Janmasthami 2020

- August 14, 2020

Krsna Janmasthami

What do you mean by krsna janmashtami?

krsna janmasthami is also known as Gokhulashtami or Shri krishna jayanti i.e birthday of lord krishna which is celebrated on the 8th day of Krishna Paksha in month of shravana or Bhadra since in Hindu calendar there is a leap month every 3 years.

In Bhagwad Gita Lord Krsna proclaims his supremacy above all here are some shlokas from BG

E.g As per (BG 9.17)

Pitaham asya jagato

mta dhata pitamahah

vedyam pavitram omkara

rk sama yajur eva ca

Meaning: "I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grand sire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable Om. I am also the Rk, the Sama and Yajur vedas"

E.g As per (BG 7.10)

bijam mam sarva- bhutanam

viddhi partha sanatanam

buddhir buddhimatam asmi

tejas tejasvinam aham

Meaning: "O son of prtha, know that I am the original seed of all existences, the intelligence of the intelligent and the prowess of all powerful men"

E.g As per (BG 10.20)

aham atma gudakesa

sarva-bhutasaya-sthitah

aham adis ca madhyam ca

bhutanam anta eva ca

Meaning: " I am the Self, O Gudakesa, seated in the hearts of all living entities. I am the beginning the middle and the end of all beings." (BG 10.20)

Here question arises"Krsna Janmashtami" birthday of lord krishna even lord krishna who is Supreme of all above can take birth like any ordinary humans?

Best answer is given in the Book of 'Krsna- The Supreme Personality of Godhead'

When Kamsa was killing the the six babies of Devaki and Vasudeva one after another, many friends and relatives of kamsa approached him and requested him to discontinue these heinous activities but all of them became worshipers of Kamsa.

When Devaki became pregnant for the seventh time, a plenary expansion of krishna known as Ananta appeared within her Womb. she was joyful but at same time she was sorry that as soon as her child could come out and kamsa would kill him.

At that time the supreme personality of Godhead Krsna being Compassionate upon the Yadus ordered the appearance of yogamaya (his internal potency). Yogamaya is the principal potency of the personality of god head. Lord thus informed Yogamaya "Under the imprisonment of kamsa are Devaki and Vasudeva and at the present moment my Plenary expansion Sesa is within the womb of devaki. You can arrange the transfer of Sesa from the womb of devaki to the womb of Rohini. After this arrangement, I am personally going to appear in the womb of Devaki with my full potencies. I shall appear as son of devaki and vasudeva and you as the daughter of Nanda and yashoda in Vrndavana". When this was done people thought that Devaki's seventh pregnancy had been a miscarriage.

Krsna who is always ready to protect his unalloyed devotees, entered within the mind of Vasudeva as the lord of the whole creation, with full inconcievable potencies. It is understood in his connection that lord krishna first of all situated himself in the unalloyed heart of Vasudeva and was then transferred to the heart of devaki. He was not put into the womb of devaki by seminal discharge

Thus the supreme personality of Godhead, entered the body of Devaki from the body of vasudeva without being subject to any of the conditions of an ordinary living entity.

How devotees celebrates Krsna Janmasthami?

Devotees observe fast from grains on this day as a gesture of devotion and hears glories of lord krishna and his leela. And also indulge themselves in sankirtan and chanting, dancing and singing hare krishna Mahamantra and reading Bhagwad gita. And devotees also does Maha abhishek of lord krishna with fruit juices, curd, Ahimsa milk, ghee and honey and serve to other devotees as Charnamrit.

Then idol of ladoo gopal (lord krishna) palced on beautifully decorated swing. A special aarti ritual is performed after the deity placed on the swing and offered an assortment of fruits and sweets (Bhog with Tulasi leaf)