Janmashtmi marks the day of the birth of Krishna, an avatar. Avatars are agents of change from the negative to the positive, because the inherent nature of creation is destruction. The Varaha avtar annihilated Hiranyaksh, Narsingh avatar came to end Hiranyakashipu, Vaman avatar protected creation from the asur Bali, Parshurama saved humanity from Kartavirya Arjun, Ram destroyed Ravan and Krishna steered the great war of dharma, the Mahabharat. Krishna avatar was in Dwapar yug, we are now in Kaliyug, and therefore another birth of Krishna in this yug is imperative.
An avatar removes the forces responsible for destruction, thus delaying the onset of impending doom and restoring order to society. The avatar protects. The positive aspect of creation entails protecting the weak, saving animals from dying, feeding the poor, or even the conservation of natural resources. In this way, we become agents of change, albeit of a minor nature. While an avatar is an agent of major change. Krishna tells Arjun in the Bhagwad Gita, “yada yada hi dharamsya glanirbhavati bharatah, abhyuthanam adharmasya, tadatmaanam srijamyaham. (Whenever the positive is on a decline, and negative peaks, I am born)”
We are all avatars in our own small ways. If we endorse the positive side of creation and try to protect it, we are mini-avatars, effecting small positive changes at out own level. If we go the opposite way, looking to destroy creation by killing animals and exploiting nature, then we behave like asurs. Then we unconsciously invite an avatar to annihilate us. The choice lies with us this Janmashtmi, to decide whether we want to be the agents of change (avatar) or destruction (asur).
Yogi Ashwini, the guiding light of Dhyan Foundation, is an authority on yoga, tantra and the Vedic sciences.
His recent book is Sanatan Kriya, The Ageless Dimension. Contact him at dhyan@dhyan foundation.com
