16 KALAS OF SRI KRISHNA

Krishna Janmashtami 2021

By Navistha Vashist - August 27, 2021

 First of all, HAPPY KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI!!! 

Introduction:- 


Janmashtami is an incredibly auspicious, encouraging and devotional Hindu festival, which is celebrated in India. As all other different festival celebrated in India, Janamashtami is futher known as Gokulashtami. It is also celebrated on different dates every year! So, in 2021 Janmashtami falls on 31st of August. It falls on Ashtami of Krishna Paksha (8th day) in the month of Bhadrapada. (According to Hindu calendar Bhadrapada is the sixth month and as per Gregorian calendar it is August - September). 

Why is Janmashtami celebrated? 



As we all know that lord Sri Krishna was a perfect prankster, sweet, handsome, spiritual master, role model, really good king and the supreme personality of godhead. Lord Sri Krishna is the god of protection, love, support, tenderness and compassion. 

Janmashtami celebrates the birth anniversary of Lord Sri Krishna. He is the eighth Avatar/ incarnation of Lord Vishnu (God of protection and the tridev). Lord Sri Krishna occurred as son of Devaki and Vasudeva. But he lived with his foster parents: Yashoda and Nandamaharaj. Lord Sri Krishna appeared in dwapara yuga on thd earth. ( In detail: there are 4 yuga- Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapara Yuga and Kali Yuga.) 

Lord Sri Krishna always has to face many hardships in his life, but his smile never faded away! He always smiled and laughed throughout the struggle & obstacles that he had to face. He was really optimistic. 

Lord Sri Krishna is known as Purna Avatar:- 

Because in sanskrit the word 'Bhagavan' is explained as the supreme personality who possess these 6 things: all riches, all strength, all fame, all knowledge and all renunciation. Only Lord Sri Rama, Lord Parshuram and Lord Sri Krishna possess all these qualities  and hence, they are the only Purna Avatar. 

Sixteen Kalas that Sri Krishna possess:- 

1. दया (daaya)- Compassion.

2. धैर्य (Dhairya)- Patience.

3. क्षमा (Kshama)- Forgiveness

4. न्याय (Nyaya)- Justice

5. निरपेक्ष (Nirapesha)- Impartiality

6. निरासक्त (Niraasakta)- Detachment

7. तपस्या (Tapasya)- Meditation and Spiritual

8. अपराजेय (Aparajeya)- Invincibility

9. दानशील (Daanshila)- Beneficence, bestower of all the wealth.

10. सौंदर्यमय (Saundaryamaya)- Beauty Incarnate

11. नृत्यज्ञ (Nrityajna)- Best of dancers

12. संगीतज्ञ (Sangitajna)- Best of Singers

13. नीतीवादी (Neetivaadi)- Embodiment of Honesty

14. सत्यवादी (Satyavadi)- Truth Speaker

15. सर्वज्ञता (Sarvajnataa)- Perfect master of all art's, knowledge

16. सर्वनियन्ता (Sarvaniyanta)- controller of the universe. 

Life of Lord Sri Krishna:- 

Birth of Lord Sri Krishna:- 

There was a cruel and sinner king of Mathura (scared  city in Uttar Pradesh)- King Kamsa/ Kansa. He had a sister Devaki and she was married to Vasudeva. From the sky came a unknown voice stating that the eight child of Devaki and Vasudeva would bring Kamsa to his end (will become kamsa's kaal). 

Kamsa was so mad, he pulled out his sword and decided to kill Devaki then and there! But Vasudeva begged for Devaki's life and he promised Kamsa that he will hand over each and every child as soon as it is born. Kamsa put both Devaki and Vasudeva in the prison. Whenever the child was born, Vasudeva hands it to Kamsa and he smashed/ bang the child's head against the wall of the prison and hence, the infant meets its end there. Not untill the 7th child. When the 7th child (Sri Balramji) was about to get born Yogamaya placed the child in Rohini's womb from Devaki's womb. Rohini was another resident of Vrindavan just like Yashoda. And hence, it was considered as a miscarriage of Devaki (misconception as Balramji was placed in Rohini's womb). 

Now it was the time for the eighth child! Kamsa was scared now, he ordered all his soldiers to tighten the security and not let anyone go in or out. He told them to inform the second the eighth child was born. When Devaki delivered the eighth child (Lord Sri Krishna) Lord Vishnu appeared in front of Devaki and Vasudeva and Lord Vishnu told them that he came to finish the unrighteousness in the world and he told them not to worry about Kamsa. Lord Sri Krishna was born at 12 am (midnight) and suddenly the prison was filled with light to guide Vasudeva out of the prison. Everyone expect Vasudeva fell asleep- Devaki, Kamsa, soldiers and gatekeepers. He took a basket and kept the sri krishna in it and held it on to his head! All the locked gates started opening by themselves for Vasudeva! It was raining Vasudeva was going straight towards his friends house- Nanda and Yashodha. In between the two villages: Mathura and Gokula there was huge river. Vasudeva was now confused thinking how would he cross the river. As soon as he took a step forward, the river parted, making a path for Vasudeva to cross over. Vasudeva walked, he was followed by the seven-headed serpent with its hoods spread over the basket (sheshnaag: Sevak of Lord Vishnu). He reached in Gokula at Nanda's house. Everyone there was sleeping as well due to the miracle. 

At the same time Yashoda delivered a girl child. Vasudeva took the girl and kept child Krishna there (swapped the infants). He took the baby girl and went back to Mathura in the prison. When everyone was awake, the soldiers inform Kamsa that finally the eighth child is born. Kamsa rushed to the prison to kill the eighth child thinking that it was Devaki's child (but it was Yashoda's). Devaki begged Kamsa to spare her life and akashwani must not be true. But of course Kamsa was not convinced at all, he snatched away the girl from their hand and threw the baby against the wall that's when Durga Maa appeared from the baby. She told him that Indeed the eighth child is born safely and he will bring kamsa to his end and even told him that she can then and there can kill the kamsa but Lord Sri Krishna will do that. 

Time spent by Sri Krishna:- 

Lord Sri Krishna lived with Nandamaharaj, Yashoda Maa and Rohini and Balramji in Gokula for sometime and Shifted in Vrindavan. Sri Krishna grew up with utmost care, love and blessings! He used to always play around, have fun, play pranks and used to steal butter from the gopis! He was an expert in playing flute and dancing. He had a lot of friends: Sudhama, Kinkini, Amsu, Bhadrasena, Vilasi, Pundarika, Vitanka. Sri Krishna fought and defeated many demons and demoness like Putana, Sakatasura, Trinivarta, Aghasura, Bakasura, Kesi, Aristaa which ever sent by Kamsa to kill Sri Krishna. 

When Sri Krishna was 3, Sage GargaMuni named him as Krishna (he never had a name before). It is believed that Sri Krishna brought all the children back to life which were killed by Kamsa. He narrated Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the ground of Kurukshetra in Mahabharata battle when he was about 89 years old. Sri krishna is also known as Achyuta which means the one who doesn't change. Sri Krishna lived for 125 years but he never had any white hair of any wrinkles on his face. He didn't age actually. When Sri Krishna died he looked like 25-30 year old not like a 125 year old. 

Sri Krishna played many leelas in his childhood before leaving everything behind in Vrindavan like Yashodha, Nanda, Radha, his friends to save his parents (Devaki and Vasudeva) and kill Kamsa with his big brother Balramji whom he called as Dau. 

How is Janmashtami celebrated? 

Devotees on his day wake up early in the morning and observe a fast all the long till 12 am. Devotees make 56 bhog for Sri Krishna. Spend time listening to devotional songs and remembers Sri Krishna. As he was born at 12 am. On Janmashtami Sri Krishna's idol is washed with water, honey, Dahi (curd), sugar, Gangajal (Pancha Amrit), decorate it with new clothes and ornaments, offer flowers, fruits, and sweets and breaks fast after kindly offered food to Sri krishna. 



~ जय श्री कृष्णा


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3 Comments

  1. Tasvi Tawde8/30/2021

    Very nicely explained! Keep it up dear

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown8/30/2021

    Jai Shree Krishna!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous8/30/2021

    🙏 जय श्री कृष्णा 🙏 👍 Nicely Explained!

    ReplyDelete

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