Janmashtami 2024 Auspicious Time:
The grand festival of Shri Krishna Janmashtami is being celebrated across the nation today, marking the 5251st birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. On this sacred day, devotees of Lord Krishna observe a fast throughout the day and worship the childhood form of Lord Krishna, also known as Laddu Gopal. Lord Krishna was born at midnight under the Rohini Nakshatra, and thus, there is a tradition of bathing Laddu Gopal with Panchamrit at midnight on Janmashtami. Let's walk through the complete step-by-step ritual for celebrating Laddu Gopal's birth and the Panchamrit bath tonight.
Celebrate Laddu Gopal's Birth with Cucumber Ritual
Similar to how a newborn is separated from the mother’s womb by cutting the umbilical cord, Lord Krishna's symbolic birth is celebrated by cutting the stem of a cucumber. This tradition, performed at midnight during the Rohini Nakshatra on Janmashtami, signifies separating baby Krishna from mother Devaki’s womb.
At midnight, use a cucumber with a stem and a few small leaves for the ceremony. As the clock strikes twelve, cut the cucumber stem with a coin to symbolize the birth of Krishna. Celebrate the arrival of baby Krishna by blowing the conch shell and proceed with the formal worship of Banke Bihari.
Ritual Bath of Laddu Gopal on Janmashtami
Step 1:
Perform the Panchamrit bath of Laddu Gopal at the auspicious time. Start by gently massaging Laddu Gopal while he is laid in a cradle. Cleanse him afterward with ordinary or holy water.
Step 2:
Next, purify Laddu Gopal with sandalwood paste. You can either buy sandalwood powder from a shop or make it at home by grinding sandalwood. Prepare a paste and apply it to Laddu Gopal.
Step 3:
Take two clean containers. Place Laddu Gopal in one and fill the other with water for bathing. Add sacral water from the Ganges and basil leaves to the bathing water. Begin the ritual bath while chanting mantras dedicated to Lord Krishna.
Step 4:
Subsequently, bathe Laddu Gopal with raw milk, followed by yogurt and honey. Complete the ritual by bathing him with sugar and then sacral water. This sequence of bathing is known as the Panchamrit bath.
Step 5:
After the bath, offer rose flowers to Laddu Gopal. Dress him in beautiful attire and adorn his head with a peacock feather crown. Don’t forget to place a new wooden flute in his hand.
Avoid These Mistakes During Laddu Gopal’s Bath
Devotees should refrain from using daily household utensils for the ritual bath and should instead use a specific set of new utensils reserved exclusively for this purpose. Use a conch shell to direct the water stream for bathing Laddu Gopal. Remember, the conch shell is considered a form of Goddess Lakshmi in Hinduism. Do not place Laddu Gopal directly on the ground during the bath.
Do not drain the water used for bathing Laddu Gopal through conventional methods. Devotees should either sprinkle this sacral water around the house for prosperity or pour it into a basil plant.
The auspicious time for bathing Laddu Gopal on Shri Krishna Janmashtami is from 12:00 AM to 12:44 AM. You have 44 minutes to complete this significant ritual. Using this time frame is considered most beneficial for the ritual bath.
