Krishna Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Lord Shri Krishna, one of the most venerated incarnations in the Hindu Dharma.
Five thousand years ago, he incarnated, at the end of the third cosmic phase, 'Dwapar Yuga' and the beginning of the present, 'Kali Yuga'. Purpose of Incarnation In the Gita (4/78) the Lord has ordained:
"Yadaa yadaa hi dharmasya glanir bhavati Bharata; Dharma sansthaapanaarthaaya sambhaavami yuge yuge."
i.e. I incarnate whenever Dharma declines and evil predominates, to establish Dharma and vanquish evil.
In the Bhavishyottara Puran Shri Krishna himself extols the celebration of Janmashtami to Yudhishtir, the eldest of the five Pandavas.
He incarnated in Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) to vanquish the evil King Kansa and other evil elements who were harassing pious people. His second reason was to fulfil the pledge he had given to Vasudev and Devki. When they married Kansa heard a divine proclamation that the couple's eighth son would be his nemesis. To obviate this, Kansa imprisoned the couple and killed the first seven sons born to Devki.
When Shri Krishna was born Vasudev placed him in a cradle and took the baby child through the river Yamuna. Thus the Lord survived and eventually vanquished Kansa and other evil elements.
Festival Sentiments The first importance of Janmashtami is to observe dharma. Since we humans are all imprisoned in samsara, the Lord incarnates in this prison with us, establishes dharma and redeems us from maya. We can only win over maya if we seek the Lord's aid, as did Arjuna during the battle of Mahabharat.
As sage Ved Vyas ordains: "Yato Krishnastato dharmaha, Yato dharmastato Jayaha." i.e.
Where there is krishna, there is dharma, where there is dharma, there is victory.
Since Duryodhana, leader of the Kauravs did not observe dharma, he did not have Krishna. No Krishna, no victory. Surrenderance - 'Sharnaagati' During the battle Shri Krishna uttered 700 shloks in the form of the 'Bhagvad Gita' to convince the reluctant Arjun to fight. The Lord finally uttered the essence of his sermons in the following verse (18/66): "Sarva dharmaan parityajya maamekam sharanam vraja, aham twaa sarvapaapebhyo mokshayishyaami maa shuchaha." i.e. O Arjun! Forsake all your personal beliefs and surrender to me. Do not lament for I shall deliver you from all sins.
Therefore a true spirit of Janmashtami is for devotees to implicitly surrender at the Lord's lotus-feet, while staunchly observing dharma.
Ideal Devotee In the Gita (18/54), the Lord stipulates: "Brahma bhootaha prasannaatmaa na shochati na kaankshati, Samaha sarveshu bhuteshu madbhaktim labhate param."
i.e. One who becomes 'Brahmarup' and offers devotion to Parabrahma (God), he forever remains blissful and attains the highest glory of God.
'Brahmarup' simply means to become the ideal devotee like Arjun who represents 'Nar' to then worship Krishna - Narayan. Hence the murtis of Nar-Narayan.
Similarly, Shri Krishna played the 'Maha Raas' traditional (stick folk dance) with the Gopis of Vrundavan because of their unalloyed love for him. Radha was the foremost among them. Therefore devotees should develop 'Gopi-bhav', to become Radha-rup (like Radha) to worship Shri Krishna. Hence devotees everywhere also consecrate murtis of 'Radha-Krishna' in mandirs, worshipping the Lord with his consort or choicest devotee. In addition to such surrenderance, how should the devotee strive to attain 'Gopi-bhav' to please the Lord?
Satsang In the Srimad Bhagwat (11/12/1,2), Shri Krishna himself propounds 'Satsang', which is another important principle in celebrating Janmashtami "I am not as pleased by endeavors such as: Yoga, Sankhya, scriptural study, austerities, renunciation, altruistic social deeds, donation, fasting, yagna, study of Vedic scriptures, observance of the laws of Dharma and Yama (part of yoga), as I am by Satsang." 'Satsang' means associating with a God realised Sadhu.
This was exemplified by King Parikshit when he was cursed to die in seven days, by surrendering to Shukdevji, who was a God-realised sadhu.
Finally, after Shri Krishna's departure from earth, how did the Lord continue his manifestation? This question was posed by Shaunak and other rishis to Suta Purani (in the Bhagwat). He replied, "Dharma resided in the Lord's true sadhu who is the true beholder of Dharma." In the Bhagwat, Shri Krishna supports this when he revealed to Uddhavji: "O Uddhav! You are not any the lesser than me." Thus the Lord revealed Bhagwat Dharma to Uddhavji and since then propagated it through him.
The true spirit then, in celebrating Janmashtami is for devotees to do Satsang through the Satpurush who is the beholder of Bhagwat Dharma - in order to realize God within.
Festival & Rituals
People fast on this day, usually a waterless fast. They spend the day immersed in Shri Krishna's glory by reading, reciting and singing his divine leela especially in the evening in mandirs.
At midnight, the Lord's birth hour, arti is performed. He is also installed in the form of 'Lalji' (child form) in a swing and devotionally offered many sumptuous food dishes. 'Makhan' (butter) is especially included since Shri Krishna loved this in childhood.
The traditional prasad is 'Panchajiri' - made of five ingredients: powdered ginger, 'suva', coriander, sugar and ghee. Other ingredients include poppy seeds (khaskhas) and dessicated coconut shavings.
After arti, devotees jubilantly sing and hail kirtans extolling the Lord's incarnation: "Nand gher anand bhayo, Jai Kanaiyalal ki .. Hathi, ghoda, palkhi, jai Kanaiyalal ki …" "Bawa Nand tane darbar, nobat vaage re lol … Hari pragatya taaranhaar, nobat vaage re lol…"
More Details on Janamastmi
Janam literally means 'birth' and Ashtami means the 'eighth day'. The eighth day of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadrapad is celebrated as Krishna Janamashtami.
It commemorates the birth of Lord Krishna, the incarnation of Vishnu in the Dwapar Yuga. This day is marked by religious festivity and devotion. Lord Krishna or "He who is all-attractive", descended on this earth to subdue the rakshasas ruthlessly and save mankind from all evils. He is regarded, as the epitome of transcendental qualities, which made him the most, loved one.
Lord Krishna was born on this day to Vasudev and Devki as the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, but Nand Baba and Maiyya (mother) Yashoda were his foster parents. Kansa (the tyrant King of Mathura) had made life very difficult, so did other Kings such as Jarasangh and Kalayavan to name but a few. To re-establish law and order, confidence and peace and Dharma in the society, Lord Krishna right from his childhood started his mission. Even though he was constantly surrounded by mortal danger he emerged unscathed and triumphant.
According to Hindu Mythology, the birth of Lord Krishna is as follows. Kansa, who ruled Mathura after usurping it from his father Ugrasena, was a wicked king. None could stop his atrocities and save themselves from his torturous deeds. One day, after the marriage of Devaki (his sister) and Vasudeva, Kansa was riding his chariot, when suddenly a voice from the sky warned him that the eighth child of Devaki would one day destroy him and put an end to all his sinful deeds. Perturbed and furious, Kansa ordered the imprisonment of his sister and brother-in-law at Vajra, a village eight miles across river Yamuna near Mathura.
When the first child was born to Devaki, Kansa killed it immediately. Thus, every time an infant was born, it met with the same fate. However, before the birth of the eighth child, a voice from heaven instructed Vasudeva to exchange the child-to-be-born with his friend Nand's yet-to-be-born baby. On the fateful midnight when Devaki delivered her eighth child, there occurred a tempest with dark thundering clouds drowning the cries of the little born. It was a divine ordain.
Vasudeva put the baby boy in a cushion of leaves within a basket and carried him on his head. Braving the storm, he waded across the gushing waters of the Yamuna. Miraculously, the snake adisesha appeared around the basket and with its hood protected the infant from hail and storm. Vasudeva reached Gokul, where Yashoda had just given birth to a baby girl. His friend Nand Baba the ruler of Gokul, took Vasudeva's boy and gave his own infant, promising to keep it a secret. With Nand's child in the basket, Vasudeva returned to the prison and suddenly the rage of the hurricane calmed down.
At the crack of dawn, the cries of the new-born filled the air and brought Kansa straight to the prison. There, he saw the eighth child - his destroyer, with Devaki and Vasudeva and his blood curdled. He lifted the baby and threw her against the ceiling. Lo and behold, the infant, who was actually "Shakti" or "Durga", flew out of sight and a thunderous voice once again reverberated in the sky. It scorned at Kansa's foolish killings and warned him that his destroyer was alive and will one day put him to death. The thought of an insecure life sent chills down his spine.
Meanwhile, at Gokul (the place where cowherds and cowboys inhabited), news spread about the birth of a baby boy to Yasodha. The gopees or cowherds rushed to take a glimpse of the dusky new-born child. There was reveling all around to mark the birth of the little one who was named Krishna - the attractive one.
Since His early days itself, Krishna showed qualities of His supernatural being. He was frivolous and notorious for stealing His favorite butter. He was the apple of everyone's eyes. Every woman called Him her own child and held Him dear to their heart. Krishna spent His adolescence at Vrindavan where He won the hearts of the gopees, the women who milked the cows. He was the embodiment of love and manhood and every woman wanted a husband like Krishna.
At every stage Krishna fulfilled the purpose of his reincarnation. He slayed Kansa, exhibited incredible feats to save the people of Vrindavan from disasters and went on to deliver the holy preaching of "Bhagvat Gita". The object of Krishna's birth was to bring about a victory of good over evil. There have been many incarnations but Lord Krishna's was unique and total in all respects.
There was not a single aspect of human life where he did not provide a stirring and thought provoking solution to a problem. He was a staunch reformer, very able politician, liberal democrat, messenger of Peace, protector of harassed, sincere impartial friend, selfless leader and above all, top most preacher of the spiritual knowledge.
Janmashtami marks the celebrations of Lord Krishna's birth, the incarnation of Vishnu, one of the Hindu Triumvarate, who came onto earth to cleanse the sins of the human beings. The modern day festivity recreates the birth of the Lord. It is celebrated with utmost gaiety and fervor in Mathura and Vrindavan. The towns are colorfully decorated wearing a festive look.
The main temples at Mathura and Vrindavan and all over the world are bedecked with flowers and Lord Krishna is clothed in jewellery. Also all temples have decoration lights. The rituals begin ahead of time in the evening and culminate at midnight, the time of Krishna's birth.
A crawling image of Krishna is cradled amidst singing of Bhajans and Chanting of Hare Rama Hare Krishna. So far no one has placed before the world a concise, unambiguous yet the cream of nectar of all spiritual knowledge as "The Bhagavad Gita" easy intelligible for a commoner. He has promised that the highest goal of god realization can be achieved through any one of the divine paths:
Bhakti (Devotion)
Karama (Actions)
Gnana (Knowledge)
The divine path being Parmataman. Who wouldn't bow the head to such a universal Guru and wouldn't feel totally fulfilled in celebrating Lord Krishna's birthday.
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