Krishna was born on Krishna Ashtami with the Rohini star. The two do not always meet on the same day, so each tradition picks one to lead. Many families keep the day of the Ashtami tithi. Sri Vaishnavas keep Sri Jayanthi, led by Rohini in the solar month Aavani. The two days can be a day or more apart. For the date itself, the printed almanac of your tradition decides. A book's rule explains a date; it does not overrule the almanac.
☕ Tithi-led and star-led
The tithi-led day is Krishna Ashtami in the lunar month Shravana, the Ashtami of the waning Moon. Whichever star is running, the day of the Ashtami is the festival.
The star-led day is Sri Jayanthi. Kalaprakasika says it plainly: “The birth of the Lord Krishna is known as Sreejayanthi.” For the pure order it lists Ashtami and Navami with Rohini and Mrigashirsha: “This denotes Ashtami and Navami synchronising with Rohini and Mrigasirsha.” (Kalaprakasika (tr. N. P. Subramania Iyer, 1917), ch. XLI, pp. 237–238).
Ahnika Grantham counts Krishna's jayanti as star-led, with Trivikrama's; it treats the other jayantis as tithi-led. It gives an order to try (Ahnika Grantham, Vol. 1 (Sri Ahobila Mutt), pp. 333–334):
first, Rohini with Krishna Ashtami, with no Saptami and no Krithikai on that morning, not even for a second; if not, Navami with a pure Rohini; if not, Navami or Dasami with Mrigashirsha.
When Rohini comes twice in that month, take the second one. If the second has vedha, the book falls back to the first, but that fallback is not settled: when the second is refused, the first falls in a dark half that began before the solar month, and the Ahobila Mutt's almanacs split on it. Its 2006 almanac gives the day after the second Rohini, though its 2003 almanac takes the first.
At a glance
- Tithi-led: Krishna Ashtami of lunar Shravana.
- Star-led (Sri Jayanthi): solar Aavani, waning Moon, Rohini first, then Mrigashirsha.
- The book's star-led order: Rohini with Ashtami; then Navami with pure Rohini; then Navami or Dasami with Mrigashirsha.
- On the morning: no Saptami and no Krithikai, not even for a second.
- Two Rohinis in the month: the second; if it has vedha, the first (not settled).
- What Nava does: Krishna Janmashtami is the first day of nija Shravana whose sunrise has Krishna Ashtami; a kshaya Ashtami is kept on the day it begins. Pancharatra Sri Jayanti is the first day in solar Aavani, in the waning half, whose sunrise has Rohini or Mrigashirsha with Ashtami, Navami or Dasami, and whose Ashtami also fell in Aavani: a Navami on Aavani 1, or a Dasami on its 1st or 2nd day, does not count. Neither rule ranks the book's steps or tests the dawn before sunrise for Saptami or Krithikai.
Frequently asked questions
Why do some calendars show Krishna Jayanti on two days?
One day follows the Ashtami tithi and the other follows the Rohini star. Both are Krishna’s birthday; they are two traditions’ rules.
Which one should I keep?
The one your family’s tradition keeps. Set your tradition in Nava, and follow your own almanac for the date.
Can Sri Jayanthi fall on Navami or Dasami?
Yes. When Rohini does not meet Ashtami cleanly, the star-led order allows Navami with pure Rohini, then Navami or Dasami with Mrigashirsha.
Deep dive: why the two days part
The Moon passes the Ashtami and the Rohini star at different speeds.
🌗 A sample year
Day 1: Krishna Ashtami holds sunrise; the star is Krithikai. Day 2: Ashtami has ended; Navami holds sunrise with Rohini.
- The tithi-led day is Day 1, the Ashtami.
- The star-led day is Day 2: Navami with a pure Rohini, the book's second step.
So the same birth is kept on two days by two traditions, each following its own rule.
🔗 Read first
This page builds on tithi-led and star-led festivals, which explains why some festivals follow the tithi and others the star.