12 RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS

12 RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS
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22.11.10

LIFE OF SRI KRISHNA


Hari Om. Sri Krishna, the son of Vasudeva and Devaki was born in the clan of Vrishnis or Yadavas. Devaki was the sister of King Hamsa who was cruelty personified. While driving the chariot in which were seated his newly married sister and her husband, he heard a voice saying, ‘O fool, the eight child of this couple will be your slayer’. At once he was on the point of killing his sister, but desisted from doing so, after Vasudeva, who was famous for his truthfulness, assured him that he would hand over all his children to Kamsa as soon as they were born. [Picture: Courtesy:salagram.net]

Devaki and Sri Krishna
Just before the birth of Krishna, Vasudeva and Devaki were imprisoned and were heavily shackled. The Lord, who is the deliverer and savior of the people, was born in a prison in Madhura[Picture:Courtesy:devotionalonly.com] The guards fell asleep, Vasudeva was unshackled, and the doors were opened through His divine maya, and the child was carried to Gokula on the other side of the river Yamuna to the house of Nanda and was exchanged with his new born daughter.

The tyrant Kamsa, as soon as he came to know of the birth of Devaki’s child, rushed to the prison to kill his would- be- slayer with his own hands. But to his utter astonishment he saw the child to be a girl. Yet remembering the prophecy, he caught hold of the babe and was going to kill her when she miraculously slipped from his hands and went up into the sky saying,’ He who will slay you, is growing at Gokula.’ This made Kamsa furious and he ordered all the babies in Mathura and its neighborhood to be killed. But He who was born to re-establish Dharma remained unscathed and subsequently baffled all Kamsa’s attempts to put an end to his life. Ultimately, Kamsa was killed by Krishna. Kamsa’s father Ugrasena was installed on the throne.


Sri Krishna with Gopis
 Krishna’s childhood was full of miracles. He moved to Brindavan a few miles from Mathura where his playmates were the cowherd boys and girls, known as gopis.[picture-courtesy:yamuna.blog.yamuna.biz]

After some years, Krishna felt the call of a new mission and came to Dwaraka. He entrusted the government to his kinsmen, the Vishnu’s. Though Himself a famous warrior, a wise statesman, an intelligent diplomat, he never occupied a throne. He conquered many kingdoms, but gave them over to others. He was often seen in the midst of intense activity, but he remained calm and unattached.

Sri Krishna in Kurushetra
Krishna’s greatest message is the immortal Gita, which he recounted to Arjuna when, in Kurukshetra, the Kauravas and Pandavas were ranged in battle. Becoming desperate with grief, Arjuna wanted to leave the field rather than killing his kinsmen and elders. Krishna’s Gita removed Arjuna’s illusions[picture: courtesy: agori.it]

After installing Yudhishthra the throne, Krishna went back to Dwaraka, where after a tie a civil war broke out among the members of the Vrishini clan. They fell upon one another and perished. Krishna looked on all these as a detached witness seeing the fulfillment of destiny in all.

After realizing that the time of his departure was near at hand, he restrained his mind and senses in yoga and lay down on the bare earth under a tree. Seeing his rosy feet from a distance, a hunter mistook them for a crouching deer and aimed as arrow which pierced his feet. Coming near, the hunter realized his grievous mistake and was sorely grief stricken, but Krishna blessed him with a smile and soon gave up his body.

“The glory of Krishna is that He has been the best preacher of our eternal religion and the best commentator on the Vedanta that ever lived in India.” says Swami Vivekananda.

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