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Question on ChathurmAsya vrata

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Shobha Srinivasan • August 8, 2002 


Namaskaram,

I have a question on ChathurmAsya vrata followed by Sri Vaishnavas.  I heard
that from our close friend that only Jeeyars (Sanyasis) follow chathurmAsya
vrata.  Is it true?  I would request knowledgeable persons to kindly write
how they follow chathurmAsya vrata?

The reason why I am asking this question is orthodox mAdhwas meaning (all
men, women & children) follow chAthurmAsya vrata for all the four months or
four paksha (2 months).

The chaturmasyavrata like Ekadashi vrata is also
a compulsory vrata for all people.  The period of 4 months from Ashada
Shukla Ekadashi (Ekadashi during the bright half of Ashada-shayanaikadashi)
to Karthika shukla Dwadashi (dwadashi during the bright half of
Kartika-Utthana-Prabodha Dwadashi) is known as Chathurmasa.  During this
period, Mahavishnu remains in yogic sleep (yoganidra).  During this
ChaturmAsya period, it is the duty of sanyasis to remain in one place.

According to puranas, it is told:

During these 4 months period, it is the prime duty of all - not only
sanyasis but people of all ashramas, people of all the varnas & both men &
women to give up the following:

Shaka (vegetables) & all dishes prepared out of this shaka during the first
month/ paksha. NO VEGETABLES, no fruits, mustard, red chilles, tumeric,
tamarind, methi, coriander, curry leaves, ginger, green chilles, lemon,
coconut etc.... . No channa dhal or flour or oil.

During panchamrutha abhisheka:
========================
 Only milk, homemade curds, ghee, sugar,
 riped Mangoes should be used.  NO HONEY.

Items which can be consumed:
=======================

 Toor dhal (togari bele) , moong dhal (hesaru bele), Urad dhal, menasu
(black pepper), jeera, raw full moong dhal, godhi, rava, maida, yellu
(sesame), oil,
 ghee, sugarcandy, bella, milk, curds, butter, riped or raw mangoes.


NO DHADHI OR CURDS & all dishes prepared out of this dadhi during the second
month/paksha.

NO KSHEERA OR MILK & all dishes prepared out of milk during the third
month/paksha.

Dwidala & bahubeeja (dicotyledons & many seeded fruits vegetables & grains)
& all dishes prepared out of these during the 4 th month/paksha.

 NO VEGETABLES & DHALS.  No vegetables otherwise mentioned below, no red
chilles or chille powder no tamarind, no coriander leaves etc...

WHICH CAN BE CONSUMED FOR DWIDALA VRATA:
=========================================

Akki (Rice), Godhi (Wheat), Jeerigre (Jeera), Menasu (black pepper),Ellu
(sesame seeds), Bella (jagari),  Hasi kobbari, Karibevu (Curry leaves),
Cooking banana (baLEkAi),  sAmegadde, Spinach, Sweet
Potato (I am not sure), Goose Berry,cooking banana, maida, rava, curry
 leaves, tumeric, sesame oil, ghee, milk, curds, sugarcandy, cardomom,
sugar, mangoes.


Shastras proclaim that the non observances of this chathurmAsya spells great
ruins for man.
The following four forms of the Lord- Sridhara, Hrishikesha, Padmanabha,
Damodara. are the presiding forms of the Lord for the 4 months of
Chathurmasa respectively.

There are special mantras to be recited at the start & at the completion of
these vratas.  These have to be recited without fail at the appropriate
time.

During this period, those who wish, may give up consuming ghee, salt, betal
leaves & several other such items.  Thsi bestows special merit.

The chathurmAsya vrata is very essential for getting rid of several diseases
& for enjoying robust health.  There is no evidence to say that the
observance of this vrata leads to ill health; it is only a wrong notion.
All the shastras proclaim that this vrata which curtails giving up eating
tasty dishes as a form of worship to the Lord is the royal road to acquiring
right knowledge & earning the four purushArthas in life.

varaha purAnaM says about the greatness of ChathurmAsa:
=========================================

asti priyatamaH kAlashchAturmAsyAbhido mama |
snAnaM vrataM japo homastatrAnaMtaguNaM smR^itaM ||

maseShvanyeShu yatkiMchith kriyate mama toShaNaM |
tasmAtkoTiguNaM puNyaM mAghe makarage ravau ||

tato.api koTiguNitaM vaiShAkhe mAsi labhyate |
tato.apyanaMtaguNitaM chAturmAsye na saMshayaH ||

The period of ChathurmAsya is very dear to Sri Hari. Acts like snana, japa,
homa done during this period give immeasurable merit.  The merit that
accrues to acts done during the month of Magha when the sun is in Makara
rasi is a million times more than the merit that comes to acts done during
other times; more than this is the merit that accrues to acts done during
the month of Vaishaka.  But the merit that accrues to acts done during
chathurmasa period is infinitely more than all those; let there be no doubt
regarding this.

Varaha purana further says about ChathurmAsa & its speciality:
===========================================

AshADe dashamiM suklAmArabhya syAttu kArtikI |
paurNamAsI tAvadidaM chAturmAsyavratAdikaM ||

AdyaH syAt.h shrAvaNo mAso nabhasyo.atha dvitIyakaH |
tR^itIyachchAshvino mAsashchaturthaH kArtikaH smR^itaH ||

chAturmAsye.atha puNyasya vR^iddhiH syA~ncha dine dine |
na kArtikasamAvR^iddiH puNyasyoktA manIShibhiH ||

The time between Ashada shukla dasami & Karthika shukla purnima is the
chathurmasa period.  The four months are Shravana, Bhadrapada, Ashvija,
Kartika.  The greatness of chathurmaasa increases day by day.  There is no
other month as holy as the month of Karthika.

Skanda purana says Chathumasya vrata is compulsory for all.
==============================================

nityaM kAryaM cha sarveShAM etadvratachatuShTayaM |
nArIbhiShcha narairvApi cha chathurAshramavartibhiH ||

brAhmaNaH  xatriyo vaishyaH sthriyaH shUdro vratI tathA |
gR^ihI vanasthaH kuTicho bahUdaH paramahaMsakaH ||
narakAnna nivartaMte tyaktvA vratachatuShTayaM ||

This vrata is compulsory for all men & women belonging to all the four
ashramas - brahmachari,  gruhasta,  vanaprastha & sanyasashrama,  for people
belonging to all varnas - brahmana, kshatriya, vaishya & shudra & all types
of Sanyasis like kuteechaka , bahooda & paramahamsa - each & every person
has to observe this vrata.  Those who do not observe this vrata can never
escape hell.

Skanda purana further says:
======================

idaM vrataM mahApuNyaM sarvapApaharaM shubhaM |
sarvAparAdhashamanaM sarvopadravanAshanaM ||
sarvairavashyaM kartavyaM chaturAshramavAsibhiH ||

This vrata bestows great merit; it destroys all sin; it is auspicious; it is
capable of wiping out all our offences; it is capable of removing all our
ills.  This vrata has to be observed by people belonging to all four
ashramas.

AdityapurANaM says Non observance of chathurmasa vrata leads to great sin:
=========================================================

avratena nayedyastu chAturmAsyamanuttamaM|
sa pApi narakaM yAti yAvadAbhUtasaMplavaM ||

One who does not observe the chathurmAsya vrata is considered a great sinner
& he will have to suffer in hell till thetime of otal dissolution
(pralayakala).

The presiding forms of the Lord for Chathurmaasya:

VarahapuraNa says The presiding forms of Lord for Chathurmasya:
=================================================

shrIdharascha hR^ishikeshaH padmanAbhastR^itIyakaH |
dAmodaraH kArtikasya chAthumasye tu devatAH ||

Sridhara, Hrishikesha, Padmanabha, Damodhara are the presiding forms of the
Lord for the four months respectively.

The time prescribe for observing ChAthurmAsya: (Skanda puraNa)
=================================================

AShADhasya site pakShe ekAdasyAM samArabhet.h |
kArtikasya site pakShe paurNamAsyAM samApayet.h ||

upavAsasvarUpANi vratAnyanyAni saMti vai |
tAni sarvANi vipreMdra prabodhinyAM samApayet.h ||

dvAdashyAM kArayetteShAM homaM brAhmaNapUjanaM
itarANi cha sarvANi paurNamAsyAM samApayet.h

 The ChathurmAsya vrata should be undertaken from Ashada shukla ekadashi.
It should be completed on Karthika shukla poornima.  Only vratas entailing
fasts should be completed on Uttana Dwadashi; the corresponding homas &
brahmana pujas for these should be completed on this day only; other vratas
should be completed on Karthika shuka poornima.

How to begin ChathurmAsya vrata:  (Skanda puraNa)
========================================

paMchagavyaM prAshayitvAshuddhiM kR^itvA tanordR^iDhaM |
pUjayitvA yathAnyAyaM devadevaM janArdanaM ||

vratAnAM vaxyamANAnAM saMkalpaM vidhiva~ncharet.h |
naimittikAnAM kAmyAnAM nityAnAM cha tathaiva cha ||

On Ashada Shukla Dasami (after finishing the morning bath & deva puja) one
has to partake panchagavya & purify the body.  After this, he has to make
the sankalpa for the vratas that he is doign to observe.

prathame mAsiM kartavyaM nityaM shAkavrataM shubhaM |
dvitIye mAse kartavyaM dadhivratamanuttamaM ||

payovratAM tR^itiye tu chathurthe tu nishAmaya |
dvidalaM bahubIjaM cha varjayechChuddhimichChatA ||
nityAnyetAni vipremMdra ! vratAnyAhurmanIshhiNaH ||

In the first month Shaka vrat; in the second month Dhadhi vrata; in the
third month Ksheera vrata; & in the fourth month Dwitala & bahubeeja vrata.
These four vrata is compulsory.

The meaning of Shaka & other vratas:
============================

During the month of Sravana shaka (shaka vrata); during the month of
Bhadrapada curds (During the dadhi vrata buttermilk is allowed though it is
made from curds) & all preparations made from curds (dhadhi vrata); during
the month of Ashvija milk & all dishes prepared using milk (Ksheera vrata) &
during the month of kArthika, Dwidala (dicotyledons) & Bahubeeja (many
seeded) have to be given up.

What is Shaka: (Adhithya puraNa)
=========================

mUlapatrakarIrAgraphalakAMDAdhirUDhakAH |
tvak.h puShpaM kavachaM cheti shAkaM dashAvidhaM smR^itaM ||

The term Shaka signifies the following ten items- root, leaf, shoot, tip,
fruit, stem, sprout, stalk, flower, skin.  (it means that these ten items
are prohibited during the shaka vrata).

The four are exempted:  (Adhithya puraNe)
================================

atasI tulasI chaiva dhAtrI chUtaphalaM tathA |
grAhyANyetAni chatvAri viShNunottaM yataH purA ||
nAnyat.h kiMchit.h samashrIyAt.h bhuktvA chAMdrAyaNaM charet.h ||

Except Agasthya, tulasi, gooseberry, mango, all other shaka items are
prohibited.  By anychance, if they are eaten, one has to undertake
chandrayana vrata as expiation (of these only dried gooseberry & mango are
used).

Fresh ginger is not allowed.  But dry ginger, pepper can be used.  Some
people also use coconuts & dates.

The characteristics of Dwidala-Bahubeeja vrata (4th month): (Skanda puraNa)
=============================================

bIjameva samutbhUtaM dvidalaM chAMkuraM vinA |
dR^ishyate yatra sasyeShu dvidalaM sadbhiruchyate ||

shilayA bhidyamAne tu dvidalaM yatra dR^ishyate |
dvidalaM taddhi vig~neyaM tanme nigadataH shR^uNu ||

mAShaM cha mudgakaM chaiva chaNakaM cha masUrakaM |
kulitthaM chaiva tiShpAvamADhakaM rAjamAShakaM ||

rAjamudgaM tiMtriNI cha tathA vai nakhapaMchakaM |
nUtanAnyatha jIrNAni sarvANyetAni varjayet.h ||

nAle phale cha dr^ishyaMte bahubIjAni nArada |
bahubIjaM tadityAhuH patrakIrAdikaM tathA ||

Dicotyledonous plants & seeds which break into two equal parts are known as
dvidala.  Black gram, green gram, bengal gram, masoor, horsegram, red gram,
tamarind etc... are considered as dvidala.  These cannot be used at all.
Even greens which have several seeds are considered as bahubeeja.  Such
dwidala & bahubeeja items are forbidden during the month of karthika.

ChathurmAsya is a compulsory duty: (SkandapuraNe)
========================================

chAturmAsye avratI yastu tasya puNyaM nirarthakaM |
sarvatIrthAni dAnAni puNyAnyAyata nAni cha ||

avratena gataM yeShAM chaturmAsyaM sadA nR^iNAM |
dharmasteShAM vR^ithA sadbhistatvaj~naiH parikIrtitaH ||

saMprApya mAnuShaM janma chAthurmAsyaparA~NbhukhaH |
tasya pApashatAnyAyurdehasthAni na saMshayaH ||

The person who does not observe chathurmAsya vrata stands to lose the merit
that accrues while visiting sacred rivers, the merit of giving dhaana & the
merit of visiting holy places.  Thus he stands to lose the merit of all good
acts.  All sins reside in the body of the person who does not observe the
Chathurmasya vrata when one is blesed with the human life.  This is certain.

Tapas & Dhaana are special duties during Chathurmasya: (Skanda puraNa)
========================================================

parvakAle Shu sarveShu dAnaM deyaM tapaH sadA |
chAturmAsye visheSheNa datanaMtaM prajAyate ||

Tapas & dhana are important duties during any vrata;  more so during the
chAthurmAsya period & merit of such tapas & dhana becomes unlimited.

Giving up desired things is highly meritorious: (Skanda puraNa)
==============================================

iShTavastuprado viShNurlokashcheShTaruchiH sadA |
tasmAt.h sarvaprayatrena chAturmAsye tyajejcha tat.h ||

Lord Vishnu is the giver of all desired things; & people always desire
getting the good things of life.  So, during the chathurmaasya period, one
should necessarily give up pleasant things.  It means that by the Lord's
grace, we will be blessed with even more of the good things of life & our
life will be pleasant & auspicious.








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