MantraOnNet.com: Chaturmasyam Vratam
Now I shall describe the mode of practising the
Chaturmasyam Vratam, The vow should be first undertaken on the eleventh day of the moon’s increase
in the month of Ashad’a, or on the day of the full
moon therein, after having duly worshipped and
supplicated the god Hari as follows:?”May the Vratam
which I have, this day, undertaken in thy presence,
0 lord, come to a successful termination, by thy
grace and will. Kindly deem it complete, 0 Janard’ana,
even if I be not spared to fulfil it as now vowed
for.”
Thus having worshipped and addressed the god,
the votary shall get himself initiated into the acts of
subsequent meditation and penitence. The sins of a
man, who wishes to practise this vow for the satisfaction of the god Hari, are annihilated. He who
bathes and takes a single meal each day during the
four months under discussion, ascends, a pure and
undefiled spirit, to the region of Vishnu. A Brahmana,
who is well-versed in the Vedas and abjures oil,
wine, women, and animal food for these four months, goes to the region of Vishnu, by practising the present
Vratam, and attains to that stage of self-liberation
which is called Sayuyayam (lit.-to be in perpetual
touch with the Supreme Self) Even by fasting for a
single night during the season, a man is transformed
into a god, after death.
By fasting for three consecutive days during the
season, a man is sure to be translated to Shveta-
dvipa, after death. An unsolicited emancipation waits
the man who practises a Chandrayana Vratam during the period. By practising a Prajapatyan during
the period, a man attains to the region of Vishnu.
The performance of a Paraka Vratam under the circumstance, is attended with the same result. The votary
shall live on powdered barley (Shaktu), barley gruel,
milk, curd or clarified butter, or on alms during the
entire term of the vow, which may be substituted for
cow’s urine, barley gruel or the Panchagavyam. He
shall forego the use of all pot herbs, fruits, roots
and vegetable juices. He who practises the vow as
above indicated shall attain to the region of Vishnu.