Janmashtami 2015

Janmashtami, the birth of the eternal Lord, is not a past event like our birthday. Every Janmashtami, the Lord manifests in the hearts of the devotees; as He did in the hearts of the hundreds who gathered at the beautiful ChinmayaShivam Durban Ashram to welcome and celebrate the arrival of their beloved Kanha.

The six hour long celebrations started with Bhajans by renowned singers accompanied by various musicians. The melodious bhajans uplifted the minds of everyone present and filled their hearts with devotion. Subsequently, the beautiful and graceful dance performance by one of the mission members captivated and mesmerized the audience.

Pujya Swami Abhedanandji then gave a heartwarming discourse on the significance of Lord’s birthday and its true meaning. A few gems from his talk:

– Yashodaji wanted the Lord as her baby and the Lord obliged to this divine desire of the deserving devotee. Such is Lord’s compassion that He can even take shape and form to fulfill His devotees’ desires. ‘Krishna Leelas’ are nothing but the expression of the Lord’s boundless love for His devotees where He is willing to do anything for His devotees; be it stealing butter, grazing cows or teasing the gopis.

– The Lord enters the hearts and minds of the devotees through listening His glories in satsangs and contemplating on his omnipresent grace. With these, the intensity of our love and devotion for the Lord should become such that He gets bound to manifest in our lives too, as He did for Yashodaji.
Having listened to His glories and reveling in the Love for the Lord, devotees surrendered themselves and offered their ego at the lotus feet of the Lord through the Gopal Sahasranamaarchana.

Continousbhajans, kirtan and chanting of the Lord’s name followed till the Baal Gopal’s arrival at midnight. Everybody was enthralled by the divine manifestation of the adorable Kanha in the beautifully decorated palna (swing); and could not wait to get a glimpse of Him and swing the palna themselves! The whole Ashram was set in a festive mood with beaming faces of devotees welcoming their beloved Krishna and dancing wholeheartedly. Everyone did the aarti of the Lord and the event concluded with the distribution of prasad.

The devotees left for their homes fulfilled as well as assured and absorbed in the thought that the external celebration and worship of the Lord today, has surely led to the incarnation of their very own small Kanha in the temple of their hearts.

 

Categories: Special Events