What Is Janmashtami Festival?

A special occasion dedicated to Lord Krishna and his life, Janmashtami is a two-day event that unites people to remember Krishna and his teachings. The word Janmashtami meaning indicates the birth of the eighth avatar of Vishnu on the eighth day of the Krishna Paksha. This event falls between August and September, i.e. in the month of Bhadrapada.

The Story Behind Janmashtami

The story behind Janmashtami is about Lord Krishna birth time, his life in Gokul, and the defeat of his evil uncle Kansa. The tale of Janmashtami is usually depicted in three parts. Let us read each part about Janmashtami in English.

  • Krishna’s Birth

Lord Krishna was born to Devaki and Vasudeva. He was the couple's eighth. Devaki and Vasudeva, scared for their newborn baby's life, planned to move him to the village of Gokul to Yashoda and Nanda. Vasudeva carried Krishna in a basket protected by none other than SheshNaag, the serpent king.

  • Grown-up Krishna

Krishna grew up to be a charming young man whose divinity was famous. Soon, he learned of his true identity and vowed to avenge his parents and the seven children they had lost. He returned to Mathura to challenge Kansa, defeated him in a legendary battle, and freed Vasudeva and Devaki.

  • Celebration of Janmashtami

The stories of Krishna’s miraculous divinity and his focus on Dharma form the basis of the stories behind Sreekrishna Jayanthi. This day is celebrated with much enthusiasm and joy, where people bond over Krishna’s childhood feats and adulthood teachings.

Rituals Involved In Janmashtami

During Janmashtami, people from different communities connect over their shared love for Krishna through rituals. These rituals may vary from one region to another. Let’s read in detail about how can we celebrate Janmashtami.

  • Janmashtami Fast

The Janmashtami fast significance is immense as devotees find it a great way to honour Krishna and welcome his birth on Earth every year. During this time, people decorate houses and temples, read Bhagavad Gita and offer Lord Krishna with milk, honey, ghee, and water.

  • Dahi Handi

Dahi Handi is a special event in krishna Jayanthi. In this ritual, a Matki or pot full of curd is hung at the top of a canopy. Then, people form groups and climb over each other to break this Matki. The successful breaking of the earthen pot signifies that Krishna is always protecting his devotees.

  • Cultural Performances

Cultural performances are an essential part of Subho Janmashtami, where different incidents of Lord Krishna’s life are performed through musical or dance performances. The most popular one is Rasa Leela, where love between Sri Krishna and gopis is depicted through a passionate dance.

  • Distributing Prasadam on Janmashtami Moon

Janmashtami Moon is the time when Lord Krishna birth takes place just when midnight starts. During this time, a Prasadam called Panchamrit is used in Krishna Ji’s murti Abhishekham. Then, it is distributed to devotees, saying, “Happy Krishna Jayanthi”, breaking fast.

Remedies To Consider In Janmashtami

Wish to make your Janmashtami rewarding and fruitful? There are certain remedial tips that must be followed to celebrate a Happy Janmashtami. Have a look at it here.

  • Light a ghee or oil lamp in front of Lord Krishna and Mata Tulsi to help eliminate problems related to marital life.
  • Apply a mixture of milk and saffron to Lord Krishna’s idol to welcome prosperity, abundance, and peace.
  • For problems related to children, chant the Santan Gopal Strota.
  • Praying to Kanha on happy Krishna Jayanthi can help remove Shani Dosha.
  • Offering dairy items such as Makkhan, Ghee, and milk to Krishna Ji will remove sins and pains.

Significance Of Krishna Janmashtami

Devotees find it very important to observe Janmashtami, Lord Krishna birth time. The two-day festival offers the blessings of Lord Krishna, and we can also recall his teachings.

Spiritual Significance Of Janmashtami

The spiritual significance of Janmashtami lies in Krishna Ji taking birth on Earth. Our ancient gurus believed that Krishna was already there, comparing him to Space. They say that Space took its own shape and form. Similarly, devotees manifested the lord, saying, “Prakat Bhayo”. That is why Lord Krishna took birth in his human form to meet his devotees.

Moreover, on Janmashtami, Krishna’s emphasis on Dharma is also recalled through mantras and songs. Janmashtami is an excellent occasion for people to remember their Dharma or duty and stick to it. The spiritual significance of Janmashtami, hence, signifies the birth of ultimate joy and how people can also gain Ananda in their lives by doing good karma.

Overall Significance Of Janmashtami

The significance of celebrating Happy Janmashtami is not just limited to the birth and life of Lord Krishna but also highlights the power of good over evil. It teaches us how truth and honesty always win, how people can achieve great things with unstoppable faith and unity, and the importance of Dharma.

This day urges devotees to let go of all harmful practices and engage in more mindful living, which will allow them to feel more in touch with their souls and the people around them. Moreover, Janmashtami also talks about adopting good practices and rejecting negative habits.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Janmashtami is celebrated for two days because of the timing of Krishna's birth, that is, at midnight. Therefore, celebrations start a day before to welcome his birth and are carried out to the end of his birthday.
Lord Krishna was born as the eighth child to queen Devaki and king Vasudeva. The earlier seven were killed by his brother Kansa in the fear of getting killed for his bad deeds. Krishna was safely taken to Yasoda and Nanda. This day came to be called as Janmashtami.
Consume and donate milk, curd, and butter during Janmashtami, as these items are very dear to Lord Krishna, especially those who have kept fast. End your fast by offering Panchamrit to Krishna Ji’s idol during his birth at midnight and later distribute the prasadam to everyone.
The Janmashtami fast is said to be observed during the day and should only be broken after midnight. Since Lord Krishna was born at midnight, people should maintain their fast until midnight, perform the Krishna Aarti, and then break their fast.
Lord Krishna was born at midnight. It is believed that he took birth at midnight, and thus, people perform Aarti post-midnight. In addition, people also stay up the whole night, praying to Krishna and devoting their prayers and worship to him.
Garlic and onion must be strictly avoided during Janmashtami. This is particularly necessary to maintain the Janmashtami fast significance. One must also avoid meat and non-vegetarian items and stay away from fights, arguments and bad words.
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