The joy of Janmashtami
— Grand Master Akshar
It is that time of the celestial year when the doorway to every home is dotted with little, pink feet that mischievously lead to pot fulls of butter tucked away in the sanctum. It is an act of faith, hope and anticipation where we await the personification of love, Lord Krishna, to come home in the late hours of the night and feast upon the many wonderous treats prepared just for him. Treats prepared to celebrate his coming to our world, his favourite being mounds of silky butter.
Lord Krishna: the embodiment of love, the personification of beauty, perfecter of all arts, captor of devotee’s hearts. His time here on Earth enriched our planet and its residents with the most glorious and spectacular events, starting right from the miraculous moment of his birth.
The epitome of divinity, dear Krishna was born after sunset, within the dungeons where his mother, Queen Devaki and King Vasudeva had been imprisoned for years awaiting his birth. A plan hatched by his demon uncle, King Kamsa, who had been told that Lord Krishna would be the cause for his demise. Knowing their darling child would need to be whisked away before Kamsa came to know of his birth, King Vasudeva swiftly bundled up his precious baby and carried him in a basket out the prison walls, across the holy Yamuna river which withdrew to allow the safe passage of the Lord where he would be raised by his foster parents Nanda and Yashoda.
So began some of the most awe-inspiring events in our history, born a prisoner, growing into a mischievous prankster, blooming as the captor of all hearts and rising as the Warrior King who would decide the fate of the entire Universe.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says to Arjuna, “O Dear Arjuna, my birth and Karm (work) is a wondrous occurrence. Anyone who can understand this will be able to understand this existence. He or she will be able to decipher the mysteries of this world, comprehend its happenings and also be able to predict its future outcomes. This supernatural ability and knowledge will be bestowed upon such a person who will achieve wholeness.”