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WORLD  About the AuthorOther Stories by this Author Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa: Janmastami Vrata BY TRIDANDI SWAMI BHAKTIRATNA SADHU MAHARAJ  USA, Aug 31 (VNN) — Fifteenth Vilasa, Volume Two Text 246 Duties in the Month of Bhadra (August-September) In the month of Bhadra the Vaisnavas should celebrate a great festival on the birthday of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They should perform great worship and fulfill a vow. Text 247 The Vow of Janmastami The vow of Janmastami is compulsory for everyone. This is because it is a regular observance, it removes sins, and it grants all benefits. Text 248 The Origin of Sri Janmastami In the Bhavisya Purana, Uttara-khanda, Sri Yudhisthira says: O infallible Lord, please describe to me the vow of Janmastami in great detail. When did this vow begin? What piety does it grant? How is it performed? Text 249 Sri Krsna said: O Yudhisthira, after I had killed the demon Kamsa, Devaki embraced Me, placed Me on her lap, and wept. Text 250 When the wrestling was over she stood up in the grandstand. The Kukuras and Andhakas praised her. Text 251 Her affectionate kinsmen and their wives surrounded her. Vasudeva came, embraced me, said, "Son! Son!" and wept with a father's love. Text 252 His eyes filled with tears, he embraced Balarama and Me. In a choked voice he said: Text 253 Today my birth has born fruit. Today my life is lived well. Now I have met my sons, the two glories of the Yadu dynasty. Text 254 O king, seeing My parents' happiness, everyone else became happy. Bowing before Me, everyone spoke these words: Text 255 Today we are happy. Today Krsna is born. Today the demon Kamsa has fallen in a wrestling match. Text 256 O Lord Krsna, please glance at the people in this festival. Please give Your mercy to them and to others also. Text 257 O Krsna, O Lord who removes all sufferings, please give to us the day when Devaki gave birth to You. We will celebrate a festival in Your honor. O Krsna, please be kind to Your sincere devotees. Text 258 Filled with wonder to hear the people speak these words, and the hairs of his body now erect in ecstasy, Vasudeva glanced at Balarama and said: Text 259 It should be so. Please tell the people. Text 260 O son of Prtha, then, on My father's order, I revealed the vow of Janmastami to the people of Mathura. Text 261 The brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, sudras, and all others who are pious, from the age of eight years and older, should observe this vow of Janmastami. Srila Sanatana Gosvami comments: The same is true for observing ekadasi. In the scriptures it is said: asta-varsadhiko bala "Children eight years and older should also observe ekadasi." Text 262 O people, during the monsoon season, on the astami of the dark fortnight (krsna-paksa, of the month of Bhadra, when the sun was in Leo and the moon and the star Rohini were both in Taurus, in the middle of the night I was born as the son of Vasudeva and Devaki. Text 264 This day will be known in this world as the vow of Janmastami. On this day celebrate a great festival honoring both Me and the goddess. First this festival will be celebrated in Mathura. Later it will become famous in the whole world. Srila Sanatana Gosvami comments: The word "bhagavatya" (goddess, here refers to Devaki. It may also refer to Durga. Text 265 Hearing of this festival, the people began to observe it. May there be peace amongst them. May they be happy. May they have good health. Text 266 This festival should be observed every year, for that is pleasing to the Lord. The scriptures also describe some offenses in its observance. Text 267 Sri Janmastami Should Be Observed Every Year The Observance of Sri Janmastami Is Pleasing to the Supreme Personality of Godhead In the Skanda Purana it is said: Prahlada and other great kings very faithfully observe the auspicious vow of Janmastami, which is dear to Lord Krsna. Their purpose is to please Lord Visnu, Text 268 It is also said: To please Lord Krsna, who holds a cakra in His hand, the astami of the dark fortnight in the month of Sravana, when the star Rohini is conjoined with the moon, should be observed year after year. Text 269 Offenses in This Vow First, the Offense of Eating In the Sri Visnu-rahasya, Brahma' tells Narada: By eating on Jayanti one commits a sin equal to the sin of eating a sudra's food or eating the food in the hand of a corpse. Text 270 A person who eats on Janmastami day commits the sin of eating the flesh of a vulture, heron, crow, or hawk, or the flesh of a human being. Text 271 O best of brahmanas, one who eats on Janmastami day commits all the sins in the three worlds. Of this there is no doubt. Text 272 It is also said: A person who fills his belly in the Jayanti day is tortured by the messengers of Yamaraja. They will not allow him to eat anything more than a single sesamum seed. Text 273 O king, a fool who eats on the Jayanti day will not easily be delivered from hell, even if he observes the vow of dvadasi. Text 274 A person who eats on Lord Krsna's holy day pushes into a horrible hell a hundred and one generations of his relatives past and yet to come. Text 275 The Offense of Failing to Follow the Vow by Fasting, Worshiping, Observing a Great Festival, and Performing Other Duties In the Sri Visnu-rahasya it is said: O wise sage, they who knowingly neglect the vow of Sri Krsna-janmastami become ferocious beasts in the jungle. Text 276 O tiger of the sages, a person averse to observing the holy day of Jayanti will not find happiness in this life or the next. His sin is equal to that of killing a brahmana, a cow, or a woman, or drinking liquor. The Full Janamstami Vrata from Hari-bhakti-vilasa (ZIP format) Zipped word file attached. This is all in Balaram or Tamal font available from here. 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