Janmashtami 2019: Lessons from Lord Krishna's life

Lord Krishna's birthday is celebrated as Janmashtami every year. On this day, many children dress up as the Lord and dance to his Bhajans. The holy festival marks the birth of the supreme lord and is celebrated with much zeal and enthusiasm. In fact, not just Indians, but Krishna's followers from across the globe are immersed in celebrations. 

Believed to be the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu, Krishna has many names such as Makhan Chor, Govinda, Mukunda, Madhusudhana or Vasudeva. His teachings are something that will inspire the generations to come and will act as that ray of light needed in the dark.

Here are the five lessons which we can learn from Lord Krishna's life:

Dedication towards work

‘Your business is with the deed and not with the result of the deed’, also known as the maxim of Bhagwad Gita. Lord Krishna says that focus on the work is a must and not the results. We have to complete our duty with sincerity. Karm is important not the phal (fruit) of it. 

Standing up for what's right

Lord Krishna always stood with the Pandavas in the big Mahabharata war not because they were relatives but just because they were on the side of the Dharma. 

Friendship

Friendship builds on a reliable friend and a solid relationship. The tale of Sudama and Krishna's friendship is age-old and yet continues to inspire many. Both of them were childhood friends and happened to meet in the ashram where they acquired knowledge. Also, how Krishna washed Sudamas feet and accepted the humble offering his poor friend bought him makes us understand how friendship should never be based on caste, colour, religion or status. No earthly material is better than the commitment of a friend.

Responsibility

Lord Krishna taught us that how important and necessary it is for each individual to perform their respective duties. When Arjuna had developed cold feet during the Mahabharata battle as to how can he kill his own kin, Krishna stepped in to make him understand the difference and how the enemy had to be put on. Arjuna performed his duty and the rest is history!

You can read the Bhagwad Gita for a complete understanding of the teachings of the Lord.

Pure Love

Krishna had fallen in love with beautiful Radha. Radha-Krishna's platonic love is the supreme form of devotion towards each other. The love of Krishna which Gopis have or even Lord's deep love for flute makes it crystal clear how pure the feeling of love should be.

On the beloved Lord's birthday, hope you will try to embody some of the teachings by Kanha.

Hare Krishna!