Bhagwan Shri Krishna (Continued)

Shri Krishna Temples 

The beautiful ancient temple at Dwarka is considered to be one of the four most holy pilgrimage sites of India the other three being Badrinath, Puri and Rameshwaram Lord Krishna is worshipped here as ‘Dwarkadheesh’ (king of Dwarka) and this temple is predated by the original temple which was said to be built in the same place as where King Krishna lived. Archaeological studies have discovered the artefacts giving clues to the magnificent Dwarka Kingdom where years ago Sri Krishna ruled and which submerged in the ocean afterwards. The main deity made of black stone depicts Krishna carry the Sudarshan Chakra, a conch, a mace and a lotus in his four arms.

The Krishna temple at Guruvayur in Kerala is the most popular in south India where some ‘tantrik’ forms of worship are also followed to please the deity. This is known as the ‘Dwarka of Dakshin’. The temple in Udipi, Karnataka is known as ‘Krishna Math’ where Krishna is said to answer the prayers of all pious devotees regardless of their identity. In Tamil Nadu, the Rajagopalaswamy temple celebrates its annual fair and festivities known as ‘Panguni Thiruvizha’ also dedicated to Sri Krishna.

Krishna grew up in Vrindavan near Mathura and hence a host of beautiful temples are in this region. The Madan Mohan/Madan Gopala temple is situated on the banks of the Yamuna River is one of the four said to be built during the reign of King Akbar. The Bankey Bihari Temple is said to have been built by Swami Haridas referring to Krishna as ‘Van ke Vihari’. The ‘Prem Mandir’ also provides information about ‘Sanatan Dharma’ for devotees. The ancient Radha Raman temple is known for the beautifully carved architecture and self manifested deity, the Govinda Dev Temple for its seven-story structure, with an altar of marble, silver and gold. The Jugal Kishore temple, Gokulananda Mandir, Radha Damodara temple and the Krishna Balaram Mandir by ISKCON are all worth a visit to name but a few.

The Hare Krishna ISKCON movement based on the Bhakti Marg promoted by ‘Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’ promotes the teachings in the ‘Bhagwad Gita’ by Sri Krishna addressed to Arjuna during the Mahabharata war in Kurukshetra. This organization founded by ‘Srila Prabhupada’ is internationally renowned and has contributed enormously to the growth of Krishna consciousness all over the world. 

Bhagwan Shri Krishna: Avatar of Lord Vishnu

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevãya 

 Krishna is considered to be the eighth Avatar of Lord Vishnu who incarnated on earth in the ‘Dwapara Yuga’ thus depicted as wearing yellow garments, with a dark skin and a peacock feather in his crown, playing the flute or herding cows or as the supreme God holding his weapon the ‘Sudarshana Chakra’. Krishna rid the kingdom of Mathura of his evil uncle Kamsa in his youth and thereafter joined the ‘Pandavas’ to rid the evil Kauravas and their leader ‘Duryodhana’ in the epic Mahabharata. 

Kamsa was a powerful evil king who was prophesised to die at the hands of his sister Devki and Vasudev’s eighth son. He therefore imprisoned them and successfully killed their first six children. The seventh, ‘Balaram’ who is considered to be also an avatar of Vishnu escaped however because he was transferred from his mothers womb as the story goes. Vasudev was helped by divine powers to protect his eighth son ‘Krishna’ by carrying him across the flooded Yamuna River to exchange with the daughter of cowherd ‘Nand’ in ‘Brindavan’ village. Krishna thus grew up as the son of Nand and Yashoda.

Stories abound of his miracles and mischief even in young age displayed whilst growing up herding cows, stealing his favourite butter and teasing the local milkmaids (‘Gopis’). The powers and stories of Sri Krishna led to him being worshipped by various names such as Murlidhara (as mesmerizingly playing his flute), Govinda/Gopala (protector of cows), Keshava (the longhaired killer of the kesi demon-horse sent by Kamsa), Murari (he who killed the demon Mora), Madhusudan (destroyer of demonic Madhu), Bihari (for his playful episodes with the gopis which are popularly known as ‘ras leela’). Krishna is famously worshipped as the saviour of his people from the wrath of Indra who showered them with incessant rain whereupon Krishna held up the ‘Govardhan Hill’ for protection of all and came to be known as ‘Govardhan Giridhari’. As a young boy Krishna also demonstrated his supreme powers when he fought with the poisonous snake ‘Kaliya’ polluting river Yamuna and rid the villagers of their fear of Kaliya by his divine dance on Kaaliya’s head. 

Krishna’s playful love for the gopi Radha is immortalized as an example for loving relationships among couples ever since so that Krishna and Radha are worshipped together as avatars of Vishnu and Lakshmi. Krishna ruled over the Kingdom of Dwarka as leader of the Yadav dynasty. When the war of Mahabharata threatened, Krishna decided to help his cousins the Pandavas as ‘Parthasarthi’ (charioteer of prince Arjuna in the war at Kurukshetra). Lord Krishna answers prayers also as Hari (who rids us of our sins if we pray sincerely to the lord) and Mukunda (who can free mankind from all problems and all ties)

Festivals

Krishna Janmashtami is a celebration of Krishna’s birthday usually in the month of August or September (Shravana) with decoration of murtis of ‘Bal Krishna’ in a baby swing and depictions of motherly love of Yashoda for Krishna as well as his childhood life among Gopis and cows. As Krishna was very fond of butter and other dairy products, these are used to prepare sweets and delicacies as families gather together in households or communities to celebrate until midnight when Krishna was said to be born. At this time people wish each other and partake the food in the form of ‘Prasad’. This day is also known as Krishna Jayanti or Gokulashtami. Krishna’s love for stealing butter/ghee is celebrated also on this day through the custom of ‘Dahi Handi’. A huge human pyramid is formed by youngsters in the community in order to reach up to the pot of delicious butter hanging high up in the sky and when the pot breaks, all in the community rejoice in this recreation of Bal Krishna’s games. The narrations and enactment of Ras Leela in temples etc. is another way for devotees to celebrate marking Krishna’s love whilst playing the flute and dancing with Gopis.