Janmashtami, celebrated as the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu carries a meaning far deeper than simply celebrating the birth of a divine child. Krishna was born in darkness, in a prison surrounded by fear, cruelty, and oppression, yet his arrival marked the beginning of the end of Kamsa’s tyranny. His birth reminds us that when humanity moves too far away from dharma, when greed, ego, cruelty, and ignorance begin to dominate, the Divine manifests to restore balance and remind humanity of its true nature. Janmashtami is therefore not only a celebration of Krishna’s birth in Mathura, but also a reminder that even in the deepest darkness, truth can be born, and that whenever dharma declines, the light of the Divine can rise again.
Human beings are born with the ability to understand truth, compassion, love and responsibility, but as they become increasingly attached to the material world, they can slowly forget their deeper nature. This is what the Indian philosophical tradition describes through the idea of maya, the illusion that makes us identify ourselves only with the body, possessions, wealth, power and social status. When maya becomes stronger, desire can become greed, confidence can become ego, ambition can become obsession, and power can become cruelty. A person who once understood the value of life may begin to harm other living beings for his own pleasure, wealth or advantage. When such tendencies become dominant in society, dharma begins to decline.
Dharma is not simply a religious word. It represents the principle of living in harmony with truth, nature, responsibility and the larger order of existence. Nature itself follows laws. The sun rises and sets, seasons change, living beings are born and die, and everything that comes into existence eventually changes and dissolves. Human beings are also part of this larger system. We cannot endlessly take from nature, destroy other forms of life, satisfy every desire and expect the world to remain balanced. When humanity forgets these fundamental laws and begins to live only according to greed, ego and uncontrolled desire, suffering and destruction follow.
Indian philosophy therefore speaks of an eternal cycle of creation, preservation and dissolution. Civilisations rise and fall, generations appear and disappear, and the universe itself is understood as moving through vast cycles of time. The four Yugas—Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga and Kali Yuga—represent different stages in this cosmic cycle, in which dharma gradually declines and is ultimately restored.
The concept of the avatar emerges from this understanding. When the balance between dharma and adharma is disturbed, the Divine is manifested in a form that humanity can understand. The purpose is not merely to destroy an evil person or a particular kingdom. The greater purpose is to teach humanity, protect those who follow dharma and restore the balance that has been disturbed.
- In the Satya Yuga, the tradition gives us the example of Narasimha, the extraordinary man-lion form of Vishnu. Narasimha appears to protect Prahlada and destroy Hiranyakashipu, who had become consumed by pride and power. The story teaches that no amount of power can make a person greater than the laws of existence and that arrogance ultimately destroys itself.
- In the Treta Yuga, the Divine appears as Sri Rama, whose life became an example of duty, sacrifice, truth and righteousness. Rama’s story in the Ramayana shows that dharma is not always easy. Sometimes following what is right requires sacrifice, separation and personal suffering. Yet Rama continues to choose duty over personal comfort, making his life one of the great examples of dharma in Indian civilisation.
- Then comes the Dvapara Yuga, and with it the birth of Sri Krishna. Krishna’s manifestation is different from the image of a divine being who simply destroys evil. Krishna becomes a teacher, guide, friend, strategist and philosopher. His life moves from the playful childhood of Vrindavan to the political struggles of Mathura and finally to the great crisis of Kurukshetra.
Krishna was born to Devaki and Vasudeva in Mathura at midnight. Devaki’s brother Kamsa had become a cruel ruler, and a prophecy had warned him that Devaki’s eighth son would become the cause of his downfall. Because of this fear, Devaki and Vasudeva were imprisoned, and their children were killed. When Krishna was born, however, tradition tells us that the prison guards fell asleep, Vasudeva’s chains were released and the prison doors opened. Vasudeva carried the newborn Krishna across the Yamuna and brought him to Gokul, where he was raised by Nanda and Yashoda.
Krishna’s childhood became one of the most beloved stories of Indian tradition. His playful nature, his relationship with the people of Vrindavan, his friendship with the cowherd boys and his divine relationship with Radha and the gopis became central to the devotional traditions of India. Yet Krishna’s life was not meant to remain only in the world of childhood and play. As he grew, his responsibility grew with him. He eventually returned to Mathura and defeated Kamsa, freeing the people from his tyranny.
Krishna later became deeply connected with the story of the Mahabharata, one of the great epics of India. At its centre was the conflict between the five Pandavas—Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva—and their cousins, the Kauravas, led by Duryodhana. What began as a dispute within a royal family gradually became a much larger struggle over justice, power, duty and dharma.
The Pandavas suffered repeated injustices and were eventually forced into exile after the infamous game of dice. Even after completing their exile, they sought peace rather than immediately choosing war. Krishna himself went as a messenger to seek a peaceful settlement, but Duryodhana refused to compromise. The conflict finally led to the great battle of Kurukshetra, where the Pandavas and Kauravas stood against one another. Before the battle began, Arjuna looked across the battlefield and saw his relatives, teachers, friends and elders on the opposite side. He was overcome with sorrow and confusion. He did not want to fight. At that moment, Krishna became more than his charioteer. He became his teacher, and their conversation became the Bhagavad Gita.
The Bhagavad Gita is not simply a lesson about war. It is a conversation about the human struggle between duty and attachment, fear and courage, ignorance and knowledge. Krishna teaches Arjuna about karma, dharma, devotion, meditation, the nature of the Self and the importance of performing one’s duty without selfish attachment to the results. His famous teaching, “Karmanye vadhikaraste ma phaleshu kadachana,” reminds humanity that we have control over our actions, but not over the fruits of those actions.
The Kurukshetra war eventually ended with the victory of the Pandavas, but the Mahabharata does not portray that victory as a simple celebration. Almost the entire generation of warriors was destroyed, and the Pandavas themselves suffered enormous losses. The epic therefore leaves us with a difficult truth: even when a war is fought in the name of restoring dharma, violence carries a terrible human cost. After the events of the Mahabharata, Krishna’s earthly life eventually came to an end. Krishna was resting beneath a tree when a hunter named Jara mistakenly took his foot to be an animal and shot an arrow. When Jara realised his mistake, he was filled with sorrow, but Krishna forgave him. Krishna then departed from his earthly form. His departure is traditionally associated with the end of the Dvapara Yuga and the beginning of Kali Yuga.
There is also a deeply respected tradition associated with Lord Jagannath of Puri. According to the tradition surrounding the Jagannath Temple, a mysterious sacred substance known as the Brahma Padartha, associated in devotional belief with Sri Krishna’s heart, is believed to be present within the wooden deity of Jagannath. For devotees, this represents the idea that although Krishna left his physical form, his divine presence continued.
- In Kali Yuga, He came again as Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, revealing through his life the eternal truths of spirituality and the unity of all paths leading to God. And as the divine promise declares, He will manifest again when the time is right. Yet as human beings, we may never know when, where, or in what form that manifestation will take place. Even if the Divine were to walk among us, we might fail to recognise Him, because maya veils our vision and prevents us from seeing the true nature of the Divine. Only those whose hearts are pure, whose minds are free from selfishness and whose souls are deeply devoted to God may be granted the grace to recognise the Avatar. To others, He may appear to be an ordinary human being—someone living, speaking and walking among them, yet remaining unknown in His true nature. The Divine does not reveal Himself to everyone; recognition itself is a grace. Thus, the Avatar may be present before humanity, while only a few spiritually awakened souls are able to perceive who He truly is.
Therefore, it is worth turning to the genuine teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and the life and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. These teachings are not merely words belonging to a distant past; they offer a timeless guide for humanity, helping us understand the nature of the mind, body and soul, and contemplate the deeper purpose and meaning of life, the world and the universe. Many followed these teachings in the past, many continue to follow them in the present, and many more will find guidance in them in the future. Blessed are those who come to know of these teachings, sincerely study them and strive to live by their wisdom. In a world that is constantly changing, their message remains a source of clarity, strength and spiritual direction—a reminder to look beyond the temporary and seek the eternal truth within ourselves.
Jai Sri Krishna!
