Janmashtami 2025: Significance & Story of Lord Krishna’s Birth

Janmashtami 2025: Significance & Story of Lord Krishna’s Birth

Mar 01, 2024Soubhagya Barick

Krishna, the eighth of Lord Vishnu’s Dasavatara (10 incarnations), was born on Ashtami, the eighth day of Krishna Paksha (waning fortnight) in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada/Avani. Thus, this day is celebrated as Janmashtami or Shri Krishna Jayanti.

The Story of Lord Krishna’s Birth

The eighth child of Devaki and Vasudeva, the Lord was born in prison around midnight in Mathura, located in present day Uttar Pradesh. His birth was preceded by turmoil as a heavenly voice had prophesied that Kamsa, the maternal uncle of Krishna, would be killed by Devaki’s eighth born. The tyrant king slayed Devaki’s first six children; Balarama, her seventh child was born through the surrogacy of Rohini, Vasudeva’s other wife. When Devaki delivered Krishna, Lord Vishnu revealed himself to the couple and instructed Vasudeva to take the new-born (Vishnu himself) to Gokula, swap the child with his friend Nanda’s new born daughter and bring her back to prison.

As the divine play unfolded, the prison guards fell into deep slumber, Vasudeva’s shackles fell away and the prison door opened. Heavy rains lashed across Mathura and the water levels of the Yamuna river rose high. Adi-sesha, the thousand-headed serpent on whom Lord Vishnu rests, raised his hood to form a protective umbrella for Vasudeva and the baby. Miraculously, Yamuna’s force abated as the river gave reduced the levels let him walk smoothly to Gokula.

Nanda’s wife Yashoda, who would go on to raise Lord Krishna, had just given birth to a girl child. Vasudeva quietly exchanged the infants and returned to prison with the girl child. When Kamsa learnt that his sister had given birth to her eighth child, he seized the baby girl from them and hurled her against a rock. The baby revealed herself as Goddess Yogamaya and told Kamsa that his destroyer had already taken birth elsewhere. The goddess then disappeared.

Kansa sent demons to hunt for the new born Krishna, but the Lord, in his infant form, killed every one of them. The childhood of Krishna is marked by several stories of innocent pranks, cows, cowherd friends and the bond between Yashoda and Krishna became one of the most celebrated depictions of mother and son.

How to Celebrate Janmashtami?

In Mathura and Vrindavan, people celebrate Janmashtami by observing a fast, Ratri Jagran (night vigil) and singing devotional songs throughout the night. They also perform dance dramas called Rasa Leela, enacting the life of Krishna.

In places like Maharashtra, people celebrate Dahi Handi, the day after Janmashtami. Meaning a pot of curd, Dahi Handi is a community tradition that marks the Lord’s love for curd, butter and milk and his legendary antics to steal them. Earthen pots of curd are hung high on tall poles. Young boys climb over one another to form a human pyramid and break the pot. The winning group is given a prize. In Gujarat, people perform dances and go out in groups singing in praise of the Lord.

In South India, people decorate their floors with Kolams. They place footprints using rice batter from the threshold of the house until the puja room, as if to symbolize Krishna’s arrival into their homes. Little boys and girls are dressed up as Krishna and Gopis, respectively. Bhagavatham and Bhagavad Gita are also recited in Mandals (communities). A number of sweets and savouries, believed to the deity’s favorites, are prepared and offered on the occasion.

108 Names of Lord Krishna

Here are the list of 108 names of Lord Krishna based on Brajwasi. 

  1. Krishna
  2. Gopal
  3. Govinda
  4. Madhusudan
  5. Vasudeva
  6. Murlidhar
  7. Nandanandan
  8. Shyam
  9. Yashodanandan
  10. Devakinandan
  11. Madhusudan
  12. Kanha
  13. Radhavallabh
  14. Madanmohan
  15. Manmohan
  16. Giridhar
  17. Mohan
  18. Keshava
  19. Makhan Chor
  20. Chandravali-Priya
  21. Damodar
  22. Jagannath
  23. Balgopal
  24. Parthasarathi
  25. Narayana
  26. Vishnu
  27. Vishvarupa
  28. Srivatsaankita
  29. Padmanabha
  30. Ananta
  31. Achyuta
  32. Yogeshwara
  33. Sudarshanadhari
  34. Dwarkadhish
  35. Sudarshanadhari
  36. Srivatsaankita
  37. Purushottama
  38. Ranchhod
  39. Shridhara
  40. Trivikrama
  41. Bhaktavatsala
  42. Bankebihari
  43. Radh-ballabh
  44. Laddu Gopal
  45. Rajagopala
  46. Radh Raman 
  47. Anandavardhana
  48. Krishnashraya
  49. Pranavallabha
  50. Kamalnatha
  51. Sakha
  52. Mahayogi
  53. Rasik
  54. Vrajendranandan
  55. Lila Purushottama
  56. Brajabihari
  57. Raseshwara
  58. Kunjabihari
  59. Radhanath
  60. Rasik
  61. Ghanashyama
  62. Bhavagrahi
  63. Chaturbhuj
  64. Kamalakanta
  65. Satyavachana
  66. Manohar
  67. Jagatpati
  68. Neelamegha-Shyama
  69. Atmarama
  70. Goverdhan 
  71. Govind dev ji
  72. Shree Girdhar
  73. Bhutesha
  74. Vanshi Wala
  75. Kanhaiya
  76. Satyabhama-Priya
  77. Rukmini-Ramana
  78. Lakshminatha
  79. Yadunandana
  80. Varshneya
  81. Brahmanya
  82. Brahmavetta
  83. Dwarikadish
  84. Pitambara
  85. Kali Kamli wala
  86. Natkhat
  87. Nandlala 
  88. Tulasi Priya
  89. Hari Om
  90. Yaduvanshi
  91. Karunasindhu
  92. Divyanga
  93. Aniruddha
  94. Pradyumna
  95. Shrikrishna Chaitanya
  96. Advaitam
  97. Krishnachandra
  98. Satyanarayana
  99. Kaliyanath
  100. Vaikunthanatha
  101. Shree Nath
  102. Parameshwara
  103. Bal Gopal
  104. Advaitam
  105. Keshav
  106. Balabhadra-Saha
  107. Nandlal
  108. Deendayal

Lord Krishna is one of the favorites of God of Brijwasi, They called them with different-2 names, which are listed above. 

 

This year, Janmashtami falls on 16 August, 2025

Traditional Paal Payasam Recipe For Krishna Janmashtami 

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