By Bhalakatha
Lord Krishna, as per Vedic scriptures, is recognized as the Supreme Lord. For instance, the Brahma Samhita describes Him as “Kṛṣṇa, who is known as Govinda, the Supreme Godhead, with an eternal blissful spiritual body.” Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.28 unequivocally states, “kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam,” establishing Krishna as the original personality of Godhead.
However, one may wonder why a divine being like Krishna would take birth on Earth. This question finds its answer in the Bhagavad Gita (4.7 & 4.8): “Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice and a predominant rise of irreligion, I descend Myself” and “To deliver the pious and annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.”
Krishna’s purpose for incarnating on Earth extends beyond defeating demons; He comes out of love and compassion for humanity. He aims to guide us from darkness to light and remind us that, as our eternal father, He is always with us, loving us unconditionally.
Krishna’s earthly appearance serves as an invitation to His spiritual kingdom. He assures us that His abode is free from suffering, and by returning there, we can escape the cycle of birth and death that plagues the material world.
In Bhagavad Gita 8.21, Krishna describes His supreme abode as “unmanifest and infallible, the supreme destination from which one never returns.” He emphasizes that those who attain this abode do not need to endure the miseries of the material world again (Bhagavad Gita 8.15 & 8.16).
Krishna’s incarnation on Earth holds a unique significance. He appeared in a dark prison cell to Devaki and Vasudeva, initially revealing Himself in a four-handed form as Lord Vishnu, dispelling their fear. Subsequently, He manifested as a human baby to grant them the experience of parental affection.
But why did Krishna choose to be the eighth child of Devaki and Vasudeva? This can be traced back to a celestial prediction that the eighth child would be the cause of Kamsa’s death. Kamsa, out of fear, had killed Devaki’s previous six children. The seventh, Balarama, was mysteriously transferred to the womb of Rohini in Vraja.
Krishna’s arrival marked the fulfillment of the prophecy, and He later vanquished the malevolent demon Kamsa. Symbolically, the six children slain by Kamsa represent the six vices of the mind: lust, anger, greed, envy, pride, and illusion. Krishna appears in our hearts when we cleanse ourselves of these impurities.
Balarama, the seventh child, symbolizes the competent guru who guides us in our journey towards Krishna. With Krishna as our best friend and well-wisher, and Balarama as our guru, we receive the guidance needed to overcome the obstacles posed by our lower nature.
In conclusion, Lord Krishna’s incarnation on Earth is a divine act of compassion, aimed at guiding humanity towards righteousness, dispelling darkness, and inviting us to His eternal abode, free from suffering and the cycle of birth and death. His appearance in our lives offers the opportunity for spiritual transformation and liberation.
