nanda-nandana sañjāta-
jāta-karma-mahotsava
nānādānaugha-kṛt-tāta
śrīmad-gokula-mańgala
“O Krishna, O delightful Son of Maharaja Nanda, when the time for Your birth-ceremony arrived, Your father arranged for a great festival and gave many gifts in charity, thus making the opulent land of Gokula very auspicious.
The all-auspicious occasion of Sri Krishna Janmashtami, the appearance day of Lord Krishna, falls on 7th September this year as devotees across the world eagerly await this most glorious day of celebration. Five thousand years ago, in the sacred land of Mathura, the all-attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared on this earthly planet, just like a blue lotus that blossoms in the middle of a quagmire. Appearing as the eighth child of Vasudeva and Devaki, who were shackled in the palace dungeons of Mathura by King Kamsa, the Lord was covertly carried away by Vasudeva to safety in the house of Nanda and Yashoda in Gokul, soon after His appearance.
Reasons for His appearance:
As stated in the Bhagavad Gita 4.9, the Lord proclaims that His appearance and activities are transcendental, and one who factually understands them becomes immediately eligible to be transferred into the spiritual world. His appearance or birth is not like that of an ordinary being who is forced to accept a material body according to his past deeds. Instead He appears out of His own sweet will. Externally the Lord may appear to teach the method of self-realization for the age, to annihilate the miscreants or sinful, materialist people (which is done by his Vishnu aspect) and more confidentially, to protect his devotees. However, Krishna’s most confidential reason for appearing is to taste the sweet essence of loving exchanges with his beloved devotees as a way to also propagate this standard of pure devotional service on the platform of spontaneous attraction. It is to perform and relish multifarious esoteric pastimes or lilas with His pure devotees that the Lord descends on various planets like the earth. Krishna Himself says: “Mother [Yashoda] sometimes binds Me as her son. She nourishes and protects Me, thinking Me utterly helpless. My friends climb on My shoulders in pure friendship, saying, ‘What kind of big man are You? You and I are equal.' If My beloved consort reproaches Me in a sulky mood, that steals My mind from the reverent hymns of the Vedas. Taking these pure devotees with Me [to Vrindavana on the Earth], I shall descend and sport in various wonderful ways, unknown even in Vaikuntha [the abode of Lord Vishnu, or the Lord of the Universe]. I shall broadcast such pastimes by which even I am amazed.” [CC Adi 4.24-28].
Observing Janmashtami vrata
Now, a pertinent question arises: How shall we celebrate this most auspicious day of Janmashtami to please the Lord of all hearts? His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acharya of the Worldwide Hare Krishna Movement, has given a very simple process which is followed by devotees across the world:
Early Rising & Perform Mangala-Aarati: Waking up during Brahma Muhurta time (one and a half hour before sunrise) is recommended for all sincere seekers. Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita: yukta-svapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā: “by being regulated in sleeping, one can mitigate all material pains by practising the yoga system.” (BG 6.17) Thus by waking up early, we can please Krishna and spend more time engaging in His loving service. Also, performing mangala-aarati is also considered very auspicious.
Chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra throughout the day: Krishna and His Holy-name are non-different and by constantly chanting, one can associate with Him directly! krsna-nama cintamani, akhila rasera khani, nitya-mukta suddha-rasa-moy: “the name of Krishna is touchstone, a mine of all devotional mellows, eternally liberated, and the embodiment of pure rasa”. All of Krishna’s potencies are infused within His Holy-name; His rupa (form), guna (qualities), lila (pastimes), and dham (abode) are all present within the holy-name. Thus, we should chant “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare” throughout the day, and continually remain in the sublime association of the Lord.
Prepare and Offer Bhoga: On Janmashtami, devotees lovingly prepare and offer a variety of delicious preparations to the Lord. In temples, 56 bhoga or 108 bhoga offerings are presented to the Lord for His pleasure. In the Chaitanya Charitamrita, the Lord says, ei-mata bāra bāra kariye bhojana tomāra śuddha-preme more kare ākarṣaṇa: “thus I again and again eat everything you offer Me, for I am attracted by your pure love.” [CC Antya 3.38]. Krishna is hungry for our love and devotion in every offering that we make to Him. je-se-dravya sevakera sarvabhāve khāya: “with great love the Lord at once eats whatever his servant offers”. By preparing wonderful dishes with the finest ingredients available, inundated with the most important ingredient which is our love for Him, we can please the Lord immensely on His appearance day. Check out this video to know the complete procedure of offering bhoga.
Bathe and Dress the Lord: kṛtālańkāra-gopāla gopī-gaṇa-kṛtotsava: “at the time of His birth-ceremony, Gopala (Krishna) was jubilantly decorated with ornaments and the cowherd women lovingly celebrated a great festival”. In the mood of the Vrajavasis, devotees can bathe and decorate the archa-vigraha or deity form of the Lord. Abhishekam ceremony can be performed using panchamrita (milk, curd, honey, ghee and jaggery water) and varieties of fruit juices. Different kinds of fragrant flowers can also be offered to the Lord. One should also recite the Brahma-Samhita prayers while performing the abhishekam ceremony. Grand aarati can also be performed for the pleasure of the Lord. To know how to perform abhishekam to Lord Krishna at home, please see this video.
Fasting from Grains: On the auspicious festival of Janmashtami, it is imperative for devotees to fast from grains until midnight. One should not partake of grains, beans and other prohibited vegetables. The fast is broken at midnight with non-grain food preparations. There are three levels of fasting that one may perform:
- Nirjala/Complete Fasting: Abstinence from everything, including grains, fruit, milk and water.
- Water-only: Devotees may consume only water until midnight and would not partake of anything else.
- Fruit & Milk: Devotees may consume fruits and milk and refrain from other non-grain and grain preparations.
Read and Hear Pastimes of Krishna: It is stated in the revealed scriptures that one who has developed the urge to hear about the Lord, Krishna who is present in everyone’s heart as paramatma cleanses all material desires from the heart of that devotee (SB1.2.17). Hearing and reading about the Lord’s pastimes on Janmashtami, especially about His advent in the material world, as mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam and the Krishna Book written by Srila Prabhupada, can purify one’s consciousness and awaken a state of real bliss. kṛṣṇa-tulya bhāgavata-vibhu, sarvāśraya: “Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is as great as Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord and shelter of everything.” [CC Madhya 24.318]. Thus, by hearing and reading scriptures such as the Srimad Bhagavatam as well the Bhagavad Gita which possess the Lord’s personal instructions, we can please the Lord and uplift our own consciousness.
Engage in Discourse: Discussing the glories and pastimes of the Lord with others and preaching His message brings great pleasure to Krishna. āyur harati vai puṁsām/ udyann astaṁ ca yann asau/ tasyarte yat-kṣaṇo nīta/ uttama-śloka-vārtayā: “both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.”[SB 2.3.17] The festival of Janmashtami provides a wonderful opportunity to engage in such transcendental discourses about the Lord.
Perform Congregational Chanting: Engaging in harinama-sankirtana or the congregational chanting of the Holy-name of the Lord gives utmost pleasure to Krishna. golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-sańkīrtana: “the treasure of the divine love of the Holy-name has descended directly from the spiritual world”; all the personal associates of the Lord are always engaged in chanting His Holy-names. Thus, we should perform jubilant harinama-sankirtana especially on the occasion of Janmashtami, as we have the sublime opportunity to directly render the same service which the Lord’s most personal confidantes render to Him!
Offer Seva: Rendering devotional service with utmost love immensely satisfies the Lord. Krishna awards liberation very easily, but he does not give the opportunity to render devotional service unto him very easily, for then He becomes the property of that devotee! By the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, we have been provided with many opportunities for service and by engaging in them, especially on festivals like Janmashtami, we can make Krishna our own property!
Offer Donations: Offering our hard-earned money to the Lord, especially on auspicious occasions like Janmashtami, is recommended for self-purification and for contributing in the service of the Lord. Everything that we seem to possess originally belongs to the Lord and by offering donations for the service of the Lord we purify our own consciousness. To make a donation at Hare Krishna Movement, please go here.
The Spirit of Celebrating Janmashtami
When Lord Krishna appeared five thousand years ago in the dingy dungeon in Kamsa’s palace, He illuminated the entire prison cell with His divine effulgence. Our heart is also like a prison cell and if we invite Krishna into it by sincerely performing devotional service, Krishna will surely and eagerly enter it and illuminate it with the knowledge of our real identity. In the words of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, this Janmashtami, let us invite the Lord into hearts with the following prayer:
mama mana mandire raha niśi-din
kṛṣṇa murāri śrī kṛṣṇa murāri
“Please abide in the temple of my heart both day and night, O Krishna Murari, O Sri Krishna Murari!”