The dreamland of mysticism and spiritualism reverberates throughout Krishna legend for those seeking a new heaven, Krishna loka, says Dr Asha Goswami
The spiritual and mystical significations of the Krishna concept have inspired the mankind from time immemorial. Spiritualism and mysticism, which are considered its most important aspects, have assimilated with it in the later Puranas. The later vaishnava acharyas, with an objective to provide theological ideals to the people, had purposely woven around Krishna fantastic spiritual aura, which the people could resort to and forget sordid experiences of life.
It is also held that most of the Krishna legends are construed according to the pattern of mysticism and symbology. Now, what is mysticismIJ It is a process of reaching the direct and intuitive experience of the supreme reality or to experience the transports of the divine passion by using metaphors from amorous phraseology such as when the wine is treated as equivalent to devotion and the drunkenness and merriment are held as arduous religious acts. Such being the signification of mysticism, theology and spiritualism can be also termed its synonyms. The study of Krishna legends shows that mostly these are replete with mystic and spiritual imports.The term lila, which is generally applied for the Krishna legend, being the main basis for the same. Sincelila itself denotes an event which does not belong to the past and is not historical, rather it belongs to the realm of mysticism and is a divine act which is ever present in time, and space; it is even present in the life of every spiritual person.
Moreover, Shri Krishna himself over several centuries had been the object of profound philosophical and mystical speculations with a set of concepts, such as the theory of rebirth and metamorphism (change of personality). Along with it, the ideals of Bengal Vaishavism, which were full of mysticism, were incorporated in the reconstructed Krishna legend. The same led to assume River Yamuna and its waters as symbols of sushumna nadi, the river of life from which flows the nectar prana; Putana in her former life as daughter of the demon King Bali and a great devotee of Vishnu Krishna; Kalpa tree of heaven to have turned into the Kadamb tree; Siddhas, sadhyas and Gandharvas to have incarnated into the birds at Vrindavana. Krishna’s flute is held the same as God Rudra himself. Besides, the concept of symbol is applied to Shri Krishna right from his birth. His birth as the eighth child apart from denoting mystical significations that he serves the helping medium for the evolution of a jiva (endowed with seven faculties) also depicts him as representative of super perfection, since the number seven stands for perfection. His association with Yogamaya, who helped him arrive into the world, is held as suggesting Samkhya philosophy’s famous dogma that Param Purusha’s arrival into the world is possible with the help of prakriti only.
Similarly, Krishna’s other Vrajalilas with Radha are treated ever eternal and being constantly repeated throughout the space. His other associates at Vraja are held as reincarnations of the Gods. Whereas, the asuras killed by him in mystical terminology represent all types of vices. Vrindavana is mystically termed the garden of everybody’s heart where Shri Krishna teaches devotion of love through the symphony of flute to all those who offer their hearts to him. As Vraja of Krishna mystically represents the highest platform of the deep realisation of an individual, at the same time, Gokula stands for the abode of bliss incarnate Nanda, who himself is one and the same as Brahma. Hence, his abode Gokula represents the Brahmaloka where the trees represent the ascetics of the previous yuga. Gokula also stands for the field of spiritual growth and devotional pursuits and for the highest state of spiritually awakened person, which is fully under the control of Nanda, the bliss incarnate supreme being. Gopis’ love for Krishna mystically implies love of the individual soul for the supreme soul. The lakuti (stick) carried by Krishna is representative of God Brahma. The cows, that are constantly taken care of by him, represent his devotees, as they always give him the milk of their devotion.
Accordingly, Krishna’s stealing of butter from Gopis’ houses, which is one of the most sportive Krishna lilas was enacted by him to instil supreme delight in Gopis’ hearts and also to steal away their evil thoughts. Krishna’s dancing on the hoods of Kaliya serpent spiritually denotes that he could in a sportive way deal with the purification of the surrounding region which was affected by the venomous serpent. Hisraasa enactment with Radha and the Gopis spiritually denotes his playing and enjoying with his own self, or aatmakreeda, and the Gopis are held representing his own self. Krishna’s raasa dance also runs parallel with erotic mysticism, a mode of Krishnabhakti where the mighty sex impulse is converted into a passionate holy emotion. Krishna’s arrival at Mathura and enthroning his maternal grandfather spiritually denotes a pilgrim’s journey and his progress towards the supreme father’s abode, and also the individual soul entering the ultimate blissful state. Kamsa, as the Kalanemi incarnate who was killed by Krishna at Mathura, mystically implies the spiritual evolution by jiva by putting down the effects of time. As Dvarakadhisha, Shri Krishna too represents the supreme Brahma himself, while his varied wives are held as representing the rays of the Sun.
Spiritually, it is also believed that Krishna does not possess the material body, as the Krishna name itself suggests him as representing accumulation of dark complexion; one who is the resort of glory; is the accumulation of all bright things; one who constitutes the forms of all the beings and is the abode of all. While concluding the spiritual overtones of Krishna legends it may be ascertained that the fantastic dreamland of mysticism and spiritualism reverberates throughout the Krishna legend for the souls seeking onto a new heaven, Krishna loka, which is divided into different regions Vrindavana-Mathura and Dvaraka.
The writer is a noted Indologist and authority on Krishnaite Studies