ABOUT THE FESTIVAL (Legend/History/Myth)
Sri Krishna Jayanti marks the celebration of the birth of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Lord Sri Krishna was born
on the ‘Rohini’ nakshatram (star) on Ashtami day. The festival Sri Krishna Jayanti is also known
as Gokulashtami and Janmashtam. The actual day of celebration can be on two different days as the star
‘Rohini’ and Ashtami may not be on the same day. This occurs between August and September on the
Christian calendar. According to mythology, Krishna was the eighth child of Princess Devaki and her
husband Vasudeva who belonged to the Yadava clan of Mathura. Devaki’s brother Kansa, who was the
king of Mathura at that time, killed all children that were given birth by Devaki in order to prevent him from
a prediction that said that Kansa would be killed by Devaki’s eighth son. When Krishna was born,
Vasudeva took baby Krishna to his friend’s house in Gokul, a district in Mathura. Thereafter, Krishna was
brought up by Nanda and his wife Yashoda at Gokul.
According to traditional sources, the Janmashtami is observed on the day when the Ashtami Tithi occurs
at midnight. If the Ashtami Tithi and the Rohini nakshatra occur on the same day, then the observance is
considered to be doubly sacred; otherwise the observance is held on the day on which the Ashtami
prevails at midnight. The vrata mainly consists of fasting, spending the whole night in the worship of
Krishna, reciting hymns of praise and Krishna’s pastimes, reciting prayers from the Bhagavata, offering
arghya to Krishna, and the parana or the ceremonial breaking of the fast. The next day is celebrated
as Krishna Jayanti.
