~~Happy Shri Krishna Janmashtami!!~~

Janmashtami is one such festival that is celebrated equally in North and South India. Preparations for the same start weeks in advance. Different parts of the country celebrate the festival differently. In South India, the celebrations are most prevalent in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In both the places, the idol of Lord Krishna is placed in a decorated mantapa. Bhakshanam (snacks and sweets in Sanskrit), are specially prepared for the festival, and offered to Lord Krishna. Along with it, fruits that are his favorites are also offered. In some parts of Karnataka, chakli, avalakki and bellada panaka are prepared especially for the festival. In North India, celebrations are no less than being called extravagant and splendid. While Gokul and Vridnavan (Lord's birth and growing up place) witness flocks of visitors coming to the place to celebrate the festival at Krishna janamabhoomi, the other parts organize different events and practice different rituals to mark the occasion. In the cities of Mumbai and Pune, dahi-handi is organized wherein a group of men form human pyramid to reach a high-hanging pot of butter and break it. In the city of Dwarka in Gujarat and the eastern states of Orissa and West Bengal, people celebrate it with fasting and doing puja at midnight. Though the rituals practiced vary from one region to the other, the spirit and devotion to the Lord is same everywhere.

HAPPY JANMASHTAMI TO ONE AND ALL!🤗

Everyone invited!!!Please share your wishes in this thread!!🤗

Krishna took birth at midnight on the ashtamior the 8th day of the Krishnapaksha or dark fortnight in the Hindu month of Shravan (August-September) eight days after Raksha Bandhan. This auspicious day is calledJanmashtami. It was the rainy season in India and Krishna was born at midnight, in the prison of Kansa, during the middle of a perilous rain and storm. Thus goes the story of Krishna's birth.

Kansa, a despot, was then the king of Mathura. He had imprisoned his father in order to become the king. Devaki was Kansa's sister and was married to a noble man Vasudeva. Kansa one day heard a heavenly voice, saying, " Kansa, your days of tyranny will soon be over, you will be killed by the eighth child of Devaki." Kansa got frightened. He immediately imprisoned Devaki and Vasudeva. He did not want to take any chance and killed at birth each and every child of Devaki, until the time came for the delivery of the eighth child. To feel more secured, Kansa increased the number of prison guards, kept strict vigilance and put Vasudeva in chains. But God planned otherwise.

At midnight when the eighth child was born, the guards fell fast asleep and Vasudeva's chain fell off his hands and feet. Wasting no time, Vasudeva picked up the newborn baby, and carrying it in a basket, he started towards Gokul. Gokul was a village of cowherds, located across the Yamuna river, where his friend Nanda lived. It was a dark stormy night with blinding rain continuously pouring from the sky. When Vasudeva reached the bank of river Yamuna, the river was in spate. The wind and storm were blowing wild, and Vasudeva was in a fix.

" Lord, what should I do," said Vasudeva in a hopeless voice. Suddenly a miracle happened, the river parted and Vasudeva walked over the river bed. Throughout the way Vasudeva and the baby were protected from rain by the hood of the great eternal snake, Vasuki. Finally, Vasudeva reached Nanda's house.

OM SHRI KRISHNAYA NAMAHASalutations to Lord Shri Krishna

OM KAMALA NATHAYA NAMAHATo Kamala's (Goddess Lakshmi's) spouse

OM VAASUDEVAYA NAMAHATo Vasudeva (Vasudev's son, Krishna)

OM SANATANAYA NAMAHATo the Eternal One

OM VASUDEVAYA NAMAHATo the Son of Vasudeva

OM PUNYAYA NAMAHATo the Meritorious One

OM LILA-MANUSHA-VIGRAHAYA NAMAHATo Him who has assumed a human form to perform His pastimes

OM SHRIVATSA KAUSTHUBHA-DHARAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who wears the Shri Vatsa (representing Shri Lakshmi) and the Kaustubha gem

OM YASHODA-VATSALAYA NAMAHATo Mother Yashoda's darling child

OM HARAYE NAMAHATo Shri Hari

OM CHATURBHUJATTA-CHAKRASI-GADA-SHANKADHYAYUDHAYA NAMAHA

To the Four-armed One who carries the weapons of disc, conch and club

OM DEVAKI NANDANAYA NAMAHATo Mother Devaki's son

OM SHRISAYA NAMAHATo the abode of Shri (Lakshmi)

OM NANDAGOPAL PRIYATMAJAYA NAMAHATo Nanda Gopa's darling child

OM YAMUNAVEGA SAMHARINE NAMAHATo the Lord who destroyed the speed of the river Yamuna

OM BALABHADRA PRIYANUJAYA NAMAHATo Balabhadra's (Balarama's) dear younger brother

OM PUTANA JIVITA HARAYA NAMAHATo the Destroyer of the demoness Putana

OM SHAKATASURA BHANJANAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who destroyed the demon Sakatasura

OM NANDAVRAJA JANA NANDINE NAMAHATo the Lord who brought great happiness to Nanda and the people of Vraja

OM SACHIDANANDA VIGRAHAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who is the embodiment of Existence, Awareness and Bliss

OM NAVANITA VILIPTANGAYA NAMAHATo the Lord whose body is smeared with butter

OM NAVANITA NATAYA NAMAHATo the One who danced to get butter

OM ANAGHAYA NAMAHATo the sinless One

OM NAVANITA NAVAHARAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who invented a new form of food-butter

(because He consumed large quantities of it)

OM MUCHUKUNDA PRASADAKAYA NAMAHAto the Lord who blessed (gave salvation) to King Muchukunda

OM SHODASHA STHRI SAHASRESHAYA NAMAHATo the Lord of sixteen thousand wives

OM TRIBHANGI LALITAKRITAYE NAMAHATo the Lord who poses bent in three places

OM SUKAVAG AMRITABHDHINDAVE NAMAHATo the ocean of nectar in the form of Sukadeva's words (spoken as Srimad-Bhagavatam)

OM GOVINDAYA NAMAHATo the Lord of the cows

OM YOGINAM PATAYE NAMAHATo the Lord of the yogis

OM VATSA VATACHARAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who roamed (in Vrindavana) with the company of calves and friendly cowherd boys

OM ANANTAYA NAMAHATo the Infinite One

OM DHENUKASURA MARDANAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who killed the demon Dhenukasura

OM TRINIKRITA TRINAVARTAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who destroyed the whirlwind demon Trinavarta

OM YAMALARJUNA BHANJANAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who broke the two Yamalarjuna trees

OM UTTALA TALABHETTRE NAMAHATo the Lord who broke the huge trees

OM TAMALA SHYAMALA KRITAYE NAMAHATo the Lord who is a beautiful as the dark Tamala tree

OM GOPA GOPISHVARAYA NAMAHATo the Lord of Gopas and Gopis

OM YOGINE NAMAHATo the greatest Yogi

OM KOTI SURYA SAMAPRABHAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who is as lustrous as a million suns

OM ILAPATAYE NAMAHATo the Lord of the Earth

OM PARASMAI JYOTISHE NAMAHATo the One who is the Supreme Light

OM YADAVENDRAYA NAMAHATo the Lord of the Yadavas

OM YADUDVAHAYA NAMAHATo the Leader of the Yadus

OM VANAMALINE NAMAHATo the Lord who wears a sylvan garland

OM PITA VASASE NAMAHATo the Lord who wears yellow robes

OM PARIJATAPA HARAKAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who removed the parijatha flower (from India's garden)

OM GOVARDHANACHALO DHARTRE NAMAHATo the Lord who lifted Govardhan Hill

OM GOPALAYA NAMAHATo the protector of cows

OM SARVA PALAKAYA NAMAHATo the protector of all beings

OM AJAYA NAMAHATo the all-victorious Lord

OM NIRANJANAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who is untainted

OM KAMA JANAKAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who generates desires in the worldly-minded

OM KANCHA LOCHANAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who has beautiful eyes

OM MADHUGHNE NAMAHATo the Lord who killed the demon Madhu

OM MATHURA NATHAYA NAMAHATo the Lord of the holy place of Mathura

OM DVARAKA NAYAKAYA NAMAHATo the Lord of Dwaraka

OM BALINE NAMAHATo the all-powerful Lord

OM BRINDAVANANTA SANCARINE NAMAHATo the Lord who roamed around Vrindavana

OM TULASIDAMA BHUSHANAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who adorns Himself with tulasi leaf garlands

OM SYAMANTAKA MANER HARTRE NAMAHATo the Lord who stole the Syamantaka gem

OM NARA NARAYANATMAKAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who has the twin forms of Nara and Narayana

OM KUBJA KRISHTAMBARADHARAYA NAMAHA

To the Lord who wore the ointment offered by Kubja, the hunchbacked lady

OM MAYINE NAMAHATo the Lord of Maya (the illusion)

OM PARAMAPURUSHAYA NAMAHATo the Supreme Person

OM MUSHTIKASURA CHANURA MALLAYUDHA-VISHARADAYA NAMAHA

To the expert wrestler who wrestled with the two demons, Mushtika and Chanura

OM SAMSARA VAIRINE NAMAHATo the enemy of Samsara (the cycle of births and deaths)

OM KAMSARAYE NAMAHATo the enemy of King Kamsa (who wanted to kill Krishna)

OM MURARAYE NAMAHATo the enemy of the demon Mura

OM NARAKANTAKAYA NAMAHATo the destroyer of the demon Naraka

OM ANADI BRAHMACHARINE NAMAHATo the beginningless Absolute

OM KRISHNA VYASANA KARSHAKAYA NAMAHATo the One who removed Draupadi's distress

OM SHISHUPALA SHIRASCETTRE NAMAHATo the Lord who removed Sisupala's head

OM DURYODHANA KULANTAKAYA NAMAHATo the destroyer of the dynasty of Durodhana

OM VIDURAKRURA VARADAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who gave boons to Vidura and Akrura

OM VISHVARUPA PRADARSHAKAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who revealed His Viswarupa (the Universal Form)

OM SATYAVACHE NAMAHATo the Lord who utters only truth

OM SATYA SANKALPAYA NAMAHATo the Lord of true resolve

OM SATYABHAMA RATAYA NAMAHATo the Lover of Satyabhama

OM JAYINE NAMAHATo the Lord who is ever victorious

OM SUBHADRA PURVAJAYA NAMAHATo the elder brother of Subhadra

OM VISHNAVA NAMAHATo Lord Vishnu

OM BHISHMA MUKTI PRADAYAKAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who bestowed salvation on Bhishma

OM JAGADGURAVE NAMAHATo the Lord who is Guru to the whole world

OM JAGANNATHAYA NAMAHATo the Lord of the whole world

OM VENUNADA VISHARADAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who is an expert in playing flute music

OM VRISHABHASURA VIDHVAMSINE NAMAHATo the Lord who destroyed the demon Vrishaba

OM BANASURA KARANTAKAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who chopped off the hands of the demon Banasura

OM YUDHISTHIRA PRATISHTHATRE NAMAHATo the Lord who established Yudhisthir (as the king)

OM BARHI BARHAVATAMSAKAYA NAMAHATo the One who is adorned with effulgent peacock feathers

OM PARTHASARATHAYE NAMAHATo Partha Sarathi, the chariot driver of Arjuna

OM AVYAKTAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who is difficult to comprehend

OM GITAMRITA MAHODADHAYE NAMAHATo the Ocean containing the nectar of the Bhagavad-gita

OM KALIYAPHANI MANIKYA RANJITA SHRI PADAMBHUJAYA NAMAHA

To the Lord whose lotus feet are adorned with the gems from the hoods of the serpent Kaliya

OM DAMODARAYA NAMAHATo the One who was tied with a grinding stone around His waist

OM YAJNABHOKTRE NAMAHATo the Lord who consumes sacrificial offerings

OM DANAVENDRA VINASHAKAYA NAMAHATo the destroyer of the Lord of Asuras

OM NARAYANAYA NAMAHATo Lord Narayana

OM PARABRAHMANE NAMAHATo the Supreme Brahman

OM PANNAGASHANA VAHANAYA NAMAHATo the Lord who has a serpent (Adisesha) as His seat

OM JALAKRIDASAMASHAKTA GOPI VASTRAPAHARAKAYA NAMAHA

To the Lord who (playfully) hid the clothes (left on the shore) of the Gopis who were engrossed in playing in the waters of the Yamuna river

OM PUNYA-SHLOKAYA NAMAHATo the Lord whose praises bestow merit

OM TIRTHAPADAYA NAMAHATo the One whose feet are holy

OM VEDAVEDYAYA NAMAHATo the source of the Vedas

OM DAYANIDHAYE NAMAHATo the Treasure of compassion

OM SARVA BHUTATMAKAYA NAMAHATo the Soul of the elements

OM SARVAGRAHA RUPINE NAMAHATo the All-formed One

OM PARATPARAYA NAMAHATo the One who is highest than the highest