Shree Krishna Janmashtami – An obedient son

वसुदेवसुतं देवं, कंसचाणूर्मदनम्।

देवकी परमानंदं, कृष्णं वंदे जगद्गुरुम्।।

I bow to the Jagadguru (Teacher of the world) Krishna, the son of Vasudev and the one who gave the feeling of eternal bliss to Devaki, the slayer of Kans and Chanur…

As per my last post on Krishna Janmashtami, we looked at the aspect of parenting through the Krishna way of life. I have this strong urge to continue with the same. The Krishna within compels me to write more about it. Isn’t this the Krishna consciousness?

( My last Janmashtami post link : https://ameetkothari.wordpress.com/2018/09/02/monsoon-months-chaturmaas-shree-krishna-janmashtami/ )

Krishna is the son of Vasudev, as mentioned in the above shloka. Many people write about the relation between a child and the mother, but very few write about the child’s relation with the Father.

Father is the most invisible hand in the upbringing of a child.

Father is the one whom child looks upto as he/she grows.

Father is the one who is an ideal to the child in the world.

Father is the untold love and warmth and utmost care for his child.

Father is the disciplinarian in a child’s life yet shares a bond of freedom.

The relation about which Vyas felt that it cannot be described so began with Vasudev, but ended up saying just that Krishna is the son of Vasudev, and nothing more. He didn’t talk about this relation the way he describes Krishna’s relation with his mother, Devaki. Krishna is the giver of bliss to his mother. But I always wanted to know about His relation with His father.

I personally feel (after my experience as a father) that kids bond easily with their mother as she is always there for them, whereas the fathers are away toiling to take care of their families. In no way I belittle the mothers who stay back home and toil in their own way. In the modern world, many a women folk work shoulder to shoulder with their men and help in running the household and the errands of the house. Look at the families in Gokul. Nand and Jashoda work equally to keep their household running. If Nand tends to the cattle, then it is Jashoda who looks after their milking and preparing Goras. For those who have done this work, know it is no easy job, leave aside calling it menial with a narrow mindset. Our history too shows that the Queens/ Queenmothers have played an important role in the running of the state affairs. Let’s conclude this topic here, lest we might forget our topic about being a Father.

The Father is the one who gives a goal to his kids. He nurtures them and makes them learn to be independent. The qualities of a Male are imbibed in the kid through the father. The father’s responsibility does not lie only in providing the kid, pocket money or other necessities. He needs to spend some time or part of his life with the kids too.

I still remember the time, when I always found my father around, when I needed him the most. He was never seen at my PTM’s or my functions. But the day I needed him the most, he was always around. A man of stature and principles, he never wavered from his goals and even today at the age of 74, he portrays an ideal of hard work for his grandsons. Working like a 25 year old, he has been a guiding light to many, but especially to both us siblings.

At the same time, the kids are duty bound to carry forward the legacy of their fathers. सम्यक् तनोति इति संतान। – The one who properly, fully and in a right way spreads the work (thought) of the father is a child.

We see a lot of these traits in the life of Shree Krishna. Vasudev was one of the chiefs of one of the Yadav clan. Yadavs lived in a confederation of states. They all had their individual kingdoms, but all were ruled by a single King. Vasudev was an able administrator and a just man. Fit to be the King. Yet he gave up his claim over the throne and worked under Ugrasenji, father of Kamsa. Similarly, Krishna having all the qualities to be a king, emulated his father and did not lay any claim to the throne. He ruled the hearts of the people. It is history, that the Kings all over India were attentive to the movement of his eyebrows and took decisions likewise. (This is difficult to believe looking at the state of Yadav’s today.)

I know am talking about this in a material world, where a father and son alike are interested in looting people and inheriting their legacy. People with such a mindset would hardly understand what our forefathers lived for.

Vasudevji passed on the values to Krishna and Krishna too with due respect and humility, accepted them. This is the essence of a father – child relationship. We see the same upbringing in the life of Parshuram and Rama and all our ideals.

On the day of Janmashtami,

As Fathers :

Let us think on becoming a good father.

Let us look after our kids and their upbringing equally with our spouses.

Let us share the responsibility to give the kids some goals in their lives.

Let us pass on the legacy of ethics and moral values to our kids.

Let us be more indulgent with our kids and give them their space and freedom.

As kids :

Let us all decide to listen to our fathers however wrong, we may feel, they are.

Let us all take forward their love and warmth to our siblings.

Let us carry on the legacy of our parents and try to be like them, if not better.

Let us spend more time with them and look after them.

Let us pledge to eradicate all “old age homes” from our area, village, town, city, state and country.

At the end, good wishes to you all and your families on occasion of Shree Krishna Janmashatmi.

May the Krishna within us arise and grow and spread His radiance!

Jay Shree Krishna.