Talk:Jayantis

By Swami Harshananda

Jayantis literally means ‘birthdays’.

Introduction

World has been gifted by the handful of people who have created history. They are also phrased as the ‘salt of the earth’. They are always remembered with gratitude by the masses. People pay homage to them especially on their birthdays. One of the prominent characteristics of the people is hero-worship, especially if they are religious or spiritual personalities. Hence, the number of such birthdays celebrated in our country by the people is legion. Out of that only a few can be mentioned here since they are more known than the others.

Jayanti of Avatāras

First comes the celebration of the jayantīs of the avatāras, especially the Daśāvatāras. Since most of the avatāras are mythical personalities and a few of them are even the non-human forms, the most authentic information to be relied upon is from the purāṇas. The usual dates of these jayantīs are:

1. Matsya - Caitra śukla pañcamī
2. Kurina - Vaiśākha purṇimā
3. Varāha - Bhādrapada śukla tṛtīyā
4. Naṛsimha - Vaiśākha śukla caturdaśī
5. Vāmana - Bhādrapada śukla dvādaśī
6. Paraśurāma - Vaiśākha śukla tṛtīyā
7. Śrī Rāma - Caitra śukla navamī
8. Balarāma - Bhādrapada śukla dvitīyā
9. Śrī Kṛṣṇa - Śrāvaṇa kṛṣṇa aṣtamī
10. Buddha - Vaiśākha purṇimā
11. Kalki - Bhādrapada śukla dvādaśī

Kalki is an avatāra yet to come. He has already been assigned a day of birth. Kalki is believed to have replaced the Buddha from the list of the Daśāvatāras of the 15th century.

Paraśurāma Jayanti

Paraśurāma was the brāhmaṇa warrior. He exterminated the wicked kṣattriyas abusing their power and tyrannizing the populace. His jayanti is celebrated in the evening of the Akṣayyatṛtīyā day. Worshiping his image and offering an arghya are important observances in that rite. There are a few temples erected in honor of Paraśurāma, particularly in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. In the temple of Chiplun, jayantī is celebrated in a big way.

Sometimes the fruits of the celebration of jayanti of the avatāras has been mentioned. But much information is not available on them.

Mahāvīra Jayanti

Mahāvīra jayantī which falls on Caitra śukla trayodaśi is an important festival day for the Jainas, since he was the last of the Tīrthaṅkaras. It is performed in a solemn way by all the Jainas wherever they are.

Jayantis of Ācāryas

Śaṅkara Jayanti

Śaṅkara existed in A. D. 788-820. He was the pioneer of the Advait Vedānta system of philosophy. His jayanti is not only celebrated by his maṭhas but also by their followers. It falls on falls on Vaiśākha śukla pañcamī.

Rāmānuja Jayanti

Rāmānuja existed in A. D. 1017-1137. He was the initiator of Viśiṣṭādvaita system of Vedānta philosophy. His jayanti is celebrated with great zest n pomp by his followers and at his maṭhas. It comes in Vaiśākha śukla pakṣa day associated with the Aridrā or Ardrā (Betelgeuse) nakṣatra. It is also called as the tirunakṣatra.

Madhva Jayanti

Madhva lived in A. D. 1238-1317. He was the prominent and pioneer leader of the Dvaita Vedānta system. His jayanti is celebrated with great eclat by his followers and at the maṭhas. Madhva jayanti falls on the Vijayadaśamī (Āśvayuja śukla daśamī) day. Apart from a simple worship, devoted study of some of their writings especially on the prasthānatraya and discourses form part of their observance.

Jayantis of Religious Leaders

Basavaṇṇa Jayanti

The jayantis of great religious leaders, especially those who started new religious movements or reform movements, are also observed widely among their followers. Basavaṇṇa or Basaveśvara was one of the initiators and staunch reformer of his times. He lived in 12th cent. A.D. He gave a definite shape to the sect of the Liṅgāyats or Vīraśaivism. His jayantī is mostly confined to the Karnataka region. It falls on the Vaiśākha śukla dvitīyā or tṛtīyā, associated with the Rohiṇī nakṣatra.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Jayanti

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya lived in A. D. 1485-1533. He is another great figure who laid the foundation for Bengal Vaiṣṇavism. His jayantī is observed on the Holi or Dol Purṇimā day. It is also called as Phālguna-purṇimā. It is mostly celebrated in Bengal.

Guru Nānak Jayanti

The Sikh community celebrates the birthdays of their gurus, especially of Guru Nānak and Guru Govind Singh (A. D. 1666-1708) on the grand scale. Guru Nānak lived in A.D. 1469-1539. His jayanti is celebratred on Kārttika-purṇimā. Guru Govind Singh lived in A. D. 1666-1708. His jayanti is celebrated on Mārgaśira kṛṣṇa caturdaśī.

Jayanti of Sages

Tulasīdās Jayanti

Sant Tulasīdās of the Rāmcaritmānas is an another saint highly revered as second Vālmīki in the North India. He lived in A. D. 1532-1623. His jayantī falls on Śrāvaṇa śukla saptamī. It is observed with traditional fervor and devotion.

Tyāgarāja Jayanti

Tyāgarāja existed in A. D. 1767-1847. He was the musician-saint of South India. He is another highly revered person who is remembered not on his birthday but on the day of his departure from this world. This day is called puṇyadina or ārādhanā dina. It is celebrated especially by the musicians and music lovers. A great annual festival is held on the Puṣya kṛṣṇa pañcamī at Tiruvayyār in Tamil Nadu. He lived here. All the assembled musicians take part in it by singing a song or two composed by the musician-saint.

Purandara Dāsa Jayanti

Purandara Dāsa was a saint who lived in 16th cent. A.D. He was considered as the father of Carnatic music. His puṇyadina is observed on Puṣya amāvāsyā day. Harikathās and singing of his songs are a part of the celebration.

Other Saints

Celebration of the birthdays of saints of recent past, like Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, Śrī Sāradā Devī, Svāmī Vivekānanda, Śrī Nārāyaṇa Guru, Śrī Ramaṇa Maharṣi and Śrī Aurobindo is also gaining ground. It signifies that the list of Hindu festivals is still left to finish.

References

• The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore