Śrī Janmāṣṭamī 2008

Śrīmad Bhāgavata
Canto 10, chapter 3, verses 1- 8

śrī-śuka uvāca
atha sarva-guṇopetaḥ kālaḥ parama-śobhanaḥ
yarhy evājana-janmarkṣaḿ śāntarkṣa-graha-tārakam
diśaḥ prasedur gaganaḿ nirmaloḍu-gaṇodayam
mahī mańgala-bhūyiṣṭha- pura-grāma-vrajākarā
nadyaḥ prasanna-salilā hradā jalaruha-śriyaḥ
dvijāli-kula-sannāda- stavakā vana-rājayaḥ
vavau vāyuḥ sukha-sparśaḥ puṇya-gandhavahaḥ śuciḥ
agnayaś ca dvijātīnāḿ śāntās tatra samindhata
manāḿsy āsan prasannāni sādhūnām asura-druhām
jāyamāne 'jane tasmin nedur dundubhayaḥ samam
jaguḥ kinnara-gandharvās tuṣṭuvuḥ siddha-cāraṇāḥ
vidyādharyaś ca nanṛtur apsarobhiḥ samaḿ mudā
mumucur munayo devāḥ sumanāḿsi mudānvitāḥ
mandaḿ mandaḿ jaladharā jagarjur anusāgaram
niśīthe tama-udbhūte jāyamāne janārdane
devakyāḿ deva-rūpiṇyāḿ viṣṇuḥ sarva-guhā-śayaḥ
āvirāsīd yathā prācyāḿ diśīndur iva puṣkalaḥ

Śrī Śuka resumed : Now came the most delightful hour, fraught with all blessings, when precisely the asterisk Rohiṇī ( presided over by Brahmā, son of the birthless Lord Viṣṇu) was at the ascendant and when ( the rest of ) the asterisks, planets and (other) stars bore a gentle aspect. The quarters became clear ( of clouds as though it were autumn, although the rainy season had not yet ended); while the firmament was marked with the presence of multitudes of stars shining unobscured. The earth was seen as auspicious with its towns, villages, pastures and mines. The rivers flowed in a limpid stream; ponds bloomed with lotuses; rows of forest-trees laden with bunches of flowers rang with the sweet noise of birds and swarms of bees. A hallowed breeze ( coming as it did from the direction of the holy Yamunā ) and wafting a sweet fragrance, blew delightful to the touch; the sacred fires of the twice- born ( that had been extinguished due to Kaṁsa's persecution ) burst into flames (automatically ) on the occasion. The minds of the righteous became cheerful oppressed as they had been by the demons. When that birthless Lord was about to be born kettle-drums sounded ( of themselves ) in heaven. At that time Kinnaras and Gandharvas sang, Siddhas and Cāraṇas uttered praises and Vidyādhara women danced with celestial nymphs. Full of joy, sages and gods showered flowers and clouds gently rumbled after the manner of the (roaring) ocean. When midnight enveloped in ( thick ) darkness came and when people's prayer ( for His descent ) began, Lord Viṣṇu, the Indweller of all hearts, manifested Himself in His entirety through Devakī,—who possessed a form similar to that of a goddess (being an incarnation of Aditi, the mother of the gods ),—even as the full moon would appear in the eastern horizon."