Hello and welcome to episode 97 of The Ask Sri Vishwanath Show. Today is Krishna’s birthday so tonight over one billion people will call on him to celebrate. Today I want to talk about the similarities between Krishna and Jesus that people may not be aware of.
Vivekananda says that the lives of Christ and Krishna are so similar that it seems that the stories have borrowed from one another. If you look at the events they are very similar. Both were born in a manger, both had tyrannical kings in their time, in both cases all boys born during that year were killed and both were saved by angels. In the end both were killed, Krishna by a hunter and Christ by crucifixion and both took the people who killed them to heaven.
Vivekananda says that if you look at the Bhagavad Gita and the New Testament the train of thought is always the same. Today I want talk about some verses from both. They may, at first seem different but they are actually saying the same things.
Gold image
The first is the question of God existing and we have spoken about this, about the gold image being formed within. The purpose of life is to see God within you first. We are given the mould and we must make the Gold image.
This is why Krishna says “I am the self. Resident in the inner self of all beings.” He goes on to explain how he is in every object. He then says “that which is without me, mobile or stationary exists not.” This means that if something exists then he is a part of it. He is the highest manifestation. He first points to the God within but if people don’t understand that he points them to the god in everything else.
Outside and in
At the same time in the New Testament Christ says “I am in my father and he is in me and I am in you. I and my father are one.” Most people don’t get this. They think that they need to see Christ on the outside. Christianity focuses on the God outside whereas we focus on the God within. Some people cannot understand this so Christ says fine see me outside and then you will naturally see me inside.
Seeing the father in heaven is the lowest level. For those who cannot see within. Then the next level is seeing the father in Christ. For the more advanced he says he and his father are one. This is similar to the knowledge of Brahman, the universal consciousness. This is the highest teaching, knowing everything is one. Most Christians cannot accept that god is in everyone. You are God and I am God. They just don’t get it even though Christ himself have said that.
The forming of the gold image is spoken beautifully by Krishna and Christ but always there will be people at different levels so a lot of religion is aimed at those on the lowest level. The lowest level are those who are starting out. So that’s why it’s so important to have the right information starting out. The key is to form the gold image.
Eligibility
The key to this gold image is eligibility. If you don’t do things right then you will not be eligible. You need to seek God in the right way. Krishna says “surrendering all works to me knowing me Krishna Paramhansa to be above all. With a concentrated mind fix your mind on me. Let your understanding be absorbed in me. Henceforth doubtless you shall reside in me. Fixing your mind on me you will overcome all obstacles due to my divine grace.”
He is saying if you do this the right way you can overcome anything with the help of his divine grace. The grace of God can overcome anything. God’s grace flows 24 hours a day seven days a week for 365 days of the year. First form the gold image within you and then you will be eligible. However if you give in to the gunas you will perish.
Christ says “he who knows to receive shall receive it.” “Ask and you shall receive.” We don’t know how to ask so we don’t receive. That, or we ask in a limited way so we receive it in a limited way. So when you form the gold image you will be eligible for the highest divine grace. People don’t know how to reach God and this is the problem with humanity.
Principals and methods
Hindu’s tend to be very successful in seeing god because they follow Krishna’s words and he focuses on principals and methods. He says people can only reach the highest stage when they are given freedom in their personality. A person should be free to choose which is why there are so many forms of yoga such as Jnana yoga (discrimination), karma yoga (work) and Bhakti yoga (devotion). It is all yoga, which means forming the gold image within. There are many different paths to the same destination. It just takes practice. This is why you see more real people coming out of the stream of Hinduism than any other religion in the world. A higher percentage of people coming out will be the real deal. This is because of the freedom to choose different methods. Other religions don’t allow this so the failure rate is high.
When there is only one method and people cannot follow it then they simply give up. If you give them options they will find the right path for them. Teach them the principal but let them choose their own method.
Karma
Both Krishna and Christ preached the law of karma, of giving and then receiving. Christ said “cast thy bread onto thy water and you shall find it after some days.” Krishna says “bringing forth creation together with sacrifice the lord of the old said ‘Multiply through sacrifice. Let it yield what you seek. Let your sacrifice nourish the devas let the devas nourish you.” Both say you should give before you take. Most people do it the other way around so they do not get the full benefit.
Teachers
The most important thing is the teacher of humanity. People cannot learn if there are no teachers. If more people embraced the gold image we would have more teachers because they would be one with the consciousness. This is why Krishna says “whenever virtue declines I manifest myself again and again. Wherever thou finds a great soul trying to raise humanity know him to be born of my splendour that I exist in him.”
We know that when God appears as Christ or Buddha he is only in one form. Vivekananda says that a mother will recognise her son in whatever form he comes. If she does not then she is not the mother of the child. Krishna says “he who so knows me as unborn and without a beginning is undeluded among men.” All of these great men did not have a beginning nor do they have an end. They always existed and they will always exist.
Krishna says “fools deride me when I take human form. They are not aware of my transcendent nature.” People never recognise these great men and women when they appear in human form. The grace of God is constant and will always be with you when you form the gold image.
Know there is eligibility so practice the right way. Know the law of karma, give before receiving. The teachers of humanity are always there, you just need to recognise them by being a true devotee. Do this and you will achieve true grace.
So from all the team at the Bhagavad Gita University we would like to wish Krishna a happy birthday. Celebrate well and we will see you in the next episode.
I hope I answered your question. Remember you keep asking questions and I’ll keep answering them.
