History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.486

v6.c81.486

In Śrāvaṇa on the 8th of the dark half is celebrated the Kṛṣṇajanmāṣṭamī or Janmāṣṭamī vrata and festival, which is probably the most important vrata and utsava celebrated throughout the whole of India In some Purāṇa passages it is declared that Janmāṣṭamī is celebrated on the 8th of the dark half of Bhādrapada. The explanation is that in those passages the months are Pūrṇimānta and the dark half is in these months the first pakṣa.³²⁷ The Padma (III 13), Matsya 56, Agni 183 contain numerous verses on the greatness (māhātmya) of Kṛṣṇajanmāṣṭamī.