iMonk | August 2005

Saint Petersburg, Russia — Saturday, August 27th

Krishna's birthday

Today is Janmastami, the birthday of Lord Krishna. I know. It's kinda weird, huh? If Krishna is God, how can He have a birth day?!

Think about it.

janma karma ca me divyam / evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma / naiti mam eti so 'rjuna

In the Bhagavad Gita (4:9), Krishna says that if we truly understand (evam yo vetti tattvatah) the transcendental nature of His birth and pastimes (janma karma ca me divyam) we will become free from this temporary bodily designation (tyaktva deham) as our consciousness is liberated from this plane of misconception (punar janma naiti) and we enter into His eternal transcendental pastimes (mam eti so).

To take birth in this material world means to live in illusion — to misconceive the body to be the self. When we understand the divine nature of Krishna's birth and pastimes, we cease to live in illusion (punar janma naiti). And we don't have to wait until we die! Our consciousness becomes liberated — even while living in this body — just as soon as we give up (tyaktva) misidentifying ourselves with the body (deham) and, by the grace of the Lord, begin to see things as they really are (evam yo vetti tattvatah).

Now isn't that something to think about?

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Layout by iMonk — August 27th, 2005.