KRISHNA JANMASTAMI OBSERVED

JANMASTAMI, APPEARANCE DAY
OF THE BLESSED LORD SRI KRISHNA

www.indoamerican-news.com - Most traditions call for fasting until midnight, when Krishna was born, and then performing aarti and rousing kirtan for His pleasure. In the northern part of India, especially Uttar Pradesh - where places such as Vrindavan, Gokul, and Mathura hold deep significance due to Krishna’s intimate association with them and because of the multitude of His pastimes that were enacted there - the festivities are especially pronounced.
In South India the event is generally known as called Gokulashtami and people draw tiny feet (imprints using a mixture of flour and water) that lead into the kitchen and other rooms from outside the residence, representing Krishna’s mischievous pastimes where he used to steal butter by smashing open the pots hung high from the rafters.

In Dwaraka (Gujarat), where Krishna founded His kingdom, devotees exemplify their uncompromising bhakti towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna by thronging Dwaraka-dhisha temple (also known as the Jagad Mandir). In the great state of Maharashtra the dahi-handi (buttermilk-pot) event is not to be missed. Teams of players come together to form a human pyramid and the person at the apex tries to break the pot open. 
The sheer joy and gaiety that characterize this festival is highly infectious and is universal in nature. Let us pray to the Supreme Lord Sri Hari, simply by chanting whose glorious names we can attain moksha - eternal liberation from this material world!

The sublime advent of Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was celebrated yesterday (28th August) all over the world as Janmashtami, Gokulashtami, Krishnashtami, or Krishna Jayanti. This is such a joyous and universally uniting festival that all of the world comes together to rejoice in the birth of the protector of saints and destroyer of demons. There are slight differences in how the various parts of India celebrate Janmashtami, but the unifying aspect is that of complete submission to the utter bliss that comes with chanting the names of the Lord and in glorifying Him by hearing and reciting His delightful pastimes. Our gurus have taught us that Sri Krishna is nitya, and not only His birth but all of His pastimes are eternal. Just as sunrise is eternal, in the sense that during the day the sunrise is taking place in one place or another, Sri Krishna and His lilas are also eternal. We have to prepare and purify our hearts so that His blessed appearance can take place within them. (Editor's note).

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Throughout the infinite planets, you will find all the pastimes of Sri Krishna going on continuously, one after another. In this sense, His appearance pastime is eternal. There are infinite brahmandas and infinite planets - so many that we cannot even conceive of them. Somewhere within these brahmandas, He is appearing continuously. So, in this sense, His appearance is eternal. But He also appears, reveals Himself, in the sanctified heart of the suddha bhakta. This is also His eternal appearance. We have to prepare ourselves so that Krishna will think us to be qualified to get Him. Then He will appear in our hearts. We have to sanctify our hearts so that Krishna can appear there. Krishna is already there, but we are not aware of His presence.

Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Mahārāja : 
“Eve of Janmastami, Sanctifying the Heart”
Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math
http://www.gokul.org.uk  -  http://www.sreecgmath.org
http://vinacc.blogspot.com.ar/2013/08/eve-of-janmastami-sanctifying-heart.html

Published by dasavatara das - “Vedic Views on World News”
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/