Lord Krishna: His Lilas and Teachings

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Sri Swami Sivananda

Born on the 8th September, 1887, in the illustrious family of Sage Appayya Dikshitar and several other renowned saints and savants, Sri Swami Sivananda had a natural flair for a life devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta. Added to this was an inborn eagerness to serve all and an innate feeling of unity with all mankind.

His passion for service drew him to the medical career; and soon he- gravitated to where he thought that his service was most needed. Malaya claimed him. He had earlier been editing a health journal and wrote extensively on health a problems. He discovered that people needed right knowledge most of all; dissemination of that knowledge he espoused as his own mission.

It was divine dispensation and the blessing of God upon mankind that the doctor of body and mind renounced his career and took to a life of renunciation to qualify for ministering to the soul of man. He settled down at Rishikesh in 1924, practised intense austerities and shone as a great Yogi, saint, sage and Jivanmukta.

In 1932 Swami Sivananda started the Sivanandashram. In 1936 was born The Divine Life Society. In 1948 the Yoga-Vedanta ‘Forest Academy was organised. Dissemination of spiritual knowledge and training of people in Yoga and Vedanta were their aim and object. In 1950 Swamiji undertook a lightning tour of India and Ceylon. In 1953 Swamiji convened a ‘World Parliament of Re1igions’. Swamiji is the author of over 300 volumes and has disciples all over the world, belonging to all nationalities, religions and creeds. To read Swamiji’s works is to drink at the Fountain of Wisdom Supreme. On 14th July, 1963 Swamiji entered Mahasamadhi.

Introduction

Salutations to Lord Krishna, the Supreme Lord, who is the indweller of our hearts, who is Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute, Bliss Absolute, who is the Soul of this universe, who bestows Immortality on His devotees, who is the source for everything and who took a human form for the benefit of the gods and His devotees, to destroy wickedness and establish righteousness.

I bow to that Para Brahman, the Supreme Self from whom is born this mysterious universe, by whom alone it is upheld, and in whom alone it is dissolved, who is Lord Krishna Himself.

Lord Krishna was the highest incarnation of the great Vishnu. He was the unique and crowning incarnation of all. He was the Puma Avatara, the Perfect Incarnation. He had sixteen Kalas or rays. He was a noble scion of the illustrious Yadava dynasty. He was the world—teacher. He was the one Lord of love. He was a lover of men. His divine form holds the heart of India captive in chains even today.

The Bhagavata, the Mahabharata, the Vishnu Purana———all proclaim with one voice that there was none to match Sri Krishna in beauty and elegance of form in all the three worlds.

His enchanting form with flute in hand is worshiped in the myriad homes of India. It is a form to which is poured out devotion and supreme love from the hearts of countless devotees not only in India but also in the West.

He was a noble embodiment of all the great qualities of head and heart. He was the towering genius of His age. He was a great historical figure. His sports of childhood contain count- less object-lessons for all thinking men. He was a glorious and extraordinary personality.

Every word of Lord Krishna’s teachings and every act of His is full of sublime and grand object—lessons of momentous import to humanity in at variety of ways.

Worship of Sri Krishna has been practised in India from the very commencement of the world culture. It is a part of the Veda itself. It is not a new cult. Sri Krishna has become the most common object of worship in the whole of India. Even in Latvia (Europe) hundreds of ladies worship Sri Krishna and repeat His Mantra OM NAMO BHAGAVATE VASUDEVAYA.

Lord Krishna was great in knowledge, great in emotion, great in action, altogether. The scriptures have not recorded any life more full, more intense, more sublime, more grand than His.

Though Lord Krishna appeared in human form, He had an Aprakritic, divine body. He did not take any birth. He did not die. He appeared and disappeared through His 'Yoga Maya. This is a secret known only to His devotees, Yogis and sages.

Lord Krishna has played various parts during His stay in the world. He drove the chariot of Arjuna. He was an excellent statesman. He was a master musician. He gave lessons to Narada in the art of playing the Vina. The music of His flute thrilled the hearts of Gopis and of all. He was a cowherd in Nandagaon and Gokul. He exhibited miracles even when He was a child and a boy. He killed many Rakshasas. He showed Viswaroopa to His mother. He did Rasalila, the secrets of which can only be understood by devotees like Narada, Gouranga, Radha, and the Gopis. He taught the supreme truths of Yoga, Bhakti and Vedanta to Arjuna and Uddhava. He had mastery over the sixty-four arts. That is why He is regarded as can Avatara with sixteen Kalas or Powers.

About the Book

Lord Krishna, His Lilas and Teachings
This book deals with the advent, Lilas and teachings of Lord Krishna, Avatara of Lord Vishnu, Flute-Bearer of Vrindavana, Joy of Devaki, Beloved of Radha, Redeemer of the Fallen, Friend of Arjuna, The Ideal of the Devotees, Narrator of Bhagavad Gita.