Janmashtami signifies the birth of Bhagwan Shri Krishna. In Hinduism, God manifests on earth in human form at various times in different eras to fulfill the noble wishes of the devotees and to liberate them from the worldly ties. Bhagwan Shri Krishna’s life embodied this understanding. He fulfilled his devotees wishes, such as taking on 108 forms to play raas with the 108 gopis of Vrindavan. Bhagwan Shri Krishna also liberated devotees like Arjun from self-doubt by propelling him to perform his moral duty on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, when faced with war against his own family.
On this auspicious day of Janmashtami, BAPS centers across North America gathered to remember Bhagwan Shri Krishna’s life and teachings and to reminisce the inspirational tales of his devotees. This year’s celebration centered on the theme, Tav Gunānāmiśa Pāram Na Yāti, highlighting the various qualities of Bhagwan Shri Krishna. The four main qualities elaborated include Kshamā, Ajātsatruta, Prem, and Namratā. The program included blessings from His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, which solidified the message in the hearts of deveotees. Bhagwan Shri Krishna’s incarnation teaches us valuable lessons in how an ideal devotee should intuitively understand the wishes of God and become fearless once he develops firm faith in God.