Kṛshṇāshṭamī Vrata

Kṛshṇāshṭamī Vrata, simply known as Krishnashtami Vrata, Sanskrit: कृष्णाष्टमी व्रत, Telugu: కృష్ణాష్టమి వ్రతం, Hindi: कृष्णाष्टमी व्रत.

The Kṛshṇāshṭamī Vrata is a year-long vrata kept on the Ashṭamī (eighth lunar day) of the Kṛshṇa paksha, the dark fortnight, of every month. Parameśvara is worshipped by twelve nāmas of Bhagavān Śiva, one for each month from Mārgaśīrsha to Kārtika. The Matsya Mahā Purāṇa gives it in Chapter 56. Its phala is a stay in Śivaloka for seven hundred kalpas.

The teaching

Parameśvara taught this vrata to Nārada. It removes all pāpas (sins) and gives śānti (peace) and mukti (freedom). It is called the Kṛshṇāshṭamī Vrata because it is kept on the Ashṭamī of the Kṛshṇa paksha. (Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 56)

The monthly nāmas of Bhagavān Śiva

On the Ashṭamī of the Kṛshṇa paksha in each month, Parameśvara is worshipped by a particular name:

(Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 56)

The vidhi

On the day of Ashṭamī, the one who keeps the vrata worships Bhagavān Śiva together with the women who are devoted to Śiva. He honours them with gifts of a cow (go), land (bhū), gold (hiraṇya) and clothes (vastra).

The foods taken on the vrata day are a sacred mixture. It holds:

• gomūtra (cow’s urine)
• cow ghee
• cow milk
• sesame
• water steeped with darbha grass
• water poured through cow horns
• gomaya (cow dung)
• white arka leaf
• cow curd

These take the place of ordinary meals, and they make up the upavāsa (fast).

The wood chewed

Wood from a different tree is chewed in each two-month period:

• Mārgaśīrsha and Pushya: aśvattha (pīpal)
• Māgha and Phālguṇa: vaṭa (banyan)
• Caitra and Vaiśākha: udumbara (gular)
• Jyeshṭha and Āshāḍha: śamī
• Śrāvaṇa and Bhādrapada: palāśa
• Āśvayuja and Kārtika: jambū (neredu)

On the night of Ashṭamī, Bhagavān Śiva is worshipped by the nāma of that month. (Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 56)

The dāna at the end

At the end of the year-long vrata, these are given:

• Dadhi-anna (curd rice)
• Cāndanī (a white canopy)
• Cāmara (a fly-whisk)
• Daṇḍa (a staff)
• A black cow with black clothes
• Pañcaratnas (five gems) in a copper vessel

Black cows and gold, in various clothes, are also given to brāhmaṇas as one is able. Even a single cow given with great bhakti brings puṇya. One who is miserly in this incurs dosha (fault). (Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 56)

The phala

Those who complete this vrata, kept with upavāsa, live in Śivaloka for seven hundred kalpas, honoured by the devas. (Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 56)

Sources

• Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 56