Shri Krishna’s Living Presence of Love
Behind the perishable faces of this world stands the one imperishable Reality, the Supreme Self, beyond all space and time. Janmashtami is the holy day that this eternal power took form in Gokula to uplift the world during dark times.
The birth and deeds of Shri Krishna, who lies beyond word and beyond thought, cannot truly be told. By releasing a Ganga-flood of loving devotion in countless hearts, by sweeping away the dust of ages, by re-establishing dharma and giving us the essence of the scriptures through the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord brought about a new dawn for humankind.
Such an avatar is the never-ending source of the universe folding itself, of its own will, into the small vessel of a human form, and walking among us as an “ordinary” person.
It is a rare grace to be able to see the Divine in this form with our very own eyes, hear it with our ears, speak to it with our lips, touch it with our hands, and feel it with our hearts.
Mere words cannot give the sweetness of honey, but let a single drop fall on the tongue, and we know it at once. This is what the presence of an enlightened being imparts to the world. Their company is itself a path to the experience of the Self. As the very light of the world, they live on forever in the hearts of the people they reach.
This was the experience Shri Krishna offered to everyone who saw him. From the moment of his birth, life was thick with obstacles and opposition, yet he went forward unshaken.
He protected those in need of protection and corrected those in need of correction. He consoled the grieving, gave courage to the faint-hearted, and showed the way to those who had lost it. In hearts that were pure, he awakened selfless love.
According to their level of understanding, Shri Krishna gave each one the fruits of their lives — teachings, understanding, prosperity, righteousness, fulfilment, and liberation. In every way, the lives of all those who came to the Lord were blessed.
For the sake of dharma, Krishna was ever at work, and he honoured every kind of labour alike, counting none too lowly. As Arjuna’s charioteer, he tended the horses. At Yudhishthira’s great sacrifice, he washed the feet of the guests. When Draupadi’s garment was pulled away in insult before the court, he made the cloth endless so her honour was saved.
Shri Krishna lived on Earth both as the protector of devotees and as their servant, attached to nothing, flowing along with time. By his life, his work, his teachings, and just his presence, he made every particle of the Earth he stepped upon sacred again.
When an actor enters the stage, he plays his role as though it were life itself; so too did Krishna live in the world as a divine play. A theatre performance is meant to give joy to those who watch, and to carry within it a teaching of values.
In just this way, the Lord both delighted the people around him and taught them the lessons of dharma. The many acts of this sacred story, from scenes of sorrow to scenes of joy, led to the redemption of countless souls.
Krishna manifested many wonders, yet the greatest wonder was the loving devotion he awakened in human hearts, above all in the gopis of Vrindavan. Those simple, unlettered village women rose to a height that even the sages could not reach.
Even if we have everything else in life, we become truly blessed only when there is sincere love for God, and we surrender everything to Him. That is the message of Shri Krishna’s life.
Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, known simply as Amma, is a spiritual master and humanitarian who has given her darshan in the form of a motherly embrace to more than 4 crore people. Listening to the cries of the suffering, Amma leads the Mata Amritanandamayi Math, an NGO that reaches across more than 50 countries, working in the areas of healthcare, disaster relief, education, gender equality, and environmental restoration; Views presented are personal.
