanding His plenary portion as Maha-Vishnu, the first incarnation, creates this manifold cosmos, but He is unborn.

 

The creation, however, takes place in Him, and the material substance and manifestations are all Himself.

 

He maintains them for some time and absorbs them into Himself again. ( Srimad Bhagavatam – 2.6.39 )

 

            “The Personality of Godhead is pure, being free from all contaminations of material tinges. He is the Absolute Truth and the embodiment of full and perfect knowledge.

 

He is all-pervading, without beginning or end, and without rival.

 

O Narada, O great sage, the great thinkers can know Him when completely freed from all material hankerings and when sheltered under undisturbed conditions of the senses. Otherwise, by untenable arguments, all is distorted, and the Lord disappears from our sight. ( Srimad Bhagavatam – 2.6.40-41 )

 

            “Karanarnavashayi Vishnu [Maha-Vishnu] is the first incarnation of the Supreme Lord, and He is the master of eternal time, space, cause and effects, mind, the elements, the material ego, the modes of nature, the senses, the universal form of the Lord, Garbhodakashayi Vishnu, and the sum total of all living beings, both moving and nonmoving. ( Srimad Bhagavatam – 2.6.42 )

 

            “I myself [Brahma], Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, great generators of living beings like Daksha and Prajapati, yourselves [Narada and the Kumaras], heavenly demigods like Indra and Chandra, the leaders of the Bhurloka planets, the leaders of the earthly planets, the leaders of the lower planets, the leaders of the Gandharva planets, the leaders of the Vidyadhara planets, the leaders of the Charanaloka planets, the leaders of the Yakshas, Rakshas and Uragas, the great sages, the great demons, the great atheists and the great spacemen, as well as the dead bodies, evil spirits, jinn, kushmandas, great aquatics, great beasts and great birds, etc.

 

In other words, anything and everything which is exceptionally possessed of power, opulence, mental and perceptual dexterity, strength, forgiveness, beauty, modesty, and breeding, whether in form or formless – may appear to be the specific truth and the form of the Lord, but actually they are not so.

 

They are only a fragment of the transcendental potency of the Lord.” ( Srimad Bhagavatam – 2.6.43-45 )

 

            In Lord Brahma’s prayers to Lord Krishna, in a later portion of Srimad Bhagavatam, He continues to explain, “O supreme controller, since You are the Soul of every embodied being and the eternal witness of all created realms, Indeed, Lord Narayana [Maha-Vishnu] is your expansion, and He is called Narayana because He is the generating source of the primeval water of the universe.

 

He is real, not a product of Your illusory Maya.” ( Srimad Bhagavatam – 10.14.14 )

 

            Once when Lord Krishna was beginning to prepare for leaving this world to return to His abode, all the demigods, sages, and celestial and subtle beings approached Him when He lived in Dvaraka.

 

Then they offered prayers to the Lord which further reveals Lord Krishna’s supremacy over all other incarnations (avataras) and demigods. It is explained:

 

            “The powerful Lord Indra, along with the Maruts, Adityas, Vasus, Ashvinis, Ribhus, Angiras, Rudras, Vishvadevas, Sadhyas, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Nagas, Siddhas, Charanas, Guhyakas, the great sages and forefathers, and the Vidyadharas and Kinnaras, arrived at the city of Dvaraka, hoping to see Lord Krishna.

 

By His transcendental form, Sri Krishna, the Supreme Lord, enchanted all human beings and spread His own fame throughout the worlds. The Lord’s glories destroy all contamination within the universe.” ( Srimad Bhagavatam – 11.6.2-4 )

 

            Many Hindus show great respect to these Vedic demigods, but such demigods can also come under the influence of Lord Krishna’s illusory energy ( Māyā / माया  ).

 

In this next verse, we see how Lord Krishna takes it upon Himself to relieve Lord Indra of his pride and ignorance.

 

Lord Indra is the king of heaven who is known for his own mystical or magical abilities, which tend to be a source of pride for him, which encourages him to do inappropriate things. In one such incident, Lord Krishna explained,

 

तत्र प्रतिविधिं सम्यगात्मयोगेन साधये ।
लोकेशमानिनां मौढ्याद्धनिष्ये श्रीमदं तम: ॥ १६ ॥

 

“By My mystic power I will completely counteract this disturbance caused by Indra. Demigods like Indra are proud of their opulence, and out of foolishness they falsely consider themselves the Lord of the universe. I will now destroy such ignorance.” ( Srimad Bhagavatam 10.25.16 )

 

            In summarizing the contents of the Srimad-Bhagavatam as Suta Gosvami begins to close his talk near the end of this Purana, he states:

 

“I bow down to that unborn and infinite Supreme Soul, whose personal energies effect the creation, maintenance and destruction of the material universe. Even Brahma, Indra, Shankara [Shiva] and the other lords of the heavenly planets cannot fathom the glories of that infallible Personality of Godhead.” ( Srimad Bhagavatam – 12.12.67 )

 

            Hereby from the various verses of the scriptures, it is explained How Lord Krishna is the Supreme Being and source of all other incarnations of God and demigods.

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HOW LORD KRISHNA TOOK BIRTH IN This MATERIAL WORLD ?

“    The Supreme Being in His form as Sri Krishna appeared on this planet 5,000 years ago and performed His pastimes for 125 earthly years before returning to His spiritual abode.

 

             The Vishnu Purana (Book Four, Chapter Twenty-four) establishes that the age of Kali-yuga began when Lord Krishna left this world in 3102 BC. ( almost 5000 years back )

 

There are many mentions in the Vedic literatures which narrate how Sri Krishna engages in loving activities with His friends and relatives when He appears in this world, and how He performs amazing feats which thrill and astonish everyone, both while on this planet and in His spiritual abode.

 

                                    However, He brings His spiritual domain and His numerous pure devotees with Him when He descends into this world. Descriptions of the many activities and pastimes which go on, in the spiritual world are found in various verses in,

 

  • Srimad-Bhagavatam
  • Vishnu Purana,
  • Mahabharata,
  • Caitanya-caritamrta,
  • Sanatana Goswami’s Brihat Bhagavatamritam, and many others, which explain the many levels and unlimited nature of the spiritual realm.

 

Indeed, the body of the Lord is described as full of eternal bliss, truth, knowledge, the most dazzling splendour, and source of all that exists.

 

            It is described that when the Lord appeared on this planet in the 19th and 20th incarnations, He advented Himself as Lord Balarama and Lord Krishna in the family of Vrishni [the Yadu dynasty], and by so doing He removed the burden of the world. ( Srimad Bhagavatam – १.३.२३ )

 

            The story of Lord Krishna’s birth is a unique narrative, as told in the 10th Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. About 5,000 years ago when the earth was overburdened by the military might of the demoniac who had taken the forms of rulers and kings, the spirit of mother earth took the shape of a cow and approached Lord Brahma to seek relief. Concerned with the situation on earth, Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva and other demigods went to the shore of the ocean of milk.

 

Within that ocean is an island which is the residence of Lord Vishnu (expansion of Sri Krishna).

 

After mentally offering prayers to Lord Vishnu, Brahma could understand the advice the Lord gave him.

 

This was that He would soon appear on the surface of the earth in order to mitigate the burden of the demoniac kings.

 

Therefore, the demigods and their wives should appear in the Yadu dynasty in order to serve as servants of Lord Krishna and increase the size of that dynasty.

 

  Then one day Vasudeva, Sri Krishna’s father, and his wife, Devaki, were riding home from their wedding. Devaki’s brother, the demoniac King Kamsa, was driving the chariot. Then a voice of warning came from the sky announcing that Kamsa would be killed by Devaki’s 8th son.

 

Kamsa was immediately ready to kill his sister, but Vasudeva instructed him and talked him out of the idea. Kamsa was still not satisfied, so Vasudeva said he would bring all of the children to Kamsa as they were born.

 

Then Kamsa could kill them. As the children were born, at first Kamsa decided not to kill them.

 

But later Kamsa learned from the sage Narada Muni that the demigods were appearing in the Yadu and Vrishni dynasties and were conspiring to kill him.

 

Kamsa then decided that all the children in these families should be killed, and that Vasudev and Devaki should be imprisoned in his jail in Mathura, and that their children should not be spared.

 

Narada Muni had also told Kamsa that in his previous life he had been a demon named Kalanemi who was killed by Lord Vishnu.

 

Thus, Kamsa became especially infuriated and a dedicated enemy of all the descendants of the Yadu dynasty.

 

            Anantadeva (Balarama) first appeared in the womb of Devaki as her 7th pregnancy. It was Yogamaya, Krishna’s internal potency, who made the arrangement to transfer Anantadeva from the womb of Devaki to that of Rohini, a wife of Nanda Maharaja in Gokul, from whom He appeared as Balarama.

 

Then, with the prayers and meditations of Vasudeva, Lord Krishna appeared within his heart, and then within the heart of Devaki. So Devaki’s 8th pregnancy was Krishna Himself. Thereafter, she became increasingly effulgent, which drew the attention of Kamsa, who wanted to kill Krishna. Thus, he became absorbed in thoughts of Krishna.

 

Devaki also drew the attention of the many demigods who came to offer prayers to her and the Lord in her womb.

 

            When the Lord appeared, He first exhibited His four-armed form to show that He was the Supreme Lord.

 

Vasudeva and Devaki were struck with wonder and offered many prayers. Yet, fearing Kamsa, Devaki prayed that Krishna withdraw His four-armed form and exhibit His two-armed form.

 

            The Lord also told them of how He had appeared two other times as their son in the form of Prishnigarbha and Vamanadeva.

 

This was the 3rd time that He was appearing as their son to fulfill their desires. That night, during a rainstorm, Lord Krishna desired to leave the prison and be taken to Gokul.

 

By the arrangement of Yogamaya, the shackles and prison doors were opened and Vasudeva was able to leave the prison and take Krishna to Gokul, thus saving the child from the danger of Kamsa.

 

At this time, Yogamaya herself had taken birth from Mother Yashoda as a baby girl.

 

When Vasudeva arrived at Nanda Maharaja’s house, everyone was in deep sleep.

 

Thus, he was able to place Lord Krishna in the hands of Yashoda, while taking her own newly born baby girl back with him. This baby girl was actually Krishna’s energy, Yogamaya.

 

When he returned, he placed the baby girl on Devaki’s bed, and prepared to accept his place in the prison again by putting the shackles back on.

 

Later, when Yashoda awoke in Gokul, she could not remember whether she had given birth to a male or female child, and easily accepted Lord Krishna as her own.

 

            When the baby girl, Yogamaya, began crying in the morning, it drew the attention of the doorkeepers of the prison, who then notified King Kamsa.

Kamsa forcefully appeared in the prison to kill the child.

 

Devaki pleaded with him to save the baby. Instead, he grabbed the little girl from her arms and tried to dash the baby against a rock.

 

However, she slipped from his hands and rose above his head, floating in the air while exhibiting her true form as the eight-armed Durga.

 

Durga told Kamsa that the person for whom he was looking had already taken birth elsewhere.

 

Thus, Kamsa became filled with wonder that Devaki’s eighth child appeared to be a female, and the enemy he feared had taken birth elsewhere. Then he released Devaki and Vasudeva, being apologetic for all that he had done.

 

            Yet, after conferring with his ministers, they decided that they had best try to kill all the children that had been born in the past ten days in the attempt to try to find and kill Kamsa’s enemy, Krishna.

 

Meanwhile, Lord Krishna started His pastimes with His devotees in Gokul and Vrindavana to display His unique characteristics, personality and beauty.

 

            In this way, as Sri Uddhava explained to Vidura, “The Lord appeared in the mortal world by His external potency, yogamaya.

 

He came in His eternal form, which is just suitable for His pastimes. These pastimes were wonderful for everyone, even for those proud of their own opulence, including the Lord Himself in His form as the Lord of Vaikuntha.

 

Thus His [Sri Krishna’s] transcendental body is the ornament of all ornaments

 

            The Personality of Godhead, the all-compassionate controller of both the material and spiritual creations, is unborn, but when there is friction between His peaceful devotees and persons who are in the material modes of nature, He takes His birth just like fire, accompanied by the mahat-tattva.” ( Srimad Bhagavatam – 3.2.12, 15 )

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WHY LORD KRISHNA DESCENDS / takes an avatara INTO THIS WORLD ?

“          Why the Lord descends into this world is for multiple purposes, but primarily for 2 reasons.

 

One of which is that, since He originally provided the ancient religious path of the Vedas for the benefit of the whole universe, wheneverthat becomes obstructed by the wicked atheists (नास्तिक), He takes avatara, in one of His forms, which is in the transcendental mode of goodness.

 

Thus, He again establishes the righteous Vedic path. He is the same Supreme Person, and in His incarnation as Krishna appeared in the home of Vasudeva with His plenary portion, Balarama.

 

This was for the second reason, which is to relieve the earth of the burden of the demoniac.

 

    As Sri Krishna, He came to kill the hundreds of armies led by the kings who were but expansions of the enemies of the demigods, and to spread the fame of the Yadu dynasty. ( Srimad Bhagavatam – १०.४८.२३-२४ )

 

            Sri Krishna Himself explains this in the Bhagavad-gita:

 

Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all sentient beings, I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form.

 

Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practices, O son of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion – at that time I descend Myself.

 

In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.

 

One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” ( Bhagavad Gita – 4.6 )

 

            It is also described that when the Lord assumes a humanlike body, it is to show His mercy to His devotees.

 

Then He engages in the sort of pastimes that will attract those who hear about them. Then they may become dedicated to Him. ( Srimad Bhagavatam – १०.३३.३६ )

 

These pastimes of the Lord are so powerful that they can remove the sins of the three planetary systems and deliver those who are trapped in the continuous cycle of birth and death. ( Srimad Bhagavatam १०.८६.३४  )

 

Those who desire to serve the Lord should hear of these activities (leelas). Hearing such narrations of these pastimes destroythe reactions to fruitive work [karma]. ( Srimad Bhagavatam – १०.९०.४९ )

 

            It is by Lord Krishna’s pastimes (leelas) that He calls all the conditioned souls to Him through love. Thus, by His wondrous activities He attracts all beings to return to their natural, spiritual position by reawakening their dormant love and service to Him, the Supreme Being.

 

This is the purpose of human life, which provides the best facility and intellect for understanding our spiritual identity and connection with the Lord.

 

            As Shukadeva Gosvami explained to Maharaja Pariksit, “He, the Personality of Godhead, as the maintainer of all in the universe, appears in different incarnations after establishing the creation, and thus He reclaims all kinds of conditioned souls amongst the humans, nonhumans and demigods.”

( Srimad Bhagavatam – २.१०.४२ )

 

            “To show causeless mercy to the devotees who would take birth in the future of this age of Kaliyuga, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, acted in such a way that simply by remembering Him one will be freed from all the lamentation and unhappiness of material existence.” ( Srimad Bhagavatam – ९.२४.६१)

 

However, Lord Krishna also explains that when He descends in His human form, the fools who are ignorant of His spiritual nature and supreme dominion over everything deride and criticize Him ( Bhagavad Gita – ९.११ )

 

            Nonetheless, Lord Krishna Himself further explains the reasons for His appearance in this world to King Muchukunda:

 

“My dear friend, I have taken thousands of births, lived thousands of lives and accepted thousands of names. In fact My births, activities and names are limitless, and thus even I cannot count them.

 

After many lifetimes someone might count the dust particles on the earth, but no one can ever finish counting My qualities, activities, names and births.

 

O King, the greatest sages enumerate My births and activities, which take place throughout the three phases of time, but never do they reach the end of them.

 

Nonetheless, O friend, I will tell you about My current birth, name and activities.

 

Kindly hear. Some time ago, Lord Brahma requested Meto protect religious principles and destroy the demons who were burdening the earth.

 

Thus I descended in the Yadu dynasty, in the home of Anakadundubhi. Indeed, because I am the son of Vasudeva, people call Me Vasudeva.” ( Srimad Bhagavatam – १०.५१.३६.४० )

cute lord krishna images
shri krishna portrait

UNDERSTANDING THE ACTIVITIES OF LORD KRISHNA

“      The activities and pastimes of Lord Krishna are full of meaning and purpose, all of which reveal the highest Truth.

 

The level of perception depends on the person’s depth of “spiritual understanding”.

 

If a person just has “little depth” to his or her spiritual realization and the life of Lord Krishna, then interpretations of such activities of the Lord can result in wrong conclusions.

 

This is the danger when those who are spiritually inexperienced, wish to comment on something of, which they have no real understanding, though they think they do.

 

            Some people feel that if Lord Krishna encouraged Arjuna to fight in the war of Kuruksetra, as was instructed in the Bhagavad Gita, then this means that He was endorsing violence.

 

However, we should point out that Lord Krishna never wanted war and exhibited much tolerance to the cruelty, that the Kauravas displayed toward the Pandavas.

 

But too much tolerance may also be seen as a sign of weakness and can make the abusers more egoistic and cruel, allowing them to think they can get away with whatever they want.

 

When such a person is a ruler of a country, he MUST be removed. That is compassion for the rest of society. If such a ruler is allowed to live, he will create more havoc to the rest of society.

 

            Lord Krishna wanted to protect dharma, the ways of truth and Vedic culture, and asked the Kauravas, especially Duryodhana, to give up their evil ways. He even tried to negotiate for peace, but the Kauravas wanted no part of it.

 

The Pandavas only wanted a small portion of land to live on, which was their rightful heritage.

 

But the Kauravas said they would not give enough land in which to even push in a needle.

 

So they would not change. So finally there was no alternative but war.

 

However, even then Lord Krishna said He would only be Arjuna’s chariot driver and not take up any weapon, even though He could have destroyed to whole world with a glance.

 

So He actually had no personal interest in fighting.

 

            The Lord acted in the appropriate manner to protect society and dharma.

 

In this way, war may be utilized to protect dharma and the general welfare of society when necessary.

 

To stand by and watch wickedness spread through the world without taking any action is a worse evil.

 

            Even when Krishna killed His uncle, Kamsa, He did so because Kamsa had completely given up all dharma and moral standards, and would not accept anyone’s advice.

 

He ruled in a cruel way and made so many plans and attempts to kill Krishna, thus terrorizing the whole society.

 

So finally there was a showdown when Kamsa invited Krishna and Balarama to a wrestling match that had been planned as another attempt to kill them. Therein Krishna finally killed Kamsa.

 

However, by this act of losing his body, Kamsa was delivered from his evil mentality and was transferred to a new situation after having been purified by the touch of the Lord.

 

            Some people may also say that Lord Krishna accompanied the gopis, which shows devious standards.

 

Yet, this idea exhibits how IGNORANT such people are. First of all, He was only six or seven years old at the time He performed His rasa dance with the cowherd girls of Vrindavana, which holds much deep significance that few can fully understand.

 

He is the Lord of everyone no matter what is their position.

 

He wanted to make everyone happy, and to awaken each soul to their relationship with the Supreme.

 

To do this He wanted to break the limitations of pride and shame and whatever bonds keep us from an unbroken focus on God and our service to Him. Such bonds exist only within the mind, but we must become free from these unwanted conceptions. This was but one small purpose in bringing those selected souls (पुण्य आत्माएं ) in the form of the gopis of Vrindavana to the unlimited spiritual bliss of divine love with the Supreme Being.

 

This is no common thing, most of which ordinary people cannot fathom or imagine. Therefore, one must look deep into Lord Krishna’s activities. Otherwise, without proper insight, one may arrive at a wrong conclusion as to the purpose and meaning in the Lord’s activities, or even what the real identity is of the Lord.

 

            Lord Shiva has pointed out in his prayers how the Lord is perceived by different people in different ways, according to their level of understanding and consciousness. He said

 

  1. “Those who are known as the impersonalist Vedantists regard you as the Impersonal Brahman.
  2. Others, known as the Mimamsaka philosophers, regard You as religion.
  3. The Sankhya philosophers regard You as the transcendental person who is beyond prakriti [material nature] and purusha who is the controller of even the demigods.
  4. The followers of the codes of devotional service known as the Pancharatras regard You as being endowed with nine different potencies.
  5. And the Patanjala philosophers, the followers of Patanjali Muni, regard you as the supreme independent Personality of Godhead, who has no equal or superior.” ( Srimad Bhagavatam – 8.12.9 )

In this way, through one’s OWN consciousness and ideas of what the Absolute is, prevents one from arriving at a true understanding, the Supreme Being remains unaffected, waiting for us to purify and spiritualize our consciousness to perceive the ultimate reality as He is.

is krishna the supreme god
cute lord krishna images

THE BEAUTY OF Sri KRISHNA

“    Lord Krishna’s beauty is described in numerous prayers, padas, and portions of the Vedic literatures. There are many verses / shlokas that describe this aspect of Sri Krishna.

 

An example of this is found when Lord Brahma relates Lord Krishna’s form in the many verses of his Brahma Samhita. He also explains the beauty of Lord Krishna in his prayers that he directly offered to the Lord in the Bhagavatam.

 

            He says,

 

श्रीब्रह्मोवाच
नौमीड्य तेऽभ्रवपुषे तडिदम्बराय गुञ्जावतंसपरिपिच्छलसन्मुखाय ।
वन्यस्रजे कवलवेत्रविषाणवेणु लक्ष्मश्रिये मृदुपदे पशुपाङ्गजाय ॥ १ ॥

 

  • Lord Krishna’s body is dark blue like a new cloud.
  • His garments are like brilliant lightning,
  • The beauty of Krishna’s face is enhanced by His earrings and the peacock feather He wears on His head.
  • He stands beautifully while wearing garlands made from the forest flowers, carrying a herding stick, a buffalo horn, and a flute.

( Srimad Bhagavatam – 10.14.1 )

 

स्वमूर्त्या लोकलावण्यनिर्मुक्त्या लोचनं नृणाम् ।
गीर्भिस्ता: स्मरतां चित्तं पदैस्तानीक्षतां क्रिया: ॥ ६ ॥
आच्छिद्य कीर्तिं सुश्लोकां वितत्य ह्यञ्जसा नु कौ ।
तमोऽनया तरिष्यन्तीत्यगात् स्वं पदमीश्वर: ॥ ७ ॥

 

              Sri Krishna’s personal form is so attractive that it is considered the reservoir of all beauty.

 

In fact, all beautiful things emanate from Him.

 

His form is so attractive that it directs one’s attention away from all other objects. Those same objects then seem devoid of attractiveness after seeing Lord Krishna.

 

Thus, He attracts the minds of all people. His words also captivated the minds of all who remembered them.

 

Even seeing His footsteps, people were attracted. Thus, Krishna spreads His glories which are sung everywhere throughout the universe in the most sublime and essential Vedic verses.

 

Lord Krishna says that by hearing and chanting about His glorious pastimes, the conditioned souls within this world could cross the ocean of ignorance.

( Srimad Bhagavatam – 11.1.7 )

 

              The attractive nature of Sri Krishna is further described in the Caitanya-caritamrita ( Madhya-lila, 17.139-140

 

“The transcendental qualities of Sri Krishna are completely blissful and relishable. Consequently Lord Krishna’s qualities attract even the minds of self-realized persons from the bliss of self-realization.

 

Those who are self-satisfied and unattracted by external material desires are also attracted to the loving service of Sri Krishna, whose qualities are transcendental and whose activities are wonderful.

 

Hari, the Personality of Godhead, is called Krishna because He has such transcendentally attractive features.”

 

              Many of the Gosvamis of Vrindavana who had personally realized the attractive features of the Supreme wrote many books about the transcendental personality of God.

 

One of the greatest of these saints was Rupa Gosvami (1489-1564 A.D.) who wrote a list of Krishna’s characteristics in his book, Bhakti rasamrita-sindhu.

 

This list describes 64 different qualities of God that are mentioned in the Vedic literatures.

 

This again confirms that the Lord is not merely an impersonal force, but a person who interacts in every way with the creation and the living entities that are within the creation that manifests from Him.

 

The list from the Vedic literatures includes the following qualities:

 

1) Beautiful features of the entire bod

2) Marked with all auspicious characteristics;

3) Extremely pleasing

4) Effulgent

5) Strong

6) Ever youthful

7) Wonderful linguist

8) Truthful

9) Talks pleasingly

10) Fluent

11) Highly learned

12) Highly intelligent

13) A genius

14) Artistic

15) Extremely clever

16) Expert

17) Grateful

18) Firmly determined

19) An expert judge of time and circumstances

20) Sees and speaks on the authority of the scriptures–the Veda

21) Pure

22) Self-controlled

23) Steadfast

24) Forbearing

25) Forgiving

26) Grave
27) Self-satisfied

28) Possessing equilibrium

29) Magnanimous

30) Religious

31) Heroic

32) Compassionate

33) Respectful

34) Gentle

35) Liberal

36) Shy

37) Protector of surrendered souls

38) Happy

39) Well-wisher of devotees

40) Controlled by love

41) All-auspicious

42) Most powerful

43) All-famous

44) Popular

45) Partial to devotees

46) Very attractive to all women

47) All-worshipable

48) All-opulent

49) All-honorable, and

50) The Supreme controller.

 

These fifty qualities, however, may also be found in varying degrees in some of the jivas or common living entities in this universe. But they are found in Lord Krishna to an unlimited degree.

 

But besides these 50 qualities, there are five more which may also be manifested at times in the forms of Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva. These are:

 

51) Changeless

52) All-cognizant

53) Ever-fresh

54) Sat-cid-ananda-vigraha–possessing a transcendental form of eternity, full of knowledge and absolute bliss and

55) Possessing all mystic perfection.

 

Beyond the above mentioned qualities, which may be seen in other forms of Divinity such as the demigods, Lord Krishna has the following exceptional qualities which are also manifested in his form of Narayana or Vishnu, His form as the Lord of Vaikuntha. These are:

 

56) Inconceivable potency

57) Uncountable universes are generated from His body

58) The original source of all incarnations

59) The giver of salvation to the enemies He kills and

60) The attractor of liberated souls.

 

Besides the above-mentioned traits, Lord Krishna has four more qualities that are found only in Him, and not even in His forms of Vishnu, not to mention any of the demigods. These are:

 

61) The performer of wonderful pastimes (especially his childhood pastimes)

62) Surrounded by devotees endowed with unsurpassed love of Godhead

63) The attractor of all living entities in all universes through the expert playing of His flute and

64) Possessor of unexcelled beauty without rival.

 

All of these qualities are those of someone who has a highly developed form and personality.

 

Obviously, there is no more elevated truth or higher bliss than the personal form of the Supreme.

 

As Sri Krishna says: “O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna], there is no truth superior to Me.” ( Bhagavad Gita – 7.7 )

 

Many great transcendental scholars, including

 

  • Ramanujacharya,
  • Madhvacharya,
  • Vallabhacharya,
  • Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,
  • Baladeva,
  • As well as Lord Brahma,

who, after performing many austerities for spiritual purification, became perfectly self-realized and, getting a glimpse of the Lord’s spiritual nature, Lord Brahma composed the Brahma Samhita many thousands of years ago and described what were his confidential realizations.

 

One such verse is the following: “Krishna, who is known as Govinda, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.” ( Brahma-samhita – 5.1 )

golok dham
vaikund

SRI KRISHNA’S ETERNAL SPIRITUAL ABODE

“      The Vedic literatures describes that there are innumerable spiritual planets in the spiritual sky beyond this material creation, each having one of the unlimited forms of the Lord with countless devotees engaging in His service.

 

In the center of all the spiritual planets of Vaikuntha (meaning the spiritual sky where there is no anxiety) is the planet known as Krishnaloka or Goloka Vrindavana.

 

This is the personal abode of the original Supreme Personality of God, Sri Krishna.

 

Sri Krishna enjoys His transcendental bliss in multiple forms on that planet, and all the opulences of the other Vaikuntha planets are found there.

 

This planet is shaped like a lotus flower and many kinds of pastimes are taking place on each leaf of that lotus, as described in Brahma-samhita, verses two and four:

 

“The superexcellent station of Krishna, which is known as Gokula, has thousands of petals and a corolla like that of a lotus sprouted from a part of His infinitary aspect, the whorl of the leaves being the actual abode of Krishna.

 

The whorl of that eternal realm, Gokula, is the hexagonal abode of Krishna.

 

Its petals are the abodes of gopis who are part and parcel of Krishna to whom they are most lovingly devoted and are similar in essence.

 

The petals shine beautifully like so many walls. The extended leaves of that lotus are the garden-like dhama, or spiritual abode of Sri Radhika, the most beloved of Krishna.”

 

            The only business that Sri Krishna has in the spiritual realm is transcendental enjoyment.

 

The only business of Krishna’s eternal servants or devotees is to offer enjoyment to Him.

 

The more enjoyment the devotees offer to Krishna, the happier He becomes.

 

The happier Krishna becomes, the more His devotees become enlivened and taste eternal, transcendental ecstasy.

 

In this way, there is an ever-increasing competition of spiritual ecstasy between Krishna and His parts and parcels.

 

This is the only business in the spiritual world, as confirmed in Brahma-samhita, verse 6:

 

“The Lord of Gokula is the Transcendental Supreme Godhead, the own Self of eternal ecstacies.

 

He is superior to all superiors and is busily engaged in the enjoyments of the transcendental realm and has no association with His mundane [material] potency.”

 

            Though it is not possible to experience spiritual pastimes or to see the form of the Supreme with our ordinary senses, but by spiritualizing our senses by the practice of devotional Bhakti yoga we can reach the platform of perceiving the Supreme at every moment.

 

At that time we start becoming conscious of Krishna & his pastimes and can begin to enter into the pastimes (leelas) of Krishna, although we may still be situated within this material body.

 

This is the power of Bhakti Yoga.

 

If we become fully spiritualized in this manner, there is no doubt that when we give up this material body, we will return to the spiritual world.

 

Until then, we can continue studying the Bhagavad Gita & Srimad Bhagavatam to remember and be conversant about the beauty and loveliness of the spiritual world, as described as follows:

 

            “Vrindavana-dhama is a place of ever-increasing joy.

 

  • Flowers and fruits of all seasons grow there, and that transcendental land is full of the sweet sound of various birds.
  • All directions resound with the humming of bumblebees, and it is served with cool breezes and the waters of the Yamuna River.
  • Vrindavana is decorated with wish-fulfilling trees wound with creepers and beautiful flowers.
  • Its divine beauty is ornamented with the pollen of red, blue and white lotuses.
  • The ground is made of jewels whose dazzling glory is equal to a myriad of suns rising in the sky at one time.
  • On that ground is a garden of desire trees, which always shower divine love.
  • In that garden is a jeweled temple whose pinnacle is made of rubies.
  • It is decorated with various jewels, so it remains brilliantly effulgent through all seasons of the year.
  • The temple is beautified with bright-colored canopies, glittering with various gems, and endowed with ruby-decorated coverings and jeweled gateways and arches.
  • Its splendour is equal to millions of suns, and it is eternally free from the six waves of material miseries.
  • In that temple there is a great golden throne inlaid with many jewels.

In this way one should meditate on the divine realm of the Supreme Lord, Sri Vrindavana-dhama.”

 

( Gautamiya Tantra 4 )

 

Furthermore other shlokas states,

 

            “I worship that transcendental seat, known as Svetadvipa where as loving consorts the Lakshmis, in their unalloyed spiritual essence, practice the amorous service of the Supreme Lord Krishna as their only lover;

 

  • Where every tree is a transcendental purpose-tree.
  • Where the soil is the purpose-gem.
  • Water is nectar.
  • Every word is a song.
  • Every gait is a dance.
  • The flute is the favorite attendant.
  • Effulgence is full of transcendental bliss and
  • The supreme spiritual entities are all enjoyable and tasty.
  • Where numberless (unlimited) milch-cows always emit transcendental oceans of milk.
  • Where there is eternal existence of transcendental time.
  • Who is ever present and without past or future and hence is not subject to the quality of passing away even for the duration of half a moment.

That realm is known as Goloka only to a very few self-realized souls in this world.”

( Brahma-samhita – 5.56 )

 

          By studying and hearing about the beauty of the spiritual world, we will understand that everything we are looking for, in this life has its origin in that eternal realm.

 

           There, as it is described, one finds freedom from all pains and suffering, and the atmosphere is unlimitedly full of ever-expanding beauty, joy, happiness, knowledge, and eternal, loving relationships.

 

It is a world full of recreation only, without the struggle for maintaining our existence.

 

There is never any hunger, and we can feast and never get full.

 

Neither is there any lamentation over the past or fear of the future. It is said that time is conspicuous by its absence.

 

Thus, the needs of the soul for complete freedom and unbounded love and happiness are found in the spiritual atmosphere.

 

That is our real home.