Devotee:
Salutations, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Salutations.
Devotee:
Gurudev, the 7th of September, this Thursday, is Janmashtami. The Ashtami Tithi (eighth lunar day) begins at 8:05 PM. As you know, Janmashtami cannot be celebrated without the Rohini Nakshatra (an auspicious astrological star). This year, the Rohini Nakshatra begins during the day at 3:19 PM. We would love to hear your thoughts on this.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Janmashtami is the day Krishna was born on the eighth day of the lunar month, which is why it is called Janmashtami. He was born in the prison of Kansa to his parents, Devaki and Vasudeva. Kansa had calculated and heard a prophecy that Devaki's eighth child would be the cause of his death.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Because of this, Kansa kept Vasudeva and Devaki imprisoned. He did not want to take any chances. He had already killed the previous eight, actually, the previous seven children, be they boys or girls. But when the eighth child was about to be born, he kept them under heavy guard in the prison. He knew the eighth child would be his end. For his own safety and to ensure the child could not escape, he locked them in the dungeon.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Krishna was born in the middle of a very stormy night, with heavy rain and thunder. Before the birth, Vasudeva was divinely instructed: "Once Krishna is born, you must take him to Mathura (Gokul)." At that same time, Adya Shakti Mahamaya (the primordial energy) was born in the house of Nanda.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Now, how was Vasudeva to get out of the prison? There were soldiers and guards stationed everywhere. But by the grace of God, all the guards fell into a deep sleep, and the prison doors opened on their own. Seeing this opportunity, Vasudeva placed the infant Krishna in a basket, put it on his head, and set out for his destination.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
When he reached the river, it was flooded and the weather was fierce. He wondered how he would cross. Just then, he saw a fox crossing the water easily. He thought, "If a fox can cross, so can I." He stepped into the water with the basket on his head. Immediately, Vasuki (the king of serpents) appeared and spread his hood over Krishna to protect him from the torrential rain.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Vasudeva successfully reached Nanda's house, placed Krishna beside Yashoda, and took her newborn daughter, who was Mahamaya, back to the prison in the same basket. He returned to the dungeon, and no one was the wiser. The swap was complete.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
In the morning, Kansa heard that Devaki had given birth. He rushed to the prison and saw that the eighth child was a girl. He couldn't believe it. He suspected something was wrong and questioned the guards, but they insisted they had been there the whole time. Despite the prophecy specifically mentioning a son, Kansa took the baby girl and tried to smash her against the stone wall.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
However, the baby slipped from his hands and rose into the air as the goddess Mahamaya. She made a divine proclamation: "The one who will kill you is already growing up in Gokul!" Her divine form then departed and settled in the Vindhya Mountains, where her temple still stands today.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Later, as we know, Kansa committed many atrocities. He ordered the capture and killing of all infants who might be Krishna. He sent many demons to kill him. One was the demoness Putana, who tried to kill baby Krishna by nursing him with poisoned milk. But Krishna sucked the life out of her, and she died on the spot. He later defeated other demons like Bakasura and the serpent Kaliya. Eventually, Krishna did indeed kill Kansa, fulfilling the divine decree.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Regarding the celebration, as you mentioned, Rohini Nakshatra is essential. Without it, the Janmashtami festival is incomplete. Even the government follows this astrological timing. Many states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra celebrate Krishna's birth at exactly midnight. They bathe the deity in butter and perform elaborate rituals.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Krishna's birth was a moment of great turmoil, thunder, lightning, and rain, but it was also the moment of divine intervention. It is said that in the Vindhya Mountains, where the goddess resides, there is a Banyan tree where the words "Jai Shri Ram" appear on the leaves naturally. My friend from Nanda-Gaon has told me many stories about that place and even brought me pictures.
Devotee:
Gurudev, is the Vindhya mountain range near Pakistan?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
No, no. It is right here in India. My friend lives near that temple.
Devotee:
Gurudev, given that we are in the closing stages of the Kali Yuga, the importance of celebrating Janmashtami and chanting "Hare Krishna, Hare Rama" in every household has become very significant, hasn't it?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Absolutely. As the Kali Yuga progresses toward its end, and there are perhaps only a few years left, Krishna's role becomes vital. He will return, or rather Narayana will return, in the form of Kalki to bring about the Great Dissolution (Mahapralaya).
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
In fact, signs of this dissolution have already begun. We are seeing immense disasters. Just yesterday, I heard, I'm not sure if it's fully confirmed, that in Odisha, there were 61,000 lightning strikes in just two hours. If that is true, it is a sign of the beginning of the end. 61,000 strikes is no joke; it's like a constant barrage.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
This is why we celebrate Nanda Utsav the day after Janmashtami. Since Krishna went to Nanda's house, the festival is celebrated there with great joy. Krishna grew up there, protected and aided by Balarama, who was his strength. No matter how hard Kansa tried, he could not kill Krishna. Krishna is Narayana himself, Swayam Bhagwan.
Devotee:
Thank you, Gurudev. We will end here today. Salutations.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Salutations.