CHITRA PURNIMA

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CHITRA PURNIMA

 

THE TWELVE months of the Hindu year, based on the lunar calendar, are named

after that star during whose ascendency the full moon of that month occurs. The

full moon day of Chaitra month, that is, the Purnima during the ascendency of

the Chitra star is particularly sacred to the Chitra Guptas, the recording

angels of the Hindu pantheon. A special worship is offered to these celestial

representatives of the god of death, and an offering of spiced rice is prepared

and later distributed as prasad or holy sacrament. A fire worship is done at the

close of the ritualistic worship. By the performance of this religious

observance annually, these angels of the other world are greatly pleased and

judge man’s actions with more sympathy.

 

The psychological effect of this worship, done on the very first full moon day

of every year (Chaitra is the first of the twelve months), is to vividly remind

us of the higher power that maintains a constant watch over every act of ours on

this earth-plane. This memory serves as an invisible check on one’s conduct.

The conception of the Chitra Guptas as located within each shoulder is a

powerful inducement to keep oneself engaged in constantly doing good actions

only. The term Chitra Gupta means “hidden pictureâ€. A true picture of all

our good and evil actions is preserved in the ethereal records. The Hindu

personifies it for the sake of worship. The real significance of the worship of

the Chitra Guptas is beautifully brought out in the following story connected

with it.

 

Brihaspati is the Guru or preceptor of Indra, the king of the gods. Indra

disobeyed Brihaspati on one occasion and the Guru relinquished his task of

instructing Indra in what he should and should not do. During the period of the

Guru’s absence, Indra did many evil deeds. When the compassionate Guru resumed

his duty again, Indra wanted to know what he should do to expiate the wrongs he

had done in his Guru’s absence. Brihaspati asked Indra to undertake a

pilgrimage. While Indra was on pilgrimage, he suddenly felt the load of sins

taken off his shoulders at a certain place (near Madurai in South India), and he

discovered a Shiva Lingam there. He attributed the miracle to this Lingam and

wanted to build a temple for it. He had this constructed immediately. Now he

wished to perform the worship of the Lingam; the Lord Himself caused golden

lotuses to appear in a nearby pond. Indra was greatly pleased and blessed. The

day on which he thus worshipped the

Lord was Chitra Purnima.

 

When you perform worship on the Chitra Purnima day, remember this story. If you

have intense faith, if you feel with a contrite heart that you have committed

sins on account of ignorance, if you pray with faith and devotion to the Lord to

forgive your sins, if you resolve never to commit them in the future, and if you

resolve to be obedient to your Guru and never to flout his counsel, then your

sins will be forgiven. There is no doubt about this. This is the significance of

the above story of Indra. Meditate on this story on Chitra Purnima day.

 

The Hindu scriptures prescribe elaborate worship of the Chitra Guptas on this

day. The Deity is invoked in an image or a kalasa (vessel filled with water) and

then worshipped with all the rituals and formalities of the worship offered to

God’s image. Meditate on Chitra Gupta, reciting the following verse: 2 CHITRA

PURNIMA

 

Chitra guptam mahaa praajnam lekhaneepatra dhaarinam;

Chitra-ratnaambara-dhaararn madhyastham sarvadehinaam. Then offer ritualistic

worship with incense, camphor, flowers, etc. Feed some Brahmins, the poor and

the needy. Give bountifully in charity and receive the Lord’s blessings.

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