Om Sri Krishnay Namah
According to Hindu mythology, Sri Krishna is the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu –the sustainer of the universe. Sri Krishna took birth as a human as the eighth son of Devaki and Vasudeva in Mathura. As per the Hindu calendar He was born during midnight on Ashtami Tithi during Krishna Paksha. The sole purpose of His life was to bring to an end the sins and the sinners of that era. The festival of Janmashtami is celebrated to mark the birth of Sri Krishna as the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is celebrated eight days after full moon day of the Shravan month which is also celebrated as Raksha Bandhan.
On Janmashtami people dress up idols of Lord Krishna with beautiful new clothes and Jewellery.The Krishna temples are also decorated with fresh flowers and lights all across the country. The followers of ISKCON Temple Society celebrate Janmashtami on a grand level. Since Sri Krishna was born in the midnight, the devotees keep awake and sing bhajans and dance till midnight.
Many devotees celebrate Janmashtami by offering prayers and sweets to Laddu Gopal, a childhood name of Sri Krishna. In some parts of the country, to commemorate Sri Krishna as the Makhan Chor, people organize the sport of Dahi Handi. Usually a pot full of curd or butter is hung at a certain height and the challenge is to reach the pot by forming a human ladder in one go. Various groups vie for this honour.
Another interesting way to celebrate Janmashtami is by decking up small children like Lord Krishna with flute and morepankh. The so dressed up kids are then called by His different names.
There are 108 names of Lord Krishna, which are collectively known as Ashtottara Shatanamavali of Lord Krishna. Chanting of His 108 names give peace, prosperity and health.
1. कृष्ण( Krishna- Om KrishnayaNamah:)
2. कमलनाथ (Kamalnath – Om KamalanathayaNamah:)
3. वासुदेव (Vasudeva – Om VasudevayaNamah:)
4. सनातन (Sanaatan – Om SanatanayaNamah:)
5. वसुदेवात्मज (Vasudevatmaja – Om VasudevatmajayaNamah:)
6. पुण्य (Punya – Om PunyayaNamah:)
7. लीलामानुषविग्रह (Lila-Maanush-Vigraha – Om LilamanushaVigrahayaNamah:)
8. श्रीवत्सकौस्तुभधराय(ShrivatsaKausthubadharya – Om ShrivatsakaustubhadharayaNamah:)
9. यशोदावत्सल(Yashoda Vatsala – Om YashodavatsalayaNamah:)
10. हरि(Hari – Om HariyeNamah:)
11. चतुर्भुजात्तचक्रासिगदा(Chaturbhuja-Chakra-Gada-Shankhadhyay – Om ChaturbhujattachakrasigadaNamah: )
12. सङ्खाम्बुजायुदायुजाय(Shakhambhujayudayujaya – Om SankhambujayudayujayaNamah:)
13. देवाकीनन्दन(Devakinandan – Om DevakinandanayaNamah:)
14. श्रीशाय(Shrisay – Om ShrishayaNamah:)
15. नन्दगोपप्रियात्मज(NandagopaPriyatmaja – Om NandagopapriyatmajayaNamah:)
16. यमुनावेगासंहार(YamunavegaSamhar – Om YamunavegasamharineNamah:)
17. बलभद्रप्रियनुज(BalbhadraPriyanuja – Om BalbhadrapriyanujayaNamah:)
18. पूतनाजीवितहर(Putanajivitahara – Om PutanajivitaharayaNamah:)
19. शकटासुरभञ्जन(ShakatasuraBhanjana – Om ShakatasurabhanjanayaNamah:)
20. नन्दव्रजजनानन्दिन(Nandavrajajananandin – Om NandavrajajananandineNamah: )
21. सच्चिदानन्दविग्रह(Sachidanandvigraha – Om SachchidanandavigrahayaNamah:)
22. नवनीतविलिप्ताङ्ग(Navanitviliptanga – Om NavanitaviliptangayaNamah:)
23. नवनीतनटन(Navanita-Natana – Om NavanitanatanayaNamah:)
24. मुचुकुन्दप्रसादक(MuchukundaPrasadaka – Om MuchukundaprasadakayaNamah:)
25. षोडशस्त्रीसहस्रेश(Shodashastrisahasresha – Om ShodashastrisahasreshayaNamah:)
26. त्रिभङ्गी(Tribhangi – Om TribhangineNamah:)
27. मधुराकृत(Madhurakrut – Om MadhurakritayeNamah:)
28. शुकवागमृताब्दीन्दवे(Shukavagamritabdindave – Om ShukavagamritabdindaveNamah:)
29. गोविन्दGovinda – Om GovindayaNamah।
30. योगीपतिYoginampati – Om YoginampatayeNamah।
31. वत्सवाटिचरायVatsavaaticharaya – Om VatsavaticharayaNamah।
32. अनन्तAnanta – Om AnantayaNamah।
33. धेनुकासुरभञ्जनायDhenukasura-bhanjanaya – Om DhenukasurabhanjanayaNamah।
34. तृणी-कृत-तृणावर्तायTrni-Krta-Trnavarta – Om TrinikritaTrinavartayaNamah।
35. यमलार्जुनभञ्जनYamalarjunaBhanjana – Om YamalarjunabhanjanayaNamah।
36. उत्तलोत्तालभेत्रेUttalottalabhetre – Om UttalottalabhetreNamah।
37. तमालश्यामलकृताTamala-Shyamala-Kruta – Om TamalashyamalakritiyeNamah:
38. गोपगोपीश्वरGopaGopishwara – Om GopagopishwarayaNamah:
39. योगीYogi – Om YogineNamah:
40. कोटिसूर्यसमप्रभाKoti-Surya-Samaprabha – Om KotisuryasamaprabhayaNamah:
41. इलापतिIlapati – Om IlapatayeNamah:
42. परंज्योतिषParasmaiJyotish – Om ParamjyotisheNamah।
43. यादवेंद्रYadavendra – Om YadavendrayaNamah।
44. यदूद्वहायYadudvahaya – Om YadudvahayaNamah।
45. वनमालिनेVanamaline – Om VanamalineNamah।
46. पीतवससेPita Vasase – Om PitavasaneNamah।
47. पारिजातापहारकायParijatapaHarakaya – Om ParijatapaharakayaNamah।
48. गोवर्थनाचलोद्धर्त्रेGovardhanchaloDhartreya – Om GovarthanchalodhartreyaNamah।
49. गोपालGopala – Om GopalayaNamah।
50. सर्वपालकायSarvapalakaya – Om SarvapalakayaNamah।
51. अजायAjaya – Om AjayaNamah।
52. निरञ्जनNiranjana – Om NiranjanayaNamah।
53. कामजनकKamajanaka – Om KamajanakayaNamah।
54. कञ्जलोचनायKanjalochana – Om KanjalochanayaNamah।
55. मधुघ्नेMadhughne – Om MadhughneNamah।
56. मथुरानाथMathuranatha – Om MathuranathayaNamah।
57. द्वारकानायकDvarakanayaka – Om DwarakanayakayaNamah।
58. बलिBali – Om BalineNamah।
59. बृन्दावनान्तसञ्चारिणेVrindavanantaSancharine – Om BrindavanantaSancharineNamah।
60. तुलसीदामभूषनायTulasidamaBhushanaya – Om TulasidamaBhushanayaNamah।
61. स्यमन्तकमणेर्हर्त्रेSyamantaka-Maner-Hartre – Om SyamantakamarnerhartreNamah।
62. नरनारयणात्मकायNarnarayanatmakaya – Om NaranarayanatmakayaNamah।
63. कुब्जाकृष्णाम्बरधरायKubjaKrishnambaradharaya – Om KubjaKrishnambaradharayaNamah।
64. मायिनेMayine – Om MayineNamah।
65. परमपुरुषParamapurusha – Om ParamapurushayaNamah।
66. मुष्टिकासुरचाणूरमल्लयुद्धविशारदायMushtikasura-Chanura-Malla-Yuddha-Visharadah – Om MushtikasuraChanuraMallayuddhaVisharadayaNamah।
67. संसारवैरीSamsara-Vairi – Om SansaravairineNamah।
68. कंसारिर.Kamsarir – Om KamsarayeNamah।
69. मुरारीMurara – Om MurarayeNamah।
70. नाराकान्तकNarakantakah – Om NarakantakayaNamah।
71. अनादिब्रह्मचारिकAnadiBrahmacharika – Om AnadiBrahmacharineNamah।
72. कृष्णाव्यसनकर्शक.Krishnavyasana-Karshakah – Om KrishnavyasanaKarshakayaNamah।
73. शिशुपालशिरश्छेत्त.Shishupala-Shirashchetta – Om ShishupalashirashchhetreNamah।
74. दुर्यॊधनकुलान्तकृतDuryodhana-Kulantakrit – Om DuryodhanakulantakayaNamah।
75. विदुराक्रूरवरदVidurakrura-Varada – Om VidurakruraVaradayaNamah।
76. विश्वरूपप्रदर्शकVishvarupa-Pradarshakah – Om VishvarupapradarshakayaNamah।
77. सत्यवाचॆSatyavache – Om SatyavacheNamah।
78. सत्यसङ्कल्पSatya Sankalpah – Om Satya SankalpayaNamah।
79. सत्यभामारताSatyabhamarata – Om SatyabhamaratayaNamah।
80. जयीJayi – Om JayineNamah।
81. सुभद्रापूर्वजSubhadra Purvaj – Om Subhadra PurvajayaNamah।
82. विष्णुVishnu – Om VishnaveNamah।
83. भीष्ममुक्तिप्रदायकBhishma Mukti Pradayaka – Om BhishmamuktiPradayakayaNamah।
84. जगद्गुरूJagadguru – Om JagadguraveNamah।
85. जगन्नाथJagannatha – Om JagannathayaNamah।
86. वॆणुनादविशारदVenu-Nada-Visharada – Om VenunadaVisharadayaNamah।
87. वृषभासुरविध्वंसिVrishabhasuraVidhvamsi – Om VrishabhasuraVidhvansineNamah।
88. बाणासुरकरान्तकृतBanasuraKarantakrit – Om Banasura KarantakayaNamah।
89. युधिष्ठिरप्रतिष्ठात्रेYudhishthiraPratishthatre – Om Yudhishthira PratishthatreNamah।
90. बर्हिबर्हावतंसकBarhiBarhavatamsaka – Om BarhibarhavatamsakayaNamah।
91. पार्थसारथीParthasarthi – Om ParthasarathayeNamah।
92. अव्यक्तAvyakta – Om AvyaktaNamah।
93. गीतामृतमहोदधीGitamritaMahodadhi – Om GitamritaMahodadhayeNamah।
94. कालीयफणिमाणिक्यरञ्जितश्रीपदाम्बुजKaliyaphani-Manikya-ranjita-Sri-padambuja – Om KaliyaPhanimanikyaRanjita Shri PadambujayaNamah।
95. दामॊदरDamodara – Om DamodarayaNamah।
96. यज्ञभोक्तYajnabhokta – Om YajnabhoktreNamah।
97. दानवॆन्द्रविनाशकDanavendraVinashaka – Om DanavendraVinashakayaNamah।
98. नारायणNarayana – Om NarayanayaNamah।
99. परब्रह्मParabrahma – Om ParabrahmaneNamah।
100. पन्नगाशनवाहनPannagashana vahana – Om PannagashanaVahanayaNamah।
101. जलक्रीडासमासक्तगॊपीवस्त्रापहाराकJalakridasamasaktagopivastrapararaka – Om JalakridaSamasaktaGopivastrapaharakayaNamah।
102. पुण्यश्लॊकPunya-Shloka – Om Punya ShlokayaNamah।
103. तीर्थकराTirthakara – Om TirthakriteNamah।
104. वॆदवॆद्याVedvedya – Om VedavedyayaNamah।
105. दयानिधिDayanidhi – Om DayanidhayeNamah।
106. सर्वभूतात्मकाSarvabhutatmaka – Om SarvabhutatmakayaNamah।
107. सर्वग्रहरुपीSarvagraharupi – Om SarvagrahaRupineNamah।
108. परात्परायParatpara – Om ParatparayaNamah।