Radhashtami

Radha ashtami is celebrated as birth anniversary of Goddess Radha. It falls on ashtami tithi during shukla paksha of Bhadrapada month. Radha Ashtami is also known as Radha Jayanti or Radhashtami. This festival is celebrated mainly by devotees of Krishna, especially with great enthusiasm in her birthplace of Barsana. This is also an important festival in ISKCON temples all over the country as well as abroad. This day dedicates the selfless bond of love between Sri Krishna and Radha, a unique connection between human and God.

Radha ashtami in Barsana

Radha ashtami is celebrated as a major festival in Barsana – the birth place of Radha. Also in Braj and Vrindavan; this festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm. On this day, Radha Krishna icons are traditionally dressed entirely in flowers. Additionally, Radha ashtami is the only day on which devotees may receive darshan of Radha’s feet. On all other days, they remain covered.

Famous Temples to celebrate Radha ashtami

Here is list of some famous temples; you should visit during radha ashtami. You can visit any radha-krishna temple nearby to observe radhashtami.

• Shri Radha Rani Temple, Barsana
• Shri Radhavallabh Mandir, Vrindavan
• Shri Bankey Bihari Ji Temple and Vrindavan Sneh Bihari Temple (Vrindavan)
• Prem Mandir, Vrindavan
• Nidhivan Temple
• Shri Krishna Balaram Mandir (ISKCON), Vrindavan
• Gopi Nath Temple
• Krishna janmabhoomi temple
• Radha Kund, Mathura
• Dwarkadhish Temple

Radha ashtami vrat katha

Radha was the daughter of Vrishabhanu Gopa. Radhaji’s mother’s name was Keerthi. In Padma purana, Radha is described as the daughter of King Vrishabhanu. According to this scripture, when the king was clearing the land for the yajna, then he got Radha in the form Dharti(Land). The king considered this girl his daughter and brought it up. There is also the legend that Lord Vishnu had asked other members of his family to incarnate on earth while taking birth in Krishna avatar, then Lakshmi ji, wife of Vishnu, came to Earth as Radha. According to the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Radha was the friend of Shri Krishna. But she was married to a person named Rapan or Rayan. It is said that Radhaji became an adult at the time of her birth to be the lover of Shri Krishna.

Vrat Method

• Retire from morning bath.
• After this, make a mandala under the pavilion and install clay or copper kalas in its center.
• Now install a statue of Radha ji equipped with clothes on this vessel.
• After that, worship Radhaji with shodashopachaar.
• Keep in mind that the time of worship should be exactly midday.
• After the puja; one can keep complete fast or can take swastika food once.
• Regularly chant Radha Gayatri Mantra.
• On the second day, give food to Brahmins and give them Dakshina.

Radha ashtami puja vidhi

Devotees observe fast on the day of Radha ashtami with a pure heart. The idol of Radhaji is bathed with panchamrit and after bathing, she is adorned. Install a beautiful idol made of gold or any other metal of Radha in the Deity. Worship radhaji with reverence and devotion during the mid-day. After doing aarti with incense and lamp etc., the bhog is performed at the end. In many texts, Radha and Krishna is worshiped jointly on the day of Radha ashtami.

According to this, firstly Radhaji should take a bath with Panchamrit and make her duly adorned. On this day, the leaves of 27 trees and the water of 27 logs should be collected in the temples. Basic peace should be made with hundred mind milk, curd, pure ghee and boora and medicines. On the day of Radha Ashtami, devotees recite different names of Goddess Radha and also chant the ‘Radha Gayatri Mantra’.
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