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Meet the Gods: Krishna
Krishna is a major deity in Hinduism, one of the most popular and widely revered. He is worshipped as the eighth incarnation or avatar of Lord Vishnu and also as the supreme God in his own right. He is the god of love, compassion and tenderness. Hindu mythology portrays him as a prankster, gentle lover, universal supreme being and child-like God. People consider Krishna their leader, hero, protector, philosopher, teacher and friend all in one.
He’s influenced Indian life and culture – not only its religion and philosophy, but also its folklore, painting, sculptures, literature, music, dance, poetry, and mysticism. He is believed to have lived for 125 years. Scholars believe he lived on earth between 3200 and 3100 BC.
The details of his birth are many and long. To keep a prophecy from coming true, the wicked king of Mathura killed each of his sister’s children, but Krishna survived. The son of Queen Devaki and King Vasudeva, he was born at midnight and switched with another newborn and raised by another couple across the river.
As a child, Krishna is depicted crawling or dancing with joy, holding a ball of butter in his hands. As a divine lover – his most common representation – he is handsome, with blue-black skin, wearing a yellow loincloth, crowned with peacock feathers, and playing the flute. It’s said his music prompted women to leave their homes and dance ecstatically with him in the moonlight. In addition to pranks, Krishna performed many miracles and killed many demons.
Krishna’s birth is marked by Janmashtami, a major festival in India and around the world. A Festival of Love in the spring celebrates the eternal and divine love of Krishna and his consort, Radha, who is worshiped as the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion and devotion.
Among the wisdom he expressed were the role of karma, humbleness, mindfulness, that there is always a cause, sacrifice, the importance of trusted friends, reducing desires is the key to happiness, and happiness is a state of mind, which has nothing to do with the external world.
According to krishna.com, “In the transcendental world also Krishna reciprocates with His pure devotees just as the devotee wants Him. One devotee may want Krishna as his supreme master, another as his personal friend, another as his son and still another as his lover. Krishna responds to all the devotees equally, according to their different intensities of love for Him. In the material world also the same reciprocations of feelings are there…”
Devotees in both the material and the spiritual world render personal service to him, deriving transcendental bliss from personal, loving service to the Lord. A devotee’s enjoyment comes from seeing Krishna happy.
That can mean chanting the mantras (called Brahma Muhurat) between 4am and 6am. Before doing so, bathe and sit before a picture of Krishna and chant 108 times while counting the beads on a tulsi mala.
“The more everyone makes spiritual advancement the more everyone is empowered, the more everyone is happy in that state, the more Krishna is happy. So that should be our happiness. Then there is no envy or jealousy. Because we are flooding the world with the pure vibrations of selfless devotion, Krishna is actually manifesting Himself in the holy name through us into the whole universe when we chant in that spirit: ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare,’” Radhanath Swami Maharaj writes in an 2018 article published in The New Indian Express.
Individuals who wish to celebrate Janmashtami need only to meditate on Krishna. Because Krishna appeared at midnight, generally devotees fast until then, spending the time chanting, learning more about Krishna, singing devotional songs. and offering him nice things. At midnight, it’s time to honor the food offered during the day. You might also bathe a statue of Krishna in milk, yogurt, honey, ghee, and fruit juice.
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About the Author:
Lynn Woike
All my life I have known magic was real. As a child, I played with the fae, established relationships with trees and “just knew things.” In my maiden years I discovered witchcraft and dabbled in the black-candles-and-cemeteries-at-midnight-on-a-fullmoon magick just enough to realize I did not understand its power. I went on to explore many practices including Zen, astrology, color therapy, native traditions, tarot, herbs, candle magic, gems, and, as I moved into my mother years, Buddhism, the Kabbalah and Reiki. The first man I dated after my divorce was a witch who reintroduced me to the Craft, this time by way of the Goddess. For 11 years I was in a coven, but with retirement, I have returned to an eclectic solitary practice. When accepting the mantle of crone, I pledged to serve and teach. This is what I do from my skoolie – a 30-year-old school bus converted into a tiny house on wheels that I am driving around the country, following 72-degree weather, emerging myself into nature, and sharing magic with those I meet. Find me at thewitchonwheels.com, Facebook and Instagram.
