Deva-shayana Ekadashi and Chaturmasya Vrata

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Deva-shayana Ekadashi and Chaturmasya Vrata

 

Deva-sayana - PadmA EkAdasii 20/7/2002

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Sayan EkAdasii – Deva Sayani EkAdasii – Padma EkAdasii from the

Bhavishya-uttara PurANa.

The saintly king Yudhishthira Maharaj said, “Oh Keshava, what is the name of

that EkAdasii that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of AshADha

(June – July)? Who is the worshippable Deity for the auspicious day, and

what is the process for observing this event?”

 

Lord Sri Krishna replied, “Oh caretaker of this Earthly planet, I shall

gladly tell you a wonderful historical event that the deva lord BrahmA once

narrated to his son NArad Muni.

 

“One day NArad Muni asked his father, ‘What is the name of the EkAdasii

that comes during the light part of the month of AshADha’, much as you did?

‘Kindly tell me how I should observe this EkAdasii and thus please the

Supreme Lord, Sri Vishnu.’

 

“Lord BrahmA replied, ‘Oh great saintly orator, O best of all sages, Oh

purest devotee of Lord Vishnu, your question is as usual excellent for all

mankind. There is nothing better than EkAdasii, the day of Lord Sri Hari, in

this or any other world. It nullifies even the worst sins if observed

properly. For this reason I shall tell you about this AshADha-shukla

EkAdasii.

 

“ ‘Fasting on this EkAdasii purifies one of all sins and fulfills all ones

desires. Therefore, whoever neglects to observe this sacred fast day is a

good candidate for entering into hell. AshADha-shukla EkAdasii is also

famous as PadmA EkAdasii. Just to please the Supreme Lord Hrishikesha, the

master of the senses, one should fast on this day. Listen carefully, Oh

NArad, as I relate to you a wonderful historical event that was recorded in

the scriptures regarding this EkAdasii. Just hearing this account destroys

all kinds of sins, along with all obstacles on the path to spiritual

perfection.

 

“ ‘Oh son, there was once a saintly king in the Surya Vamsha (Sun dynasty)

whose name was MAndhAtA. Because he always stood up for the truth, he was

appointed emperor. He took care of his subjects as though they were his very

own family members and children. On account of his piety and great

religiosity, there was no pestilence, drought, or disease of any kind in his

entire kingdom. All his subjects were not only free of all kinds of

disturbances but also were very wealthy. The king’s own treasury was free of

any ill-gotten moneys, and thus he ruled happily for many years.

 

“ ‘Once, however, because of some sin in his kingdom, there was a drought

for three years. The subjects found themselves beset by famine also. The

lack of food grains made it impossible for them to perform the prescribed

Vedik sacrifices, offer oblations of grita (ghee) to their forefathers and

to the devas, engage in any ritualistic worship, or even study the Vedik

literatures. Finally, they all came before their beloved king in a great

assembly and addressed him thus, ‘Oh king, you always see to our welfare, so

we humbly beg your assistance now. Everyone and everything in this world

needs water. Without water, almost everything is rendered useless or dead.

The Vedas call water nAra, and because the Supreme Personality of Godhead

sleeps upon water, His another name is NArAyana. God makes His own abode on

water and takes His rest there.

 

It is said that three things cannot exist without water; pearls, human

beings, and flour. The essential quality of a pearl is its luster, and that

is due to water. The essence of a man is his semen, whose main constituent

is water. And without water, flour cannot be made into dough and then be

cooked into various forms of bread, offered and eaten. Sometimes water is

called jala-nArAyaNa, the Supreme Lord in the form of this life sustaining

substance – water.

 

In His form as the clouds, the Supreme Lord is present throughout the sky

and pours forth rains, from which grow the grains that maintain every living

entity.

 

“ ‘ “Oh king, the severe drought has caused a great lack of valuable grains;

thus we are all miserable, and the population is decreasing as people die

off or leave your kingdom. Oh best ruler on Earth, please find some

solutions to this problem and bring us to peace and prosperity once again.”

 

“ ‘The king replied, “You speak the truth, for grains are like Brahman, the

Absolute Truth, who lives within grains and thereby sustains all beings.

Indeed, it is because of grains that the entire world lives. Now, why is

there a terrible drought in our kingdom? The Holy Scriptures discuss this

subject very thoroughly. If a king (or head of the country) is irreligious,

both he and his subjects suffer. I have meditated upon the cause of our

problem for a long time, but after searching my past and present character I

can honestly say that I find no sin. Still, for the good of all your

subjects, I shall try to remedy the situation.”

 

Thinking in this way, King MAndhAtA assembled his army and entourage. Paid

his obeisances to me, and then entered the forest. He wandered here and

there, seeking great sages in their Ashrams and inquiring about how to

resolve the crisis in his kingdom. At last he came upon the ashram of one of

my other sons, AngirA Muni, whose effulgence lit up all directions. Seated

in his hermitage, AngirA looked like a second BrahmA. King MAndhAtA was very

pleased to see that exalted sages, whose senses were completely under

control.

 

“ ‘The king immediately dismounted his horse and offered his respectful

obeisances at the lotus feet of AngirA Muni. Then the king joined his palms

and prayed for the Muni’s blessings. That saintly person reciprocated by

blessing the king with sacred mantras; then he asked him about the welfare

of the seven limbs of his kingdom. The seven limbs of a king’s domain are

the king himself; the ministers; his treasury; his military forces; his

allies; the brahmins; the sacrificial performances performed in the kingdom

and the needs of the subjects under his care.

 

“ ‘After telling the sage how the seven limbs of his kingdom were situated,

King MAndhAtA asked the sage about his own situation, and if he was happy.

Then AngirA Muni asked the king why he had undertaken such a difficult

journey into the forest, and the king told him of the affliction his kingdom

was suffering. The king said, “Oh great sage, I am ruling and maintaining my

kingdom while following the Vedik injunctions, and thus I do not know the

reason for the drought. To solve this mystery, I have approached you for

help. Please help me relieve the suffering of my subjects.”

 

“ ‘ANgira Rishi said tot he king, ‘The present age, Satya yuga, is the best

of all ages, for in this age Dharma stands on all four legs (Truthfulness,

Austerity, Mercy, and Cleanliness). In this age everyone respects Brahmins

as the topmost members of society. Also, everyone fulfills his occupational

duties, and only twice-born Brahmins are allowed to perform Vedik

austerities and penances. Although this is a standard, Oh lion among kings,

there is one shudra (uninitiated, untrained person) who is thus unlawfully

performing the rites of austerity and penance in your kingdom. This is why

there is no rain in your land. You should therefore punish this labourer

with death, for by so doing you will remove the contamination inflicted by

his actions and restore peace to your subjects.”

 

“ ‘The king then replied, “How can I kill an offenseless performer of

austerity and sacrifice? Please give me some spiritual solution.”

 

“ ‘The great sage ANgirA Muni then said, “Oh king, you should observe a fast

on the EkAdasii that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of

AshADha. This auspicious day is named PadmA EkAdasii, and by its influence

plentiful rains and thus grains and other foodstuffs will surely return to

your kingdom. This EkAdasii bestows perfection upon its faithful observers,

removes all kinds of bad elements, and destroys all obstacles on the path to

perfection. Oh king, you, your relatives, and your subjects should all

observe this sacred EkAdasii fast. Then everything in your kingdom will

undoubtedly return to normal.”

 

“ ‘Upon hearing these words, the king offered his obeisances and then

returned to his palace. When the PadmA EkAdasii arrived, King MAndhAtA

assembled all the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and shudras in his kingdom

and instructed them to strictly observe this important fast day. After they

had observed it, the rains fell, just as the sage had predicted, and in due

course of time there were abundant crops and a rich harvest of grain. By the

mercy of the Supreme Lord Hrishikesha, the master of the senses, all the

subjects of King MAndhAtA became extremely happy and prosperous.

 

“ ‘Therefore, Oh Narada, everyone should observe this EkAdasii fast very

strictly, for it bestows all kinds of happiness, as well as ultimate

liberation, upon the faithful devotee’

 

Lord Sri Krishna concluded, “My dear Yudhishthira, PadmA Ekadasi is so

powerful that one who simply reads or hears its glories becomes completely

sinless. Oh PANDava, one who wishes to please Me should strictly observe

this EkAdasii, which is also known as Deva-sayani EkAdasii

 

Deva-sayani, or Vishnu-sayani, indicates the day when Lord Vishnu goes to

sleep with all the devas (demigods). It is said that after this day one

should not perform any new auspicious ceremonies until DevotthAni EkAdasii

(Haribodhini (Probodhini) Devotthaani (Uttana) EkAdasii), which occurs

during the month of KArtika (October – November), because the devas

(demigods), being asleep, cannot be invited to the sacrificial arena and

because the Sun is travelling along its Southern course (Dakshinayanam).

 

“Lord Sri Krishna continued, “Oh lion among kings, Yudhishthira Maharaj,

whoever wants liberation should regularly observe a fast on this EkAdasi

which is also the day when the Chaturmasya fast begins.”

 

Thus ends the narration of the glories of the AshADha-shukla EkAdasii –

also known as PadmA EkAdasii or Deva-sayani EkAdasii – from the

Bhavishya-uttara PurANa.

 

Sayana Dwadasi

 

On this dvadasi, following Sayana EkAdasii, Lord Vishnu takes rest on the

milk ocean, where he remains sleeping for four months called Chaturmasya.

 

This pastime is enacted in the following manner. The Lord may be brought on

procession to a lake or pond, where one can perform full worship, and then

bathe the Lord in the lake saying:

 

sese paryanka varye'smin phana mani ganamale

sveta dvipantare deva kuru nidram namo'stu te

 

Oh Lord, in Svetadvipa, please take rest on your bed in

the form of sesa-naga with his jewelled hoods.

Let me pay my respects to you.

 

After the puja, and kirtana, charanamtra and prasadam should be distributed.

Then the deity should be brought back to the temple amid all pomp and

ceremony.

 

CHATURMASYA VRATA

 

Srila Prabhupada states:

 

"The Caturmasya period begins in the month of Asadha (June-July) from the

day of Ekadasi called Sayana-ekadasi, in the fortnight of the waxing moon.

The period ends in the month of Kartika (October-November) on the Ekadasi

day known as Utthana-ekadasi, in the fortnight of the waxing moon. This

four-month period is known as Caturmasya. Some Vaisnavas also observe it

from the full-moon day of Asadha until the full-moon day of Kartika. That is

also a period of four months. This period, calculated by the lunar months,

is called Caturmasya, but others also observe Caturmasya according to the

solar month from Sravana to Kartika."

 

"Caturmasya should be observed by all sections of the population. It does

not matter whether one is a grhastha or a sannyasi. The observance is

obligatory for all asramas. The real purpose behind the vow taken during

these four months is to minimize the quantity of sense gratification. This

is not very difficult. In the month of Sravana one should not eat spinach,

in the month of Bhadra one should not eat yogurt, and in the month of Asvina

one should not drink milk. One should not eat fish or other nonvegetarian

food during the month of Kartika. A nonvegetarian diet means fish and meat.

Similarly, masura dhal and urad dhal are also considered nonvegetarian.

These two dhals contain a great amount of protein, and food rich in protein

is considered nonvegetarian. On the whole, during the four-month period of

Caturmasya one should practice giving up all food intended for sense

enjoyment." (Cc Madhya 4.169 purport)

 

DATE MONTH FASTING FROM

(For Mumbai, year 2002)

 

24th July - 22nd August Shraavana Spinach, shak, or

green leafy veg.

23rd Aug - 21st Sept Bhaadra Yoghurt

22nd Sept - 21st Oct Ashvina Milk

22nd Oct - 20th Nov Kaartik Urad, masur dahl

 

 

 

 

Kanda Purana, Nagava Khunda- "In the month of shravana (July, August) one

should refrain from eating spinach. In the month of Bhadra (August,

September) of yogert in Ashvina (September, October) milk. In Kartik

(October, November) meat and urd dal.]

 

Various vows and austerities during Chaturmasya and Their respective

results.

 

"O King, one who is My devotee and is fixed in vow, whether man or woman,

for the purpose of Dharma, should accept these various austerities and

observances. I shall now describe to you all of them along with their

respective results.

 

01) No salt -- One's voice becomes sweet.

 

02) No oil -- One's life is prolonged and gets progeny.

 

03) No oil massages -- One's body becomes beautiful.

 

04) No cooking with oil -- One's enemies are vanished.

 

05) No licorice and oil -- One becomes wealthy.

 

06) Give up wearing unoffered flowers -- One becomes a Vidyadhara in

Devapura.

 

07) Give up six kinds of tastes (spice, sour, bitter, sweet, salty and

harsh)-- One never becomes ugly, smelly, or obtains a bad birth.

 

08) Practice of yoga -- One goes to Brahmaloka.

 

09) No betal nuts -- One becomes happy.

 

10) No cooked food (raw fruits & Vegetables) -- One obtains purity.

 

11) No honey -- One becomes lustrous.

 

12) No yogert or milk -- One attains Goloka.

 

13) No cooking with earthen pots -- One gets . (?)

 

14) No hot food -- One gets offspring with a long life.

 

15) Take rest on the ground or on stone -- One becomes an associate of

Vishnu.

 

16) One who gives up meat & honey is a yogi and muni.

 

17) No intoxicating liquors -- One becomes powerful and free from disease.

 

18) Fast for one day -- One is honored in Brahmaloka.

 

19) No cutting of hair and nails -- One gets the benefit of taking bath

daily in Ganges.

 

20) No speaking of grama katha (nonsense) -- One's order will never be

disobeyed.

 

21) Eat food on the ground without dish or plate -- One obtains a kingdom on

Earth.

 

22) Chant the mantra Namo Narayana -- One obtains the result of giving in

charity 100 times.

 

23) Offer prayers to the Lord -- One gets the result of giving cows in

charity.

 

24) Touch the lotus feet of the Deity -- One becomes a successful person.

 

25) Clean the temple of the Lord -- If one is king he remains so for a

Kalpa.

 

26) Circumambulating the temple three times offering prayers -- At the time

of death one will mount a swan airplane and go to Vaikuntha.

 

27) Singing or playing musical instruments in the temple of the Lord -- One

goes to Gardharvaloka.

 

28) Take pleasure in studying the sastras -- One goes to Vishnuloka.

 

29) Sprinkle water in the temple -- One goes to apsaraloka.

 

30) Take bath in a holy place -- One's body becomes pure.

 

31) Worship Lord Vishnu with flowers -- One goes to Vaikuntha.

 

32) Eat panchagavya -- One gets the result of observing candrayana fasting.

 

33) Eat one meal a day -- One gets the results of performing an Agnihotra.

 

34) Eat at night only -- One gets the result of going to all the places of

pilgrimage.

 

35) Eat at noon only -- One attains Devaloka.

 

36) Take food not obtained by begging or any extraneous endeavor -- One gets

the results of opening water stands and digging wells.

 

37) Take bath daily -- One will never see hell.

 

38) No eating on a plate -- One gets the result of bathing at Pushkara.

 

39) Eat on a leaf -- One obtains the result of living at Kurukshetra.

 

40) Eat on a stone -- One obtains the result of bathing at Prayog.

 

41) Giving up drinking to six hours -- One will not be attacked by diseases.

 

42) During the Chaturmasya, garlands, caranamrta, candana and water from the

conshell of the Lord, mahaprasadam, Deity garlands must be accepted.

 

In this way one who performs this vrata for the satisfaction of Lord Kesava

becomes satisfied himself. O best of the Pandavas, among My devotees, he who

accepts these vows and austerities during the Chaturmasya goes to my

abode at the time of death, of this there is no doubt.

 

Vishnu Rahasya - Lord Brahma to Narada Muni.

 

If one accepts all these Vaisnava austerities and observances with devotion,

one attains the supreme destination O Narada. One who desires within himself

to execute all these Vaisnava austerities and vows, his sins obtained within

one hundred births is destroyed. If one is exclusively devoted, peaceful,

takes daily bath, is fixed in vow and worships the Lord during these four

months, he goes to the abode of the Lord. He who accepts the austerity of

sleeping on the ground this time when the Vishnu Deity is sleeping in yoga

nidra underwater, he goes to the abode of Laxmi.

 

For leafy vegetables since at that time (right now) the rainy season is

starting in India and plenty of bugs and all sorts of insects are

everywere, and especialy in those leafy vegs. It becomes practicaly

impossible to wash them out, so in order to prevent breaking our vegetarian

diet, we fast from them.

 

It is considered that Lord Visnu is resting for these four months. All

Acaryas and Srila Prabhupada also observed the minimum fasts at least as a

respect. Additionally more austerities can be done.

 

During these months the Lord is taking rest and he turns over from one side

to the other in the middle of the two months. So each month some basic

restrictions are given.

 

>From HH Bhakti Vishrambha Madhava Swami:

 

Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita. Madhya-lila 4.169. purport

 

FRom Bhaktayloka:

 

"One should carefully give up attachment for material assets. People in

general have spontaneous attachment for house, household paraphernalia,

clothes, ornaments, wealth, wife and children's health, their own health,

eatables, trees, and animals. Some people are so addicted to smoking,

chewing pan, eating fish and meat, and drinking alcohol that their practice

of spiritual life is obstructed. Many people do not respect the Lord's

remnants out of great attachment to eating things like fish. Because of the

desire to constantly smoke, many people's study of devotional scriptures,

relish for hearing and chanting, and remaining long in temples is

obstructed. Attachment for these things is averse to the constant practice

of devotional service. If one does not carefully give up these things then

he cannot get happiness from his devotional service. Attachment for these

things is easily destroyed by the association of devotees. Still, one should

try to destroy these petty attachments by fully engaging in devotional

service. By observing vows approved in devotional service, those attachments

are vanquished.

 

By properly observing hari-vasara, Ekadasi, and appearance days of the Lord,

those attachments are vanquished. The rules of such vows are the provisions

for diminishing one's attachments. There are prescriptions for practicing

devotional service while giving up all types of enjoyment on those days.

There are two types of eatables-those which sustain one's life and those

which gratify the senses. Eating grains and drinking are life sustaining.

Fish, meat, pan, intoxicants, and smoking are all for gratifying the senses.

On days of vows, unless one totally gives up sense gratifying items, it is

not a vow. As far as possible, life sustaining items should also be given

up. According to the prescribed needs of one's bodily condition one must try

as far as possible to reduce the acceptance of life sustaining eatables.

There is no prescription for acceptance of sense gratifying items, the only

prescription is to reject them. One of the limbs of a vrata is to diminish

the devotee's propensity for enjoyment. If one thinks, "Today somehow or

other I will renounce, but tomorrow I will enjoy profusely," then the

purpose of the vow will not be successful. The reason is that vows have been

prescribed to give up the association of such items by gradual practice.

Vows are usually for three days. First by practicing vows for three days,

then by practicing for one month, then by practicing for four months

(Caturmasya)-in this way gradually one should completely uproot the

attachment for sense gratifying items and leave them forever. For those who

cannot remember the statements of Bhagavad-gita: ksipram bhavati

dharmatma-"He quickly becomes righteous," in regard to the observance of

vows, their renunciation is temporary like the bathing of an elephant."

 

============ REF. Sanga-tyaga Sri Bhaktyaloka.

 

of course like ekadasi vrata, Chaturmasya may be done with a fruitive

motive, like Jaiva dharma writes:

 

"Babaji: I have already said that the goals are different according to the

different desires of the living entities. They who yearn after material

sense pleasures do not accept liberation as the final goal. To these persons

the scriptures advise (Apastamba Srauta-sutra 2.1.1):

"They who perform the caturmasya-yajnas attain immortality."

 

============ REF. Chapter Twelve Jaiva dharma

 

"Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara decided to stay in Jagannatha Puri for

caturmasya. After hearing about the rasas from the mouth of Sri Gopala-guru

Goswami, they both decided to follow the path of worshipping the Lord

according to the rasas. Hearing from him the glories of observing

caturmasya, Vrajanatha's grandmother accepted his suggestion to stay in

Jagannatha Puri."

 

============ REF. Chapter Twenty-nine Jaiva dharma.

 

Pancharatra pradeep 1.13 writes:

 

"A devotee may offer bona fide foods considered delicacies by the local

people or preferred by him or his family.* In commenting on a sloka stating

that one may offer his own or local favorites, Sanatana Gosvami writes that

this means that even though people in general may not like a certain food,

if a person prefers it he may offer it. But this refers to foods the

scriptures approves, not those they forbid. Thus if one is fond of a

forbidden food, one cannot offer it to the Lord. And thus one cannot eat it.

Also, one should not offer even permissible foods that are tasteless,

unpalatable, inedible, impure for any reason, or eaten by insects, animals,

or people."

 

One of the vows of chaturmasya is to give up a favorite item one accepts

normally throughout the year. The vows are accepted gradually one by one as

one is able to do them, the improtance is to continue one's bhajana (along

with the vrata as assistant) with a happy heart.

 

>From Bhajana Rahasya

 

"The Bhagavat-nama-kaumudi quotes the Puramas as follows:

 

naktam diva ca gatabhir jita-nidra eko

nirvinna iksitapatho mita-bhuk prasantah

yady acyute bhagavati sva-mano na sajjen-

namani tad rati karani pathed vilajjah (36)

 

If your mind is not fixed in rememberance of Krsna, then chant those

principal names (such as Krsna and Govinda) which increase one's attachment

to Him. Chant day and night without fear or shame, conquer sleep, be

detached from worldly affairs, eat frugally, and in a tranquil mood always

seek the path of spiritual truth."

 

============ REF. Sri Bhajana-rahasya

 

Prathama yama Sadhana

 

Engage in hearing and chanting Krsna's name, form, and attributes with

undivided attention, and at the same time try to destroy your anarthas. Then

the creeper of devotion will quickly bear fruit.

According to the Padma Purama, one should not be agitated by scarcity or

loss of desired objects:

 

alabdhe va vinaste va bhaksyacchadana-sadhane

aviklava-matir bhutva harim eva dhiya smaret (7)

 

The mind of one who has taken shelter of the holy name is undisturbed even

if food and clothes are not easily obtained or if they are obtained but then

lost. Leaving behind all material attachments, he takes complete shelter of

Govinda.

 

============ REF. Sri Bhajana-rahasya

 

The procedure for giving up grief is explained in the Padma Purama:

 

sokamarsadibhir bhavair akrantam yasya manasam

katham tasya mukundasya sphurttih sambhavana bhavet (8)

 

Within the heart of one who is full of anger or pride, or lamentation on the

state of his wife or sons, there is no possibility of Krsna being manifest.

One should accept only those things necessary for his devotional life, as

stated in the Naradiya Purama:

 

yavata syat sva-nirvahah svikuryat tavad arthavit

adhikye nyunatayanca cyavate paramarthatah (9)

 

If the devotee accepts those things necessary for the maintenance of his

life, it does not mean he is a sense enjoyer. The devotee neither accepts

too much nor too little, for that hampers his progress towards his goal.==

REF. Sri Bhajana-rahasya

 

As one progresses in this way he offers prayers similar to Prahlada

Maharaja's in the Srimad Bhagavatam (7.9.39):

 

naitan manas tava kathasu vikuntha-natha

sampriyate durita-dustam asadhu tivram

kamaturam harsa-soka-bhayaisanartam

tasmin katham tava gatim vimrsami dinah (11)

 

My dear Lord of the Vaikuntha planets, where there is no anxiety, my mind is

extremely sinful and lusty, being sometimes so-called happy and sometimes

so-called distressed. My mind is full of lamentation and fear, and it always

seeks more and more money. Thus it has become most polluted and is never

satisfied in topics concerning You. I am therefore most fallen and poor. In

such a status of life, how shall I be able to discuss Your activities?

O Krsna! How will I get attachment for topics concerning You? And how will I

meditate on Your pastimes?

 

The Srimad Bhagavatam (7.9.40) explains how a living entity attracted to

sense objects such as form and taste is completely vanquished:

 

jihvaikato 'cyuta vikarsati mavitrpta

sisno 'nyatas tvag-udaram sravanam kutascit

ghrano 'nyatas capala-drk kva ca karma-saktir

bahvyah sapatnya iva geha-patim lunanti (12)

 

My dear Lord, O infallible one, my position is like that of a person who has

many wives, all trying to attract him in their own way. For example, the

tongue is attracted to palatable dishes, the genitals to sex with an

attractive woman, and the sense of touch to contact with soft things. The

belly, although filled, still wants to eat more, the ear, not attempting to

hear about You, is generally attracted to useless talks. The sense of smell

is attracted to yet another side, the restless eyes are attracted to scenes

of sense gratification, and the active senses are attracted elsewhere. In

this way I am certainly embarrassed.

 

By taking shelter of the holy name, attachment develops. The symptoms of

this attachment are described in the Srimad Bhagavatam (10.29.34):

 

cittam sukhena bhavatapahrtam grhesu

yan nirvisaty uta karav api grhya-krtye

padau padam na calatas tava pada-mulad

yamah katham vrajam atho karavama kim va (19)

 

Until today our minds were absorbed in household affairs, but You easily

stole both our minds and our hands away from our housework. Now our feet

won't move one step from Your lotus feet. How can we go back to Vraja? What

would we do there?

 

In this condition all good qualities and peacefulness manifest in the

devotee.

 

============ REF. Sri Bhajana-rahasya

 

Prabhupada mentions it to be done (in cc Madhya as an austerity offered to

the lord.

 

another deep meaning that I personally realised (for what it's worth to you)

is that like Ekadasi vrata, it is meant to reduce the bodily conception of

life. as per BG 16.1-3, sattva samshuddhi, (for..Jnana yoga vyavasthiti..

sense gratification is opposite of those goals, so to promote it during the

heavy rainy season where sadhus can't go out and preach freely in India it

was done.

 

I remember when I was residing in Vrndavana for the summer of '94 and I did

it at that time. I realised also that eating green boiled papaya mixed with

mung dhal rice kitchri with whole black pepper and only cumin seeds with

ginger root once a day was very sattvic and very healthy.

 

The papaya (locally available in Vrndavana) ginger root and black

peppercorns boiled inside helped digestion which is weak during the rain. No

doubt it also protected my health too.

 

It was so sattvic It really mellowed out the passion in me. These were side

benefits I realized.

 

Of course it's tough (but not impossible) to follow it while you travel

around the world during Chaturmasya instead of staying at one place.

It's also a test on your resolve to stick to your vows.

Especially if you remain strict with it even on the festival days like

Janmastami, SP Tirobhava, Radhastami, when all the other devotees feast like

anything.

 

Text 398

 

tatra caturmasya-mahatmye

catur-varam bhramibhis tu

jagat sarvam caracaram

krantam bhavati vipragrya

tat tirtha-gamanadhikam

 

In the Skanda Purana, Caturmasya-mahatmya, it is said:

"O best of brahmanas, a person who four times circumambulates the Lord

attains the result of circumambulating the entire universe filled with

moving and unmoving beings. He attains a result better than going on all

pilgrimages."

 

Text 399

 

tatraivanyatra

pradaksinam tu yah kuryat

harim bhaktya samanvitah

hamsa-yukta-vimanena

visnulokam sa gacchati

 

In the Caturmasya-mahatmya it is also said:

"A person who with devotion circumambulates Lord Hari flies on a swan to

Lord Visnu's world."

 

Hari bhakti vilasa eighth vilasa