The cardinal figure in both the festival of Janmashtami and the Gita is the 8th avtar of Bhagwan Vishnu who is known to us as Lord Krishna; Janamashtami is a pan India festival that celebrates the birth of the Lord. The mythology behind Janmashtami is well known. Krishna, the eighth son of Devaki and Vasudev was born in prison, in Mathura. Its ruler, Kansa, had learnt that he would die at the hands of Devaki’s child. To obviate this, he imprisoned her and her husband, and their children were killed immediately after birth. On the night of the birth of Krishna, the prison guards fell asleep and Vasudev carried the divine baby across the Yamuna River to Vrindavan and left him in the care of Yashoda and Nanda. Krishna grew up as a cowherd and returned to Mathura to eliminate Kansa. The death of the powerful, but wicked Kansa signifies the triumph of righteousness over evil. Janmashtami is always celebrated with fervor and enthusiasm in the entire country. Temples and houses are decor...
Dr. H N Bajaj is an Orthopaedic Surgeon, with a degree of MS in Orthopaedics, & a Diploma in Orthopaedics, specializing in spine surgery and working in Delhi at Max Healthcare & Medharbour Hospital in Gurgaon. He is a graduate of the prestigious KMC, Manipal, & a member of the Faculty as well. He has worked in UK, Australia, & Malaysia before returning to India.