On the happy occasion of Janmashtami, how should we welcome Lord Krishna and secure Him firmly in our hearts? Bhagawan lovingly explains to us today.

Krishna is said to have been born in Gokula, grew up in Brindavan, proceeded to Mathura and established His home finally at Dwaraka. The significance of this to the Sadhaka is, "Let Krishna be born in the Gokula of your mind; let Him grow and play prankishly in the Brindavan of your heart; let Him then be fixed in the chitta (memory) of Mathura; and, finally, let Him rule over the agitation-less Consciousness as the Lord and Master of Dwaraka." The nirvikalpa anandam (unwavering bliss) is the final result of His Kingdom established at Dwaraka, in the centre of the waves. Krishna can be born in the mind of man only when three prerequisites are attended to! Make your mind saturated with devotion (bhakti). Make the intellect full of illumination of His glory (jnana deepti), and make the body the instrument for the practice of dharma, of moral virtues (Sat-dharma-acharana). Bhakti is the king; Jnana and Vairagya (wisdom and detachment) are the two aides-de-camp of this monarch. Unaccompanied by these two, the king is not quite secure.