Gokulashtami
The birth of Lord Krishna symbolizes the victory of good over evil. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu, known for his kindness, righteousness, love, and duty.
The name ‘Krishna’ comes from the Sanskrit word meaning ‘black,’ ‘dark,’ or ‘dark blue.’ It also means ‘all attractive.’ The word ‘janma’ means ‘birth’ and ‘ashta’ means ‘eight.’ The number 8 is important here because Lord Krishna was the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. He was born as the eighth child of Princess Devaki and Vasudeva from the Yadava clan of Mathura on the eighth day (Ashtami tithi) of the Krishna Paksha (waning moon phase) under the Rohini Nakshatra in the holy month of Shravana. The waning moon is called Krishna Paksha and relates to the meaning ‘dark.’
Gokulashtami is also known as Krishnashtami, Ashtami Rohini, Sri Krishna Jayanthi, and more. This festival usually takes place at the end of August or the beginning of September in the western Gregorian calendar. Most people in India celebrate Krishna Janmashtami based on the Lunar calendar, but some temples and regions in South India like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and parts of Karnataka follow the Solar calendar.
According to Hindu mythology, a prophecy said that Kamsa, the cruel ruler of the Vrishni kingdom with its capital at Mathura, would be killed by the eighth son of his sister, Princess Devaki, because of his sins. To stop this prophecy, Kamsa imprisoned his sister and her husband. He killed Devaki’s children one by one right after they were born. When Devaki gave birth to her eighth child, the whole palace fell into a deep sleep due to divine intervention.
Vasudeva took advantage of this and secretly carried his baby in a basket out of Mathura at night during heavy rain. Shesnag, the king of snakes, protected them with his five-headed hood from the rain. Vasudeva managed to cross the Yamuna River with divine help and reached his friend Nanda’s house in Gokul near Brindavan in Mathura.
At that time, Nanda’s wife Yashoda had given birth to a baby girl who was believed to be an incarnation of Goddess Durga. Vasudeva came up with a plan to trick Kamsa. He took the baby girl to Devaki in jail and made Kamsa believe that the prophecy about his death by Devaki’s eighth son was false, which made Kamsa feel relieved. After that, Devaki’s son was raised by his foster parents, Nanda and Yashoda, in Gokul. This is why the celebration is also known as Gokulashtami.
This boy was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who later became known as Sri Krishna. He killed his uncle, Kamsa, ending his reign of terror. Lord Vishnu takes on different forms to restore righteousness (dharma) whenever the world is in chaos and terror. He protects the world from wickedness (adharma) and its followers.
The Gokulashtami festival is celebrated worldwide for 2-3 days. Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, has about 400 temples dedicated to Him, all beautifully decorated during this time. Celebrations in Brindavan, where Lord Krishna spent his childhood, start almost 10 days before his birthday. After leaving Mathura, Lord Krishna lived in Dwaraka, a beautiful city, for about 5,000 years. The town holds a month-long festival called ‘Janmashtami Utsav.’
On Gokulashtami or Krishna Janmashtami, devotees of Lord Krishna around the world pray and fast all day. They chant the Lord’s name, sing hymns, recite mantras, blow conchs, and ring bells. Many devotional songs are sung, especially in Krishna temples, throughout the day. The fast ends at midnight, believed to be the time of Lord Krishna’s birth.
During the festival, various rituals inspired by the life of Lord Krishna are held throughout the country. Drama-dance enactments and elaborate skits retelling his different ‘leelas’ in His boyhood are played out in the form of ‘Krishna Leelas’. Children dressed as Lord Krishna and Gopika’s.
After midnight, the idol of baby Lord Krishna is bathed, adorned with new clothes and put in a cradle. Devotees then sing devotional songs or perform bhajans in praise of the new-born, beautiful Lord Krishna. Offerings of sweets and flower garlands are made with joy. Many devotees paint tiny footprints outside the main entrance leading to their houses and it signifies that Lord Krishna is welcome to step into their houses.
Devotees break their fast the following morning and a festive ambience sets in where sweets made with milk, mainly payasam dry fruits and sugar, fruits, and other delicacies that were offered to the Lord are distributed as Prasad and relished by all. Again, passages from the Bhagavad Gita are recited aloud to help us remember Krishna’s teachings and understand the meaning of life from a spiritual angle. Lord Krishna’s teachings in the Bhagavad Gita emphasize the importance of performing one’s duty without being concerned with the results thereof. It teaches devotees significant life lessons such as the pursuit of righteousness, the value of selfless service, and the ultimate victory of good over evil.
