Janmashtami

Introduction

Janmashtami, also known as Krishna Janmashtami or Gokulashtami, is a major Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Krishna is one of the most beloved deities in Hinduism, revered as the divine teacher of the Bhagavad Gita, the playful butter thief of Vrindavan, the lifter of Govardhan mountain, and the supreme strategist of the Mahabharata. The festival is celebrated with immense grandeur throughout India, with Mathura and Vrindavan (Krishna’s birthplace and childhood home), Dwarka, and ISKCON temples worldwide hosting particularly elaborate festivities.

When It Is Celebrated

Janmashtami falls on the Ashtami (eighth day) of Krishna Paksha in Shravana month (Purnimant calendar) or Bhadrapada month (Amant calendar), corresponding to August or September in the Gregorian calendar. Since Lord Krishna was born at midnight under the Rohini Nakshatra, the principal worship and birth celebration take place precisely at midnight. Due to differences in calendar calculations between the Vaishnava and Smarta traditions, the observance date may sometimes differ by a day between the two communities.

Mythological Story

According to the Bhagavata Purana, the tyrant King Kamsa of Mathura imprisoned his sister Devaki and her husband Vasudeva after a divine prophecy foretold that Devaki’s eighth son would be his slayer. Kamsa murdered six of Devaki’s children, and the seventh (Balarama) was mystically transferred from the womb by Yogamaya. On the eighth night of Krishna Paksha in Shravana, amid torrential rain and pitch darkness, Lord Vishnu manifested in his four-armed form as baby Krishna in the prison. The prison doors opened miraculously, and Vasudeva carried the newborn in a basket across the flooding Yamuna River, which parted to give him passage, while Shesha Naga (the divine serpent) spread his hood to shelter them from the rain. Vasudeva placed Krishna in the care of Nanda and Yashoda in Gokul and returned with their newborn daughter, who was actually Yogamaya in disguise.

Rituals and Celebrations

Devotees observe a strict fast on Janmashtami, either waterless (nirjala) or consuming only fruits and milk. From the evening, temples and homes are beautifully decorated, and the idol of Lord Krishna is ceremonially bathed and adorned with new clothes and ornaments. A small murti of baby Krishna (Bal Gopal) is placed in a decorated jhula (swing). At the stroke of midnight, the Janmotsav (birth celebration) commences with the blowing of conch shells, ringing of bells, and joyous chanting. Aarti is performed, and offerings of makhan-mishri (butter and sugar), panchamrit (five-nectar mixture), and Chhappan Bhog (fifty-six food items) are made. The Dashama Skandha of the Bhagavata Purana is recited. The next day features Dahi Handi, where young men form human pyramids to break a clay pot of curd hung at a height, reenacting young Krishna’s legendary butter-stealing exploits.

Significance

Janmashtami carries profound spiritual significance. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna declared: “Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati Bharata” — whenever righteousness declines, the divine manifests to restore it. Krishna’s birth in a prison cell teaches that divinity can emerge even in the most constrained and oppressive circumstances. His midnight birth symbolizes the dawn of light in the deepest darkness. Krishna’s life encompasses the full spectrum of human experience and divine teaching: he is simultaneously the playful child, the devoted lover, the profound philosopher, the astute statesman, and the fearless warrior. His teachings in the Gita on karma yoga (selfless action), bhakti (devotion), and jnana (knowledge) continue to guide millions on the path of dharma and spiritual liberation.