Relevance of ‘Sri Krishna Janmashtami’ and How to Celebrate it at Home?

The holy books say that the heart of all vratas is to always remember Lord Krishna and never forget Him. When you observe Janmashtami at home, it brings peace to your house. It removes shortages, fights, and troubles. Even if someone fasts on this day without knowing its meaning, Lord Krishna will bless them. Imagine how much more He will love those who follow it with understanding and devotion. Lord Krishna is pleased with such people and welcomes them to His spiritual home. Here, we share a simple manual for observing Sri Krishna Janmashtami at home. It offers two ways to do it:

Sarala Vrata: A simple way.
Sampūrṇa Vrata: A more detailed way.

You can pick the way that works best for you. Men, women, and children can all follow these practices. You might start with the simple way and, after some years, try the detailed way. If life gets busy and you need to switch back to the simple way, that’s fine too. It’s not wrong.

How to Observe Janmashtami Vrata

Here’s how you can celebrate Sri Krishna Janmashtami at home. We’ve broken it into steps. Some steps are for both the simple and detailed ways, while others are just for the detailed way.

A. Morning Duties

Wake up early, about one and a half hours before sunrise. As you get up, say these prayers to honor your spiritual teacher:
nama oḿ viṣṇu-pādāya Krishna-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
Then chant the Hare Krishna mantra:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
Clean yourself. Brush your teeth and take a bath. Put tilaka (a special mark) on your forehead.

B. Chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra

Spend time chanting the Hare Krishna mantra:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
Chant it as much as you can. Chanting it 108 times is called one round. One round takes about 7 to 8 minutes. Srila Prabhupada suggested chanting 16 rounds every day.
Do this any time during the day.

C. Remembering Lord Krishna

Read or listen to stories about Lord Krishna’s greatness. You can use the Krishna book by Srila Prabhupada, which tells about Krishna’s life, especially His birth. Or read the Bhagavad Gita. Try the first three chapters of the Tenth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam if you can.
Do this any time in the day.

D. Fasting

Fast on Janmashtami day. It’s best to avoid all food until midnight, then eat fruits, roots, or milk. Do not eat grains, beans, or certain vegetables.
Before you start fasting, say this prayer:
vāsudevam samuddiśya
sarva-pāpa praśāntaye
upavāsam kariṣyāmi
Krishnaṣtmyām nabhasyahm
It means: “To please Lord Krishna, to seek His love, and to clean away sins, I will fast on Janmashtami.”
Fasting Choices:
- Complete: No food, fruits, milk, or water.
- Water Only: If complete fasting is hard, just drink water.
- Fruit and Milk: If water-only is tough, have fruits and milk.
Break your fast at midnight after the arati with food that has no grains. Eat the special food offered to Krishna the next day.
Fast all day.

E. Marking Lord Krishna’s Footprints

Decorate your home with Lord Krishna’s footprints. Draw or place them from your front door to your prayer room. This shows Krishna coming into your home. Use colors (like rangoli), flowers, and small lamps to make it pretty.
Say this prayer from the Rig Veda:
Om tad vishnoh paramam padam sada
pashyanti surayo diviva chakshur-atatam
tad vipraso vipanyavo jagrivamsaha
samindhate vishnor yat paramam padam
Do this before you start worshiping.

F. Preparing Food Offerings

Cook pure vegetarian food for Lord Krishna. Do not use onion or garlic. You can make rice, dal, sweets, vegetables, or anything you like.
Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 9):
patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ
It means: “If someone offers Me a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water with love, I accept it.”
Cook any time of the day, preferably before the bathing ceremony.

G. Worshiping the Lord

If you have a deity of Lord Krishna (like Baala Gopal, Laddu Gopal, Shalagrama Shila, or Śrī-Rādhā-Krishna) or a picture, worship Him. You can bathe the deity, dress Him in new clothes, offer food, and wave a lamp in front of Him. Chant the Hare Krishna mantra or other holy songs while doing this.

I. Special Bathing Ceremony (For Sampūrṇa Vrata only)

For a bigger celebration, do a bathing ceremony (abhiṣeka) for Lord Krishna’s deity. Invite friends, neighbors, or family to join. Sing Hare Krishna songs or chant prayers from the Brahma-saṁhitā during it.
How to Prepare:
- Clean your worship area. Sprinkle water mixed with cow dung and cow urine if you have it. If not, use plain water.
- Wash some pots and place them near the worship area. Fill them with:
  - 2 pots of water
  - 1 pot of milk
  - 1 pot of curd
  - 1 pot of honey
  - 1 pot of water with jaggery or sugar
  - 1 pot of lukewarm water
  - 1 pot of water with turmeric powder
  - A small bowl of ghee
- Put a tulasi leaf in each pot.
- Dress the deity in special clothes (yellow for Krishna, blue for Balarāma, red for Rādhārāṇī). Place the deity on a plate for bathing. Keep a photo or deity of Srila Prabhupada nearby.
Do this any time before the midnight arati.

II. Honoring Your Spiritual Teacher

Before worshiping Krishna, honor you by r spiritual teacher (guru-pūjā). Offer 3 or 5 incense sticks, a lamp, and flowers. Chant these prayers:
oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya Krishna-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
After this, move Srila Prabhupada’s photo or deity to a comfortable spot.
Do this any time, preferably before the bathing ceremony.

III. Bathing Ceremony Steps

Pour these items over the deity in this order:
- 1 pot of water (pure water bath)
- 1 pot of milk, 1 pot of curd, ghee, 1 pot of honey, 1 pot of water with jaggery (five-nectar bath)
- Fruit juices, if you have them (fruit water bath)
- 1 pot of lukewarm water (warm water bath)
- 1 pot of water with turmeric (powder bath), rub turmeric on the deity too
- Wave a camphor lamp in front of the deity.
- 1 pot of water (final pure water bath)
- Shower flowers on the deity, if you like (flower rain).
- Wave a fan or whisk, if you have one.
Rub the deity with a lemon, clean with water, wipe dry with a towel, and move it to the altar or prayer room.
Do this any time, preferably before midnight arati.

Decorating the Lord

Dress the deity or decorate Krishna’s picture with flowers, garlands, jewelry, and new clothes.
Do this after the bathing ceremony.

V. Offering Food

Place the food you cooked in front of the deity or picture. Put a tulasi leaf on each item. Chant these prayers three times while ringing a bell with your left hand:
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya Krishna-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
namo mahā-vadānyāya Krishna-prema-pradāya
te Krishnaya Krishna-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ
namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca
jagad-dhitāya Krishnaya govindāya namo namaḥ
Leave the food there for 10 to 15 minutes. Step out of the room. After 15 minutes, clap softly, go back in, ring the bell, and remove the food.

VI. Worship with Leaves and Flowers (For Both)

Offer 108 tulasi leaves and flowers to Lord Krishna while saying His names from the Krishna Ashtottara. Krishna loves even a simple tulasi leaf and a little water offered with devotion.
Here’s a verse:
tulasī-dala-mātreṇa
jalasya culukena vā
vikrīṇīte svam ātmānaṁ
bhaktebhyo bhakta-vatsalaḥ
Wave these items in front of the deity or picture:
- Incense sticks: 7 rounds
- Ghee lamp: 7 rounds
- Water in a conch shell: 7 rounds
- Handkerchief: 7 rounds
- Fragrant flowers: 7 rounds, then place them at Krishna’s feet
- Fan made of yak-tail hair: Wave it a few times
- Peacock-feather fan: Wave it a few times
Bow down and ask forgiveness for any mistakes made during the worship.
Do this in the morning and at midnight.

H. Ending the Janmashtami Vrata

Stay awake until midnight (00:00). While waiting, you can:
- Recite Vishnu Sahasranama
- Recite Śrī Krishna Aṣṭottara Śata Nāmāvali
- Read Srimad Bhagavatam
- Read Bhagavad Gita
- Listen to talks on Srimad Bhagavatam
- Sing Krishna bhajans
- Read “Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead” by Srila Prabhupada
At midnight, do a big arati to welcome Lord Krishna’s birth. This ends the vrata.
Start these activities in the evening and continue until midnight.

The most important thing is to think of Lord Krishna with love all day. Whether you follow the simple way or the detailed way, He sees your heart. Do what you can, and He will be happy.

Appendixes

Appendix 1: Quick Checklist of Items Required for Abhiṣeka

2 pots of water
1 pot of milk
1 pots of curd
1 pot of honey
1 pot of water mixed with jaggery or sugar
1 pot of luke warm water
1 pots of water mixed with turmeric powder
Camara and vyajana
Ghee in a small vessel
Incense sticks
Varieties of flowers
Arati lamp with single wick for guru-puja
Tulasi leaves to be put into each item
Arati lamp with multiple wicks / camphor for Lord
Bell to ring during abhisheka
Lemon (seeds to be removed)
Abhisheka dress for deities
Abhisheka Plate