Among the many tales of Kṛṣṇa is that of his 16,000 wives.
According to various Puraṇās, the 16,000 women were princesses kidnapped by Narakāsura. When Kṛṣṇa slayed him, the women requested that he marry them to save them from dishonor.
He did.
My Guru gave me an alternate explanation.
The 16,000 refers to the “mating” of the 1000 rays of the Sahasrāra with the 16 of the Viśuddhi.
Each of the 16 petals contains a Sanskrit vowel. The vowels are the Śaktis of expression, the ones that propel the consonants. Everything in creation is the ecstatic expression of the vowels, alone or in combination with the consonants.
Kṛṣṇa, who is Paramātma, is joyfully and ecstatically hidden in every expression - the grossest to the subtlest, the most noble to the most depraved. He is in all, as all, mingled with creation, in our body, mind and breath, expressing himself as thought, speech and action, as creation in its myriad flavors.
Janmāṣṭamī is the realization of Kṛṣṇa in all, as all, as the root and form of all.
In his 16,000 wives are our contractions and expansions, our moment-to-moment attraction of our senses, our proclivities, preferences, kindness and cruelty, generosity and selfishness, laughter and tears.
If all you see, touch and feel is Kṛṣṇa, how would your life be?
Hare Kṛṣṇa!