KRISHNA SYMBOLISM BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

Guruji says, Shri Krishna broke the (matka) pot – lets understand the meaning of matka or the pot. When one believes that he/she is the body, ie. matka or the pot. When the pot breaks open then we get makhan or butter. Butter signifies, the essence.

Milk when spoilt becomes curd, curd turns into butter and butter when heated, becomes ghee (clarified butter).In the same way in our lives we grow out of childhood into youth, from youth we reach old age. Here, milk is childhood, curd is youth and butter is old age. Maturity is butter. In our lives when we become matured or strong, we blossom, our consciousness blossoms. What covers this blossomed consciousness is this feeling of “I am the body”.

When the pot full of butter is destroyed, butter gushes out of it. When we are happy we use the expression that we burst into laughter (happiness), isn’t it? When love blossoms, we use the same expression, burst in love (at least in Hindi we do say phoot phoot ke pyar umda). The nectar inside us it comes out as love. This work is done by Krishna. Krishna is known as the universal Guru. Krishna delivered knowledge to the whole universe as a friend.

Why is Krishna known as makhan chor (butter thief)? He steals the heart of the person who experiences love, one whose consciousness has blossomed. Even a thief has been glorified here, Krishna is the only thief who has been glorified. Often we use this expression chor (thief) to address someone we love. A mother calls her child with love and says tum chor ho. (you are a thief [Paras note: WHAT?]).

We call Krishna chit chor (one who steals consciousness). The whole essence of it is to be joyful, be happy, go within. The essence of Gita is to be sahaj or natural.

Radha – Do you all know there is no mention about Radha in Shrimad Bhagwat. Gopis have been talked about but not Radha. Radha means to go back to our source. The opposite of Radha is Dhara i.e. a stream that flows outwards but when we go back to our source, when we go within, it is called Radha. So when we say that without Radha shakti we cannot reach Krishna we mean we cannot get Krishna unless we dwell deep within. Shri Krishna is atman, consciousness. When the mind gets back to the consciousness, the flow of that mind to the Being is called Radha. When our mind goes back within instead of wandering, we get Krishna.

Krishna says who am I? Krishna tells Arjuna, Arjuna whoever you are attracted to its because of me, I am that attraction, its because I am in that person that you feel attracted to them. The heat and glow of the sun that’s me, the cool nature of the moon that’s me, the sweetness in sweets, that’s me, those who are strong, I am the strength in them, I am the talent in those who are talented, I am the perseverance in those who are persevering.

He goes on to say that the life that exists in animals, human beings and all other living beings, I am that life. I am that pure consciousness, with which everything is made. When you close your eyes and go within you will realise that your a part of Krishna. He says I am the earth, space, water, ocean, mountain, plants, there is nothing here in which I am not there. He tells Arjuna even in Pandavas and you its me. You are also a part of me. The person who is listening to me Dhananjaya, who do you think is that; its me.There is nothing other than me here, nothing other than me.. This is called vishwaroop darshan, the universal presence, omnipresent nature.