How to Pronounce Ashtami

Meaning and Context

Ashtami, derived from the Sanskrit word for "eighth," is the eighth lunar day (Tithi) within the waxing (Shukla Paksha) or waning (Krishna Paksha) fortnight of the Hindu calendar. This day holds profound religious significance across multiple traditions, most notably as Durga Ashtami or Maha Ashtami during the nine-night festival of Navratri, a day dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga's fierce form and the culmination of her battle against the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Equally pivotal is Janmashtami, the Ashtami of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada, which celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna with devotional singing, fasting, and reenactments of his childhood. Other observances include Radha Ashtami and Kalashtami. The day is widely observed through vrat (fasting), special puja rituals, and community gatherings, making it a cornerstone of Hindu religious practice that emphasizes devotion, austerity, and the triumph of divine power over evil.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The primary spelling, "Ashtami," is the most common and accepted transliteration from Sanskrit. A frequent alternative spelling is "Ashtami," though this is less standard. Common misspellings and typos arise from phonetic misinterpretations or keyboard errors, such as "Ashtmi" (dropping the 'a'), "Ashtamee," or "Ashtamii" (adding extra vowels). Another common error is the conflation with the festival names, leading to compound misspellings like "Janamashtami" (adding an extra 'a') instead of the correct "Janmashtami," or "Durgaashtami" without the necessary space or hyphen. It is also sometimes incorrectly written as "Aatham" or "Ashtam," which loses the specific "-mi" ending crucial to its meaning as an ordinal day.

Example Sentences

Devotees across India observe a strict fast on Ashtami, breaking it only after the evening puja and star sighting.

The Durga Ashtami celebrations during Navratri feature the ceremonial worship of young girls, known as Kanya Pujan, as embodiments of the goddess.

For many Hindus, Janmashtami is the most eagerly awaited Ashtami of the year, marked by midnight prayers and dahi handi events.

My grandmother always prepares a special, satvik meal without onions or garlic for the Ashtami vrat.

The priest confirmed that the lunar calendar indicates Ashtami will fall on a Tuesday this month, making the observances particularly auspicious.

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