# Śrī Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī > The appearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead **Observed:** Eighth day of the dark fortnight of Bhādra (August-September) --- ## Significance Janmāṣṭamī celebrates the appearance of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who descended to this world over 5,000 years ago. Unlike ordinary living beings who are forced to take birth by the laws of karma, Kṛṣṇa appears by His own sweet will. > Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all living entities, I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form. > > — [[bg/4/6|Bhagavad-gītā 4.6]] --- ## The Divine Appearance Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared at midnight on the eighth day of the waning moon in the month of Bhādra. He appeared in the prison of Kaṁsa in Mathurā, in the cell of Vasudeva and Devakī. > The Lord appeared in the prison cell as the four-handed form of Nārāyaṇa, then immediately transformed Himself into the two-armed form of Kṛṣṇa. > > — [[sb/10/3|SB 10.3]] Summary Despite the heavily guarded prison, Vasudeva miraculously carried baby Kṛṣṇa across the Yamunā River to Gokula, where He was raised by Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā. --- ## Observance - **Fasting:** Complete fast until midnight (the time of Kṛṣṇa's appearance) - **Abhiṣeka:** Ceremonial bathing of the Lord's Deity at midnight - **Kīrtana:** All-night chanting and bhajanas - **Readings:** From Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Tenth Canto - **Feast:** Grand prasādam after midnight --- ## Why Kṛṣṇa Appears > Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself. > > To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium. > > — [[bg/4/7|Bg. 4.7-8]] --- ## Related - [[books/kb|Kṛṣṇa Book]] — Complete pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa - [[sb/10|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto 10]] - [[wiki/events/srila-prabhupada-appearance|Śrīla Prabhupāda's Appearance]] (the following day) - [[wiki/events/govardhana-puja|Govardhana-pūjā]] --- *See [[wiki/events/events|Vaiṣṇava Calendar]] for this year's date.*