To enjoy the prattle of one's children

It is an ironic coincidence that neither the lords Krishna nor Rama were able to enjoy the plays and prattle of their children as babies. In the case of Krishna, according to the story, Pradyumna was carried off as a baby, and returns to the Yadavas only after he becomes a grown up man. Whereas in the case of Rama, his children were born in the forest, and he sees them first as young lads, at an age well able to recite a whole kavya by rote.

Not much different was the fate of their parents too. Rama's parents had to bear many years of separation from him, while in the case of Krishna his parents again had to live separated from him until the death of Kamsa.

In the language of the Jyotishis, isn't it some "family karma" at work!

Krishna as in the MBH

Due to the popularity of the Bhagavatham and especially the widely organized Saptahams, many stories connected with the childhood exploits of Bhagavan Krishna are well known to people in every nook and corner of the country. But there are many other stories relating to Bhagavan Krishna, often told in his own words, which give us tremendous new insights into his personality. I give below in very brief words, some of these ..... in hopes that it will give rise to further interest in reading the MBH in original and thereby understand more about this many-sided wonderful personality.

1) He spent 12 years in extreme Tapas in the Himalayas, seeking to propitiate Lord Siva, for the boon of getting a son by his wife Rukmini.
2) After the birth of a son named Pradyumna, he was carried away by asuras even as a baby. One of Krishna's other wives Jambavati, also requested him for a son of great exploits. Complying with her request, he again went to Kailasa and did another 12 years Tapas. With the blessings of Mahadeva, got another supremely handsome son named Samba.
3) It is ironic that these two sons of Krishna, Pradyumna and Samba, became the direct cause of the destruction of Vrishni Race, also assisted by Sathyaki and Kritavarma.
4) Despite his divine nature, Krishna in his human birth was unable to prevent the depredations caused by Jarasandha and his army on the Vrishni race then living in Mathura. Hence to prevent further harm, they escaped to the seashore where they built Dwaraka. Krishna mentions this in detail to Yudhishtira when the latter expresses his desire to conduct the Rajasooya yajna.
5) Krishna and Rukmini had great reverence for the Rishis. Once Durvasa himself tested both of them severely including yoking Rukmini to a chariot with himself in it and then making her draw it like a horse. He also lashed her repeatedly. Despite all the pain and humiliation, they successfully overcame all tests posed by the irate Rishi.
5) Krishna, despite his great strategic acumen, was once so depressed and helplessly led by the manipulations going on between the Vrishnis and Bhojas and Andhaka princes. He sought advice from Narada, who in turn politely blamed Krishna himself for ceding the royal power to Ugrasena, instead of taking it himself, which was the root cause of the machinations.

Sun worship and the Bhagavad Gita

In The Gita 4.1.2 Lord Krishna says, he taught this Yoga first to Vivasvan, the Sun God.

Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, and Manu in turn instructed it to Iksvaku.

Hence the way to gain knowledge about the Gita is to appeal to and worship the Sun God daily. He is the Prathyaksha devata and also the perfect representative of divine splendour.

Further, in 15.2 Lord Krishna states, - The splendor of the sun, which dissipates the darkness of this whole world, comes from Me.

This splendour can be meditated upon, as the Bhargah of the Gayatri mantra.

I have been in the practice of daily Sun worship through recitation of the powerful Aditya Hrudayam multiple times, along with Surya Namaskaram 12 times, for over almost 2 years now. I can confidently say that the Sun God can be depended upon as the Guru who can throw light on the message of the Gita. I am able to get unique insights into some of the slokas, even without a daily reading habit.

God willing, I intend to make Sun worship a daily practice, throughout the rest of my life.

Already I enjoy other benefits such as

1) excellent vitality and health
2) better memory
3) great self confidence, arising from the belief that God is there charting my way throughout

And many more.

Shirdi Sai Baba on VSN

Shirdi Sai baba was a great man, much revered as a Saint who is even worshipped as a divine incarnation in several parts of India. His life and achievements were mentioned in detail in the work Sai Satcharitra.

In chapter 27 of Sai Satcharita there is a reference to Shirdi Sai Baba emphatically advising his disciple to read Vishnu Sahasranama...."Oh Shama, this book is very valuable and efficacious, so I present it to you, you read it. Once I suffered intensely and My heart began to palpitate and My life was in danger. At that critical time, I hugged this book to My heart and then, Shama, what a relief it gave me! I thought that Allah Himself came down and saved Me. So I give this to you, read it slowly, little by little, read daily one name at least and it will do you good."

Sathya Sai Baba on the exalted Gayatri mantra

Your two eyes cannot reveal to you the magnificence and the majesty of the realm of the spirit. They are focused towards the objective world and its transient attractions. So the Gayathri mantra has been given to you as a third eye to reveal to you that inner vision by which you may realize Brahman.

Gayathri is a treasure you must guard throughout your lives. If you have not caught the sounds of the mantra correctly now, learn it from your parents or your family priest. Perhaps they may not know the Gayathri themselves, or they might have forgotten it through culpable neglect. Then I would ask them to learn it from you.

Never give up the Gayathri; you may give up or ignore any other mantra, but you should recite the Gayathri at least a few times a day. It protects you from harm wherever you are - traveling, working, ot at home. Westerners have investigated the vibrations produced by this mantra and have found that when it is recited with the correct accent as laid down in the Vedas, the atmosphere becomes visibly illumined. So the effulgence of Brahma will descend on you and illumine your intellect and light your path when this mantra is chanted. Gayatri is Annapurna, the Mother, the Sakthi that animates life. So do not neglect it.

- Excerpts from Discourse by Sathya Sai Baba, Upanayanam Day, Brindavan, 6-20-77

Why do I feel so much about the holy Gayatri mantra?

One reason is that, despite the great variety in the various religions, sects and practices that are together called Hinduism, and despite the great conflict between many of them, they all continue to pay homage to this short, simple mantram. Probably it's the one, and only one point in which the various sects of Hinduism agree! To the greatness of this exalted mantra!

Another reason is that, despite the vicissitudes over several millenia, it has remained part of the glorious tradition of Sandhya Vandanam that is an integral part of ancient Vedic culture, medieval Puranic and Tantric culture, as well as of today's Hindu culture.

It finds mention in the Vedas, which even conservative estimates place between 3000-2000 BCE, and it finds mention in the Upanishads(circa 1000 - 500 BCE), as well as in the teachings of lord Buddha (6th Cent BCE), in the Grihya, Srouta Sutras of Apastamba, Baudhayana et al (8th Cent BCE), in the Manu, Yajnavalkya and many other Smriti works (uncertain date, but earlier than 4th-2nd BCE) as well as in the works of Kalidasa (circa 1st Cent BCE). So does it find mention with great vigour in the works of Banabhatta (7th Cent CE) as well as in that of Thyagaraja (17th Cent CE). And it is still being recited by countless people throughout the world. In this context, the efforts of Swami Vivekananda, Saint Dayananda Saraswati(of Arya Samaj) and of Pandit Sriram Sharma Acharya(All World Gayatri Parivar) in popularizing this holy mantra among people belonging to all religions, all castes, needs special mention.

Greatness of Gayatri - A Story from Akbar Nama

An interesting episode is seen mentioned in an Islamic book "Akbar nama", the biography of Emperor Akbar.

When Akbar was ruling India, Birbal was his minister. Akbar and Birbal would often travel incognito to collect first hand information about the various happenings in the country. On one occasion, they noticed a brahmin going begging from house to house. Akbar pointed this out to Birbal. Birbal noticed the beggar and kept quiet. After reaching home he sent word for the brahmin to meet him.

When the brahmin called on Birbal, Birbal said, "O Brahmin - You collect your daily earnings through begging from me every day. However, in lieu of begging please chant Gayatri Japam during the three sandhya periods 108 times everyday". The brahmin agreed and after collecting the money from Birbal, started chanting Gayatri Mantra regularly. After a few days, he thought, why not increase the chanting to 1008 times, since he had a lot of time. Very soon, people started giving him charity in the form of food and cash. In this way the brahmin stopped going to Birbal's house for begging. His daily meditation earnt him the power to acquire knowledge, acquire an attractive personality and soon he transformed into a good expounder of knowledge. More and more people started coming to him and he became a well known personality. Birbal also heard about him. One day Birbal visited the brahmin and asked him why he had stopped coming to his house. The brahmin profusely thanked Birbal for putting him on the right path by guiding him at the right time.

One day Birbal mentioned to Akbar that a saintly person had come to town and Akbar promptly invited the person and honoured him. Birbal then asked Akbar whether he remembered this saintly person but Akbar could not recollect. Birbal then reminded Akbar about the brahmin beggar episode. Akbar after hearing this exclaimed " Oh! what a Change!" This episode appears in the Akbar Nama and brings out the virtue and greatness of the Gayatri Mantra.