Kaivalya Navanīta Kṛṣṇa

Kaivalya Navanīta Kṛṣṇa

The Inspiration

This reflection was inspired by a small newspaper report on the Krishna Jayanti celebrations at the Śrī Navanīta Kṛṣṇa temple in Puliyarai, Tamil Nadu. The temple is situated behind the Dakṣiṇāmūrti shrine in the Śivakāmi Ambāl sameta Sadāśiva Svāmi temple complex.

The beautiful name Navanīta Kṛṣṇa, inspired the following contemplation.....

Kaivalya Navanīta Kṛṣṇa....

Boil the milk of the mind through the sādhanā of Karma Yoga. Add to it a little curd, the upadeśa received through Vedānta śravaṇam.

Keep it undisturbed in the quietude of upāsanā, until the whole mind is transformed into curd.

Now churn this well set curd through mananam and nididhyāsanam, until there emerges the precious navanītam of Kaivalyam, the firm abidance in Ātma jñānam, Ātma jñāna niṣṭhā.

And Kṛṣṇa, the great Navanīta Chora, gladly takes this butter, only to give it to those who truly seek it.

The jīvanmuktas, having themselves become, as it were, this Kaivalya Navanītam, are made by Him to teach and illumine the world.

This is the Kaivalya Navanīta Līlā of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who all along is none other than the very Self, Ātma svarūpam.

And then, what is the ghee? 😀

From the navanītam emerges ghee, pure and enduring, capable of keeping the lamp burning long after the butter itself has disappeared.

So too, the lives, words and teachings of the jīvanmuktas remain after their bodily presence is gone. They become the divine ghee that keeps the lamp of jñānam burning.

With this ghee, one lamp lights another.

Thus shines the Jīvanmukta Jñāna Dīpāvali, the Guru Sampradāya, an unbroken succession of lamps illumining generation after generation.

After all, Śruti itself says:

brahmavādino vadanti

“The knowers of Brahman say...”

The milk became curd.

The curd yielded navanītam.

The navanītam became ghee.

The ghee keeps the Jñāna Dīpāvali ever luminous.

And through it all, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Self, alone ever Is.

Puliyarai Śrī Navanīta Kṛṣṇaḥ abhirakṣatu

May Śrī Navanīta Kṛṣṇa of Puliyarai protect us all.