Lucknow, Aug 31: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday extended greetings to the people of the state ahead of Janmashtami, and called upon them to imbibe Lord Krishna's messages of truth, righteousness, duty and public welfare in their lives.
In a letter to the people, Adityanath also urged them to take a pledge to contribute towards building a developed and glorious Uttar Pradesh by following the ideals of Lord Krishna.
Krishna Janmashtami will be celebrated on September 4.
The chief minister said Lord Krishna's life as Yogeshwar inspires the fundamental spirit of welfare-oriented governance.
In keeping with this spirit, the state government is working to provide dignity and security to people at the bottom of the social pyramid, build a poverty-free Uttar Pradesh, create employment opportunities for youth, support farmers and ensure that daughters get equal opportunities to progress as sons, he said.
Adityanath said Krishna was a symbol not of privilege but of social harmony and stood with people from all sections of society.
"Despite being the king of Dwarka, he remained a close friend of Sudama," he said, adding their friendship conveyed that true relationships were built on affection and not on position, prestige or wealth.
"Social harmony, equality and affection are also the need of today's society," the chief minister said.
He said the light of truth and righteousness appeared in the form of Lord Krishna amid the darkness of falsehood and injustice.
Krishna's childhood acts were not merely entertaining stories but contained deep spiritual messages, he said.
The butter-stealing episode conveyed simplicity and innocence, while his bond with the cowherds and 'gopis' taught love and social harmony. The subjugation of the serpent Kaliya symbolised the victory of righteousness over unrighteousness, he said.
Adityanath said Krishna's life showed that the real strength of society lay in collective cooperation.
By lifting the Govardhan mountain, Krishna conveyed the message of protecting nature, livestock and an agriculture-based way of life, he said.
Govardhan Puja also demonstrated that collective unity gives society the strength to overcome major challenges, he added.
The chief minister said Krishna showed humanity the path of action, knowledge and duty and that his message was not confined to any particular era but continued to provide the right direction in every age.
He said Uttar Pradesh was a sacred land associated with Krishna's divine pastimes and teachings, with Mathura, Gokul, Vrindavan, Govardhan, Barsana and Nandgaon continuing to be living centres of the state's Sanatan cultural consciousness.
