Shri Krishna Janmashtami/Krishna Jayanthi - August 9th 2012

ಕೃಷ್ನಯ ವಾಸುದೇವಾಯ
ದೇವಕಿ ನಂದ  ನಾಯಚ
ನಂದಗೋಪ  ಕುಮಾರಾಯ
ಶ್ರೀ  ಗೋವಿಂದಯ ನಮೋ  ನಮಃ

ಕೃಷ್ಣಯ ವಾಸುದೇವಾಯ  ಹರಯೇ  ಪರಮಾತ್ಮನೇ
ಪ್ರಣತ ಕ್ಲೇಶ  ನಾಶಾಯ  ಗೋವಿಂದಾಯ  ನಮೋ ನಮಃ

KRISHNAYA VASUDEVAYA
DEVAKI NANDA NAYACHA
NANDAGOPA KUMARAYA
SRI GOVINDAYA NAMO NAMAHA

KRISHNAYA VASUDEVAYA HARAYE PARAMAATMANE
PRANATHAH KLESHA NAASHAAYA GOVINDAAYA NAMONAMAHA

Pooje performed in 2009…

Updates: Pooje at my residence on August 23rd 2008.

Preparation 1

Closeup of Lord

Another look before pooje

After the Pooje

After the Naivedya

Shri Krishnastami is celebrated on Thursday August 9th 2012. Sri Krishnastami or Krishna Jayanthi marks the celebration of the birth of Lord Sri Krishna;the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Lord Sri Krishna was born on the ‘Rohini’ nakshatra on Ashtami; that’s why it is called Krishnastami. In karnataka it is also known as Gokulashtami and Janmashtami. The festival occurs between August and September in our English calendar.

According to our Hindu mythology, Krishna was born to destroy Mathura’s demon King Kamsa, brother of his virtuous mother, Devaki. A celestial voice told Kamsa that he would be killed by the eighth child of Devaki. Alarmed by the message, Kamsa imprisoned Devaki and her husband Vasudeva. Taking no chances, Kamsa went on killing Devaki’s children soon after birth. Lord Krishna was born as the eighth child of Vasudeva at midnight. But at Krishna’s birth, under divine instructions, Vasudeva left the prison unnoticed with the baby. He crossed the mighty river Yamuna which was in spate due to heavy rains. Without any difficulty, he walked across the river protected from rain by the mighty serpent Shesha, and reached Gokul. In Gokul, on the same midnight, a girl named Yogamaya had been born to Yasoda, wife of Nanda a herdsman. The babies were exchanged, and Vasudeva came back to prison with the girl. When Kamsa was told that his sister had given birth to a child, Kamsa attempted kill the child. But the baby who was Goddess Maya, flew off to the heaven, warning Kamsa that Krishna, who would kill him, had already been born and was alive. Eventually, Krishna killed Kamsa, and released his parents from the prison, and brought peace and happiness to the common people.

In our Madhwa tradition, we are supposed to fast on this day, and late during the night; usually midnight we are supposed to give Arghya to Lord krishna. Here is the stotra to be said while giving Arghya to Lord Krishna. While giving the Arghya, hold a coin, a lemon and dried date in your right hand, and using a silver spoon offer 3 times milk and 3 times water to Lord krishna in a silver bowl, and keep repeating the below Stotra as well. Everyone in the household has to give Arghya to the Lord.

Arghya Stotra

Arghya Stotra from the Utharadi Matta Panchanga

Krishna Arghya

Jathaha Kamsavadarthaya Bhoobharotharanayacha|
Kouravanam Vinashaya Dhaityanam Nidhanaya Cha ||
Pandavanam Hitharthaya Dharamasamsthapanaya Cha|
GruhanaArghyam Maya Dhatham Devakya Sahitho Hare ||

Chandra Arghya

Kshirodharnava Sambhootha AthiGotraSamudhbhava |
GruhanaArghyam Maya Dhatham Rhohinya Sahitho Shashin ||

Another set from Prasanna.

Krishna Arghya mantra
jatah kamsavadharthay bhubharo harNayacha

kouravaNam vinashaya diatyanam nidhanaya cha
panDavanam hitarthaya dharma sansthapanay cha

grahaNaarghyam mya dattam devikya sahito hare||

chandra arghya
kshirodarNav sambhootham atrigotra samudbhavam
grahaNrghyam mya dattam rohiNya sahitah shashinah||

The food items performed are mostly sweet dishes, fried items and items with Avalakki. All these dishes are performed with extreme madi. If you are not able to do so, here are some useful tips:

1. The most important thing in any festival is the breaking of the coconut and offering it to god, so bring a coconut.

2. Keep also 5 fruits for offering to god, like Banana, Mango, Apple, Orange, Grapes, Plum, Pear and so on..

3. You can make the following dishes which have been mentioned here in the blog which need no cooking at all, add the seasonings after you do the Naivedaya to god.

• Cucumber Kosambari
• Mosaru Avalakki
• Sweet Avalakki

4. If you don’t mind cooking on the gas stove, here are other recipes you can make as well

• Gojju Avalakki
• Upittu or Upma
• Kesaribath
• Thengolu
• Chakalli
• Ompudi
• Shankarpoli
• Kobbari Mittai
• Rave Unde or Laddoo
• Besan Unde or Laddoo
• Kodubale
• Poori

5. Bring lots of flowers which are again easily available; roses

6. Offer butter also to the Lord which again is available in all grocery stores.

7. Below are several links which has all the songs in praise of Lord Krishna posted in this blog.

• Shri Krishna Ashtotra
• Keshava Nama
• Vande Vandyam
• Preenayamo Vasudevam
• Dwadasha Stotra
• Yenagu Aane Ranga
• Vijaya Kavacha
• Adisidalu Yeshodha
• Dasana madiko yenna
• Indu yenage Govinda
• Krishna Nee begane baro
• Loka Bharithano Ranga

8. Here are some links from dvaita.org as pdf files

• Palayachutha Palayajitha
• Gopi Geetha
• The 108 names of Lord Krishna.

9. We also place a silver cradle and keep the Ambegalu Krishna idol in the cradle and rock the cradle while singing the following song:

• JoJo JoKrishna Paramananda

10. Recite Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya as many times as possible.

11. Little feet of Lord Krishna are drawn as well along with other rangolis.

11. Last but not the least, do as many namaskaras as you can and break the fast.

Once you finish the pooje, surrender yourself to the Almighty Lord by saying the following Stotra.

ಕಾಯೇನ  ವಾಚ ಮನಸೇನದ್ರಿಯಿರ್ವ
ಬುದ್ಧ್ಯತ್ಮನ  ವ  ಪ್ರಕೃತೆ  ಸ್ವಭಾವತ್
ಕರೋಮಿ  ಯದ್ಯಥ್   ಸಕಲಂ  ಪರಸ್ಮೈ
ಶ್ರೀಮಾನ್ ನಾರಾಯಣಯೇತಿ ಸಮರ್ಪಯಾಮಿ

KAYENA VACHA MANASENDRIYAIRVA
BUDDHYATMANA VA PRAKRITE SWABHAVATH
KAROMI YADYAD SAKALAM PARASMAI
SRIMAN NARAYANAYETI SAMARPAYAMI

May Lord Krishna Bless ALL

ಶ್ರೀ ಕೃಷ್ಣರ್ಪನಮಸ್ತು