Last day of the first Caturmasya month [PURNIMA SYSTEM]

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Caturmasya " The Cäturmäsya period begins in the month of Äñäòha (June-July) from the day of Ekädaçé called Çayanä-ekädaçé, in the fortnight of the waxing moon. The period ends in the month of Kärtika (October-November) on the Ekädaçé day known as Utthänä-ekädaçé, in the fortnight of the waxing moon. This four-month period is known as Cäturmäsya. Some Vaiñëavas also observe it from the full-moon day of Äñäòha until the full-moon day of Kärtika. That is also a period of four months. This period, calculated by the lunar months, is called Cäturmäsya, but others also observe Cäturmäsya according to the solar month from Çrävaëa to Kärtika. The whole period, either lunar or solar, takes place during the rainy season. Cäturmäsya should be observed by all sections of the population. It does not matter whether one is a gåhastha or a sannyäsé. The observance is obligatory for all äçramas. 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 Çrävaëa one should not eat spinach, in the month of Bhädra one should not eat yogurt, and in the month of Äçvina one should not drink milk. One should not eat fish or other nonvegetarian food during the month of Kärtika. A nonvegetarian diet means fish and meat. Similarly, masüra däl and urad däl are also considered nonvegetarian. These two däls contain a great amount of protein, and food rich in protein is considered nonvegetarian. On the whole, during the four-month period of Cäturmäsya one should practice giving up all food intended for sense enjoyment.

(A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita. Madhya-lila 4.169. purport.)Notes:Urja vrata - means restricting eating.The term " spinach " in India refers to green leafy vegetables of that nature.

The yogurt fast is fasting from eating yogurt by itself. Yogurt used as a binding agent for cake is not included.Milk fast means refrain from drinking milk. Milk sweets, milk by-products are okay.In the fourth (last) month, Ashvin Shukla Dashami to Kartik Shukla Dwadashi one should not partake dicotyledon grains (grains breaking in two parts) like gram, tur urad, masur etc., Similarly, one should not eat fruits or vegetables containing lot of seeds. This also applies to tubors as ordained. Thus reason for making a list of prohibited items seperately for each of the four months is in the nature of dietary discipline, and declared as daily regimen ( " Nityavrata " ) by the scriptures.

During Festivals of the Lord (ie Balaram's App, Sri Krishna Janmastami, Radhastami, etc) all preparations are offered to the Lord and chaturmasya vrata of restrictive honouring of even foods in the above categories does not apply. (yes one can honour Urid dal kachoris that have been offered to Srila Prabhupad on his Tirubhav)

Also during the Purushottam Adika masa there is no observance of chaturmasya.Chaturmasya means " four months " , which is the duration that Vishnu sleeps.Ekadasi, Asadha 11 (July 20, 2002). The time the Vishnu goes to sleep for four months.

Naga Panchami, Sravana 5 (Aug 12, 2002). The cobras are appeased at this festival, which is dedicated to the serpent Ananta (aka Sesha?), on whose coils Vishnu rested when he created the universe. " Vishnu lies on Ananta " , Bhadra 14 (Sept 19, 2002). Celebration of Vishnu lying on the cobra Ananta. [same as Sharad Purnima?]

" Vishnu wakes " . eleven days after new moon in [Agrahayana]. Vishnu wakes. 

Note: Special thanks to Jaya Tirtha Caran prabhu from NZ for allowing us to use some of the content from his site to compile these pages - http://www.hknet.org.nz

 

http://www.vaisnavacalendar.info/i/last-day-of-the-first-caturmasya-month-purnima-system.html

-- Take advantage of this rare opportunity of this human form of life.  There are 8,400,000 different species of life through which we are rotating lifetime after lifetime. So getting a human body is not an every day affair. This most auspicious opportunity only comes after many millions of lifetimes in the lower species. Anyone who does not utilize their human life for self-realization is making the greatest mistake. When this happens it is the greatest tragedy, and unfortunately today this neglect of the human form has become the standard behavior for the entire human society. What can be done? We must first ourselves become solidly situated in Krishna consciousness and then do the highest welfare activity of spreading to everyone else all over the world.

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