Sankatahara Chaturthi
Sankatakara Chathurthi is an auspicious festivel dedicated to Lord Ganesha,who is also known as Vignahartha ( The destroyer of all problems ) Most of the hindu devotees celebrate this days wholeheartedly which falls in every Lunar month of Hindu Calendar on the fourth day of Krishna Paksha ( dark Lunar phase or waning phase ). If this auspicious day falls on Tuesday then it is called Angaraki Sankatahara Chathurthi and considered highly important among all Sankatahara Chaturthi.
According to Hindu mythology,it is a reserved day to worship Lord Ganesh becuase the Supreme Lord Shive declared his Son Ganesh, Superior among al the gods with the exceptoion of Vishu, Laxhmi, Shiva and Parvathi.It is believed that the Lord Ganesh bestows His presence on earthto fullfill all wishes of His devotees on this day.
The devotees observe a full day or partial fast from morning till evening and perform the pooja in the evening.They conclude the fast after sighting the Moon God in the evening.According to the Lunar month cycle, Lord Ganesha is worshipped with a different name on every Chaturthi.Vedic Scriptures like the Bavishyat Purana and Narashimha Purana describes the significance and importance of all 13 ( Including Adhika Masa ) Sankatahara Chaturthi Vrat that falls in a year following are the names of 13 Shakatahara Chaturthi.
1. Chaitra Masa - Vikata Maha Ganapathy
2. Vaishakha Masa - Chanaka Raja Ekadanta Ganapathi
3. Jeshtha Masa - Krishna Pingala Maha Ganapathi
4. Ashadha Masa - Gajaanana Ganapathi
5. Shravana Masa - Heramba Maha Ganapathi
6. Bhadrapada Masa - Vignaraja Maha Ganapathi
7 .Ashweeja Masa - Vakrathunda Maha Ganapathi
8. Karthika Masa - Ganadipa Maha Ganapathi
9. Margashira MAsa - Akuratha Maha Ganapathi
10.Pushya Masa - Lambodara Maha Ganapathi
11.Magha Masa - Dwijapriya Maha Ganapathi
12.Phalguna Masa - Balachandra Maha Ganapthi
13.Adhika Masa - Vibhuvana Palaka Maha Ganapathi
Significance of Sankatahara Chaturthi
Agrapujya,Vighnaharta Shri Ganesh is an incarnation of wisdom and virtue.Hence fasting and praising the supreme deity on this day brings knowledge, health, wealth, and happiness to devotee.Shiva Purana mentions that observing Vrat ( fast ) on this auspicious day with complete devotion and faith will remove all your obstacles.As per religious beilefs, in 700 BC,devotess started celebrating this auspicious day with a faith that Lord Ganesh will surely avert bad times from their life and bless them with knowledge and wealth.The Brahmavaivarat Purana states that Lord Ganesha is son of Supreme Lord Shiva and Parvathy as well as manifestation of the supreme consciousness.By worshipping him, a person gets blessing in the form of intellect and wisdom and freedom from all obstacles.
Rituals on Sankatahara Chaturthi
The devotees who observe Sankatahara chathurthi Vrat,wake up early in the morning and puts on new cloths after taking holy bath before sunrise.
Devotees onserve a complete fast or partial fast on this day.
The idol of Lord Ganesha will be placed and decorated with Durva grass and flowers ghee lamp and incense sticks.
Prasad like Modaks and ladoos are offered for Lord Ganesha.
The rituals begin with chantingmantras and reciting Vrat Katha. ( Stories )
The ritual comes to the end in the evning after completing the Puja and aarthi for Lord Ganesha along with Shridi Saibaba and Lord Iswarya Daddathreya.
Fast is concluded with the Prasad and some fruits after sighting the moon God are taken in evening.
Mantra to chant on this day
One of the most important and also one of the most common Ganpati Mantras, this is the Ganesh mantra for wealth, and is dedicated to Lord Ganesha, Goddess Riddhi (Hindu Goddess of Prosperity) and Goddess Siddhi (Hindu Goddess of spiritual enlightenment).
“Vakratunda Maha-Kaaya Surya-Kotti Samaprabha
Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarva-Kaaryeshu Sarvadaa ||”
Meaning :
Vakra – means one that is not straight.
Vakratunda – means curved trunk.
Mahakaya – means large body, if we see that in a more divine sense it means most powerful.
Suryakoti – means ‘Surya’ or sun and koti means crore.
Samprabha – means ‘prabha – aura, grandeur’ , ‘sama- like’.
Suryakoti samprabha – means whose aura is like light of crores of sun put together.
Nirvgnam – obstacle free.
Kurume – give me.
Deva – means God.
Sarva – means all.
Karyeshu -work.
Sarvada -always.
Full meaning : “Oh god with curved trunk, large body whose aura is like light of crores of sun, Please make my entire work obstacle free, forever".
Sankatahara Chaturthi Vrat Kadha :
Once, Pandava King Yudhishthira requested Lord Krishna to explain the significance of a vrat on the day mentioned above. Hence, Lord Krishna narrated a tale related to Ramayana. Once, King Dasharath of Ayodhya accidentally killed the only son (Shravan Kumar) of a poor and visually-impaired couple who lived in the jungle. And after learning the truth about their son's death, the old couple cursed King Dasharath and said that he too would bear the agony of separation from his son. The curse turned out to be true when years later, King Dasharath suffered the pain of seeing his son, Rama, move out of his kingdom to honour Kaikeyi's command (Dasharath's third wife, who wanted her son Bharat to succeed the throne).One day, Ravana, the demon king of Lanka, hatched a plot to abduct Sita (Rama's consort). And after not finding Sita in their humble abode in Panchavati, Rama and Lakshmana moved southwards in search of her. There, they came across Sugreeva and one of his ministers, Hanuman. As Sugreeva's army began the search for Sita, they met Sampati (the elder brother of Jatayu, who lost his life while saving Sita from Ravana). Sampati, blessed with a divine vision, informed Sugriva about Ravana's kingdom across the ocean. He also said that among all his soldiers, only Hanuman had the power to cross the sea. However, when Hanuman wondered how he could achieve the mammoth task, Sampati asked him to observe the Sankashti Chaturthi Vrat.Hanuman observed the vrat as suggested by Sampati with utmost devotion and succeeded in crossing the ocean. And then began the tale of Ravana's downfall and the victory of Shri Rama. Hence, Lord Krishna asked Yudhisthira to observe the vrat so that he, too, could defeat his enemies.
Pooja Timing : Every Month on Sankatahara Chaturthi Day at 5.30 pm to 7.00 pm.