 |
|
Sri
Krishna: His Birth and Activities |
|
|
Lord
Krishna appeared over five thousand years
ago in Mathura, India to Devaki and Vasudeva in the jail cell
of the tyrant Kamsa. The place of His birth is known as Sri
Krishna Janmasthana. He appeared with His brother Balarama
in response to the demigods' prayers for protection from the
widespread influence of demonic administration on earth.
Previously, the demigods and demons had been at war in the
heavens. When the demons were defeated by the demigods, they
decided to instead attack this planet earth. Thus, they invaded
the earth by discretely taking birth as princes in powerful
royal families of the time.
|
And
as the earth became overrun by militaristic activities of
these kingly demons, the demigods including the Earth goddess
earnestly sought Lord Visnu's protection. Seeing the deteriorating
social and political conditions and hearing the prayers of
the demigods, the all-compassionate Supreme Lord Sri Krishna
decided to descend for the benefit of all. |
The
Supreme Lord descends from time to time in this material world
to reestablish the teachings of the Vedas. In His Bhagavad-gita,
Lord Krishna promises: "Whenever and wherever there is
a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata,
and a predominant rise of irreligion--at that time I descend
Myself. To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants,
as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself
appear milleniumm after millenium.". |
Although
eternal the Lord appears in specific circumstances out of
mercy for His devotees. In fact, His principal biography,
the Srimad Bhagavatam states, "the learned men describe
the births and activities of the Unborn and Inactive."
Therefore, although He appears within the material dimensions
of time and space, He is most definitely not of it. |
Historically,
Lord Krishna appeared on the midnight of the 8th day of the
dark half of the month of Sravana. This corresponds to July
19th 3228 BC. He exhibited His pastimes for a little over
125 years and dissappeared on February 18th 3102 BC on the
new moon night of Phalguna. (His departure marks the beginning
of the current age of corruption known as Kali.) |
The
great scholar Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti neatly outlines
Lord Krishna's activities in this way: the first three years
and four months were spent in Gokula, then equal lengths of
time in Vmdavana and Nandagram, eighteen years and four months
in Mathura, and finally ninety-six years and eight months
in Dvaraka totalling 125 years of manifest pastimes. See the
Krishna-lila chart. |
Lord
Krishna's early pastimes are briefly summarized at the website
Krishna's Adventures in Vraja"During this childhood time
, He grew up as the son of His foster parents Nanda and Yasoda
in the midst of the idyllic beauty of Gokula, Vrindavana,
and Nandagram. Not only did He destroy numerous demons, but
also performed His famous rasa dance. |
Krishna
enjoyed the dance of love (rasa-lila) with the gopis many
of whom are expansions of His own internal energies. The supreme
gopi known as Srimati Radharani is the object of Krishna's
highest devotion. This beautiful dance would occur in the
autumn season at night under a full moon when Lord Krsna would
captivate the young gopis with the extraordinary music of
His flute . These esoteric pastimes constitute the most confidential
expression of divinity ever revealed. |
Usually
the conception of sprirtual perfection consists of overwhelming
feelings only of awe and reverence at God's majesty. However,
in these pastimes each devotee loves God either as a master,
a best freind, a mischievous son, or even as an intimate lover,
thus revealing the infinite possibilities of divine love.
These early pastimes of Lord Krishna in Vrindavana illustrate
the extraordinary intimacy that one can have with God. These
pastimes are described in detail by Sri Visvantha Chakravarti
in his Sri Krishna Bhavanamrta Mahakavya |
When
Krishna and Balarama were older, They were invited to Mathura,
where Kansa, Their demonic uncle, was planning Their death
in a wrestling match against two large and powerful wrestlers.
When Kansa saw his wrestlers defeated, he ordered his friends
to drive the brothers out of Mathura, plunder the riches of
Their cowherd friends, and kill Their fathers, Nanda and Vasudeva.
However, Krishna immediately killed Kansa and Balarama killed
his eight brothers. Lord Krishna then established the pious
King Ugrasena as the emperor of several kingdoms. |
In
Mathura, both Krishna and Balarama were initiated by Gargamuni
in the Gayatri mantra> Later They went to live under the
care of Sandipani Muni who instructed Them in all the Vedic
arts and sciences in sixty-four days and nights especially
in military science, politics and spirituality. As an offering
(guru-daksina) to Their teacher, They recovered his son from
death. Although God does not need instruction from anyone
else, Lord Krishna and His brother set the perfect example
: one must accept instruction from and serve a bona-fide spiritual
master to advance in spiritual life. |
For
the next eighteen years, They continued to live in Mathura
halting the impending threat of many demonic kings. Later
in Their pastimes Lord Balarama married a princess named Revati.
Lord Krishna married many queens, the foremost among them
being the extraordinarily beautiftil Queen Rukmini. (See Sri
Rukmini website for the story of Their marriage). Both Krishna
and Balarama established Their palaces in Dwaraka off the
coast of western India, where They enjoyed married life for
many years. Although They were married, Lord Krishna and Lord
Balarama exhibited the quality of detachment from material
life perfectly. |
When
They were about ninety years old, the great world war of Kuruksetra
took place. This climactic battle brought together all the
major world leaders. Lord Krishna took the role of a charioteer
on the side of the pious Pandavas, while Lord Balarama refusing
to participate went on a pilgrimage tour thereby blessing
the entire land of India. |
At
the start of the war, Lord Krishna displayed His stupendous
Universal Form delivered His famous message known as the Bhagavad-gita,
literally the Song of God. This Song contains the essence
of all knowledge having been spoken by the Supreme Lord Sri
Krishna Himself. This war concluded with the destruction of
the demonic kings and the reinstatement of the righteous Pandava
princes. |
Having
completed Their mission, Balarama and Krishna resumed Their
life in Dwaraka where They spent some thirty-five more years
before ending Their earthly manifest activities The foremost
description of Lord Krishna's activities occurs in the Srimad
Bhagavatam, literally "the Beautiful Book of God."
|
