SREE KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI

Krishna is one of the most widely worshiped avatars of Mahavishnu. Janmashtami literally translates to birthday and Krishna janmashtami commemorates the birth of lord Krishna .The most important ritual is done during night when it is said that Krishna was born. The story of Krishna’s birth and childhood is something we have all been told and retold since our childhood.

Kamsa was a tyrant who ruled over Mathura, the mention of his name sent shivers down the spine of his subjects. Kamsa’s sister was married to Vasudeva, a voice from the heavens echoed across the kingdom. It prophesied that their 8th son would kill Kamsa. Kamsa immediately decided to kill both of them but vasudeva begged for mercy with a condition that each child should be handed over to kamsa on birth. Hence kamsa put both his sister and her husband in prison. When Devaki gave birth to her first child, Kamsa came to the prison cell and slaughtered the newborn. In this way, he killed the first six sons of Devaki. Even before her 8th child was born, Devaki and Vasudeva started lamenting its fate and theirs. As soon as baby Krishna was born a white dazzling light blinded all the guards and officers in the prison. Even devaki fainted at the sight of the light then suddenly Lord Vishnu appeared before them and said he himself was coming to rescue them and the people of Mathura.  .He asked Vasudeva to carry him to the house of his friend, the cowherd chief Nanda in Gokula right after his birth, where Nanda’s wife Yashoda had given birth to a daughter. Vishnu assured them that “nothing shall bar your path”. Vasudeva had to carry baby Krishna over the river Yamuna and there was a heavy rain, but the five headed snake adi sheshan gave him shelter and the river split in to two parts to make way for Vasudeva.When Vasudeva reached Gokula, he found the door of Nanda’s house open. He exchanged the babies and hurried back to the prison of Kamsa with the baby girl. Early in the morning, all the people at Gokula rejoiced the birth of Nanda’s beautiful male child. Vasudeva came back to Mathura and as he entered, the doors of the prison closed themselves. When Kamsa came to know about the birth, he rushed inside the prison and tried to kill the baby. But the child turned in to goddess yoga Maya who taunted kamsa that his end was coming sooner than he anticipated. His nemesis will return to Mathura to take back what is rightfully his. Krishna’s birthplace Mathura and Vrindavan celebrate this occasion with great pomp and show. Raslilas or religious plays are performed to recreate incidents from the life of Krishna and to commemorate his love for Radha. At our very own homes we decorate idols of Krishna, recreate footprints of Krishna leading from the door to the puja room.  Making Krishna’s favorite delicacies is also habitual among Hindus, to those who can’t afford it just butter and ghee appeases the lord. It must be remembered here that Lord Krishna is happy with anything that is offered to him in true devotion. Krishna was happy with sweat drenched beaten rice offered by Cochlea or Susana. He was happy with the last leaf left in Draupadi’s Akaheyapatra. He was content with the gruel in Vidura’s (Dhritarashtra’s minister in Mahabharata) home