CHATURMASYA VRAT

CHATURMASYA VRAT

We just saw the importance of Ekadashi Vrat.  Actually the vrat starts  from the preceding day i.e., Dasami itself.  That is food control and anushtana for the vrat are observed from Dasami itself.   Chaturmasya is the four month period consisting of rainy and autumn seasons in India and Vaishnavas consider this period as most auspicious to perform austerities to invoke the grace of Lord Vishnu. 

Chaturmasya is an auspicious period starting from Ashada Shukla Ekadashi also known as sayana Ekadasi to Karthika Shukla Ekadashi also known as Uttahana Ekadashi. Lord Vishnu had once given a boon to goddess of “night” that whoever performs this vrata will get multi fold benefits with respect to observing the same in other months.

He also said that these benefits would be in the increasing order starting from Ashada being the least of the multi fold increase in benefits, then it increases in Sravana, and goes on to increase in Bhadrapada and finally the highest in Karthika masa(month).

People observing this vrat will have four vrats for the four months and these are as follows:

Fasting on the day is common for all the four vrats.

Sakha vrat : the first month form Ashada sukla Ekadashi to Sravana Sukla Ekadashi. During this period devotees are forbideen to intake Sakha(any vegetable) or fruit as food.  The following can be used:  All pulses, jeerige, Oils, Milk/curds. The following things are to be avoided: Allfruits, All vegetables, leafy-vegetables, curry leaves, kptambri, lemons, spices-cashew, dry grapes etc, Tamarind.

Dadhi vrat: the second month from Sravana sukla Ekadashi to Bhadrapada sukla Ekadashi, devotees are forbidden to intake any form of curd/yogurt. 

Ksheera vrat: the third month from Bhadrapada sukla Ekadashi to Asweeja sukla Ekadashi, devotees are forbidden to intake any form of ksheera(milk) and its derivatives. 

Dwidala vrat: the fourth month from Ashvina  sukla Ekadashi to karthika sukla Ekadashi, devotees are forbidden to intake any form of vegetables or pulse that have seed inside them or when broken it divides into two like channa, toor, masoor, urad, groundnuts etc. Just like any vrat these vrats have also sankalpa, samarpanam etc. 

Some people consider 4 pakshams and not 4 months and some follow up to pournami tithi. 

Please consult your Acharya/Mutt for proper guidance.

Sanyasis will not cross the border of the village in which they are staying and will observe the above vrats. The main reason for not moving around is that rainy season is the breeding season for insects and other creatures and the eggs and new borns might get affected due to the sanyasis moving around with all their disciples.

But as the Sannyasins have taken the vow of non-injury to all creatures (Ahimsa and Abhaya), they should refrain from causing harm to any living being. Moreover, constant travel will also come in the way of Sannyasins having any time for ‘Brahma-vichara’ or for continued profound meditation; (निदिध्यासन). So, they halt at one place once in a year for four months and engage themselves in the meditation of the Supreme Brahman, in the company of their Gurus and other Sannyasins, clearing their doubts on complex metaphysical problems.