Chaturmas: What to Do and Avoid (Bilingual Summary) July tO Nov-Every Year-Pandit V.K.tiwari9424446706

                                                                     

Chaturmas: What to Do and Avoid (Bilingual Summary)

July tO  Nov-Everuy Year

Duration: Chaturmas begins on Ashadha Shukla Ekadashi (Devshayani Ekadashi) and ends on Kartik Shukla Ekadashi (Devuthani Ekadashi), spanning four holy months – Shravan, Bhadrapad, Ashwin, and Kartik.

Spiritual Significance:

·         According to Brahmavaivarta Purana, during these months Lord Vishnu resides in the netherworld (Patal) in Yoga Nidra (divine sleep) in the abode of King Bali.

·         Most Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist festivals occur in these four months.

Important Practices:

·         Wake up before sunrise and bathe (preferably twice a day).

·         Eat only once a day. Avoid heavy or tamasic food.

·         Perform Vishnu worship with devotion but avoid touching idols.

·         Recite Narayan Stotra, Purusha Sukta, and meditate on "Om" at the third eye (bhrumadhya).

Mantra for Vishnu's Resting: "Supté tvayi Jagannātha jagat suptam bhaved idam; Vibuddhé tvayi budhyeta jagat sarvam charācharam."

Health Tips:

·         Use Amla, Mishri, sesame, and barley in water for bathing.

·         Avoid smaller rivers for bathing during this period (except Ganga, Narmada, Yamuna, etc.).

·         Use bronze (kansa) utensils for meals — known to purify blood and pacify pitta dosha.

Fasting Rules:

·         Avoid: oil, eggplant, leafy greens, curd, milk, sweets, salt (except rock salt), fried or spicy food.

·         Adopt: one grain diet (e.g. rice, wheat, bajra – choose one).

·         Perform charity, penance, and restraint.

Monthly Food Restrictions:

·         Shravan (July–Aug): Avoid leafy greens.

·         Bhadrapad (Aug–Sep): Avoid curd.

·         Ashwin (Sep–Oct): Avoid milk.

·         Kartik (Oct–Nov): Avoid urad dal, onion, garlic.

Preferred Serving Methods:

·         Eat on Palash (Dhak), Banyan, or Banana leaves.

·         Eating from Palash is considered as meritorious as Chandrayaan or Ekadashi fast.

Don’ts:

·         No marriage, thread ceremony, housewarming, or sacred rituals.

·         Avoid cutting nails/hair, sleeping on a bed, or speaking excessively.

Special Merits from Renunciation:

·         Giving up jaggery: sweet voice

·         Avoiding oil: glowing body

·         No mustard oil: enemy destruction

·         Avoiding pan: beauty and clarity

·         Avoiding ghee: bodily radiance

Avoiding Regular Foods:

·         List includes: brinjal, onion, garlic, yam, bottle gourd, cauliflower, etc.

·         Avoid copper water, processed/refined oils, butter, tea, coffee, cheese, junk food.

Donation and Service:

·         Donate cows, land, books, education materials.

·         Chaturmas is ideal for silence (maun vrat), celibacy, meditation, and devotion.

Summary: This sacred four-month period is for purification of body and mind, spiritual growth, and observing austerity. Even renouncing small comforts leads to great spiritual merit.