Why Do We Celebrate Janmashtami?

Question: Swami Ji, Janmashtami is celebrated as the birth of Shri Krishna. But is Krishna's birth really like our birth?

Swami Yugal Sharan Ji: This is a very interesting question. Janmashtami is one of the most auspicious events in Sanatana Dharma. And notice that we call it Janmashtami, not Avatarashtami.

Shri Krishna Himself gives us the answer in the Bhagavad Gita. He tells Arjuna that His birth and His actions are transcendental and divine.

He also explains that both He and Arjuna have taken birth innumerable times. The difference is that Arjuna has forgotten his previous births, whereas Krishna, being Sarvajña, omniscient, remembers each of His births as well as the births of others.

“My birth and My actions are all transcendental; they are all divine.”

Therefore, all the scriptures tell us very emphatically that Shri Krishna takes Janma, He takes birth. But His birth is not an ordinary material birth like ours.

That is why we celebrate Janmashtami, the most auspicious day in Sanatana Dharma.

Why Does God Take Incarnation?

Question: If Krishna is the Supreme God, why does He appear in this world?

Swami Yugal Sharan Ji: Shri Krishna Himself anticipated this question. In the Bhagavad Gita, He explains that when righteousness declines and unrighteousness rises, He appears in the world.

“For the protection of the saints and for the annihilation of the wrongdoers, Shri Krishna takes incarnation.”

This is the familiar explanation: God appears to establish righteousness, protect the saints, destroy evil, and annihilate wrongdoers.

But then another question arises.

God creates the entire universe at His slightest gesture. At His will, complete dissolution can also take place. If He wishes to destroy evil or protect the righteous, He can accomplish it simply by His will.

So why would He personally appear for this purpose?

There must be something deeper behind His incarnation.

Is There a Deeper Purpose Behind Krishna's Appearance?

Swami Yugal Sharan Ji: There is another beautiful explanation given by Kunti in the Srimad Bhagavatam.

Kunti says that God takes incarnation to give the Brahmanandis, those absorbed in the impersonal form of God, the unique opportunity to experience Premananda, the bliss of divine love.

But then another question arises: How many Brahmanandis are there?

Very few.

The qualifications for pursuing the impersonal Brahman are exceedingly difficult, and even an Atma-Jnani has to practice devotion to the Supreme Lord to attain Brahma-Jnana.

So would God take incarnation only for these few?

Again, it does not seem logical.

Because the majority of people in this material world are engrossed in material enjoyment.

So, is there a provision for people like us?

Yes.

What Does Krishna Leave Behind?

Swami Yugal Sharan Ji: When Shri Krishna descends into this material world, He does not simply appear and disappear.

He comes with His Naam, Roop, Guna, Leela, Dham, and His associates.

And when His incarnation is over and He returns to His own abode, He leaves these behind in this material world.

“I will have a name. I will have a form. I will have traits. I will have sweet pastimes. I will have My divine abode. And I will have My associates.”

These six become the means through which we can practice devotion.

We can remember His Naam, contemplate His Roop, become absorbed in His Guna, remember His Leela, meditate upon His Dham, and associate ourselves with those who are devoted to Him.

Through these, the mind becomes engrossed in Krishna, and we can ultimately attain Him.

This is especially significant because the vast majority of people in this material world belong to this category. God therefore has a provision not only for the rare Brahma-Jnanis, but also for ordinary people like us.

So, yes, Krishna appears to establish righteousness, destroy evil, and protect the saints.

But His appearance also gives humanity a path to remember Him, love Him, and attain Him.

And that is one of the deeper meanings of Janmashtami.

To be continued...

Radhe Radhe