MantraOnNet.com: Nakshatra Fasts
Hear me, 0 Brahman, discourse on the process
of observing the Nakshatra Vratas, (vows to be observed
under the auspicies of different asterims) which are
as follows:-The god Hari should be worshipped during
the ascendency of each of the twentyseven asterisms,
by which the worshipper would have all his objects
and desires fulfilled and realised in life. The god
Hari, manifest as the Nakshatra Purusha (an imaginary figure whose body is supposed to be composed
of the clusters of asterisms, grouped so as to form
its different parts) should be worshipped in the month
of Chaitra. The legs of the god (Nakshatra Purusha)
should be worshipped under the auspices of the asterism
Mula, while the regions of his groins should be worshipped
under the benignant influence of the asterism Rohini.
The knee-joints of the divine figure, should be wor-
shipped under the auspices of the asterism Ashivini,
while the regions of its two things, should be worshipped under the influence of the asterisms Ashadas.
The public region of the divine image, should be
worshipped under the auspicies of the asterisms Purvas
and Uttaras, while the region of the waist, should be
worshipped under the influence of the asterisms known
as the Krittikas. Similarly the sides of the figure,
should be worshipped during the ascendancy of the
asterisms known as the two Bhadrapadas, while the
regions of its armpits should be worshipped, when
the asterisms known as the Revatis would ascend a
similar altitude in the skies. The cardiac region of
the image, should be worshipped under the influence of the asterisms known as the Anuradhas, while
its back should be worshipped during the ascendancy of the asterisms Dhanistha. The arms of the
divine figure, should be worshipped, when the asterisms
known as the Vishakas would be ascendant, while its
figure should be worshipped under the blissful influence of the asterisms, known as the Punarvasus.
Similarly,
its finger-nails should be worshipped under the auspices
of the asterisms, known as the Ashleshas, while the
region of its throat should be worshipped under a
similar condition of the asterisms, known as the Jesthas,
Likewise the ears, face, tips of teeth and mouth of
Vishnu should be respectively worshipped under the
benignant influences of the asterisms, known as the
Shravana, the Pushya, the Svatis, and the Varuna. In
the same manner, the nose, the eyes, the forehead,
the hairs, and the complexion of the divine image,
should be respectively worshipped under the auspices
of such asterisms as the Magha, the Mrigashira, the
Chitra, and the Ardra. The god should be invoked
and worshipped on a pitcher, full of molasses. Gifts
of beds, cows and money, should be given to the
Brahmanas as remuneration for their officiating as
priests at the ceremony or for attending the same as
onlookers.
Each month, the observer of the vow, known as
the Shambhavayaniya Vrata, should worship the god
Vishnu manifest as the Nakshatra Purusha (the astral
figure) who is but an incarnation of the divine essence of Shiva. The Vrata should be practised in the
month of Karticka, and Magha under the auspices
of the asterisms, known as the Krittika or Mrigashira,
from which the months have respectively derived
their epithets, and address and god Hari by such
names as “Keshava,” “Achyuta” etc, or by invoking
his presence as “obeisance to Keshava” and “Obeisance to the god who suffers no waste” (Achyuta).
The penitent should recite the prayer, running as “I
shall practise the “Shambhavayanikam Vratam, by
worshipping the god Hari, present in the presiding
asterism of the month, and which makes the life of
its observer, a run of continuous pleasures, and grant
him salvation after death. I invoke the presence of
the god Hari, who contained in himself the water on
which floated the seeds of a potential universe, and
who, though eternally existant, suffers not the ravages of time, and grants health and longevity to his
votaries.
During the four months, commencing from
that of Karticka; boiled rice and potherbs should be
offered to the god, Krishara (rice and pulse boiled
together with spices) in the months such as Phalguna
etc., while sweet porridge should be offered in the
months of Ashada., etc., the Naividyas, after being
dedicated to the deity in the night, should be made
over to the Brahmanas. The penitent should bathe in
water saturated with the composition known as the
Panchagavya, and live on the same substance on the
day of observance of the vow. An article offered to
a god and kept behind his image, becomes a Naividya,
while flowers etc, become Nirmalyas, simultaneously
with their offering. The Vrata should be closed with
the following prayer:-“! make obeisance to thee, 0
lord-may my sins grow more and more atenuated
and my pieties grow more and more, every day. 0
thou god who knowest no waste, may my wealth,
possessions and progeny suffer no decrease and become
unnumbered and endless instead. 0 Achyuta, as thou
art greater than the greatest of beings, as thou art
the Supreme Soul, absolve me of all impieties, and
may the wishes of my heart take fruit in this life. Be
pleased, 0 thou the waste less (Achyuta) protector of
the universe, grant me the fulfillment of my desires
and make me waste less as thy own self, 0 thou the
immeasurable spiritual light, 0 thou the best of beings.” A man by worshipping the god as above indicated, for seven consecutive years, enjoys all the
comforts of the world and becomes as emancipated
spirit after death.
Now I shall describe the process of performing
the Ananta Vrata, which is one of the greatest of the
boon conferring Nakshatra (astral) Vratas. The god Hari
should be worshipped under the auspicies of the asterism
Mrigha shira in the month of Margashirsha, the penitent living on the urine of a cow on the day of its observance. The god Ananta (infinite) grants infinite
merit and enjoyment in the next birth of the ob-
server. Infinite merit is acquired by the observance
of such a vow, and infinite enjoyment follows in its
wake which knows no waste or satiety, and the heartfelt
desires of the penitent are realised hundredfold in
his next existence.
The Vrati should break his fast in
the night after the worship, and should not take any
thing containing oil, the Homa being continuously
performed for four months with libations of clarified
butter. By taking nothing else than clarified butter
on the day of its observance, a Vrati ascends the
region of the Rudra manifestation of the god Shiva
after death. Likewise, the man who practises the Triratra
Vratas, (a Vrata or a fast of three nights) each fort-
night, by taking a single meal on each day of its
observance, becomes the master of unbounded wealth.
Similarly by practising each month, the Vrata as above
indicated, a penitent goes to the region presided over
by the god Ganapati. Thus by practising the Vrata
in honour of the god Janardana, a man is enabled to
live in the same region with Vishnu, in the company
of the souls of all his friends and relations.
The penitent should first observe the vow (Triratra
Vrata) on the day of the ninth phase of the moon’s
increase in the month of Magha; and hundred times
repeat the Mantra, running as “Om obeisance to the
god Vasudeva.” Only a single meal should be taken
on the eighth day of the moon’s increase (on the
day immediately preceding the day of observance),
then a fast should be for the next three days. The
god Vishnu should be worshipped on the day of the
twelfth phase of the moon’s increase in the month
of Karticka, and the Vrata should be duly practised on the same day. The Homa should be performed
with libations of clarified butter, containing grains
of Shali rice, while it should consist of clarified butter
simply in a similar ceremony undertaken in the month
of Shravana. By performing Homa ceremonies as above
indicated, Mandhata was able to perpetuate his memory
as the venerable Juvanashva.