Hindu month of Shrawan or Bhadrapada is the birth month of Lord Krishna. Referred to as Swayam Bhagawan (Bhagawan Himself) in Bhagavad Gita Mahapuran, Krishna is said to be born in the Rohini Nakshatra in the month of Shrawana or Bhadrapada. The birth time period was the 8th day (Ashtami) of Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight). In this specific time the birth day of Lord Krishna is celebrated all over India and Nepal.
Birth of Lord Krishna
Behind every incarnation of Hindu gods/goddesses lies a very important motive. As per various Hindu tales we get to know that, gods get birth in the human realm with various purposes. And one of such mystic tales is the birth of Lord Krishna.
Krishna, the 8th Avatar of Lord Vishnu, a Supreme being, was in fact born in the prison cell as a child of Devaki and Vasudeva. Devaki was a sister of Kansa (the oppressor ruler of Mathura). Kansa is also characterized as a demon (rakshasa), who terrorized his citizens and tried being the supreme human having control over everywhere.
When Kansa married off his sister Devaki to Vasudeva (prince of Yadava Clan), he had thought of taking over Yadav’s Kingdom, however, after his sister’s marriage he heard a divine voice saying, the eighth son of Devaki shall end his life. Being shaken with the voice, Kansa thought of killing his sister and brother-in-law. However, when Vasudeva promised to surrender all their children to Kansa, he then confined them in the cell and kept them under his surveillance.
Vasuki and Devaki submitted all their 7 children to Kansa, who then cruelly ended all of them. When Devaki got pregnant for the eighth time, she feared losing her this child too, she was not in the state of bearing the loss of her eighth child. Devaki didn’t want her eighth child to die mercilessly, so prayed almighty to save it.
The time came when her eighth child took birth, at midnight, in the prison cell. The child was son, he was Lord Krishna. As soon as Krishna was born, there was a divine power that helped Vasudeva to sneak him out from the prison and take his child to his friend Nanda’s house in Gokul, whose wife had just given birth to a daughter. With the purpose of saving Krishna, without letting Yashodha know about this, Vasudeva exchanged his son with her daughter. Since then, Lord Krishna spent his childhood in Vrindaban, across the Yamuna river with his foster parents (Nanda and Yashodha).
The daughter born to Yashodha was also a divine power, she was shakti herself who was taken back to prison by Vasudeva. After knowing about the birth of the eighth child, Kansa visited his sister to kill the newborn. However, as soon as Kansa entered, the newborn flew over to Kansa and threatened him saying that his slayer had already been born, and no one could stop whatever is destined. Saying this the child disappeared in a thin air. She was none other than Devi Kali herself.
This is how the slayer of that cruel ruler/demon ruler was born, and since then, people celebrate this special day as Janmastami, as a birth day of Lord Krishna.
Janmastami Celebration
Though there are various legends regarding Sri Krishna’s Leela, Janmastami is all about the birth of Lord Krishna. All Hindu communities celebrate this special day with utmost respect, love and spiritual heart as a thanks giving for taking birth in this land to destroy evil and lead humans towards their spiritual journey. The janmastami is celebrated in the evening till midnight, as Krishna was born at midnight.
People keep fasting, recite Krishna’s Bhajan, visit Krishna’s Temple to offer him prayers, and celebrate this day as a joyous day. This day we can see the temples of Lord Krishna being decorated very beautifully. After midnight, after commemorating the birth of Lord Krishna, the devotees break their fasting.
