Dear Ones,
Loving greetings to all of you at this joyous time of Janmashtami, as we join the many devotees throughout the world celebrating the birth of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. As a restorer of divine righteousness, and a messenger of God’s love and grace, Lord Krishna incarnated to lead souls in the battle with the darkness of maya. In our own time, as well, the world is in need of the healing touch of the Divine; and I pray that by deeply meditating upon the purity and radiance of Krishna’s life, you may feel his ever-living presence, bringing the balm of hope and the assurance that God’s love surrounds you always.
Sri Krishna so beautifully exemplifies that entrancing, irresistible, divine love with which God draws us to Himself. But the outward pull of the material world and habits are strong, and it takes strength and resolve to break free of the fetters of delusion. Though Arjuna hesitated on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Krishna roused in him his true heroic nature — and he will do the same for us if we are willing. Challenging times, inwardly or outwardly, come not to discourage us, rather to bring forth the noble, courageous spiritual conqueror within us. If we use those opportunities well, they can be a new beginning in our own lives and a contribution to uplifting the consciousness of our human family. We each have the responsibility and privilege to participate in that transformation.
As Lord Krishna aided Arjuna, so he can aid each of us in our inner Kurukshetra war between soul and ego. His timeless wisdom, conveyed in the Bhagavad Gita, is that there is no greater way to win soul freedom than by contacting God through deep meditation and performing our duties as offerings to God. How blessed we are that we have received from our own gurudeva, Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda, the same liberating Kriya Yoga science that was taught by Bhagavan Krishna thousands of years ago. Mahavatar Babaji, who is one with Krishna in Spirit, chose Paramahansaji to bring that sacred science to the West and to disseminate it worldwide as a special dispensation for this modern age. This year we are celebrating with deep gratitude the centennial of our Guru’s arrival in the West and the bringing of that priceless gift. As a devotee of this path, the way to the Divine Goal lies before you; and by following the teachings and techniques blessed by these Great Ones your victory is assured.
Jai Sri Krishna! Jai Guru!
Swami Chidananda Giri
