How is the Janmashtami fast observed?
Commonly devotees fast or take only fruit through the day and break the fast after the midnight birth puja; customs vary by family and tradition.
Answer
Janmashtami falls on the Ashtami of the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada. Fasting customs vary by family, region and tradition, so give first place to your own family practice or your guru's guidance. A commonly followed method is as follows.
After bathing in the morning, take a resolve (sankalpa) before the Lord to keep the fast. Avoid grains through the day; some devotees keep a waterless fast, while most take fruit, milk and other foods suitable for fasting. Spend the day in bhajan, kirtan, naam-jap and reading the story of Krishna's birth from the tenth canto of the Bhagavatam.
At midnight, the time of Krishna's birth, bathe Laddu Gopal with panchamrit, offer new clothes and ornaments, rock him gently in a cradle, perform aarti and offer bhog such as makhan-mishri or panjiri. Then break the fast with prasad; in some families the fast is broken the next morning.
Children, the elderly, pregnant women and those who are unwell should fast lightly, according to their capacity. The Lord loves sincere feeling, not hardship.