Krishna Janmastami (as I have understood it)
The word Krishna means “dark” or “black.” We associate Krishna with God which is represented by light. But Krishna represents the absence of light. There seems to be a contradiction. The birth of Krishna, taken literally means the birth of darkness. This is a type of inner darkness that comes when the mind fades away and is not active. This darkness is also the birth of inner silence. Unless the mind fades, we cannot ascend to a higher plane of consciousness. The first step on this ascent is dark silence which we may experience while closing the eyes and trying to still the mind.
The 16,000 Gopikas represent our thoughts. They “sing and dance” around our inner silence. They want to become one with that silence. Thoughts are energy, silence is also a form of energy. Energy cannot be divided. When this union is experienced it produces joy. Also, one who is established in inner silence can effortlessly “play” with the world without losing contact with inner silence. Krishna represents this aspect.
Why 16, 000? The Sanskrit alphabet has 16 vowels, (a, aa, e, ee, u, uu, to aha). 1000 represents the Sahasrahara chakra which is infinite consciousness. Infinite cannot be a number, and 1000 is representative of that. With the 16 vowels all meaningful sounds are produced by the vocal cords. When thoughts are active, we speak and these sounds surround and dance around the core of inner silence.
Krishna is the silence between each sound. When our consciousness is at the physical level, it is audible sound. When our consciousness is in the mind, thoughts represent the sound. When our consciousness moves towards inner awareness, the ego becomes the “sound.” When we don’t react to sound – people talking about us negatively or positively (external sound), the constant chatter of thoughts which pull us in one direction or another (internal sound), or the ego (subtle sound), which keeps us from feeling oneness with everything; it is the birth of true inner silence or Krishna.
Niranjan Seshadri
The 16,000 Gopikas represent our thoughts. They “sing and dance” around our inner silence. They want to become one with that silence. Thoughts are energy, silence is also a form of energy. Energy cannot be divided. When this union is experienced it produces joy. Also, one who is established in inner silence can effortlessly “play” with the world without losing contact with inner silence. Krishna represents this aspect.
Why 16, 000? The Sanskrit alphabet has 16 vowels, (a, aa, e, ee, u, uu, to aha). 1000 represents the Sahasrahara chakra which is infinite consciousness. Infinite cannot be a number, and 1000 is representative of that. With the 16 vowels all meaningful sounds are produced by the vocal cords. When thoughts are active, we speak and these sounds surround and dance around the core of inner silence.
Krishna is the silence between each sound. When our consciousness is at the physical level, it is audible sound. When our consciousness is in the mind, thoughts represent the sound. When our consciousness moves towards inner awareness, the ego becomes the “sound.” When we don’t react to sound – people talking about us negatively or positively (external sound), the constant chatter of thoughts which pull us in one direction or another (internal sound), or the ego (subtle sound), which keeps us from feeling oneness with everything; it is the birth of true inner silence or Krishna.
Niranjan Seshadri
