This Janmashtami day, can we just think of ourselves? 

What does the festival of Janmashtami signify? 

Several things. 

In fact, the life of Lord Krishna is so multi-faceted that those who wish to understand and discover Him, can approach His pursuit in any manner that comes to their minds. The very breadth of approaches to reach Him is so extensive and encompassing, that the seeker has to follow just his heart and the way ahead gets revealed so clearly.

Srimad Bhagwad Geeta suggests many of such approaches. The potential and power of an approach may depend upon the state of spiritual evolution of the seeker. Lord Krishna Himself does not prescribe any heirarchy in these approaches. If to some, it appears that he advocates the path of action(कर्म योग) in preference to others, it is so because the context in which He propounded Geeta, demanded that. Arjuna’s dharma required him to fight the war. Lord Krishna ensured that. 

For those of us who have chosen a way of life where pursuit of God is a desirable objective while carrying on with the mundane life with all the trappings of worldly allures – wealth, health, material comforts ,recognition and much more, the path of action makes eminent sense. The very idea of finding God through action seems a brilliant innovation because without action all that one sets out to seek can not materialise. And if seeking all the worldly comforts also becomes a way of seeking God, what could be easier and so convenient to adopt? The only requirement, then, is to pursue your action following a code of conduct, one which is consonance with Dharma, in other words your conduct must be righteous.

Dharma need not be defined precisely. Every conscious entity is aware what his or her dharma is. It need not be explained in terms of Explainers or FAQs. What is appropriate for the profession that you have chosen, is the darma. If Arjuna’s profession was to fight, his dharma was to fight the war and not turn away from it.

For all of us, Janmashtami’s message should be unambiguous and energising. Follow our avocation with dedication and dharma, is what we are expected to do. The stations of life that has fallen to our lot is quite often not determined by us, yet improving the same must be  everyone’s endeavour. But to expect a pre-determined outcome of the effort is not dharma. Accepting this philosophy is a very practical and fulfilling way of living life. It is logical too, if one is willing to accept the limitations of human mind and imagination.

The best way to celebrate Janmashtami then, is to conclude that the most gratifying way to live life is to pursue one’s duties with energy and hope and follow one’s conscience. The outcomes in most cases will be commensurate with the magnitude of one’s effort; and where it is not, the satisfaction lies in putting one’s best foot forward in life’s journey. 

Lord Krishna’s own life epitomises this existential essence so beautifully. His life is a saga of continuing struggles in the midst of impossible challenges and extreme difficulties. But not even once , He has been wanting in making efforts or doing His karma. He knew that Mahabharat was inevitable, yet He tried all that He could to avert it. Towards the end of His life, He clearly saw the decimation of Yadav clan, yet He continued to stop the internecine warfare that eventually became the apparent cause of His own departure. He indeed walked His talk.

Incorporating the spirit of Lord Krishna’s life into our own sense of living is perhaps more than a mere option; it is a resounding call to reason and wisdom. By anchoring ourselves in His wisdom, we can navigate the turbulent seas of modernity with resolute grace and purpose. 

Janmashtami, thus, can be  and driven, if we so choose, by a sense of purpose and duty. For a moment, in today’s time of vicious, vitriolic and vituperative discourse, we may turn inwards and  mind our own responsibilities, if not for the good of the society , for the good of self alone. Even that would be transformative.

It could be a moment of profound reflection and renewal. The best puja today would be to honour His legacy by simply performing our righteous duty, well, sincerely and with devotion. This alone is enough to  show us  the light of love and understanding and dispel the shadows of greed,  and indifference.

This Janmashtami day, can we just think of ourselves?