Krishnashtami, Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī, Krishna-ashtami: 8 definitions

Introduction:

Krishnashtami means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

The Sanskrit term Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī can be transliterated into English as Krsnastami or Krishnashtami, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Krishnashtami in Purana glossary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī (कृष्णाष्टमी).—A vrata; a special prayer to Śankara on the 8th dy of the dark half of every month; other details follow.1 the aṣṭami day on which Kṛṣṇa was born.2

  • 1) Matsya-purāṇa 56. 1-11.
  • 2) Viṣṇu-purāṇa V. 1. 78.
Source: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study

Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī (कृष्णाष्टमी) or Kṛṣṇāṣṭamīvrata refers to type of Vrata (“religious observances”), according to the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—Accordingly, the Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī-vrata is observed in honour of Śiva. In the Saurapurāṇa (ch.14) Nandīkeśvara is stated to have described this vrata to Nārada. It starts from the month of Mārgaśira. It is observed on the eighth tithi of the dark fortnight and for a year.

Accordingly:—

First month: (Mārgaśīrṣa/Agrahayana?) The performer having controlled his sense-organs should brush his teeth with the piece of aśvattha-wood. Taking bath and performing tarpaṇa, should worship Śaṅkara. He should fast for the day and only gomutra (“urine of the cow”) is to be taken as food in the night. By this a person gets the result more than eight times that of atirātra sacrifice.

Second month: In the month of Pauṣa, tooth-brush is that of aśvattha, food is ghee and the deity to be worshipped is Śaṃbhu; the merit accrued is eight times that of vājapeya.

Third month: In the month of Magha the tooth-brush is of vaṭa, food is milk, the deity to be worshipped is Maheśvara and the result is eight times that of gomedha sacrifice.

Fourth month: In the month of Phālguna, tooth-brush is of vaṭa, food is milk, the deity is Mahādeva and the result is eight times that of rājasūya.

Fifth month: In Caitra, the tooth-brush is udumbara, no food, deity is Sthāṇu and the result is that of aśvamedha.

Sixth month: In Vaiśākha, food is kuśodaka, deity is Śiva and the result is that of naramedha sacrifice.

Seventh month: In Jyeṣṭha, the tooth brush is that of plakṣa wood, food is śṛṅgodaka of cow, the deity is Paśupati, the stay near the deity gives the result of donating thousand of cows.

Eighth month: In Āṣāḍha, food is gomaya, the deity is Ugra result is eight times that of śautrāmaṇi.

Ninth month: In Śravaṇa the tooth-brush is pālāsa-wood, deity is Śarva, food is arkapatra and the result is the region of Śiva.

Tenth month: In the Bhādrapada the deity to be worshipped is Tryambaka the food is vilvapatra, result is the same as that of consecration in all sacrifices (sarvadīkṣāphala).

Eleventh month: In the month of Āśvina the tooth-brush is that of jambu-wood, the deity is Īśvara the food is taṇḍulodaka result accrued is eight times that of pauṇḍarika sacrifice.

Twelfth month: In the month of Kārttika the performer should worship Īśana, drinking pañcagavya only once and gets the reward of agniṣṭoma.

And at the end of a year will feed the Brāhmaṇas who are devotees of Śiva and offer dakṣiṇā according to one’s ability.

[This Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī-vrata is the destroyer of all sins and giver of all desires. It is observed for attaining good foutune, fame, wealth and progeny.]

Note: This Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī-vrata is described in the Bhaviṣyapurāṇa 5.57.1-22 ; Matsyapurāṇa . 56.1-11. Hemādri in his Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi, Vrata-Khaṇḍa 1.819-821 quotes from the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa and 1.823-826 quotes from the Devībhāgavatapurāṇa regarding this vrata. Here also the different names of Śiva to be worshipped in each month and different food to be eaten in each month are given. See also Kṛtyakalpataru, Vratakhaṇḍa 241-245.

This Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī-vrata known as Kālāṣṭamī in the Vāmanapurāṇa, on this day Śiva is said to sleep in all the liṅgas; Hence due to his sure residence there, all liṅgas are to be worshipped, as the worship on that day is said to yield eternal merits. See Vāmanapurāṇa 17.30-31.

Purana book cover
context information

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Discover the meaning of krishnashtami or krsnastami in the context of Purana from relevant books on Exotic India

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Krishnashtami in Sanskrit glossary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī (कृष्णाष्टमी).—the 8th day of the dark half of Śrāvaṇa when Kṛṣṇa, was born; also called गोकुलाष्टमी (gokulāṣṭamī).

Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms kṛṣṇa and aṣṭamī (अष्टमी). See also (synonyms): kṛṣṇajanmāṣṭamī.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum

1) Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī (कृष्णाष्टमी) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—[dharma] Oudh. Xix, 100.

2) Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī (कृष्णाष्टमी):—[dharma] Oudh. Xx, 168.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī (कृष्णाष्टमी):—[from kṛṣṇa] f. = ṣṇa-janmāṣṭ, [Bhaviṣya-purāṇa, khaṇḍa 1 & 2: bhaviṣya-purāṇa & bhaviṣyottara-purāṇa; Matsya-purāṇa]

2) [v.s. ...] the eighth day in the dark half of any month, [Kulārṇava-tantra]

[Sanskrit to German]

Krishnashtami in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

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Kannada-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Krishnashtami in Kannada glossary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Kṛṣṇāṣṭami (ಕೃಷ್ಣಾಷ್ಟಮಿ):—

1) [noun] the eighth day in the second fortnight of the fifth lunar month, on which day Křṣṇa was born.

2) [noun] the festival observed on that day.

3) [noun] (gen.) the eighth day of second fortnight of any lunar month.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Discover the meaning of krishnashtami or krsnastami in the context of Kannada from relevant books on Exotic India

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