When is Lord Krishna's birthday celebrated?

[Guest guest]

I am in California. How is the day figured each year for Janmashtami(sp?)? If I am not near a temple what would be the proper way for me to honor this day?

[yasodanandana]

Sri krsna janmastami is 6 september.. but you have to check every year or to learn the calculation rules for the vaishnava/vedic/hindu holydays

 

the most important celebration for krsna janmastami is to spend more time we can in chanting:

 

hare krishna..

hare krishna

krishna krishna

hare hare

hare rama

hare rama

rama rama

hare hare

 

we can do it on our own doing japa mala or musical bhajan, or better, together with parents, relatives and friends

 

this is absolutely the most important thing to do... it is the real celebration..

..

 

the tradition says also that, if possible, we have to fast completely until midnight, then we can respect a prasadam (vegetarian food offered to krsna) without grains and legumes (like ekadasi)

 

the next day is nadotsava and simultaneously the birthday of srila bhaktivedanta swami prabhupada.. the duty of chanting hare krishna and reading or having krsna katha and spiritual conversations with guests and relatives continues...

 

and we can have a complete feast of prasadam (with grains and everything) after noon

 

(prasadam is any vegetarian food and drink with no meat, no eggs, no fish, no alcohol, no tea, no coffee that you can offer to the picture of sri krsna by praying sicerely him to accept your offering and simply chanting a while the hare krsna mahamantra)

 

of course the celebration of sri krsna janmastami could be much more elaborated, but, as every act of devotion, it depends almost exclusively on sincerity, so if we are sincere in doing these simple acts, this is a real and effective way to celebrate Krsna Janmastami