Hindu Fasts: Fasts During Moon Phases
The Vratas Of The First Phase
Said the God of Fire:-Now I shall describe the Vratas, which should be performed on a Pratipad Tithi (the first phase of the moon’s wane or increase) in the different months of the year. Such a Tithi occurring in the months of Karticka or Chaitra, should be held as sacred to the God Brahma. The birthless deity should be worshipped on such a day, and the worshipper (Vrati) should observe a fast for the entire day and night. The god should be contemplated as possessed of a golden complexion, carr-ying a rosary and a ladle in his right hand, and a Kamandalu and a small ladle in his left, and wearing long clotted hairs, and should be worshipped either with the Mantra which runs as “0m obeisance to that eternal infinite Real “(0m Tat Sat) or with the Gayatri Mantra, repeated for a year. Offerings composed of thickened milk should be offered to the deity, by repeating the Mantra which runs as “May the god Brahma be pleased with me.” By performing such a Vrata, a Brahmana enjoys prosperity in this life and becomes entitled to the unalloyed pleasures of paradise after death.
I shall now discourse on the process of performing a Dhanya Vrata (a penance that glorifies its performer), whereby an insignificant man becomes glorious. On a Pratipad Tithi, in the month of Magh, the performer should fast and offer libations of clarified butter into the fire in the night. He should worship the sacrificial fire, by repeating the Mantra which runs as “obeisance to the Fire God,” whereby h would be possessed of all good things in life. In observing the vow known as the Shikhi Vrata the performer should take a single meal on the Pratipa Tithis. Such a vow when fulfilled, makes its observe the possessor of a Kapila cow, and bestows on him the characteristic divinity of the Fire-God.
The Vratas Of The Second Phase.
Said The God Of Fire:–Now I shall describe the Vratas, which should be performed on the day of the second phase of the moon, and which grant enjoyment in this life and salvation in the next. For a year, the twin gods known as Ashvinis should be worshipped on the Pratipad Tithis. The worshipper should live on flower-diets on the occasions, whereby he would be wealthy in this life, and ascend heaven after death. The Yama Vrata should be first undertaken on the day of the second phase of the moon in the light fort-night of the month of Karticka. The god of death should be worshipped on the occasion, and the worshipper should observe a fast on all the subsequent Dvitya Tithis for a year, whereby he would be exempted from visiting the hell.
Now I shall describe the process of performing the Vrata, known as the Ashunya Shayanam (the Vrata of unlonely bed). The Vrata in question, should be performed on the Dvitya Tithi in the month of Shravana, and the following prayer should be made. O thou bedecked with the sign known as the Srivatsa, 0 thou the husband of the goddess Lakshmi, 0 thou the abode of all beauty and prosperity, may my household which gives rise to opportunities for the cultivation of piety, wealth and enjoyment, be never destroyed. May the three fires never consume me, nor the gods and the Pitris break my conjugal bliss, by bringing about a parting of my wife and myself. As thou never leaves the side of thy goddess Lakshmi, 0 lord, may I never feel the pangs of separation from my wife. As the goddess Lakshmi always graces they bed with her celestial presence so may I not be doomed. 0 thou destroyer of the demon Madhu, to toss about in agony in a wifeless, lonely bed”. The goddess Lakshmi and the god Vishnu should be worshipped for a year, and beds and fruits should be gifted away. Each month, the penitent (Vrati) should offer to the Moon-god (Vishnu manifest in the shape of the Moon), the Arghya offerings duly dressed up and consecrated with the following Mantra.
“Obeisance to thee, Oh Moon, who dost illumine the courtyard of heaven, and who hast come out as a resultant of the churning of the ocean of milk, by means of the primordial Hydra. I make obeisance of thee, Oh Moon, who art the younger brother of the goddess Lakshmi, and who dost enjoy the starry quarters of the heaven, as a lover enjoys his lady love,” as well as with the Mantras respectively running as “Gham, Dham, Bham, Ham obeisance to the goddess Lakshmi” and “obeisance to the great-souled Vishnu who has incarnated in ten different shapes”.
In the night, libations of clarified butter should be offered into the sacrificial fire, and gifts of beds and bedclothes should be made to the Brahmanas. Umbrellas, shoes, lamps, rice-plates, vessels, and pitchers full of water should be given to them as well. The man who performs with his wife the present Vrata, enjoys all the good things of the world and attains salvation after death.
Now I shall describe the process of performing the Vrata, known as the Kanti Vrata, which should be practised in a light fortnight in the month of Karticka. For a year, the performer should fast in the day, and take his meal in the night, on the occasion of each Dvitya Tithi, whereby his complexion would be improved and health invigorated.
Now I shall discourse on the process of performing the Vishnu Vrata whereby one will attain all his wished-for objects.
The performer should bathe for four consecutive days, commencing from the day of the second phase of the moon’s increase, in the month of Pousha. On the first day, he should bathe with grains of sun dried rice on his head, with the seeds of black sesame on the second, with the drug known as the Vacha on the third, and with the drugs known as the Sarvoushadhi on the fourth. The drugs known as the Muramanshi, Vacha, Kustha, Shailaya, the two sorts of Rajani, Shati, Champaka and Mustha, constitute the group of the Sarvoushadhis. The god Vishnu should be worshipped by mentioning such names of his, as Krisna (the destroyer of sin) and Hrishikesha (lord of the senses), and flowers should be offered at the feet, navel eyes and the head of the deity in succession. Offerings should be made to the moon-god, by mentioning his names such as Shashi, Chandra, Shashanka, Indu, etc. The penitent should take his meal in the night before the moon goes down.
The man, who performs for a year and a half the Vrata held sacred to the god of wind, attains whatever he sets his mind upon. This Vrata was used to be preformed in yore by kings, ladies and the gods.
The Vratas Of The Third Phase
Said The God Of Fire:-Hear me describe the process of performing the Vratas, which should be performed on days of the third phase of the moon’s wane or increase. First, hear me discourse on the Gouri Vrata, which should be performed on the occasion of the Lalita Tritya. On the day of the third phase of the moon’s increase, the god Hara married Gouri in the month of Chaitra. The performer of the Vrata, should bathe with the seeds of sesame on his head that day, and worship Hara, and his goddess Gouri alone with golden fruits etc. The feet of the divine pair should be worshipped by repeating the Mantra which runs as “Obeisance to Patala.” The calves of the god (Hara) should be worshipped by repeating the Mantra “Obeisance to Shiva,” while those of the goddess should be worshipped by repeating the mantra” Obeisance to the goddess Jaya.” At the knee-joints of the god, the worshipper should offer flowers, by repeating the Mantra “obeisance to Rudra and Ishvara,” while the corresponding parts of the image of the goddess, should be worshipped by repeating the Mantra which runs as “obeisance to the goddess Vijaya.”
Similarly the waist of the goddess, should be worshipped by repeating the Mantra, which runs as “Obeisance to the goddess Isha, the corresponding part of the image of Shiva being worshipped by repeating the Mantra “obeisance to Shankara.” The chest of the god should be worshipped by reciting the Mantra running as “obeisance to the god who is the soul of the universe,” while the breasts of the goddess should be worshipped by repeating the Mantra “obeisance to the goddess Ishani.” Similarly the throat of the god Hara should be worshipped by repeating the Mantra running as “obeisance to Devatma,” while the corresponding part of the goddess should be worshipped by repeating the Mantra which runs as “obeisance to Hradini.” The two hands of the god should be worshiped by repeating the Mantra, running as “obseiance to Mahadeva,” while those of the goddess should be worshipped with the Mantra “obeisance to Ananta.” Similarly the hands of the imaged Shiva, should be worshipped by repeating the Mantra which runs as “obeisance to Mahadeva,” while the corresponding parts of the images of the goddess, should be wor shipped by reciting the Mantra “obeisance to the wife of the god Kalanala (the fire of universal dissolution).
Then the divine appendages of the god and the goddess, should be worshipped by reciting the Mantras, which respectively run as “obeisance to the goddess of good fortune” (Soubhagya), and “obeisance to the god Mahesha.” The lower lips of the images of the divine pair, should be worshipped by repeating the Mantras, running as “obeisance to the goddess who dwells amidst the bunches of juicy Ashoka flowers” and “obeisance to Ishvara.” Similarly the faces of the divine images, should be worshipped by reciting the Mantras respectively running as “obeisance to the wife of the four faced deity,” and “obeisance to the god Sthanu.” Likewise the noses of the imaged deities, should be worshipped by repeating the Mantras, respectively running as “obeisance to the god who is manifest as half man and half woman” and “Obeisance to the goddess Amitanga.”
Similarly the eyebrows of the divine pair, should be worshipped by repeating the Mantras, respectively running as “obeisance the dreadful god (Ugra),” in the case of the god, and “obeisance to the goddess Lalita,” in the case of the goddess. Similarly the palate of the imaged god, should be worshipped by repeating the Mantra which runs as “obeisance to the god Sarva,” while the corresponding part of the goddess, should be worshipped by reciting the one, running as “obeisance to the goddess Vasanti.” Similarly the hairs of the divine pair, should be worshipped by repeating the Mantras, respectively running as “obeisance to the goddess who is the wife of Shrikanthanatha,” and “obeisance to the god Shitikantha,” the heads of the images being respectively worshipped with the Mantras such as “obeisance to the fierce and dreadful god (Bhimogra),” and “obeisance to the goddess who is the paragon of beauty (Surupini)”.
First, the eight goddesses, such as Soubhagya etc. and after them, the pair Uma Maheshvara, should be worshipped with Jasmine, Ashoka, lotus, Kumud, Tagara, Malati, Kadamva, Karavira, Vana, and Sindhuvara flowers, as well as with fresh saffrons, in the different months of the years. Clarified butter, cleansed saffron, Jivaka, Taruraj, sugarcane and Shindhuvara should be placed before the group of the eight goddesses of energy (Soubhagya etc.) stated above, in the month of Chaitra. The worshipper should live on Shringodaka, and sleep before the images of the divine pair. He should bathe in the morning, and worship a married Brahmana couple. The eight articles enumerated above, should be made over to a Brahmana, by repeating the Mantra which runs as “Be pleased with me, oh thou Lalita”.
The leaves of Bel fruit, cowdung, Mandara, washings of Shringa and the blades of Kusha grass, curd, thickened milk, and clarified butter mixed water, should be given in the month of Karticka, the diet of the penitent being composed of clarified butter, the urine of a cow, black sessamum, and the composition known as the Panchagavya, in turn. Each of the eight goddesses of energy, should be addressed as “Be pleased, oh thou Lalita; be pleased, oh thou Vijaya; be pleased, oh thou Bhadra; be pleased, oh thou Bhavani; be pleased, oh thou Kumuda; be pleased, oh thou Shiva; be pleased, oh thou Vasudevi; be pleased, oh thou Gouri; be pleased, oh thou Mangala, and be pleased oh thou Sati,” at the time of making the gifts in the months of Chaitra and others. At the close of the Vrata, fruits, a holy thread, a bed, a quantity of clarified butter, as well as a golden bull and a cow, and the golden images of Uma and Maheshvara should be given to a Brahmana. The preceptor, as well as a Brahman husband and a wife, should be propitiated with presents of clothes, etc. whereby the penitent (Vrati) would enjoy all the comforts of this world and attain salvation in the next.
A man attains good luck, health beauty and longivity, by performing the Vratam, known as the Soubhagya Shayanam, which should be performed on the day of the third phase of the moon’s increase. The Vratam should be undertaken on the day of the third phase of the moon’s increase, either in the months of Bhadra (Nabhasya), Vaishaka, or Margashirsha, whereon the goddess should be worshipped with the Mantra, running as “obeisance to Lalita.” Each fortnight, the goddess should be worshipped on the day stated above, and a married Brahmana couple should be feasted and propitiated with presents at its close. Twenty four Brahmanas should be sumptuously feasted on the occasion, whereby the performer of the Vrata would enjoy all the good things of the world, and attain salvation after death.
Now I shall describe another way of performing the above said luck-bringing (Soubhagya) Vrata. The performer should undertake the Vratam on the day of the third phase of the moon’s increase in the beginning of the month of Phalguna, and forego all salted food. Beds and rooms with furniture, should be given to a Brahmana at its close, and a married Brahmana couple should be feasted with sumptuous repasts, and the performer should address the goddess as “Be propitiated, oh Bhavani”.
Another way of performing the present Vrata, by which the performer will be translated to the region of Gouri, is as follows:- The Vratam should be practised on the day of the third phase of the moon’s increase, either in the months of Magh, Bhadra, or Vaishakha. The Vrata, known as the Damanaka-Tritya, is characterised by the worship being conducted by means of a Damanaka plant. The Vrata, known as the Atma Tritya, should be undertaken on the day of the third phase of the moon’s increase in the month of Magha. The goddesses, such as Gouri, Kali, Uma, Bhadra, Durga, Kanti, Sarasvati, Vaishnavi, Lakshmi, Prakriti, Shiva and Narayani, should be worshipped from the abovesaid day in the month of Magha, whereby the worshipper would be translated to heaven.
The Vratas Of The Fourth Phase
Said The God Of Fire:–Now I shall describe the process of performing the Vratas, which should be practised on days of the fourth phase of the moon’s increase (Chaturthi Tithis), in the different months of the year, and which grant enjoyment in this life and salvation in the next. On such a day in the month of Magha, the penitent (Vrati) should observe a fast and worship the god Gana. On the day following (Panchami), he should offer boiled rice mixed with the seeds of sessamum orientale to the god, whereby he would live in felicity. The principal Mantra which should be used in connection with the worship is “Gam Svaha,” while all other acts of psychic assignment (Nyasa) etc, should be performed with the “Gam” Mantra. The god should be invoked as “come, oh Ulka,” while he should be bid adieu, by repeating the Mantra which runs as “Depart, oh thou Ulka.” The worship should be conducted by means of flowers and sweet-meats known as the Modakas. The Gyatri Mantra, sacred to the god and to be used in connection with the Vrata under discussion, runs as follows:-”0m let us know the god Maholka, do we meditate upon his divine self, and may he lead us to do the same”.
The man, who performs the present Vrata, on the day of the fourth phase of the moon’s increase in the month of Bhadra, goes to the region presided over by the god Shiva. A man attains everything by worshipping the god Gana on such a Chaturthi Tithi. Such a Tithi, occuring in the month of Phalguna, is called the Avighna (unobstructed). A man, by worshipping the god Gana, on the fourth-day of the lunar month of Chaitra, becomes happy.