–
meaning he was a
god (Vishnu in this case) in human form. Born to royalty,
he also was born with an omen that he would someday kill
the current king. To protect him, his parents traded their
divine boy for a rural girl, and Krishna’s foster
parents raised him in a forest. The precocious boy was
known for his mischief and his easeful way of fending
off demons. A warrior with a gleaming smile and a pure
heart, young Krishna also wooed the nearby village’s
young female cowherds away from household duties to the
forest on dark nights for ecstatic dancing and loving.
When 16,000 cowherds had been kidnapped by demons, Krishna
allegedly married all 16,000 to protect their honor. Quite
the valiant lover, Krishna.
Krishna accompanies us when
in battle with the world. Cousin to both sides of a warring
family, Krishna witnessed and participated in an epic
war recounted in the famous Indian text the Mahabharata.
The Bhagavad-Gita, the most well-known piece of literature
in which Krishna appears, is set during this epic war.
In the Gita, Krishna appears as the chariot driver to
Arjuna, Krishna’s cousin and a renowned warrior
who cannot face his enemies (his own uncles and cousins,
no less). The Gita recounts Krishna’s patient advice
to the doubtful Arjuna as the divine prince ultimately
inspires Arjuna with love, confidence, and Yogic purpose.
Krishna’s message
essentially is that when you have divine love in your
heart, you cannot go wrong in fulfilling your own duty,
not someone else’s duty. Often depicted with a flute
with which he sends his pied-piper melody of love to all,
Krishna is a favorite among those who chant as part of
their Yoga path.
“Krishna” means
“dark” or “dark blue,” hence he
is depicted as such. “Govinda” – One
Who Pleases the Cows – is a popular name of Krishna,
important since cows in this context are deemed the sacred
source of nurturance. He also goes by Vasudev, the Prevailing
Lord (and Vasudeva also was the name of Krishna’s
father).
When people need clear support
in the form of radiant love, they need Krishna. A Krishna
gift or card would be appropriate for someone grieving
death of a loved one, who has ended an intimate relationship,
or who is in career transition. Supposedly born either
on July 18 or 21, people with these birthdates also might
appreciate a Krishna gift. Krishna’s July birth
date also means that anyone wishing to create a summer
festival or, say, a “summer of love” party
might infuse the gathering with Krishna energy and décor.
Biography
provided by Jeff
Davis: Author of The
Journey from the Center to the Page: Yoga Philosophies
and Practices as Muse for Authentic Writing.
His essays,
articles, short stories, and poems have appeared in publications
around the country and in London. He is a former senior
yoga teacher at Bliss Yoga Center in Woodstock, NY and
founder of WEN
Barn & Gardens in Accord, NY. He
resides near Woodstock, NY, between the Catskill Mountains
and the Shawangunk Mountains with wife Hillary.
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