The account of lord Krishna bringing about a great war has been subjected to literal interpretation, whereas, in reality, it is an allegorical description referring to man’s fight against demons and vices, deeply-rooted within himself. By Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj ji
lord Krishna, the evergreen deity, has been the most enigmatic in our ancient mythology. So much has been written about him in the last 100 years, yet nobody has understood him fully. Isn’t it surprisingij What is it that makes him so mysteriousij Some believe Krishna was an incarnation, whereas some believe that he was God himself. Others equally emphatically deny his divinity, keeping in view his deeds and conduct as narrated in ancient literature.
Believers see Krishna as the ocean of knowledge, peace, bliss, and love as he is also supremely pure and benevolent. They also believe that these attributes are not mutually contradictory. For instance, if God makes use of his power, that use shouldn’t be for a violent act, otherwise it will be contradictory to his being. Thus, keeping in view the prevailing accounts of war and violence attributed to lord Krishna, believers in the creed of non-violence find it hard to reconcile them with their faith in God as an absolutely non-violent entity.
Similarly, the amorous love tales in folklore are much misunderstood. For instance, the account of Shri Krishna stealing the clothes of gopis is interpreted in its gross, literal sense, whereas it carries a spiritual metaphor. It is intended to rid devotees and worshippers of their gross body consciousness. Similarly, the account of lord Krishna bringing about a great war has been subjected to a literal interpretation, whereas, in reality, it is an allegorical description referring to man’s fight against demons and vices, deeply-rooted within himself.
Krishna, to whom various descriptions are attributed, was not a human being – a son born to a mother, who grew from infancy to youth and was busy killing this person and that, by wielding his weapon, named Sudarshan Chakra — but simply the attributive name of God himself who, “in the night of deep ignorance,” enters the body of a human being through whom he works and acts. The question that remains now is that if Krishna is the attributive name of the Supreme, who was Shri Krishna with the peacock crown on his head, whose images are worshiped in thousands of temples in Indiaij It can be said in this connection that he was the first crown prince of Bharat who, because of his brilliant character, is adored among the deities.
His crown itself is the proof of the fact that he was the sovereign king, while the peacock feathers in it are symbolic of his purity. In reality, however, God is a self-luminous entity above birth and death. So let us celebrate Janamashtami in its truest sense by understanding magical qualities of lord Krishna and get entitled to our godly birthright of heaven.