Sri Krishna Janmashtami or Sri Krishna
Jayanti is mainly celebrated in Lord Krishna or Vishnu temples. Hindu spiritual
organizations conduct numerous programs like discourses, dramas and processions
on the day.
If you plan to celebrate or perform
rituals at home on the day, the ideal method will be to recite the mantra ‘Om
Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.’ This can be done while performing pujas or
throughout the day.
Pujas involve offering flowers and
performing Arati.
Reciting or listening to Srimad
Bhagavad Purna or Bhagavatam is highly auspicious on the day.
Some devotees observe fast and spend
time in temples or listening to discourses.
The main worship in temples takes place
at midnight when
Lord Krishna was born.
It must be remembered here that Lord
Krishna is happy with anything that is offered to him in true devotion. Krishnawas
happy with sweat drenched beaten rice offered by Kuchela or Sudama. He was
happy with the last leaf left in Draupadi’s Akaheyapatra. He was content with
the gruel in Vidura’s (Dhritarashtra’s minister in Mahabharata) home.
So, one need not indulge in complex
rituals to please Krishna. Just the japa ‘Om Namo Bhagavate
Vasudevaya’ rendered devotionally is more than enough.