We, Vaishnavs who follow the path of grace, Pushti Marg, greet each other with “Jai Shree Krishna” when we meet one another for the first time in the day and also when we part ways or leave home.
It’s a beautiful way of greeting one another. Most of us think “Jai Shree Krishna” means “Let the essence of Krishna that resides within us emerge victorious.” But I feel there is more to this simple greeting that we would like to believe. Let’s delve into it a little.
External expressions bring about an internal transformation within us. We cannot accurately pinpoint or define this transformation. It is intangible. We just need to experience such things. Often they are so subtle that we do not even perceive these changes.
“Jai Shree Krishna” too is an external verbal expression. It helps us forge a better bond with ourselves. Yes. Ourselves. Then it may help us forge a better bond with others. Yes. May.
The word “Jai” means victory over one’s inner self. I am just focussing on my inner self, making a conscious choice to allow the essence of Krishna to reign supreme within my soul and want the Krishna within me to win over my ego.
The word “Vijay” on the other hand means victory over someone or something. In “Vijay” I want to win over you. It is a battle between my ego and your ego.
One simple thing is clear. Krishna exits from our soul when our ego enters our mind and heart. Whenever the gopis became proud of being so close to Krishna, He would disappear. He would reappear the minute they regained their equanimity. The same principle applies to all of us too.
We all connect to different people in different ways. Krishna too connected to different people differently. But He did make some kind of a connection with everyone. That is what “Jai Shree Krishna” helps us with. It helps us make some kind of a connection with everyone.
We have a smile in place and a peaceful look on our face when we greet the people we love with “Jai Shree Krishna”. Our voice is soft and polite. We get along with them. We can speak with them freely because we know we will be accepted despite our flaws. There is understanding and openness in communication. There is no friction in such relationships. The ego takes a back seat. Krishna reigns supreme. So the essence of Krishna that resides within us is able to connect to the essence of Krishna that resides within the other easily.
But there is a certain stiffness, a hesitation, a kind of awkward silence when we utter the very same greeting of “Jai Shree Krishna” to people with whom we don’t get along with. There is no direct eye contact. Often, we are reluctant to even say “Jai Shree Krishna” to them. There is an overdose of friction in such relationships. Ego reigns supreme in the form of fear, pride, insecurity, hurt, pain etc. There is mental and emotional turmoil. Krishna does not take a back seat. He disappears from our souls. We are unable to connect to the Krishna within us. So we are unable to connect to the Krishna within the other.
It is at such times that this simple greeting becomes invaluable to us.
When we make it a habit to greet even people that we don’t get along with – with a “Jai Shree Krishna” it is a subtle way of saying that “I have my fair share of differences with you. My ego is at work now and has blinded me. But I will ignore it briefly and allow my Krishna to take over for a while.”
Yes, when we say “Jai Shree Krishna” to such folks, we are expressing all this to them at an extremely subtle level. We are speaking only about ourselves. Nothing more. Nothing less. We are making a declaration.
The other person may accept our greeting with diffidence. He may grudgingly reciprocate our greeting with a cold “Jai Shree Krishna” or may even ignore our greeting altogether. That is fine. That just means that the other person is still taking time to come to terms with his emotional and mental turmoil. His ego is still at work. Krishna has not yet entered his soul. He needs time to heal. And we need to understand that we all heal at our own pace and time. Someday, when the other person has healed completely, he too gets the strength to subdue his ego. That day he too will allow Krishna to enter his heart.
And till that happens, all we need to do is to focus on our inner self – keep our fears, pain, hurt and insecurity firmly in check and allow Krishna to exist in our souls. Period. We can continue to say “Jai Shree Krishna” to the other. Maybe not orally. But at least internally. Silently. Even that is enough. More than enough.
And one fine day, we will not be surprised when our greeting is returned. Quietly. With diffidence. Maybe with a little anger too. That is fine. Perfectly fine. Because the other person is making a declaration saying that, “I too am willing to set aside my differences with you for a while. I am ready to subdue my ego for a while. I am creating space for Krishna to enter my soul when I interact with you.”
The Krishna within us is now able to connect to the Krishna that resides within the other. A fragile bond has been forged. There is peace – even it is for a fleeting moment. Even that is enough. We have allowed Krishna to win. We may not be able to connect with each other in the external real world. But let us seek solace from the fact that at least we were able to forge a subtle intangible fleeting spiritual bond with each other.
Krishna connects. He brings souls together. Krishna helps us accept that we are blind to the perceptions and beliefs of others. He helps us accept that we too are flawed. That we too have erred. We just need to work on our flaws and set right our thoughts and emotions. That is what spiritual victory is all about.
So, let’s not hesitate so much to utter “Jai Shree Krishna” to everyone. Let’s drop our shyness, awkwardness, hatred, turmoil, silence and differences and simply connect to the Krishna that resides within our soul. Everything is after all Krishna’s leela. Let the Krishna within us win at all times.
“Jai Shree Krishna.”
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