Janmastami

Janmastami (also known as Krishna Janmastami) is one of the most important festivals in the Vedic calendar, celebrating the appearance of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the material world over five thousand years ago in the city of Mathura. It is celebrated on the eighth day (ashtami) of the waning moon in the month of Bhadra (August-September). According to scriptures such as the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Krishna appeared at midnight to relieve the burden of the Earth by protecting His devotees and destroying demons like Kamsa. In the Vaishnava tradition, Janmastami is a day of intense purification and devotion. Devotees observe a complete fast from food and water until midnight, at which time the deity receives a sumptuous ritual bath (abhisheka) and is offered numerous vegetarian preparations that are later distributed as prasada. Throughout the day and night, congregational chanting (sankirtan) is performed, passages describing Krishna's divine pastimes (lila) are read, and theatrical plays of His childhood pastimes in Vrindavana are enacted. Sincere observance of Janmastami helps the practitioner of bhakti-yoga awaken latent love for Krishna and purify the mind (antahkarana) from the influences of karma and the gunas.