Chaturmasya Vratha

Courtesy: Sri.Bryan Hill

hare srinivasa

Click for PDF file on Chaturmasya in English

Click for PDF file on Chaturmasya in Kannada

Chaturmasya starts from Ashada Shudda Dwadashi and ends on Kartika Shudda dashami.   On Ashada Shudda dashami,  all the yathis would have their head shaved. {Please note – Yathis are supposed to get their head shaved only on Pournami.} They are not suppose to get their head shaved during the entire Chaturmasya period.

Some Yathis sits for Chaturmasya on  Ashada Bahula Panchami, i.e., Teekarayara Aradhana Day. Chaturmasya comprises of Hindu Calender months Ashada, Shravana, Bhadrapada and Karthika.

Ashada shukla Ekadashi –  The eleventh day in Ashada (Shayanaikadashi) , – it is on this day that Srimannaarayana, even though he is sleepless, hungerless, pretends to sleep, which is termed as "Yoga Nidra".  He sleeps till Karthika Shudda Dwadashi (Uttana Dwadashi) .

Everybody must observe Chaturmasya - All Chaturvarnaas, viz.,Brahmana, Kshatriya, Shudra, Vaishya, all should observe Chaturmasya.  All Chatur Ashramas viz., Brahmachari, Gruhasta, Vanaprasta and Sanyasi .  Even Women irrespective of  Rajaswala Period  must observe Chaturmasya Vratha.

The main purpose of observing Chaturmasya is Bhagavad AJnya (Srihari's   Orders).   We are doing this to please paramathma only.   Observing Chaturmasya gets more punya than what if we do other vrathas.   If we perform we get more punya, if not performed, we will get sin.

We are not doing Marriage, Upanayana etc during this Chaturmasya, as Srimannaaraayana will be on sleep, i.e., Yoganidre.,  Auspicious functions done during this time due to ignorance, can result in health disorders, injury and other calamities – as per Skanda Purana.  Naming ceremony can be done.

Those who are doing shraddha during the Chaturmasya, have to follow the Chaturmasya dharma, on shraddha day, prohibited items not to be used.

Mauna bhojana vratha -  During bhojana one must not talk to anybody (loukika topics).  He must do only Harismarane only and do the bhojana.

Dharana – PaaraNa vratha –  Those who observe this vratha must take bhojana one day, next day, he must observe fasting.  This vratha to be followed for four months if possible.  If not possible, first month or last month also can be done.  On the starting day of Dharanaparana vratha – the first fasting day, he has to do punyaahavaachana.  Do sankalpa – On paarane day, he has to give argya to Narayana 108 times, then he has to do bhojana.

After completion of vratha, he has to do udyapana.  Give Lakshminarayana idol daana after doing pooja of that idol with panchamrutha.  After completion, he has to arrange for bhojana of brahmana – suvasini.

a)    Sugreeva had done this for sin (paapa) parihaaraartha of Vaali nigraha, as instructed by Ramachandra.

b)    As per Krishna's instructions paandavaas had done this when Dharmaraja was worried after killing his relatives.

c)     Naaradaru had done this in his previous birth and was jitendriya.

This vratha enables us to have control of our indriyaas.

Paraaka Vratha -  This is a vratha, which can eliminate all sins committed by us.  One who is doing this vratha, must do fasting for 12 continuous days.  This he has to observe for three days (total 36 days).  With this all sins including Brahmahatya dosha also would be eliminated.

Eka Bhukta Vratha – During Chaturmasya period, before starting eating one has to get served all the items in the bhojana plate (baale ele).  Till the completion of means he is not supposed to add anything on his plate.  i.e., everything to be served before start of bhojana itself.  But it does not apply to taking water.

Akhanda Vratha – Every day he has to do bhojana only once (except Ekadashi). After bhojana, he is not supposed to take even water till next day bhojana.  Atleast this can be done during Chaturmasya dinatrayaas, i.e., Dashami & Dwadashi and must arrange for Brahmana-suvasini bhojana.

ChandraayaNa vrata

This vratha to be done from Ashada shukla paaDya to amaavaasye or from Karthika Shukla paaDya to amaavaasye.

Procedure 1– On the starting day, i.e, on Paadya, mix all the items prepared after naivedya as a single handful (1 ತುತ್ತು) and eat it. Take only one glass of water.  Second day, similarly take 2 handful of food (2 ತುತ್ತು), third day take 3 handful of food (3 ತುತ್ತು), and so on.  Increase one handful for each day.  Ekadashi nothing to be taken.  On the fifteenth day take 15 handful of food.  On sixteenth day (Krishna paksha paadya) take 15 handful and maximum same no of cups of water, on dwiteeya 14 handful and go on reducing one handful each day.  On last day of the month (ashada Amavasye or Karthika amavasye), he must observe fasting (upavaasa).    In this way, one month full vratha to be done.  Next day, he has to arrange for brahmana-suvaasini mrustaanna bhojana, he also to take normal food.  There is no necessity of doing udyapana.

Procedure  2 –  Paadya to Amavasye on all days (except on Ekadashi & Amavasye, where he has to fasting, i.e., upavasa) – one has to take daily 8 handful of bhojana after hari nivedana.  Maximum 8 glass of water to be taken.  On Amavasye day, he has to do fasting.  Next day he has to arrange for brahmana – suvaasini mrustanna bhojana.  He too can take normal food.

Diksaadhana vratha – Doing bhojana sitting facing different directions.  We have to do bhojana facing east, south, west, north respectively in the four months starting Ashada Shudda Dwadashi to Kartika Shudda dashami.

Period	Direction
Ashada Shudda Dwadashi to Shravana shudda dashami	East
Shravana Shu Dwadashi to Bhadrapada shudda dashami	South
Bhadrapada Shu Dwadashi to Ashwayuja shudda dashami	West
Ashwayuja Shu Dwadashi to Kartika Shudda dashami	North

Gopadma Vratha – During the Chaturmasya period starting from Ashada Shudda Dwadashi, this vratha to be followed.  In the cow-shed, one must clean it with cowdung daily, and write the picture of a cow with calf.  The picture should be covered with 33 padmaas (written in rangoli).  Do the pooja of antargatha roopi in cow – Gopalakrishna and do the shodashopachara pooja.  Naivedya to be done.  33 argya to be given with the mantra –

aShTadravya samaayuktaM svarNapaatrasthitaM jalaM |
arGyaM gRuhaaNa dEvEsha bhaktaanaamabhayaprada |

ಅಷ್ಟದ್ರವ್ಯ ಸಮಾಯುಕ್ತಂ ಸ್ವರ್ಣಪಾತ್ರಸ್ಥಿತಂ ಜಲಂ |
ಅರ್ಘ್ಯಂ ಗೃಹಾಣ ದೇವೇಶ ಭಕ್ತಾನಾಮಭಯಪ್ರದ |

अष्टद्रव्य समायुक्तं स्वर्णपात्रस्थितं जलं ।
अर्घ्यं गृहाण देवेश भक्तानामभयप्रद ।

Then 33 pradakshine and namaskara to be daana. Cow should be worshipped with gandha, pushpa, haridra kumkuma, gross to be given to cow.  In this way, this vratha to be conducted for five years, and in the end of the fifth year udyapana to be done.

Rules of the Chatrumasya Vratha -

On Ashada Shudda Ekadashi – one must get Taptamudra dharana.

We should do Sankalpa that we are performing Chaturmasya Vratha.–

व्रतानां वक्ष्यमाणानां सन्कल्पं विधिवत् चरेत् ।
नैमित्तिकानां काम्यानां नित्यानां च तथैव च ।

ವ್ರತಾನಾಂ ವಕ್ಷ್ಯಮಾಣಾನಾಂ ಸನ್ಕಲ್ಪಂ ವಿಧಿವತ್ ಚರೇತ್ |
ನೈಮಿತ್ತಿಕಾನಾಂ ಕಾಮ್ಯಾನಾಂ ನಿತ್ಯಾನಾಂ ಚ ತಥೈವ ಚ |

vrataanaaM vakShyamaaNaanaaM sankalpaM vidhivat charEt |

naimittikaanaaM kaamyaanaaM nityaanaaM cha tathaiva cha |

Ist Month – Shakavratha – Ashada Shudda Ekadashi to Shravana Shudda Dashami –

Shakavratha sankalpa

शाकव्रतं मयादेव गृहीतं पुरतस्तव ।
निर्विघ्नं सिद्धिमायातु प्रसादात् तव केशव

ಶಾಕವ್ರತಂ ಮಯಾದೇವ ಗೃಹೀತಂ ಪುರತಸ್ತವ |

ನಿರ್ವಿಘ್ನಂ ಸಿದ್ಧಿಮಾಯಾತು ಪ್ರಸಾದಾತ್ ತವ ಕೇಶವ |

shaakavrataM mayaadEva gRuhItaM puratastava |

nirviGnaM siddhimaayaatu prasaadaat tava kEshava

Vegetables to avoided -   Plant based food -   All Vegetables, Fruits, plant leaves, stems, branches, Dry Chillies, Green Chillies, Coconuts (Vyasaraja mutt followers accepts coconut as per their sampradaya)

Permitted Items – All Dalls, (Gramdall after Teekarayara anchami), Mango fruit, Jeera, Pepper, Milk, Curds, Ghee, Honey, ingu, dry nellikai, Mango baalaka (dry mango), Dry ginger (ಒಣಶುಂಠಿ).  But Mustard not permitted  (For Rayara Mutt Mustard is permitted – as per sampradaya – Rayaru was using).

Kesari, Pachakarpoora, jakayi, japatre, elachi, lavanga, moggu, not to be used.

Shaka Samarpana Mantra :

उपायमिदं देव व्रतसंपूर्ति हेतवे ।
शाकं तु द्विजवर्याय सहिरण्यं ददाम्यहं ।

ಉಪಾಯಮಿದಂ ದೇವ ವ್ರತಸಂಪೂರ್ತಿ ಹೇತವೇ |
ಶಾಕಂ ತು ದ್ವಿಜವರ್ಯಾಯ ಸಹಿರಣ್ಯಂ ದದಾಮ್ಯಹಂ |

upaayamidaM dEva vratasaMpUrti hEtavE |

shaakaM tu dvijavaryaaya sahiraNyaM dadaamyahaM |

2^ND month Dadhi Vratha

Shravana Shudda Ekadashi to Bhadrapada Shudda Dashami

-      During this period, curds  should not be used in any form or manner while preparing naivedya. However, buttermilk, a derivative of curds, is allowed.

dadhivrata sankalpa ದಧಿವ್ರತ ಸಂಕಲ್ಪ

dadhi bhaadrapadE maasi varjayiShyE sadaa harE |

imaM kariShyE niyamaM nirviGnaM kuru kEshava |

ದಧಿ ಭಾದ್ರಪದೇ ಮಾಸಿ ವರ್ಜಯಿಷ್ಯೇ ಸದಾ ಹರೇ |
ಇಮಂ ಕರಿಷ್ಯೇ ನಿಯಮಂ ನಿರ್ವಿಘ್ನಂ ಕುರು ಕೇಶವ |

दधि भाद्रपदे मासि वर्जयिष्ये सदा हरे ।
इमं करिष्ये नियमं निर्विघ्नं कुरु केशव ।

dadhivrata samarpaNa -

उपायनमिदं देव वृतसंपूर्ति हेतवॆ ।
द्विजवर्याय दास्येहं सहिरण्यम् घनं दधि।

ಉಪಾಯನಮಿದಂ ದೇವ ವೃತಸಂಪೂರ್ತಿ ಹೇತವೆ |
ದ್ವಿಜವರ್ಯಾಯ ದಾಸ್ಯೇಹಂ ಸಹಿರಣ್ಯಮ್ ಘನಂ ದಧಿ|

upaayanamidaM dEva vRutasaMpUrti hEtave |

dvijavaryaaya daasyEhaM sahiraNyam GanaM dadhi|

———————————————————————————————-

3^rd month – KSHEERA VRATHA–

Bhadrapada Shudda Ekadashi to Ashwayuja Shudda Dashami

-      During this period, milk should not be used in any form or manner while preparing naivedya. This restriction includes milk derivatives like kene (cream of milk), cheese or other dairy products, but excludes curds.   For payasa – we can use Coconut Milk.

Ksheeravrata sankalpa -

ಕ್ಷೀರವ್ರತಮಿದಂ ದೇವ ಗೃಹೀತಮ್ ಪುರತಸ್ತವ |
ನಿರ್ವಿಘ್ನಂ ಸಿದ್ಧಿಮಾಯಾತುಪ್ರಸಾದಾತ್ ರಮಾಪತೇ |

क्षीरव्रतमिदं देव गृहीतम् पुरतस्तव ।
निर्विघ्नं सिद्धिमायातुप्रसादात् रमापते ।

kShIravratamidaM dEva gRuhItam puratastava |

nirviGnaM siddhimaayaatuprasaadaat ramaapatE |

kShIravrata samarpaNa

उपायनमिदं देव व्रुतसंपूर्ति हेतवॆ ।
क्षीरंतु द्विजवर्याय सहिरण्यं ददाम्यहं ।

ಉಪಾಯನಮಿದಂ ದೇವ ವ್ರುತಸಂಪೂರ್ತಿ ಹೇತವೆ |
ಕ್ಷೀರಂತು ದ್ವಿಜವರ್ಯಾಯ ಸಹಿರಣ್ಯಂ ದದಾಮ್ಯಹಂ |

upaayanamidaM dEva vrutasaMpUrti hEtave |

kShIraMtu dvijavaryaaya sahiraNyaM dadaamyahaM |

4^th MONTH – DVIDALA VRATHA

Ashwayuja Shudda Ekadashi to Karthika Shudda Dashami

During this period, one should avoid DvidaLaas and bahu-bIja vegetables.

DvidaLa refers to any seed or vegetable which when broken or fried splits into two halves. Examples of such items are All Dalls, green peas (baTani).

Bahu-bIja refers to any fruit or vegetable that contains multiple seeds and is covered by an external skin. Examples of such items are apples, grapes, pomegranate, cucumber and so on.

Vegetables & others permitted –

a)      banana and banana products like balekai, Baledindu, Bale Flower, etc.

b)     White Dantu soppu, Agase Soppu, Karimevu, Doddipatre soppu,  etc.

c)      Genasu, Suvarna Gadde, Saamegadde, Coconut, ginger

d)     Potata  (Only Udupi side people are taking it)

e)      Pacha karpoora can be used for theertha

If Dwidala vratha is not observed, it is just like eating insects.

dvidaLavrata sankalpa

ಕಾರ್ತಿಕೇ ದ್ವಿದಳಂ ಧಾನ್ಯಂ ವರ್ಜಯಿಷ್ಯೇ ಸದಾ ಹರೇ|
ಇಮಂ ಕರಿಷ್ಯೇ ನಿಯಮಂ ನಿರ್ವಿಘ್ನಂ ಕುರು ಕೇಶವ |

kaartikE dvidaLaM dhaanyaM varjayiShyE sadaa harE|

imaM kariShyE niyamaM nirviGnaM kuru kEshava |

कार्तिके द्विदळं धान्यं वर्जयिष्ये सदा हरे।
इमं करिष्ये नियमं निर्विघ्नं कुरु केशव ।

dvidaLa samarpaNa mantra -

उपायनमिदं देव व्रतसंपूर्ति हेतवे ।
द्विदळं द्विजवर्याय सहिरण्यं ददाम्यहं ।

ಉಪಾಯನಮಿದಂ ದೇವ ವ್ರತಸಂಪೂರ್ತಿ ಹೇತವೇ |
ದ್ವಿದಳಂ ದ್ವಿಜವರ್ಯಾಯ ಸಹಿರಣ್ಯಂ ದದಾಮ್ಯಹಂ |

upaayanamidaM dEva vratasaMpUrti hEtavE |

dvidaLaM dvijavaryaaya sahiraNyaM dadaamyahaM |

After completion of  Dwidala vratha, i.e.., on Kartika Shudda Ekadashi, we have to give daana of dvidala dhaanyaas, vegetables, fruits, to brahmana with dakshine and say Krishnarpanamastu.

ಅನಿರುದ್ಧ ನಮಸ್ತುಭ್ಯಂ ದ್ವಿದಳಾಖ್ಯವ್ರತೇನ ಚ |
ಮತ್ಕತೇನಾಶ್ವಿನೇ ಮಾಸಿ ಪ್ರೀತ್ಯರ್ಥಂ ಫಲದೋ ಭವ |

अनिरुद्ध नमस्तुभ्यं द्विदळाख्यव्रतेन च ।
मत्कृतेनाश्विने मासि प्रीत्यर्थं फलदो भव ।

aniruddha namastubhyaM dvidaLaaKyavratEna cha |

matkRutEnaashvinE maasi prItyarthaM phaladO bhava |

इदं व्रतं मया देव कृतं प्रीत्यै तव प्रभो ।
न्यूनं संपूर्णतां यातु त्वत्प्रसादात् जनार्धन।

ಇದಂ ವ್ರತಂ ಮಯಾ ದೇವ ಕೃತಂ ಪ್ರೀತ್ಯೈ ತವ ಪ್ರಭೋ |
ನ್ಯೂನಂ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣತಾಂ ಯಾತು ತ್ವತ್ಪ್ರಸಾದಾತ್ ಜನಾರ್ಧನ|

idaM vrataM mayaa dEva kRutaM prItyai tava prabhO |

nyUnaM saMpUrNataaM yaatu tvatprasaadaat janaardhana|

Source :

1. Chaitraadimaasa kartavyagalu by Sri Chaturvedi Vedavyasachar
2. Vratamuktaavali by Mantralaya Rayara Mutt

KRISHNARPANAMASTU