Lord Krishna and Kashmir

[Guest guest]

The celebration of Sri Krishna's birthday in Kashmir dates back to the hoary past. Nilamata Purana describes the Janam Ashtami festival in verses 716 to 722. This ancient (sixth century A.D.) text informs us that the festival was to be celebrated on the eighth of the dark half of Bhadrapada. The images of Sri Krishna, his spouse and his mothers, Devaki and Yashoda, were to be worshipped. The next morning these were to be carried to the bank of a river or a lake for immersion. The ladies were to do so while singing and dancing. The occasion was to be observed as a fast and only barley food, along with preparations of sugarcane, pepper and ghee was to be eaten. It has been stated above that Sri Krishna has been associated with Kashmir intimately at the beginnings of its rccordcd history. Readers will naturally like to know how this was so. There is a reference in Mahabharata of Panchal Naresh who was the father of Panchali (Draupadi). Some historians believe that the Panchal Naresh was the first king of the Pir Panchal belt which stretches from Kishtwar to Muzaffarabad in the Jammu and Kashmir State. Apart from the thought currents and religio- philosophical disquisitions originating on the banks of the sacred Ganga and the Yamuna, which found their echo in the far away valley, their ruling families were often connected by matrimonial alliances. This was the case at the beginning of the Mahabharata war. Accordingly, the Kashmir prince, Gonanda, went to help of his relative, Jarasamdha, with a large force, and laid siege to Krishna's city, Mathura. A grim battle ensued but ultimately when Sri Krishna's brother, Balbhadra, joined the fray, the brave Kashmir warrior, was killed. Gonanda was followed by his son, Damodara. He was also a brave ruler who could not forget the fate his esteemed father had met at the hands of the Yadus. He, therefore, lay in wait for an opportunity to avenge the death of his father. This was not long in coming. Soon he learnt that the Yadus, including their chief, Sri Krishna, were invited to Swayamvara on the banks of the Sindhu (Indus) by the Gandharas. When the illustrious Damodara heard that the Yadus had come, he led an expedition against them but the proud prince met no better fate than his valient father; he too was killed. Sri Krishna did not, however, incorporate Kashmir into his own domain. Kashmir then had a high reputation for sanctity; it was regarded as the manifestation of goddess Parvati. Sri Krishna, therefore, had Damodara's pregnant widow, Yashovati, installed on the throne. Yashovati is one of the first women to have occupied a throne in the history of the world. Naturally, therefore, many eye- brows were raised when Sri Krishna issued this unprecedented decree; but he calmed the grumbling advisers and asked them to look upon Yashovati as a mother and a goddess. And this is what the people did.