Celebrating the advent of Lord Krishna

Iskcon celebrated Sri Krishna Astmee on Saturday evening and set the pace for a spiritually enlightened weekend.

According to belief, the celebration revolved around the coming of Lord Krishna.

As humans come into the world as infants, so did Lord Krishna, the supreme personality of the Godhead. However, he had no need for a delivery and his arrival marked his purpose of delivering mankind.

Although Krishna played the role of endearing and dependent newborn, he is complete with all the powers of the Godhead.

According to a mystical prophecy, the eighth child born to Krishna’s parents, Vasudeva and Devaki, would defeat king Kamsa, the cruel king of Mathura.

This eighth child would be none other than Lord Krishna.

When King Kamsa heard the prophecy, he was determined to destroy Krishna.

He imprisoned Krishna’s parents where his mother gave birth to seven children, six of whom died by Kamsa’s cruel hand.

One elder brother of Krishna eluded the sinful king. Known as Balarama, He is a plenary expansion of the Godhead. He transferred Himself to another location and waited for Krishna to arrive.

Finally, the eighth child of Devaki, Krishna, was born in the very dungeon of His family’s persecution.

Krishna entered this world through the heart of his father, Vasudeva, who had performed strong penances and austerities for thousands of years in his previous lifetimes.

Vasudeva apparently did this in order to achieve an intense meditation on the Lord by which He was able to attract Krishna to appear as his own son.

Devaki, alongside her husband, had also engaged in long severe penances to attract the Lord.

From Vasudeva’s heart Krishna was transferred to the womb of Devaki.

When Krishna first appeared to His parents, He showed Himself as the four-armed Lord Vishnu they were accustomed to meditate on.

The ruthless king was eventually defeated.

On Saturday, devotees participated in the abishiek, bathing ceremony of Krishnam bhajans, kirtans and a special midnight arti ceremony.

A tulsi garden was also set up for puja.