Janmashtami: The festival of the birth of a great god

Janmashtami, also known as Sri Krishna Jayanti, is a very auspicious event celebrated by the Hindus. It is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the avatar of one of the most important gods, Vishnu. The festival usually occurs in August. Moreover, the Hindus celebrate this festival in the Ashtami of Krishna Paksha. It is a joyful festival for the Hindus. This is one of the most joyous festivals celebrated in the year. The Lord gives us many teachings, he teaches us how to live our life peacefully and honestly with his famous book “Bhagavad Gita”. This book gives us many teachings, these teachings were told to Arjun [one of the five Pandavas] by him. This sacred book gives us many life lessons like embracing one’s duty, overcoming self-doubt and fear, developing the right perspective, and having tolerance and forgiveness.

He was known to take the lives of many demons and help The Pandavas throughout their exile and in their war with the Kauravas which is also known as the Mahabharata. From childhood he loved butter and always used to break the mud pots of butter being carried from one place to another and eat the butter, he used to eat all the butter his mother made. His maternal uncle “Kansa” threw his parents in jail, as he was said that “the 8th child of Devaki would kill you”. Devaki was his sister, and still cruel Kansa threw his sister with her husband, Krishna’s father to jail. The lord was born in jail and his father Vasudeva gave his son to his friend, then his friend`s home.

Then lord Krishna was taken care of by Vasudeva’s friend`s wife Yashoda. Then he along with his brother Balarama killed cruel Kansa. Krishna also spent a lot of time with his friends Radha and Sudama and has many memories with them, they were a part of his life that many people remember today too. Then he shifted from Mathura to Dwarka and ruled there. Then he helped The Pandavas during their exile and during the war of Mahabharata, he served as a mentor and a friend to Arjun. He helped The Pandava brothers in the time of need, his sister Draupadi was also married to them, and his sister Subhadra to the great warrior Arjun. The Lord is known as one of the strongest gods, he was known to known a mountain on his little finger to ask the villagers not to worship Indra as he was threatening them to flood the place if they don’t worship.

Lord Krishna had done many great things throughout his life and taught us many things that we can apply in our daily lives to be a better person. Janmashtami is a festival to remember the birth of the great god who taught us this life- lessons and many miracles.