From the Editor's Desk: Shri Krishna Janmashtami Festival Celebrations 2022 The editorial talks about Celebration and Significance of Janmashtami Sri Krishna Janmashtami, also known as Sri (Krishna) Jayanthi or Gokulashtami, is an annual festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatara of Lord Vishnu. Devotees decorate the floor with kolams (decorative pattern drawn with rice batter). They also draw the footprints of Krishna from the threshold of the house till the pooja room, which depicts the arrival of Lord Krishna into the house. The festival is celebrated in the evening as Krishna was born at midnight. It must be noted that Srivaishnavas do not celebrate Sri (Krishna) Jayanti in Aadi, but only in the month of Aavani (Simha Masam). This year, the followers of Pancharatra Sampradayam will celebrate Sri (Krishna) Jayanthi on August 18th. According to the rules given by the Purvacharyas, the avataram day of Perumal is considered to be ‘utthamam’ when there is a combination of Ashtami and Rohini in the evening time, and even more ‘utthamam’ when it is combined with Wednesday. The Pancharatra Sampradayam gives a higher preference to the Rohini Nakshatra than the Ashtami tithi. Observed on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the dark half of the month of Shraavana, this festival is widely celebrated across India since Shri Krishna is one of the most well recognised and worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon of Gods. Under the constellation of Rohini, the Lord incarnated to fulfil His purpose as described in the Bhagavad Srimad Gita 4.7/8: yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata (7) dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge (8) Whenever there is a decline in Dharma and evil predominates I incarnate to vanquish evil and re-establish dharma. Often worshipped as the most glorious, beautiful and perfect incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Shri Krishna restored Dharma by killing His demonic uncle Kamsa, and by helping the Pandavas defeat the cruel Duryodhana. Shri Krishna radiates a profound and divine love so that merely chanting His name or hearing of His pastimes brings deep joy to His devotees. a s vat i r S a r di Happy reading and all Smiles! In Editor | A TO Z INDIA [email protected] +91-7550160116 A TO Z INDIA AUGUST 2022 PAGE 4