Today is Janmashtrami.

There are many aspects of Krishna, and different people worship different aspects of him. Some the philosopher who reveals the Bhagvad Gita, yet other the unit of Radha and Krishna. yet others the slayer of demons. In our family the tradition has been to worship Balakrishna (krishna as a child, from birth till he goes to Mathura). This is the Krishna who slays Putana, this is the Krishna who is a makhan chor, the Krishna who lifts a Govardan, and the Krishna who opens his mouth to show his mother the secrets of the universe. There is a Carnatic composition that pretty much encapsulates the affection that we have for him. Essentially the song asks what did you do O Yashoda, to be able to chide, hug, and be mother to Krishna

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Janmashtami, for us, has two aspects. The solemn one and the muted joyous one. To understand the solemn part of it, we need to revisit the story of his birth.

Once upon a time, a very long time ago, there lived a cruel prince called Kans, who imprisons his father to become King. The only person the cruel King loved was his younger sister Devaki. on the day of Devaki’s marriage to Vasudev, an aakashvani (voice from the sky) shouts out a prophecy – Kansa will be killed by Devaki’s 8th child. Kansa gets ready to kill Devaki, when Vasudev makes the terrible promise – spare her life, and you can kill the child after it is born. Devaki and Vasudev are locked up in prison. And Kansa’ kills each of the first 6 children. The 7th is transferred to the womb of Vasudeva’s first wife – Rohini – and the 8th is Krishna.

In the years that intervene between the appearance of the aaksahvani, and the birth of the 8th child, the cruelty of the king grows. People live in abject fear.  And, the only thing that sustains them is the prophecy “the 8th son of Devaki will kill Kansa”.

The day of the birth is a fierce monsoon day. Blinding rains, thunder and winds. The kind of day that you will curl up indoors and thank the heavens that you aren’t outside. That night Devaki gives birth to the savior. The shackles miraculously fall off Vasudev, the prison doors open, and the otherwise alert guards are fast asleep. Vasudeva plans to exchange his child with that of hof his chieften’s – Nanda from Gokul. The infant is left with Yashoda. her child – a baby girl is brought back to the jail. The next day, as Kansa tries to kill the girl, she takes her true form = that of Yogamaya – and says to Kansa “the one who will kill you has been born elsewhere” /  The King unleashes a massacre of all infants.

The solemn part of the festival is the recollection of the world without hope, a world where the people are afraid for their lives, and the lives of their children, a world where there seems to be no one to challenge Kansa (who is backed up by the might of his father-in-law Jarasandha) = and the faith that God himself will come down to earth to destroy evil, and save the faithful. The joyous part is the mirroring of the Nanda and Yashoda household the following day – where the chieften can announce to his people, the birth of a son, Krishna

Read Krishnavatara by KM Munshi for one of the most empathetic telling of the story of the birth of Krishna, all the way till Krishna kills Kansa.

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The simple faith of the devout, across eras – faith that sustains, faith that gives hope, and faith that is delivered ….

Somehow festivals are shorn of their ethos, and converted to marketing events, and a display of religiosity. Happy Janmashtrami messages on WA, and other SM, Janmashtami sales and special offers. Before the message of faith drowns under all these combating brand communications  It helps to revisit the story to understand the poignancy of faith – the wait for the birth of Krishna, and the quiet joy of seeing faith being upheld.

This song written by Rajaji, and sung by MS

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worshipping the baby form of Krishna has multiple advantages. My grandmother would often scold him – usually a torrent of complaints, followed by ‘you stole him (my grandfather) the way you stole butter. Yes, we are  on first name terms with him And it is the use of the tu, not the aap; nee not neengo. He is, after all, younger than us 🙂 .  There is no fear (i don’t understand the word God Fearing), no forced respect. just lots of affection and love.