Janmashtami 2023: Janmashtami is a day of great cultural and religious significance which celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. Various cultural practices are performed on the occasion to worship Bal Swaroop (infant) of Krishna, including Abhishek, Raslila, Bhog, etc. These important activities of Janmashtami are rooted in yesteryear. This article will help you know and understand about meaning and significance of a few key terms associated with Janmashtami.
Raslila
The Raslila is also known as Rasalila or Ras dance as well. It is a popular tale where Krishna dances with Radha and the Braj gopis, as told in Hindu literature including the Bhagavata Purana and Gita Govinda. The word "raslila" is derived from the Sanskrit word "ras," which means "nectar," "emotion," or "sweet taste" and Lila stands for "act," "play," or "dance."
The rasa-lila is regarded as one of the most beautiful representations of soulful love in the Krishna Bhakti traditions. According to these beliefs, human romantic love in the physical world is a reflection of the soul's initial, intense spiritual love for Krishna in his spiritual realm, Goloka. Other Indian traditional dances including Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Manipuri Raas Leela, Kuchipudi, and Kathak have used Rasalila as a popular theme recently.
Abhishek
Abhisheka is a term used for a religious ritual in which a devotee offers water, milk or other liquid on a deity's image or murti out of respect. It is a common practice in all religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism all share this.
Priests conduct an abhisheka by immersing or bathing the statue of the deity while reciting mantras. Depending on the sort of Abhishekam being done, various offerings, including milk, yoghurt, ghee, honey, panchamrita, sesame oil, rose water, and sandalwood paste, are used.
Nandotsav
The Hindu holiday of Nandotsava is observed the day after Krishna Janmashtami on the ninth day of the waning moon in the month of Bhadrapada. In regional Nanda is credited with organizing celebrations honouring Krishna's birth. He is said to have invited the residents of the Vraja region, including the village headsmen and the married and single women of Vrindavan, particularly the gopis, to the event. On this special occasion, drummers were summoned to perform music as Brahmanas bathed the idol and chanted mantras.
This event is observed in a number of Krishna temples in Vrindavan. In devotion to the deity, the rites of panchamrita abhisheka and arati are carried out. Some followers gather in small groups to smash butter pots fastened to ropes on tall structures.
Happy Janmashtami 2023: Wishes, Messages, Images, WhatsApp & Facebook Status, Stories & Quotes
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is the veneration and acceptance of Vishnu or one of his many incarnations (avatars) as the supreme manifestation of the divine (Sanskrit: "The Pervader" or "The Immanent"). Numerous Vaishnava groups with various ideologies and goals arose over the course of a protracted and intricate evolution.
According to Klostermaier, the cult of the valiant Vasudeva, a prominent member of the Vrishni heroes, is where Vaishnavism first emerged in the late BCE and early CE. Later, it was merged with Krishna, the hero of the Yadavas, and still later, with the "divine child" Bala Krishna of the Gopala traditions.
Avatar
The name "Avatar" is derived from the Sanskrit word "avatar," which means "descent" in English. In Hinduism, it refers to a divinity appearing physically on earth, such as a spiritual teacher. Technically speaking, it refers to "an incarnation, embodiment, or manifestation of a person or idea" for those of us who do not practice Hinduism.
Some famous Avators are:
- Lord Ganesha
- Varuna
- Sati, Lord Rama
- Lord Krishna
- Lord Hanuman
- Laxmana & many more
Bhadrapada
The sixth month of the Hindu calendar, Bhadra, also known as Bhadrapada, Bhado, or Bhadraba, coincides with August and September on the Gregorian calendar. In Hindu astrology, Bhadra, which is typically the fifth month of the year, starts when the Sun enters Leo.
Bhadra, the sixth month of the year according to lunar religious calendars, starts on the new moon or full moon in August or September. The eighth day of the Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapada marked the birth of Krishna, whereas the eighth day of the Shukla Paksha marked the birth of Radha.
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Happy Janmashtami!!
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