A friend of mine who is a Hare Krishna just informed me that it was indeed Sri Krishna's birthday. Yay! May this be a happy day full of light and love. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!
You beat me to it!! Yes, today is the day of Sri Krishna's birth! There is a very beautiful verse describing Krishna as in the center of the picture you posted, Nicole. karaaravindena padaaravindam mukhaaravinde viniveshayantam vatasya patrasaya pute shayaanam baalam mukundam manasaa smaraami. With my mind I constantly remember baby Krishna, lying on a vata leaf, Taking his lotus foot in his lotus hand, and putting it in his lotus mouth. Tonight at midnight is the anniversary of his birth. In India, it is a tradition to draw tiny footprints entering the house, to signify bhagavan's birth in the home. Sri Krishna, beautiful Krishna... I love you so much.
This morning Krishna has reached Gokul! In a perilous journey through the stormy night, Vasudevji took Krishna in a basket, carried on his head and went to Nanda baba's house. As he crossed the Yamuna it started to flood. This was because Yamunaji saw Krishna and got excited. She wanted to touch his feet, but Vasudevji was carrying Krishna on his head. So Yamunaji rose higher and higher trying to reach Krishna's feet. Seeing this, Sri Krishna poked his toe out of the basket and touched a drop of water. Then Yamunaji subsided and Vasudevji could pass easily. Now in the morning, there was great celebration in Gokul! Nandababa has had a child!!!! From everywhere people came running, for Nandaji was the much beloved head of their village. From Bandhigrama and Bichchuka and other places also people flooded in. Each of them was greeted with great love and they all brought gifts and Nandaji also gave them gifts in return. And Yashodaji...what can we say of her joy... One person came from Govardhan mountain. On the way he passed some people and asked what the celebration was in Gokul. They said, "Oh you are late!!! Run!! Nandaji has had a son!!!" One woman said, "You will neevr see such abeautiful child, he is so beautiful, so beautiful!!!" Her friend remarked, "Yes! I am a midwife, I have seen hundreds of babies but none of them can even be mentioned alongside this child!" Now this man got all excited, he ran to Nandababa's house and seeing baby Krishna, he just stood there, captivated. After a long time he found his voice and he congratulated Nandaji and hugged him. He said, "Nandababa, you know you are very generous, there is nobody as kind as you in the three worlds." Nandaji said, "Come to the point." So the devotee said, "I have only one request. Let me stay in your house." Seeing Nandababa's reaction he quickly added, "Not for ever or anything, just until that baby Krishna learns to walk, and he comes toddling up to me and calls me by my name..." Nandaba thought for a moment, then he said, "Ok!! No problem! But one thing... what is your name?" "Surdas Mdan Mohan," said the man, deliberately giving a long name. This lovely story and the scenes in Nandaji's house were captured in a beautiful bhajan by Surdas Madan Mohanji. Here is a recording of that bhajan, Nandajoo Mere Man Aanand Bhayo, sung by my Guru maharaj Swami Tejomayanandji: http://www.chyk.net/gallery/downloads/downloadables/nandaju.mp3