Janmashtami

Janmashtami is one of the important festivals of Hinduism, the birth of Lord Krishna, the celebration of the heart. It falls on the 8th day of the dark half of the month of Bhadrapada (August-September). He was born in the midnight at the constellation of the star Rohini.

The Purpose of Krishna's Birth

Lord Krishna was born to Vasudeva and Devaki in Mathura and raised by Nanda and Yashoda in Gokul. It is said that the birth of Krishna happened for the fulfillment of three main objectives of slaying the demonic forces, for restoring righteousness through the Kurukshetra war where He propounded the 'Gita' and to revive the Bakthi or devotion in the hearts of the people thereby becoming the centre of the Bakthi schools in India.

Krishna's birth and life was marked by dramatic events. It is said that though He assumed the human body to carry out His threefold mission, His body was divine and unique of not made of the five elements. He was above birth and death and appeared and disappeared through His Yoga Maya as He had declared in the Gita and understood only by realized souls.

Spiritual Significance Of Krishna's Birth & Life
Krishna was born in the midnight as if to rip apart the darkness of ignorance in one, with His effulgence , the supreme self and the only reality. His birth marks the revelation of the self that lies under the clouding illusion. Krishna is the very Atman, the realization of which vanquishes the demonic forces with in oneself thereby restoring eternal peace.

Krishna was unparalleled in Knowledge, Emotion and Action all at once. He represented the whole or the totality even while being multifaceted. He was cosmic and exposed it to Yashoda when He revealed the cosmos in the very mouth that savoured butter at other times. He declared to Draupati the power of surrender saving her from Kauravas who tried to defame her. He rendered valuable lessons to the world while exposing His cosmic totality to Arjuna which shaped up into the holy Gita. He expressed His limitlessness while Yashoda tried to bind Him with a rope in vain. The devotion of the Gopis for Him represent the yearning of the individual self or the Jivatma to merge with the universal self or the Paramatma.

Krishna is Ananda Swarupa or the embodiment of bliss.

Lord Krishna Worship

Devotion is the path towards Krishna. The declares in the Bhagavad Gita that a flower or at the least pure water for His worship offered out of impeccable love would suffice to appease Him.

Janmashtami Celebration Janmashtami, Krishna Jayanti or Gokulashtami is celebrated across the country. One is to observe a fast for 24 hours until the birth of the Lord at midnight. People engage in bhajans, prayer and worship in Krishna temples. At homes it is a beautiful sight of painting small foot prints of Krishna from the entrance leading to the prayer room commemorating His advent. Butter and special sweetmeats are offered to the Lord.
Hence let as all worship the Lord of the Gita to bless us all to dissolve in Him.