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Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Janmashtami celebrated with devotion and fervour across AP
1 2 3 4 Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh was drenched in devotion and festivities on Saturday as thousands of devotees celebrated Sri Krishna Janmashtami with enthusiasm. Temples dedicated to Lord Krishna overflowed with worshippers, chanting bhajans and offering special prayers on the auspicious occasion of the Lord's birth, which is observed on the eighth day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Shravan. In Vijayawada, the celebrations were marked by a blend of tradition and vibrancy. At Ramavarappadu, idols of Lord Krishna were adorned and installed in decorated pavilions, where priests performed special rituals. Children dressed as little Krishnas and Gopikas stole the show, drawing applause during cultural competitions. Participation of political leaders, across party lines, added significance to the event. One of the highlights was the Gopuja held in One Town area, where devotees worshipped and fed cows, symbolising reverence towards the sacred animal. At the famous Kanaka Durga temple, Lord Krishna's idol was anointed in the sanctum of the temple. Thousands of devotees took part in the rituals, followed by cow worship in the temple cowshed. The Yadava Welfare Association marked the occasion with a massive annadanam, serving free meals to nearly 20,000 devotees in Governorpet and Ramavarappadu. The evening came alive with the lively Utti Utsav, where hundreds of youngsters enthusiastically attempted to break the traditional pot, with prizes distributed to the winners. Special festivities were also held at Iskcon temples at Ramalingeswara Nagar and Kolanukonda. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Krishna Janmashtami Wishes ,, messages , and quotes !
The Hindu
05-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Two qualities of Acharyas
In the sixth pasuram of Thiruppavai, Andal describes how Gopikas who are ready to begin the day's vrata, wake up the girls who are still asleep. One of the girls thus woken up, asks them how they know that the day has dawned. They tell the girl that birds are calling out indicating that the sun has risen. The sound of the conch is another indication. But the girl is still not convinced. When sages wake up, they chant 'Hari, Hari' loudly. The Gopikas ask her if she cannot hear them. The chant of the sages shows that the day has begun. But why should those awake bother to wake up the ones sleeping? Can they not just go ahead with their own worship? When we get to enjoy something pleasant, we should enable others to have such an experience, said T.N. Aravamuda Thathachariar in a discourse. The Gopikas do not want their friends to miss out on Krishnanubhava. But all of them are devotees of Krishna. So why is it that some of them are ready to begin the day's worship, while the others are still not out of bed? Bhakti can be intoxicating and in some cases leaves the devotee in a state where he or she is unable to get up and resume normal day-to-day activities. The sleeping girls do not lack Krishna bhakti. In their case, Krishna bhakti has left them in a state where they are unable to get up. This pasuram has references to the Putana episode. Putana came with the evil intention of killing Krishna. But by sucking out her life, Krishna blessed her with moksha. Andal's reference to birds is symbolically a reference to Acharyas. Just as a bird has two wings, an Acharya has two qualities — he has jnana and adheres to Sastraic rules. The white conch spoken of by Andal indicates pranava. Acharyas who have jnana and anushtana, teach their sishyas the meaning of pranava.
