Festivals - Sri Krishna Jayanti

Date: August - September

Legend: One day when Krishna went on a stroll with Arjuna, he pointed to a bird perching on the branch of a tree and asked Arjuna, "Do you see that peacock?" Arjuna answered, "Sure, I do." "Oh, Arjuna. It is not a peacock. It is an eagle," said Krishna, and Arjuna promptly agreed that it was an eagle. Then Krishna corrected Himself and pointed to the same bird, said, "I am sorry. It is a dove." Arjuna, too, corrected himself and said, "Yes. I see now it is a dove, all right." Krishna laughed at Arjuna and said, "It is not a dove at all, all it is a crow," and Arjuna agreed without demur, "Undoubtedly, it is a crow." Krishna then accused Arjuna of stupidity, because he was blindly agreeing with every oberservation he made - peacock, eagle, dove or crow. Arjuna replied, "What you say is the Truth for me. You can make a crow a dove, or a peacock an eagle. Why should I differ from that You declare? Your word is the Truth I go by."

"Who is Krishna? When was He born? Krishna was born in the month of Sravana, in the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) on Ashtami day, in a dark room... [around 3000 BC].
The effulgence of the Lord is seen with greater effect when it is dark. In a world of disorder, Krishna was born to establish order. He was born on Ashtami (eighth) day. Ashtami is associated with troubles and difficulties. When do troubles arise? When righteousness is forgotten. Krishna's advent signifies the dispelling of darkness, the removal of troubles, banishing of ignorance and teaching mankind the Supreme Wisdom.

Krishna's primary role was that of a teacher. He taught the Gita to Arjuna. He told Arjuna: "Be only My instrument". Krishna thereby declared: 'Using you as an instrument, I am reforming the whole world'."

Born in the Yadava Dynasty as son of Vasudeva and Devaki, Shri Krishna was a Poorna (Full) incarnation of Maha Vishnu.

Last updated: Jul 17, 2000
Legend from: Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 13, p 256
Quote from: Sanathana Sarathi, Sep 1990, p 228