Radha kyon gori,main kyon kala!!!! - Page 2

The Radha-Krishna amour is a love legend of all times. It's indeed hard to miss the many legends and paintings illustrating Krishna's love affairs, of which the Radha-Krishna affair is the most memorable. Krishna's relationship with Radha, his favorite among the 'gopis' (cow-herding maidens), has served as a model for male and female love in a variety of art forms, and since the sixteenth century appears prominently as a motif in North Indian paintings. The allegorical love of Radha has found expression in some great Bengali poetical works of Govinda Das, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and Jayadeva the author of Geet Govinda.

Krishna's youthful dalliances with the 'gopis' are interpreted as symbolic of the loving interplay between God and the human soul. Radha's utterly rapturous love for Krishna and their relationship is often interpreted as the quest for union with the divine. This kind of love is of the highest form of devotion in Vaishnavism, and is symbolically represented as the bond between the wife and husband or beloved and lover.

Radha, daughter of Vrishabhanu, was Krishna's lover during that period of his life when he lived among the cowherds of Vrindavan. Since childhood they were close to each other - they played, they danced, they fought, they grew up together and wanted to be together forever, but the world pulled them apart. He departed to safeguard the virtues of truth, and she waited for him. He vanquished his enemies, became the king, and came to be worshipped as a lord of the universe. She waited for him. He married Rukmini and Satyabhama, raised a family, fought the great war of Ayodhya, and she still waited. So great was Radha's love for Krishna that even today her name is uttered whenever Krishna is refered to, and Krishna worship is though to be incomplete without the deification of Radha.

One day the two most talked about lovers come together for a final single meeting. Suradasa in his Radha-Krishna lyrics relates the various amorous delights of the union of Radha and Krishna in this ceremonious 'Gandharva' form of their wedding in front of five hundred and sixty million people of Vraj and all the gods and goddesses of heaven. The sage Vyasa refers to this as the 'Rasa'. Age after age, this evergreen love theme has engrossed poets, painters, musicians and all Krishna devotees alike.

Sri Krishna: His Birth and Activities

Lord Krishna appeared over five thousand years ago in Mathura, India to Devaki and Vasudeva in the jail cell of the tyrant Kamsa. The place of His birth is known as Sri Krishna Janmasthana. He appeared with His brother Balarama in response to the demigods' prayers for protection from the widespread influence of demonic administration on earth.

Previously, the demigods and demons had been at war in the heavens. When the demons were defeated by the demigods, they decided to instead attack this planet earth. Thus, they invaded the earth by discretely taking birth as princes in powerful royal families of the time. And as the earth became overrun by militaristic activities of these kingly demons, the demigods including the Earth goddess earnestly sought Lord Visnu's protection. Seeing the deteriorating social and political conditions and hearing the prayers of the demigods, the all-compassionate Supreme Lord Sri Krishna decided to descend for the benefit of all. The Supreme Lord descends from time to time in this material world to reestablish the teachings of the Vedas. In His Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna promises: "Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion--at that time I descend Myself. To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear milleniumm after millenium." Although eternal the Lord appears in specific circumstances out of mercy for His devotees. In fact, His principal biography, the Srimad Bhagavatam states, "the learned men describe the births and activities of the Unborn and Inactive." Therefore, although He appears within the material dimensions of time and space, He is most definitely not of it. Historically, Lord Krishna appeared on the midnight of the 8th day of the dark half of the month of Sravana. This corresponds to July 19th 3228 BC. He exhibited His pastimes for a little over 125 years and dissappeared on February 18th 3102 BC on the new moon night of Phalguna. (His departure marks the beginning of the current age of corruption known as Kali.) The great scholar Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti neatly outlines Lord Krishna's activities in this way: the first three years and four months were spent in Gokula, then equal lengths of time in Vmdavana and Nandagram, eighteen years and four months in Mathura, and finally ninety-six years and eight months in Dvaraka totalling 125 years of manifest pastimes. See the Krishna-lila chart. Lord Krishna's early pastimes are briefly summarized at the website Krishna's Adventures in Vraja"During this , He grew up as the son of His foster parents Nanda and Yasoda in the midst of the idyllic beauty of Gokula, Vrindavana, and Nandagram. Not only did He destroy numerous demons, but also performed His famous rasa dance. Krishna enjoyed the dance of love (rasa-lila) with the gopis many of whom are expansions of His own internal energies. The supreme gopi known as Srimati Radharani is the object of Krishna's highest devotion. This beautiful dance would occur in the autumn season at night under a full moon when Lord Krsna would captivate the young gopis with the extraordinary music of His flute. These esoteric pastimes constitute the most confidential expression of divinity ever revealed. Usually the conception of sprirtual perfection consists of overwhelming feelings only of awe and reverence at God's majesty. However, in these pastimes each devotee loves God either as a master, a best freind, a mischievous son, or even as an intimate lover, thus revealing the infinite possibilities of divine love. These early pastimes of Lord Krsna in Vrindavana illustrate the extraordinary intimacy that one can have with God. These pastimes are described in detail by Sri Visvantha Chakravarti in his Sri Krishna Bhavanamrta Mahakavya When Krsna and Balarama were older, They were invited to Mathura, where Karnsa, Their demonic uncle, was planning Their death in a wrestling match against two large and powerful wrestlers. When Kamsa saw his wrestlers defeated, he ordered his friends to drive the brothers out of Mathura, plunder the riches of Their cowherd friends, and kill Their fathers, Nanda and Vasudeva. However, Krishna immediately killed Kamsa and Balarama killed his eight brothers. Lord Krishna then established the pious King Ugrasena as the emperor of several kingdoms. In Mathura, both Krishna and Balarama were initiated by Gargamuni in the Gayatri mantra> Later They went to live under the care of Sandipani Muni who instructed Them in all the Vedic arts and sciences in sixty-four days and nights especially in military science, politics and spirituality. As an offering (guru-daksina) to Their teacher, They recovered his son from death. Although God does not need instruction from anyone else, Lord Krsna and His brother set the perfect example : one must accept instruction from and serve a bona-fide spiritual master to advance in spiritual life. For the next eighteen years, They continued to live in Mathura halting the impending threat of many demonic kings. Later in Their pastimes Lord Balarama married a princess named Revati. Lord Krsna married many queens, the foremost among them being the extraordinarily beautiftil Queen Rukmini. (See Sri Rukmini website for the story of Their marriage). Both Krishna and Balarama established Their palaces in Dvaraka off the coast of western India, where They enjoyed married life for many years. Although They were married, Lord Krsna and Lord Balarama exhibited the quality of detachment from material life perfectly. When They were about ninety years old, the great world war of Kuruksetra took place. This climactic battle brought together all the major world leaders. Lord Krsna took the role of a charioteer on the side of the pious Pandavas, while Lord Balarama refusing to participate went on a pilgrimage tour thereby blessing the entire land of India. At the start of the war, Lord Krishna displayed His stupendous Universal Formdelivered His famous message known as the Bhagavad-gita, literally the Song of God. This Song contains the essence of all knowledge having been spoken by the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Himself. This war concluded with the destruction of the demonic kings and the reinstatement of the righteous Pandava princes.

Having completed Their mission, Balarama and Krsna resumed Their life in Dvaraka where They spent some thirty-five more years before ending Their earthly manifest activitiesThe foremost description of Lord Krishna's activities occurs in the Srimad Bhagavatam, literally "the Beautiful Book of God."

THE 108 NAMES OF LORD KRSNA

THE 108 NAMES OF LORD KRSNA:

1. om sri-krsnaya namah
Om! Obeisance to the all-attractive Shri Krishna

2. om kamala-nathaya namah
the Lord of LakSmI, KamalA

3. om vasudevaya namah
the all-pervading Lord

4. om sanatanaya namah
the eternal Lord

5. om vasudevatmajaya namah
the son of Vasudeva

6. om punyaya namah
who is consummate piety

7. om lila-manusa-vigrahaya namah
who enacts pastimes of humanlike form

8. om srivatsa-kaustubha-dharaya namah
bearer of ShrIvatsa and kaustubha

9. om yasoda-vatsalaya namah
the object of YazodA's maternal affections

10. om haraye namah
Hari, who takes away

11. om caturbhujatta-cakrasi-gada-sankhambujayudhaya namah
in whose four hands are the wheel, club, conch, and lotus
weapons

12. om devaki-nandanaya namah
delight/son of DevakI

13. om srisaya namah
Lord of ZrI (LakSmI)

14. om nanda-gopa-priyatmajaya namah
dear son of the cowherd Nanda

15. om yamuna-vega-samharine namah
who checked the flow of the YamunA

16. om balabhadra-priyanujaya namah
dear younger brother of Balabhadra

17. om putana-jivita-haraya namah
who tookm the life of PUtanA

18. om sakatasura-bhanjanaya namah
who decimated the cart demon (ZakaTAsura)

19. om nanda-vraja-jananandine namah
delighter of Nanda & the other people of Vraja

20. om sac-cid-ananda-vigrahaya namah
whose body is being, cognizance, and bliss

21. om navanita-viliptangaya namah
whose limbs are smeared with fresh butter

22. om navanita-nataya namah
who dances for butter

23. om anaghaya namah
about whom nothing is impure or repulsive

24. om navanita-navaharaya namah
whose first food was fresh butter

25. om mucukunda-prasadakaya namah
who graced Mucukunda

26. om sodasa-stri-sahasresaya namah
Lord of 16,000 women

27. om tribhangi-madhurakrtaye namah
the sweet, threefold-bending form

28. om suka-vag-amrtabdhindave namah
the moon (produced out of) of the nectar-ocean of Zukadeva GosvAmi's words

29. om govindaya namah
who pleases His cows, land & senses

30. om yoginam pataye namah
Lord of the yogIs

31. om vatsa-palana-sancarine namah
who goes about caring for calves

32. om anantaya namah
the unlimited

33. om dhenukasura-mardanaya namah
who beat up the ass-demon DhenukAsura

34. om trni-krta-trnavartaya namah
who made short work of the whirlwind TRNAvarta

35. om yamalarjuna-bhajanaya namah
who broke the two Arjuna trees

36. om uttala-tala-bhetre namah
who broke all the big, tAla trees (killing Dhenuka)

37. om tamala-syamalakrtaye namah
who is blackish like a TamAla tree

38. om gopa-gopisvaraya namah
Lord of the gopas and gopIs

39. om yogine namah
the YogI

40. om koti-surya-sama-prabhaya namah
bright as millions of suns

41. om ilapataye namah
Lord of IlA, the earth

42. om parasmai jyotise namah
the Supreme light

43. om yadavendraya namah
king of the Yadu clan

44. om yadu-dvahaya namah
the preeminent leader of the Yadus

45. om vanamaline namah
wearing a garland of forest flowers

46. om pita-vasase namah
wearing yellow garments

47. om parijatapaharakaya namah
who stole the parijAta flower

48. om govardhanacaloddhartre namah
who held up the Govardhana mountain

49. om gopalaya namah
protector of cows, GopAla

50. om sarva-palakaya namah
protector of everything

51. om ajaya namah
birthless

52. om niranjanaya namah
the unblemished Lord

53. om kama-janakaya namah
who incites the gopIs desires

54. om kanja-locanaya namah
lotus-eyed

55. om madhughne namah
slayer of the demon Madhu

56. om mathura-nathaya namah
Lord of MathurA

57. om dvaraka-nayakaya namah
the hero of DvArakA

58. om baline namah
the strong Lord

59. om vrndavananta-sancarine namah
who loiters about the outskirts of VRndAvana

60. om tulasi-dama-bhusanaya namah
who wears a TulasI garland

61. om syamantaka-maner hartre namah
who appropriated the SyAmantaka jewel

62. om nara-narayanatmakaya namah
the selfsame Nara-nArAyaNa

63. om kubjakrstambara-dharaya namah
who bears the sandal paste taken from KubjA

64. om mayine namah
magician, master of MAyA

65. om parama-purusaya namah
Supreme person

66. om mustikasura-canura-malla-yuddha-visaradaya namah
who expertly fought the wrestlers MuSTika & CANUra

67. om samsara-vairine namah
enemy of material existence

68. om kamsaraye namah
KaMsa's enemy

69. om muraraye namah
Mura's enemy

70. om narakantakaya namah
who dispensed the demon Naraka

71. om anadi-brahmacarine namah
the eternal brahmacArI

72. om krsnavyasana-karsakaya namah
KRSNa, who draws one away from attachment to vice

73. om sisupala-siras-chetre namah
who split the nhead of ZizupAla

74. om duryodhana-kulantakaya namah
who ended the dynasty of Duryodhana

75. om vidurakrura-varadaya namah
who benedicted Vidura & AkrUra

76. om visvarupa-pradarsakaya namah
who displayed the universal form

77. om satya-vace namah
who speaks the truth

78. om satya-sankalpaya namah
whose determination is fact

79. om satyabhama-rataya namah
who is predisposed toward SatyabhAmA

80. om jayine namah
the conqueror

81. om subhadra-purvajaya namah
who appeared before SubhadrA

82. om visnave namah
Lord ViSNu

83. om bhisma-mukti-pradayakaya namah
who gave liberation to BhISma

84. om jagad-gurave namah
preceptor of the worlds

85. om jagannathaya namah
Lord of the universe

86. om venu-nada-saradaya namah
expert in playing His flute

87. om vrsabhasura-vidhvamsine namah
who destroyed the demon VRSabhAsura

88. om banasura-karantakaya namah
who vanquished BANAsura's arms

89. om yudhisthira-pratisthatre namah
who installed King YudhiSThira

90. om barhi-varhavatamsakaya namah
whose crest is decorated with peacock feathers

91. om parthasarathaye namah
charioteer of PArtha (Arjuna)

92. om avyaktaya namah
the Unmanifest

93. om gitamrta-mahodadhaye namah
great nectar-ocean of gItA

94. om kaliya-phani-manikya-ranjita-sri-padambujaya namah
whose beautiful lotus feet danced on the jeweled hoods of the KAliya serpent.

95. om damodaraya namah
bound up at the waist

96. om yajna-bhoktre namah
the enjoyer of (everyone else's) sacrifices

97. om danavendra-vinasakaya namah
destroyer of the leading demons

98. om narayanaya namah
Lord NArAyaNa, ViSNu

99. om para-brahmane namah
the Supreme absolute Truth

100. om pannagasana-vahanaya namah
whose mount (GaruDa) devours snakes

101. om jala-kridasamasakta-gopi-vastrapaharakaya namah
who stole the gopIs clothing while they played in the water

102. om punya-slokaya namah
whose poetic depictions are virtuous

103. om tirtha-karaya namah
creator of holy places

104. om veda-vedyaya namah
the Vedas, and what is known by them

105. om daya-nidhaye namah
repository of compassion

106. om sarva-bhutatmakaya namah
the self of all created beings

107. om sarva-graha-rupine namah
the form of everyone's fate

108. om parat-paraya namah
transcendental even to the transcendental

Happy Birthday, Krishna!

What You Need To Know About Lord Krishna

"I am the conscience in the heart
of all creatures
I am their beginning, their being,
their end
I am the mind of the senses,
I am the radiant sun among lights
I am the song in sacred lore,
I am the king of deities
I am the priest of great seers…"

This is how Lord Krishna describes God in the Holy Bhagavad Gita. And to most Hindus he is the God himself, the Supreme Being, the Absolute, the Brahman, the Purna Purushotam. The great exponent of the Gita, Krishna is the ninth and the complete incarnate of Vishnu, the Godhead of the Hindu Trinity of deities. Of all the Vishnu avatars he is the most popular, and perhaps of all Hindu gods the one closest to the heart of the masses.

The Importance of Being Krishna
Krishna has influenced the Indian thought, life and culture in myriad ways. He has influenced not only its religion and philosophy, but also into its mysticism and literature, painting and sculpture, dance and music, and all aspects of Indian folklore.

The birthday of such a favourite deity is bound to be a special occasion for the Hindus, who consider Krishna their leader, hero, protector, philosopher, teacher and friend all rolled into one.

The Time of the Lord
Krishna took birth at midnight on the ashtami or the 8th day of the Krishnapaksha or dark fortnight in the Hindu month of Shravan (August-September). This auspicious day is called Janmashthami.

Indian as well as Western scholars have now accepted the period between 3200 and 3100 BC as the period in which Lord Krishna lived on earth.

The Story of His Birth
The birth of Krishna is in itself a transcendental phenomenon that generates awe among the Hindus and overwhelms one and all with its supra mundane happenings.

Mother Earth, unable to bear the burden of sins committed by evil kings and rulers, appealed to Brahma, the Creator for help. Brahma prayed to the Supreme Lord Vishnu, who assured him that he would soon be born on earth to annihilate tyrannical forces.

One such evil force was Kamsa, the ruler of Mathura (in northern India) and his people were utterly terrified of him. On the day Kamsa's sister Devaki was married off to Vasudeva, an akashvani or voice from the sky was heard prophesying that Devaki's 8th son would be the destroyer of Kamsa. The frightened Kamsa immediately unsheathed his sword to kill his sister but Vasudeva intervened and implored Kamsa to spare his bride, and promised to hand over every new born child to him. Kamsa relented but imprisoned both Devaki and her husband Vasudeva.

When Devaki gave birth to her first child, Kamsa came to the prison cell and slaughtered the newborn. In this way, he killed the first six sons of Devaki. Even before her 8th child was born, Devaki and Vasudeva started lamenting its fate and theirs. Then suddenly Lord Vishnu appeared before them and said he himself was coming to rescue them and the people of Mathura. He asked Vasudeva to carry him to the house of his friend, the cowherd chief Nanda in Gokula right after his birth, where Nanda's wife Yashoda had given birth to a daughter. He was to exchange his boy and bring Yashoda's baby daughter back to the prison. Vishnu assured them that "nothing shall bar your path".

At midnight on ashtami, the divine baby was born in Kamsa's prison. Remembering the divine instructions, Vasudeva clasped the child to his bosom and started for Gokula, but found that his legs were in chains. He jerked his legs and was unfettered! The massive iron-barred doors unlocked and opened up.

While crossing river Yamuna, Vasudeva held his baby high over his head. The rain fell in torrents and the river was in spate. But the water made way for Vasudeva and miraculously a five-mouthed snake followed him from behind and provided shelter over the baby.

When Vasudeva reached Gokula, he found the door of Nanda's house open. He exchanged the babies and hurried back to the prison of Kamsa with the baby girl. Early in the morning, all the people at Gokula rejoiced the birth of Nanda's beautiful male child. Vasudeva came back to Mathura and as he entered, the doors of the prison closed themselves.

When Kamsa came to know about the birth, he rushed inside the prison and tried to kill the baby. But this time it skipped from his hand and reaching the sky. She was transformed into the goddess Yogamaya, who told Kansa: "O foolish! What will you get by killing me? Your nemesis is already born somewhere else."

In his youth Krishna killed Kansa along with all his cruel associates, liberated his parents from prison, and reinstated Ugrasen as the King of Mathura.

The Enigma of Krishna
Krishna was dark and extremely handsome. The word Krishna literally means 'black', and black also connotes mysteriousness. For generations if Krishna has been an agonising enigma to some, he has put millions into ecstasies.

Whether he was a human being or a God-incarnate, there is no gainsaying the fact that he has been ruling the hearts of millions for over three millennia. In the words of Swami Harshananda, "If a person can affect such a profound impact on the Hindu race affecting its psyche and ethos and all aspects of its life for centuries, he is no less than God."

Thnks vinnie for all that information 😃

Originally posted by: ani11

Thnks vinnie for all that information 😃

always welcome ani😊

Originally posted by: corvallisi

Happy Janmashthami to all. I really wish that he/she/it takes birth again. "Yadaa yadaa hi dharmasya glaanirbhavati "bhoovara:",abhyuththaanama dharmasya tadatmaanam srujaamyaham". Where is he now? He/she/it promised "ParitraaNaay saadhoonaam, vinaashaayacha dushkrutaam, dharma sansthaapana arthaaya sambhavaami yuge yuge". He/she/it should live up to that promise.

Even I wonder where is he ? When I see water everywhere wonder is it a sign of a PRALAY?.

Happy Janmashthmi to all.

I would like to give background on some characters of Rama avatara and Krishn Avatara.

Rama and Krisha: Direct avtaras of Lord Vishnu. Rama came as a total human being. In this avatara he never showed that he is Vishnu's incarnation. Never performed miracles of his own except for Ahilya muktee. Lord Vishnu had announced before taking Krishna avatara that he will come down with all 32 kalas (arts). During avatara He demonstrated to the public who he is. He even showed his super natural form to Yashoda, Hastinapur court, Arjuna, and then to Bhishma when he was on the bed of aarows. To see the lord one had to have a special visionary power. So, lord gave some people that power. Others just saw intollerable bright light. He did weild Sudharshan Chakra which only Lord Vishnu can weild.

Laxmana and Balarama: Are the avatars of Shesh Naga on which Lord Vishnu rests. Laxmana was Ramas yonger brother. He was frustrated for being younger brother so before Krishnavatara he requested Lord Vishnu that he would like to be older brother this time. Every one know Krishna twisted Balarama arm every time there was disagreement. Both Laxmana and Balarama had short fuse like all snake. They used to get angry at slightest provocations.

Seeta and Rukmini: are avataras of Shri Laxmi. In both avataras they had sufferings. As seeta she never had any happy days. While as Rukmini she spent whole life under the shadow of either Satyabhama or Radha. In North India more importance is given to childhood love affair (a illegal relationship for a married woman) than marital life. There is no Krishna-Rukmini temple in the whole of India except, Pandharpur, Maharashtra. There are scores of temples of Radha-Krishna.
Shatrughna/Bharat : are avataras of Sudarshan Chakra and Shankha (this one I am not sure of). They had very small role in the whole epic. Shatrughna had almost no role.

This is only as an information to some who do not know.

Brindaavan ka Krishn Kanhaiyaa sabke aankhon ka taara
Man hi man mein jale Radhika, Mohan to hai sabka pyaara