We must cleanse our hearts first for Krishna to enter it

Vedic scriptures explain that Krishna is the Supreme Lord.  Vedic scriptures explain that Krishna is the Supreme Lord. Brahma Samhitasays, Isvarah paramah Krishna/ saccidananda vigrahah, which means ‘Krishna who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body.’ So, now the question is, if Krishna is God and is eternal then why  he has to appear or take birth?  We can understand this by the analogy of the sun. When early in the morning we see sun in the eastern horizon we say that sun has appeared (or is born) and when it sets in the evening, we say the sun has disappeared. But the sun is always there in the sky. Based on our seeing it or not seeing it, we say, it appeared or disappeared. Similarly, Krishna is eternal. When we see him on earth, we say that he has appeared and when he finishes his pastimes and returns to the spiritual world, we say he has disappeared because we cannot see him.

Janmashtami is the day when Krishna appeared in this world. He appeared on the eighth day of dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) in the month of Bhadrapada (August–September). But why does God, Krishna, take birth in this world? What is the need? Krishna answers this in Bhagavad Gita 4.7. He says that he comes here to establish religious principles and to teach people like you and me how to live righteously. He comes to lead us from darkness to light - tamaso ma jyotirgamaya. Krishna appeared in a pitched dark prison cell in the middle of the night to Devaki and Vasudeva who were bound by iron shackles and were living in constant fear of Kamsa. As soon as Krishna appeared, the dark prison cell got illuminated. Not just that, Krishna’s appearance dispelled fear from the heart of Devaki and Vasudeva. Before Krishna appeared, Kamsa had killed six sons of Devaki immediately after they were born. When Devaki and Vasudeva had just got married, a celestial voice had predicted that the eighth child of Devaki will be the cause of Kamsa’s death.  Upon hearing this ominous voice, Kamsa wanted to kill Devaki, his own sister. To save his wife’s life, Vasudeva promised Kamsa that he will deliver all the child of Devaki to him, and Kamsa can do whatever he wants to do with the child. So, one after another Kamsa mercilessly killed the six children. The seventh child was mysteriously transferred to the womb of Rohini, Vasudeva’s other wife who was living in Vraj, from the womb of Devaki. That child was Balarama. Krishna appeared as the eighth child and as predicted, he killed the atrocious demon, Kamsa.

The six sons of Devakiwho were killed by Kamsa represent six rebellious proclivities of the mind – kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (envy), mada (pride), matsara (illusion).As long as we allow these six enemies to reside in our heart, Krishna will not appear in our heart. If we analyse our life, we will find that we suffer in this world because of these six vices which are called anarthas. In Bhagavad Gita 16.21, Krishna says, lust, greed and anger are gateway to hell so every sane man should give these up, for they lead to the degradation of the soul. As soon as we succumb to these lower nature troubles begin in our life. Our mind remains out of our control because of these impurities. It is important that we cleanse our heart of these six enemies which bring inauspiciousness in our life and seek Krishna’s shelter? This has been beautifully explained by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the founder of Gaudiya Vaisnavism and the pioneer of Bhakti Movement. He says that the best way to take Krishna’s shelter is by chanting his holy names like the Hare Krishna Mahamantra which cleanses our hearts. Once our heart is cleansed our mind will come into our control. And when the mind is under our control then we can always live in peace and bliss.So, this Janmashtami let us try to alleviate our life by inviting Krishna to reside in our heart. 

(The author is the Spiritual Guru of International Society  for Krishna Consciousness)