Janmashtami

Time: Shravan Vad Atham
Festival description:
Vastra (Clothing): Saffron Doriya’s
Shringar: Pearls (red, green, white) or Jadau.
Aarti: Aarti picture

After offering Mangal Bhog to Shriji & applying tilak, preparations for Panchamrut are done. (Milk, Curd, Ghee, Sugar, Honey) After doing Panchamrut Abhyang is done to God. In Shringar vastra saffron doriya, saffron kulhe, red-green-white abhran of pearls or diamonds are offered. Shringar for Gadiji also come. A Toran of the leaves of a mango tree is hanged on the Mandir of Shriji. After Shringar Janmapatrika is read. Incarnation of God occurs at 12:00 midnight. After reciting three times, 8.5th shloka of Janma Prakaran from Dasham skandh of Shri Bhadra Bhagwat, preparation of Mahabhog is done. Next day after God swings on the swinger (Palana), Mangal Bhog is done & Nitya kram is observed.

Pushti Elucidation:

We celebrate Janmastami as God incarnated with nisadhanfalatmakrup. It is not a siddhant that because God is Nisadhanfalrup therefore even we should be nisadhan. Nisadhanta is a matter of bhav. Nisadhan means na punyatma, na papi, not a tool of atmauddhar & those who are lost in world for them God has incarnated. Bhav of Nisadhanta means to do which is sadhan to us but not to expect uddhar (upliftment) in it. Because the bhavna of being uplifted by sadhan is void against the bhavna of Sharanagati (refuge). Why do we recite Ashtakshar three times? There is a feeling in the mind that I don’t have real (Adhibhautik), spiritual (Adhyatmik) or Godly (Adhi daivik) sadhan from which I can uplift myself, I have just accepted your refuge. This bhavna should be followed. All the sadhans (for eg seva etc) should be done thinking that it is the order of God. Why should I defy the orders of God as far as I am capable of doing them? Like this without having prejudice bhav in refuge of God should be kept. God has done uddhar even of bad sadhan jeevas (like Putana) thus because of some reason if there is no sadhan then too God does Uddhar.But this does not mean that we should also follow evilness. Vrajbhaktas are shown with the bhav of Nisadhan.

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