HINDUS worldwide celebrated ‘Shri Krishna Janamashtami’ last week.

Shri Krishna Janamashtami marks the day when God descended on earth. It marks the day when God incarnated or assume human body as Lord Shri Krishna in order to re-establish righteousness on earth. The Hindus refer to such manifestation as an ‘Avatar’.

Hindus believe that when righteousness and truth are forgotten and unrighteousness gains prominence, God descended on earth, to show the way of truth and righteousness and to transform the wicked, i.e. to destroy untruth and unrighteousness.

Whenever there is a decline of Dharma (Righteousness) and a predominance of Adharma (Unrighteousness), O Arjuna, then I manifest Myself.

I appear from time to time for protecting the good, for transforming the wicked, and for establishing world order (Dharma). (Bhagavad Gita; 4:07-08)

God descended so that man can ascend. He comes down so that man can be reminded of the true paths of living. He walks among men as a human to help them to rise; to make them realize that human lives are not merely meant for sense gratification and cultivation of vices.

We believe that Divinity (God) is within us and as such every human should utilize the opportunity of human form to strive for perfection or God’s realization.
Lust, greed, anger, selfishness, jealousy, etc, are only some of the many barriers that cause man to deviate from the path of God’s realization.

He feels that for some reason or the other, he cannot go beyond sensual pleasures and as such, he remains blinded and bonded by vices.

At this stage, man can no more realize that he is divine by nature and must strive for perfection. He lives his life as a brute. Even religion and God become a mockery for him.

It is when man finds himself in such predicaments, God descended to help him bit by bit to get out of such darkness. It was for this reason, God incarnated himself as Lord Krishna thousands of years ago so as to guide man and assist him to divert from the path of unrighteousness and falsehood, and to help him to traverse on the path of truth, righteousness and perfection.

Lord Krishna helped us to re-establish ourselves on the path of perfection and good living by restoring the principles and ways of life in a discourse with Arjuna. Such discourse is called the Bhagavad Gita, one of Hindus’ scriptures.

The Bhagavad Gita has found a prominent space on the library shelves of many including both intellectuals and the ordinary. It has shaped and molded the lives of many for a great many millennia, and continues to be a divine guide for the world.

The Bhagavad Gita teaches man how to live and how to attain perfection. In its eighteen chapters and seven hundred mellifluent verses, it provides the art of perfect living, and how man can evolve spiritually and attain God’s realization.

The Bhagavad Gita is a recipe for life as it gives us profound and elaborate wisdom upon God, soul, creation, matter, paths for liberation, etc. It deals with Bhakti Yoga; the path of devotion, Jnana Yoga; the path of knowledge, Karma Yoga; the path selfless actions, etc, all leading to perfection. Such are some of the contributions of Lord Krishna to the world. How can the Hindus forget such an incarnation?

Editor, as Hindus will always continue to celebrate Shri Krishna Janamashtami, I wish to advise, appeal and encourage them to reflect upon the teachings of Lord Krishna and let such teachings form part of their day-to-day living.

By doing so, they will be able to get closer to Lord Krishna, and even become one with Him. Hence, to conclude, I think that becoming one with Lord Krishna is the essence of Janamashtami.