Sunday August 13, 2017
The Birth of Lord Krishna and the Birth of a Nation
One of the most auspicious festivals celebrated in India is Janmashtami, the birth of Lord Krishna. This year 2017, is a unique year, as both Janmashtami and the Indian Independence Day fall on the same day!
Every year, Independence Day, commemorates India’s independence. It marks the sacrifices of many great heroes in their effort to make India free. Even though India is free today, we remain to free ourselves from the clutches of our inner enemies like anger, pride, deceit and greed. How long will we be bound by these? The answer is, until we realize our true Self.
On the other hand, Janmashtami, is celebrated all over the world in a very vibrant way. It includes singing, fasting, going to the temple, praying together, and preparing and sharing special food. However, along with devotion, one needs to understand how he can attain liberation. In the battlefield of Mahabharata, Lord Krishna imparted the knowledge of the Self to Arjuna, with the help of which Arjuna could fight the war without charging any karma. This allowed him to attain liberation in that very lifetime.
Lord Krishna preached about surrendering to Him, meaning His own true Self (the Soul). Therefore, a true devotee is the one who understands and follows His message to attain real freedom from the cycle of birth and death and attain permanent happiness.
So let us all celebrate both these auspicious occasions with Lord Krishna’s divine vision in our hearts. Let us direct this new found vision towards our real freedom as a true devotee as well as accomplishing the goal of human life to its fullest.