The Mood of Janmashtami

Giriraj Swami: So, a personal request, I mean, overall, I think we are doing quite well, but I like the devotees to have their videos on, so I can see them, it’s more personal. And I will begin by speaking about a very mysterious topic related to Lord Krishna’s birth. Actually, in Vraja there are two birthplaces of Lord Krishna. The famous one is in Mathura, Krishna Janma Bhoomi. But there is another one in Vraja, in Gokula. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam states that Lord Krishna appeared in the prison house of Kamsa in Mathura as the son of Vasudeva and Devaki and thereafter was carried by Vasudeva to Gokula to be taken as their son by Nanda and Yasoda in exchange for Yasoda’s newborn daughter yoga-māyā.

Now, how to solve this mystery? if we look at Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam more closely, we can find the answers. At the beginning of Canto Ten, Chapter Five, we find: nandas tv ātmaja utpanne, jātāhlādo mahā-manāḥ, when Lord Sri Krishna appeared as his son, Nanda Maharaja was overwhelmed with jubilation. And āhūya viprān veda-jñān, snātaḥ śucir alaṅkṛtaḥ, vācayitvā svastyayanaṁ, jāta-karmātmajasya vai. Then Nanda Maharaja arranged to have the Vedic birth ceremony, jāta-karma celebrated for his newborn child.

Then in the purport Srila Prabhupada explains. . .

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

The jāta-karma ceremony can take place when the umbilical cord, connecting the child and the placenta, is cut. However, since Kṛṣṇa was brought by Vasudeva to the house of Nanda Mahārāja, where was the chance for this to happen?

COMMENT

Here Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and other authorities cite evidence from various shastras that Krishna actually took birth as the son of Yasoda before the birth of yoga-māyā, who is therefore described as the Lord’s younger sister. That’s a purport to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.5.1–2.

Yoga-māyā is described as adṛśyatānujā viṣṇoḥ, the younger sister of Lord Vishnu, that’s Bhāgavatam 10.4.9. So, as yoga-māyā was born from Yasoda in Vraja, so, Lord Krishna must have been too, otherwise, how could she be the younger sister? Therefore, Srila Prabhupada comments, “When Vishnu, or Krishna, took birth from Devaki [in Mathura], He must have simultaneously taken birth from Yasoda [in Vraja] also. Otherwise, how could yoga-māyā have been anujā, the Lord’s younger sister?”

Srila Prabhupada writes further, “Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura discusses that Kṛṣṇa appeared simultaneously as the son of Devakī and as the son of Yaśodā, along with the spiritual energy yoga-māyā. As the son of Devakī, He first appeared as Viṣṇu, and because Vasudeva was not in the position of pure affection for Kṛṣṇa, Vasudeva worshiped his son as Lord Viṣṇu. Yaśodā, however, pleased her son Kṛṣṇa without understanding His Godhood. This is the difference between Kṛṣṇa as the son of Yaśodā and as the son of Devakī. This is explained by Viśvanātha Cakravartī on the authority of Hari-vaṁśa.” (Bhāgavatam 10.3.47, purport)

So, there are some very subtle points here which we should understand properly. When Srila Prabhupada says, “As the son of Devakī, He first appeared as Viṣṇu, and because Vasudeva was not in the position of pure affection for Kṛṣṇa, Vasudeva worshiped his son as Lord Viṣṇu.” So, pure in this context means without consideration that Krishna is God, or whether He is God or not God. This pure is called kevala in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta. So, it is the specific quality of the love of the residents of Vrindavan for Krishna, that they do not know that He is God, or they may know but they don’t care. And most of the time they forget it because that is not of primary importance to them. What is of primary importance to them is that Krishna is all attractive, and they love Him. They love Him for who He is as Krishna, whether He is God, or some demigod, or whatever. It’s not of much concern to them.

So, now we come back to this mystery, the Vishnu who appeared in Mathura is Vasudeva Krishna, fully grown, with four hands and long hair and so many ornaments and symbols of Vishnu. You’ve probably seen the picture in Kṛṣṇa book and in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Krishna who took birth in Vraja is the original Krishna with two hands. After Vasudeva and Devaki prayed to Vishnu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead to become like a human baby, the original Krishna absorbed the four-handed Vasudeva Krishna into Himself. Later, when Kamsa tried to kill yoga-māyā, she slipped upward, assumed the form of the goddess Durga, and clearly told him, “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has been your enemy from the very beginning and will certainly kill you, has already taken His birth somewhere else.” (SB 10.4.12). So, He took His birth somewhere else, that means He took His first birth in Vraja.

Further evidence that Krishna took birth in Vraja comes later in the Tenth Canto in the “Songs of the Gopīs,” the Gopī-gīta where Śukadeva Gosvami completely forgets himself. Śukadeva Gosvami as was speaking Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to Maharaja Parīkṣit, and he wanted to encourage Maharaja Parīkṣit that Krishna was the son of Vasudeva, because Vasudeva was Kunti’s brother and Kunti was Arjuna’s mother and Parīkṣit’s grandmother. So, to please Maharaja Parīkṣit, Śukadeva Gosvami, you could say, sort of suppressed the fact that Krishna actually took birth as the son of Yasoda in Vraja. But in the Gopī-gīta, in the ecstasy of the gopīs in separation from Krishna, he forgot himself and cried, and this is the first verse in the Gopī-gīta, jayati te ‘dhikaṁ janmanā vrajaḥ, “O beloved Krishna, Your birth in the land of Vraja has made it exceedingly glorious,” see? “Your birth in the land of Vraja has made it exceedingly glorious, and thus Indira, the goddess of fortune, always resides here. It is only for Your sake that we, Your devoted servants, maintain our lives. We have been searching everywhere for You, so please show Yourself to us.” Thus, the truth came out. So, by closely studying the texts of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam under the guidance of Srila Prabhupada and other acharyas, the mystery is solved.

Lord Brahma, the first guru in the disciplic succession, confirms what other authorities have stated. In his prayers to Lord Krishna, he addresses Him as the son of the king of the cowherds (pasupangajaya), the son of Maharaja Nanda, “O son of the king of the cowherds, your transcendental body is dark blue like a new cloud, Your, garment is brilliant like lightning, and the beauty of Your face is enhanced by Your gunja earrings and the peacock feather on Your head.” (SB 10.14.1)

So, Lord Brahma refers to Krishna as pasupangajaya, the son of Nanda Maharaja. Similarly, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, in His Śikṣāṣṭakam (five), also addresses Krishna as the son of Maharaja Nanda. He refers to Krishna as nanda-tanuja. Literally, born (ja) from the body (tanu) of Nanda—as He prays, “O My Lord, O son of Nanda Maharaja [Krishna], I am Your eternal servant.”

At the end of the last Chapter of the Tenth Canto, Śukadeva Gosvami refers to Krishna as devakī-janma-vāda, “known as the son of Devaki.” In Kṛṣṇa, Srila Prabhupada explains, “The devotees understand that actually Kṛṣṇa was the son of mother Yaśodā. Although Kṛṣṇa first appeared as the son of Devakī, He immediately transferred Himself to the lap of mother Yaśodā, and His childhood pastimes were blissfully enjoyed by mother Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja. This fact was admitted by Vasudeva himself when he met Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā at Kurukṣetra. He admitted that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were actually the sons of mother Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja.” And another explanation of that phrase, Krishna is devakī-janma-vāda, is that, although He was known, vāda means known, although He was known as the son of Devaki, actually He is not. Factually, He is the son of Mother Yasoda. Or, He is the all-pervading Super soul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has no mother or father.

In any case, we should never think that Lord Krishna was conceived or born like an ordinary human being. He is always transcendental and supreme, and He manifests Himself by His internal potency. Because He wanted to appear like a cowherd boy, His internal potency arranged His apparent birth in Vraja. Otherwise, the Lord is unborn and eternal, with no beginning and no end. But just as Lord Brahma is described as the father of Varahadeva, this example is in Prabhupada’s books, but just as Brahma is described as the father of Varahadeva, since Lord Krishna appeared as Varaha from the nostril of Lord Brahma, so Nanda and Yasoda are known to be the father and mother of Krishna when He appears in His original form in Vraja.

So, to conclude, I cite one verse from the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, 2.1.223 “Lord Krishna is perfect in Dvaraka, more perfect in Mathura, and most perfect in Vrindavan.” And therefore, we prefer to worship Krishna in Vrindavan, from a very beginning.

So, these are some of the intricacies related to Lord Krishna’s appearance. He appeared both, as the son of Vasudeva and Devaki and as the son of Nanda and Yasoda. And as the son of Nanda and Yasoda, he had a younger sister named yoga-māyā. And, so, when Vasudeva carried Krishna from Mathura to Vrindavan, the original Krishna absorbed the Vasudeva Krishna. And then when Vasudeva placed Krishna besides mother Yasoda he took the daughter, yoga-māyā, and brought her back with him to Mathura.

So, Janmashtami is a wonderful opportunity for us to remember and discuss and glorify Lord Krishna. And this should be our life; If we are always engaged in hearing about Krishna, speaking about Krishna, remembering about Krishna then we can carry the spirit of Janmashtami with us all the time, throughout the year. And we should, of course Janmashtami is a special occasion, and we get to fast until midnight, and we do get special mercy on these holy days. Lord Krishna specifically on Janmashtami, He gives us special mercy, so that we can be enlivened and enlightened in His service. But we want to carry that mood with us throughout the whole year, until the next Janmashtami and then get enlivened and enlightened again.

So, we have a few minutes left, and I think it would be nice to give the devotees who have assembled here a chance to share any thoughts or realizations or ask any questions. So, if you have any questions or comments, you can raise your hand, I guess, or maybe send something to the chat. . .

Host: If it’s okay maybe devotees can just enter the questions in the chat, and then when it’s your question we can spotlight the devotee that’s asking the question just so that we have a list of the questions there. So, maybe if the devotees have questions we can start, but we encourage everyone to please enter the questions in the chat.

Giriraj Swami: Yeah, that’s fine. In the meantime, does anyone want to raise your hand? I would just go with the chat. . .

Host: Ok Maharaja, if anyone is raising their hands here.

Devotee: Jayanti mala and Lalita mataji

Host: Maybe we can start with Lalita mataji  Lalita mataji if you are on, if you don’t mind unmuting yourself and asking the question, please.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, guru Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Devotee: Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to you, all glories to Srila Prabhupada. Thank you so much for this beautiful class, wonderful class, thank you very much. You quoted that I think it was in Kurukshetra, that Vasudeva offers that Krishna and Balarama are both sons of Nanda. So, the chronology of how Krishna is Nanda’s son became very clear from your class, but how is Balarama Nanda’s son remains a little unclear.

Giriraj Swami: Yeah. well, during this. . . the history, Krishna. . . So, Devaki had six sons who are all killed by Kamsa, one after the other, Garbhasuras, they are called the six Garbhasuras and they have their own history why they were killed by Kamsa. The seventh was Balarama and Krishna ordered yoga-māyā to transfer Balarama to the womb of Rohini in Vrindavan. So, and, of course, Rohini is the eternal mother of Balarama, just like Yasoda is the eternal mother of Krishna. But He was originally in the womb of Devaki. Just like in one sense Krishna was also in the womb of Devaki. And, so, yeah, so. . . And it’s also said that Balarama created a suitable place in the womb of Devaki for Krishna, because that’s part of Balarama’s service that He. . . but anyway, yeah, so, he created a suitable place within Devaki for Krishna, so, but Rohini was a wife of Vasudeva but she had taken shelter in Vraja to be protected by Nanda Maharaja.

So now, coming back to your question, yeah, I would have to look that up. I’m taking it that, what, that when Vasudeva met Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda at Kurukshetra and he admitted that Krishna and Balarama were actually the sons of Mother Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja, he was referring to the fact that they really acted as the parents and nurtured them from the very beginning.

I mean, this reminds me of something that Srila Prabhupada said. It’s sort of I should say humorous but Srila Prabhupada’s disciple Shyamasundara and Malati had a daughter named Sarasvati, and during the time that we were all in India together Sarasvati was quite young and I forget which one she was more attached, to which parent. Let’s say Shyamasundara, I don’t really remember, but she was more attached to one than to the other. And Srila Prabhupada said that that Shyamasundara was like Nanda Maharaja in Vrindavan, because that was where Sarasvati had her real affection and Malati was like Devaki in Mathura. She was officially the mother, but they are. . . but, anyway, this. . . I don’t know if this is very good to bring up because I don’t remember all the details exactly, but yeah, that’s. . . I think that’s the idea, that They were really cared for. And when you read about the meeting in Kurukshetra between Vasudeva and Devaki, and Nanda and Yasoda, they are full of appreciation and gratitude, Vasudeva and Devaki were full of appreciation and gratitude to Nanda and Yasoda for taking care of Krishna and Balarama. There is no envy, no false sense of possessiveness, just pure love and appreciation and gratitude. That’s very wonderful to read about their interactions at Kurukshetra.

Host: Thank you, Maharaja. The next question we have is from Jayanti mala and [Unintelligible 0:34:01.0].

Giriraj Swami: Okay.

Devotee: Hare Krishna Maharaja. Can you hear me?

Giriraj Swami: I can.

Devotee: Yeah. I was hoping my internal mike is working. I guess. . . thank you very much for the class and the association on this auspicious day. I needed it very much, so I’m appreciating it. I have a couple of questions. I’m sorry but there was something in this narration that I missed; I didn’t quite get. . . I’m not understanding how. . . Okay, so, Vasudeva carried the form of baby Krishna to Mother Yasoda, and he exchanged for the baby girl. So, how is it that Krishna appeared simultaneously? I mean, did He also. . . and how is it that I’ve kind of missed, how the  yoga-māyā ended up being His younger sister? because Vasudeva exchanged the babies. . . andI have one other question too.

Giriraj Swami: Yeah. So, Mother Yasoda had twins; Krishna and yoga-māyā. But even with twins, one is first and the other is second. So, Mother Yasoda had twins; Krishna and yoga-māyā, and of the two yoga-māyā was the younger of the twins. And, yeah, as you said, Vasudeva brought his Krishna from Mathura and delivered that Krishna to mother Yasoda and took yoga-māyā with him back to Mathura. But that Krishna that he brought to Mother Yasoda wasn’t just the Vasudeva Krishna, but the Vasudeva Krishna got absorbed in the original Krishna. Follow it?

Devotee: Yeah. So, there were. . . So, at the point where Vasudeva placed the baby there, the new Krishna, his Krishna there, there were actually two Krishnas and they somehow merged into one?

Giriraj Swami: Yeah, the original Krishna absorbed the Vasudeva Krishna. I mean, there is one version, because when Vasudeva was crossing the Yamuna River, he drops the baby. So, one version is that when he dropped the baby the original Krishna came and absorbed that, the Vasudeva Krishna and from then on, after the Yamuna river, it was actually the original Krishna with the Vasudeva Krishna absorbed within Him.

Devotee: Okay, Okay, Okay. A lot of work. And look I have one other question and actually it’s kind of an extension of a conversation we were having the other night, I didn’t get to ask you though, there is another thing that I’ve been wondering. So, okay, again it’s my understanding that, so Krishna, He has various types, so there is His. . . there is His svayam-rupa the original Krishna. And that Krishna can expand, and those forms are called svayam-prakas forms, the original form, but it just expanded. But He also expands Himself in Vishnu and Narayana, etc. And there is another term for that, I think it’s [Unintelligible 0:38:20.6] not too sure, but anyway, my understanding is that, okay, so there is the form of Lord Chaitanya. . .

Giriraj Swami: I don’t. . . yeah, are there other questions? I mean this is a good question, but it’s not on the topic of the talk.

Devotee: Yeah.

Giriraj Swami: And I think that if others have questions, we can allow them.

Devotee: Okay.

Giriraj Swami: Yeah. But we’ll. . . we can even take up this one by email or something, if you want.

Devotee: Okay, very good.

Giriraj Swami: Okay.

Host: Maharaja, there was a question in the chat.

Devotee: Hare Krishna.

Host: From Radha Charan prabhuthe question is, “Did we understand that Nanda Maharaja is the foster father of Balarama?”

Giriraj Swami: Yeah. Where is Radha Charan?

Devotee: Guru Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances. So, as you described when Vasudeva and Nanda met at Kurukshetra and Vasudeva appreciated and expressed gratitude to Nanda for maintaining Krishna and Balarama, both. Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda Maiya are the foster parents, mother and father of Balarama, not the birth giving father. Because Rohini is there.

Giriraj Swami: Yeah.

Giriraj Swami: Correct.  

Devotee: Thank you very much.

Giriraj Swami: Oh right, Hare Krishna. How you feeling?

Devotee: I’m quite well guru Maharaja. All your grace.  

Giriraj Swami: Okay, good.

Devotee: We are celebrating Janmashtamionline, and many programs by their children and many other devotees today the whole day.

Giriraj Swami: Wonderful.

Host: Hare Krishna devotees, does anyone else have a question? Yeah, Maharaja if with your permission if I may ask because Bhadra-purnima is coming up in a few weeks, would it be possible for you to share a few words on the importance of having Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in your home and reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and how it can help create an atmosphere in your house?

Giriraj Swami: Yes. Yeah, there is a really nice statement in The Nectar of Devotion, how by keeping devotional literature in one’s home, the whole household becomes sanctified. And, of course, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is Krishna and, so having Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in your home means having Krishna and. . . but we want to have that access, I mean, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is, it’s the ripened fruit of the tree of Vedic scriptures, and maybe I’ll read something nice that Srila Prabhupada said about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. I love this.

Well, here is, there are a couple of things, so, this is Srila Prabhupada says, “We have got Krishna, we have got spiritual master, we have got books, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā. Now, let us take advantage of them. We have taken so much pain to translate these transcendental literatures into English, so that you can understand. We’ve got fifty books. So, take advantage. It is meant for human beings, not a particular class or nation. It is meant for all human beings. So, take advantage of this knowledge, understand the philosophy of life that I am eternal.”

And then. . . but there is another one specifically about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Yes, so, this is from a talk by Srila Prabhupada in Los Angeles on January 5th, 1974, on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.6.8, which says, “living beings who are under Yamaraja’s grip should take advantage by hearing the deathless nectar in the form of this narration of the transcendental pastimes of the. . .” and then Srila Prabhupada glorified Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the importance of book distribution, “This is the Bhagavat. There is no comparison. There is no literature throughout the universe like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There is no comparison. There is no competition. Every word is for the good of the human society, each and every word. Therefore, we stress so much on books distribution. Somehow or other if the book goes in one’s hand, he will be benefited. At least he will think “oh! they have taken so much price. Let me see what is there.” If he reads one sloka his life will be successful. If he reads one sloka, one word, it is such a nice thing. Therefore, we are stressing so much. Please distribute book, distribute book, distribute book. A greater mridanga, we are chanting playing our mridanga, it is heard within this room a little more. But this mridanga will go home to home, country to country, community to community, this big mridanga.”

So, yeah, I mean, we want Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and we should read it, I mean, in many, I think letters, maybe even talks, but Srila Prabhupada said we should read his books for at least one hour every day. If we chant our sixteen rounds, we should also read Srila Prabhupada’s books. And yeah, I encourage everyone, especially there is that sort of benediction of Bhadra-purnima so, yeah.

So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.13.13 states, “If on the full moon day of the month of Bhadra one places Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam on a golden throne and gives it as a gift, he will attain the supreme transcendental destination.” And as explained in the purport, “One should place Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam on a golden throne because it is the king of all literature. On the full-moon day of the month of Bhadra, the sun, which is compared to this king of literatures, is present in the constellation Leo and looks as if raised up on a royal throne. (According to astrology, the sun is said to be exalted in the sign of Leo). Thus, one may unreservedly worship Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the supreme divine literature.”

And just a little more in glorification of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in Kṛṣṇa Līlā Stava (4.12–16) Srila Sanatana Gosvami prays: “Oh Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, oh, nectar churned from the ocean of all the Vedic scriptures. Oh most prominent transcendental fruit of all the Vedas. Oh, you who are enriched with the jewels of all spiritual philosophical conclusions. Oh, you who grants spiritual vision to all the people of the world. Oh, life breath of the Vaishnava devotees. Oh Lord. You are the sun which has arisen to dispel the darkness of Kali-yuga. You are actually Lord Krishna, who has returned among us. Oh Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, I offer respectful obeisances unto you. By reading you one attains transcendental bliss. For your syllables reign pure love of God upon the reader. You are always to be served by everyone. For you are an incarnation of Lord Krishna. Oh Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Oh, my only friend, Oh, my companion, Oh, my teacher, Oh, my great wealth, Oh, my deliverer, Oh, my good fortune, Oh, my bliss, I offer respectful obeisances unto you. Oh Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Oh, giver of saintliness to the unsaintly, Oh, uplifter of the very fallen. Please do not ever leave me. Please become manifested upon my heart and my throat accompanied by pure love of Krishna.”

And Bhadra-purnima is also the date on which Srila Prabhupada took sannyasa, and when he was asked, “Are you going to America?” he replied, “No, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is going to America. I am going with it.”

Host: Thank you so much, Maharaja, for those very very inspiring and timely words as we are gearing towards the celebration of Prabhupada’s appearance day tomorrow.

Giriraj Swami: Yes

Host: In a few weeks, so, thank you so much for that. Maharaja, we do have a few other devotees asking questions but unfortunately, we have our next activity with some of our children scheduled.

Giriraj Swami: Okay.

Host: Some devotees are asking questions and we apologize, we are not able to take your questions today. But Giriraj Maharaja again, on behalf of ISKCON of Round Rock, we really want to thank you for that absolutely wonderful class. We are all in our homes, plus to Mathura and Vrindavan in that beautiful presentation, so thank you so much Maharaja and we hope we will have the good fortune to serve you again here in our Zoom community here in ISKCON of Round Rock.

Giriraj Swami: Yeah, I would love to have your association again.

Host: Thank you so much, Maharaja. Maharaja, with your permission, we will proceed with the rest of our planned events for this grand festival for Janmashtami.

Giriraj Swami: Please do, please do.

Host: Maybe devotees if you have your cameras turned on, let’s just quickly say “Haribol” for His Holiness Giriraj Maharaja, then we will raise our hands.

Devotees: Haribol