Today is Krishna Janmashtami

AUM 

Dear Beautiful People,

Today is Krishna Janmashtami - birthday of Lord Krishna. Krishna signifies ANANDA  or Infinite Bliss. So Janmanstami is the celebration of of the birth of Ananda or Bliss in the life of a spiritual seeker. It is the day the Divine Bliss becomes manifest within us. 

SYMBOLISM
KRISHNA is a symbol for ANANDA (infinite bliss) born from the yoga or union of the body represented by mother Devaki and mind / prana represented by father Vasudeva.  So when prana or the life force flows through the body,  Ananda is born. But at that time, the ego (represented by KAMSA, Lord Krishna’s maternal uncle wants to destroy the bliss. Ananda and ego cannot coexist. That is why eventually Lord Krishna kills Kamsa. 

Kamsa (Devaki’s brother) represents the ego and ego is born along with the birth of the body which is Devki. So to protect Krishna or Ananda, his father Vasudeva (the mind) took him away across the river Yamuna (a symbol for love) to reach Nanda ’s Gokula where lives Yashoda (faith) , Radha (single pointed devotion) and the Gopis (faith).

Ananda is born of the yoga of body and mind but to be sustained it needs faith and devotion. Otherwise the ego will kill it. 

Lord Krishna was born in the prison cell. When there is no Ananda or bliss, the body feels like a prison. But when Krishna was born, all the guards of the prison ( our sense organs) fell asleep. these guards serve Kamsa or our ego.  But when bliss is born all the senses are not awake to the external world. 

Lord Krishna or Ananda is born along with the power of His Yogamaya (who is the cause of delusion in this world) to assist Him.  Yogamaya’s first job was to transfer the 7th child growing in Devaki’s womb to one of Vasudeva’s other wife Rohini who lived in Gokul. This child would be known was Balarama. Balarama’s constant association with Krishna makes him the protector (BALA = protector and supporter of Dharma)

The Lord would then enter Devaki’s womb as the 8th child Krishna and at the same time Yogamaya entered the womb of Yashoda. Krishna and Yogamaya were exchanged by Vasudeva.  Again we can only experience Krishna or his Yogamaya but not both at the same time.  Also, we have to attempt to kill Yogamaya to be able to get the information as to where to find Krishna, however, we cannot kill yogamaya ourself but She herself will chose to release us from the power of maya and will lead us to Krishna! 

Thus, on Janmashtami we celebrate not just the birth of Lord Krishna at some place and certain time but within ourself. Through yoga of the body, breath, and mind the INFINITE BLISS manifests within us as Krishna - the Dark One- without beginning and without end. This bliss can be nourished and sustained through love  (Yashoda) and single pointed devotion (Radha) and faith (Gopis) . Then we can experience Krishna which is the true significance of Janmashtami. 

Wishing you all the love and light of Lord Krishna. May the Supreme Consciousness lead us all from UNTRUTH to TRUTH, from DARKNESS to LIGHT and from DEATH unto IMMORTALITY. 

Your Partner in Positive Change,
Nivedita