Krishna - The Most Attractive

Today’s Janmashtami marks the birth of Lord Krishna, who walked on this planet 5,200 years ago. It’s very interesting that Krishna can relate to people of all types and ages. This is one very unique thing about Lord Krishna: everyone can relate to him. Children can relate to Lord Krishna, teenagers can relate to him, youth can relate to him. Simple, innocent people can relate with him, and even the most crooked people can also relate to him. Politicians can relate to him, yogis can relate to him, saints can relate to him, and so can householders.

Krishna is the central figure, and he is so attractive. He has to be so attractive that other things do not charm you as much. Our minds and senses have a natural tendency to go toward something that is more charming. If someone has to raise you beyond the visible universe to a mystic plane, they must be more charming than the sensory pleasures that one experiences in life. Lord Krishna’s energy was such that it could help everyone move beyond the mundane to something interior. It is a different vibration, one that has to be very attractive and charming.

Another name for Krishna is Shyam. If Krishna was not charming, then he would not be Krishna at all. Charm is Krishna. Children are charmed by him, and every mother wants to have a baby like him. Boys are compared to Krishna, and girls to Lakshmi, for they are both beautiful and charming. Krishna is known for his mischievous, vivacious nature, and kids are inspired by him. In their teenage years, young people are adventurous, much like Krishna, who was full of adventures.

Krishna’s life was abundant with adventures, and we find so many different types of adventures in the stories of his life. Middle-aged people are more concerned with society, caring for others, and they too can connect with Krishna. He could connect with people of all age groups and sections of society, from those living in forests to the richest people.

Often, people remain in their own circles—the rich remain with the rich, and the poor with the poor. They feel frightened or uncomfortable to reach out to people from different strata of society. There’s also the generation gap; young people tend to stay within their own groups and may feel uncomfortable mingling with those older than them. You often see teenagers distancing themselves from elderly people, preferring to stick with their own age group. But Lord Krishna is different—he could connect with people from every generation, the seniors, the juniors, and his peers alike.

If you can relate to everyone around you, then you are connected with the Lord within. Krishna is inside all of us. He takes birth when there is balance. That’s why Ashtami, the eighth day, is significant, for it represents balance—half dark, half light. Krishna is born when the moon is in Ashtami, symbolizing balance in life, the bright side and the not-so-bright side, the dark side. Krishna represents the middle path, and when we walk this path, we connect with something beyond duality.

That’s when life becomes a celebration, full of bliss. Lord Krishna is nothing but the embodiment of bliss. As Yogeshwara, the Lord of Yoga, he gives knowledge and high wisdom. From an artist’s point of view, he is the one who dances, plays the flute, and enjoys youthful adventures. As a Lord, he commands devotion. Many people say, “Oh, no one respects me,” but you cannot demand respect from others. You have to command respect through your nature. Krishna, by virtue of his being and nature, commanded respect wherever he went, from all sections of society.

When it comes to politics, Krishna played a shrewd role as an advisor to kings. He could bring down those who were arrogant and uplift those who were humble. His life was full of charm for every section of people. As an artist, he played the flute. As a scientist, he gave the knowledge of Tattva, the five elements. The Bhagavad Gita is full of scientific knowledge about matter, spirit, and how they relate. Krishna imparted knowledge of both the material world and the spirit because life cannot be complete without both.

These are the qualities Krishna embodies. He said, “I have been there before, I am here now, and I will be there in the future.” Seeing Krishna as more than just a historical figure, as the embodiment of light and spirit, is the goal of Vedanta. Krishna’s energy is like the sun—bright and beautiful.

When you can relate to people of all age groups and seek nothing for yourself, you become centered, and you will find that Krishna is born within you. Even a thief can find inspiration in Krishna. Krishna is also known as “Chor” (thief), but this thief is of a higher nature—he steals the hearts and minds of people.

For those who are fixated on material possessions, Krishna teaches, “Why are you stealing small things? Go for the highest—steal the hearts of people.” For warriors, he says, “Why are you fighting for small things? Strive for something greater.” For those who have surrendered to him, Krishna says, “I am the servant of servants.” To Arjuna, he says, “Drop all your worries, I will purify you. You don’t need to cleanse yourself of your sins; I will take care of it, but on one condition—that you surrender to me.”

When you give your heart to Krishna, he will take care of you. These are his promises. Drop the small, judging mind, and offer it to the Divine. The Divine will take over and bring you freedom.