Sankashtachaturthi vrat – For fullfillment of wishes

• 1. Fulfilling of wishes through Sankashtachaturthi vrat
• 2. Spiritual science underlying the fulfilment of the wishes by observing the Sankashtachaturthi vrat
• 3. Spiritual science underlying the consecration of Shri Ganeshji’s idol by sprinkling water (abhishek) and reciting Shri Ganapati Atharvashirsha
• 4. The importance of ritualistically worshipping the moon (Chandra-pujan) in Sankashti vrat
• 5. Spiritual science underlying offering modak and money to the priest
• 6. Importance of making a resolve of conclusion after the ritualistic worship
• 7. Udyapan (ritualistic conclusion) of the Sankashtachaturthi vrat
  • 7.1 Effects of installation of the ritualistic metal pot (kalash)
  • 7.2 Effects of worship of Shri Ganeshji’s idol
  • 7.3 Effects of utterance of mantras by the priest
  • 7.4 Spiritual science underlying the act of touching the worshipped kalash to the Adnya-chakra of the host husband-wife
  • 7.5 Effects of sprinkling consecrated rice and Holy water (tirtha) on the host husband-wife by the priest
  • 7.6 Sacrificial fire (havan)

        Many people perform Sankashtachaturthi vrat for the fulfilment of their worldly desires. The Sankashtachaturthi vrat is recognised for providing Adhidaivika solutions to the problems in life. Acquiring solutions to problems in life through the grace of a Deity is known as ‘Adhidaivika-upaya’. Many people feel it is inappropriate to do ritualistic worship like vrat for acquiring something concrete materialistically. One can have a question as to what is appropriate, doing Adhidaivika-upaya or making worldly efforts ?

The difference between making worldly efforts for fulfilment of material desires and performing vrats for the same: While making worldly efforts for the fulfilment of material desires the person gets trapped in vices. He loses his basic sattvik temperament. By performing vrats, that is, by taking the course of Adhidaivika-upaya he is able to fulfil his desires maintaining his sattvik temperament.

Our Sages undertook the vrats and themselves experienced the spiritual science underlying them. They elucidated the vrats to the society so that it derives benefit from the vrats.

In this context, benefits derived by some devotees, from Maharashtra and Goa, after performing Sankashtachaturthi vrat is given below:

“I am fifty four years old. I have been observing Sankashti vrat for the last 30 years. Those days my husband was very ill. At that time, on the day of Sankashti I said, I will observe Sankashti vrat on twenty one Sankashtachaturthis so that my husband’s health comes back to normal. After that my husband was fit for 25- 30 years. Even now I observe the vrat.” – One devotee

“We are observing Sankashti vrat for the last five years and benefitting from it. Life has become stable. My son gets good marks. He also got admission for further studies.” – Mr. and Mrs. Verma ji, Navi Mumbai

“When I was studying, my parents told me that by worshipping the Deity one acquires good intellect, one’s studies go well and one remains in good company. They also told me how to perform the Sankashti vrat. With the faith that everything is going on smoothly in life by God’s grace, I took up this vrat.” – Mr. Santosh Gurav, Raigad

“In our class everyone found the Secretarial Practice paper very difficult. On the day of the examination of this subject, I went to Shri Ganeshji’s temple and narrated my concerns. That day I was able to answer the entire paper and scored good marks in the subject. Since then I have been observing this fast. The state of all of us was alike. By praying to Shri Ganeshji, the Secretarial Practice exam becomes easy, that is why we observe a fast too.” – One student

“I was to get admission in Diploma at the Government College at Pen. Instead of that I got admission at the Polytechnic College at Khopoli. The day I began fasting was Sankashtachaturthi. On that day itself I got admission in Government College at Pen. That is why, my faith in the Ballaleshwar’s Ganeshji was augmented. Since then I have been observing the Sankashti vrat regularly.”

Through these spiritual experiences one understand that by observing the Sankashtachaturthi vrat the wishes of the devotees are fulfilled.

        By ritualistically worshipping Shri Ganeshji, the Ganesh Principle gets activated. Also, Ganeshji’s Riddhi and Siddhi Shakti or Energy get activated. In reality amongst these Principles, the wishes are understood by Riddhi and fulfilled by Siddhi.

Difference between Riddhi and Siddhi:

• The Riddhi Shakti is known as the left Energy channel (Nadi) or the Moon Channel of Shri Ganeshji. Siddhi Shakti is known as the right Energy channel (Nadi) or the Sun Channel of Shri Ganeshji.

• One comes to know about the objective of the desire through the Riddhi Shakti. Through Siddhi Shakti the objective is fulfilled.

• The Riddhi Shakti complements the mission indirectly. Siddhi Shakti directly provides strength to the mission.

• Riddhi Shakti works at a Nirgun level. Siddhi Shakti works at a Sagun level.

By ritualistically worshipping Shri Ganeshji, the Ganesh Principle gets activated. Also, Ganeshji’s Riddhi and Siddhi Shakti get activated. Amongst these Principles, the wishes are understood by Riddhi and completed by Siddhi. By the ritualistic worship of Shri Ganeshji, through the medium of these two Energy Principles, the desired wish of the one observing the vrat is fulfilled. Due to the combined function of the two Energies, the result, that is, wish fulfilment is acquired. That is why the collective noun ‘Riddhi-Siddhi’ is used for these two Energies.

        On the day of Sankashtachaturthi, Shri Ganapati Atharvashirsha is recited. Sage Ganaka wrote the Atharvashirsha, that is why it has His resolve. Due to the Energy of the mantra of Atharvashirsha, Divinity is awakened in Shri Ganeshji’s idol.

After consecration of the idol by sprinkling water, various types of leaves are offered to Shri Ganeshji, also known as Patra-puja. In this sacred grass (Durva) is also offered.

The subtle effects of the ritualistic worship with leaves (Patra-puja): Through the Durva and other leaves, the worshipper’s body is touched by Ganeshji’s activated Principle. Also, a protective sheath of this Principle is formed around his body.

The spiritual reasons underlying taking darshan of the moon (Chandradarshan) on the day of Sankashtachaturthi: Moon instigates the mind to work. In Sankashtachaturthi vrat spiritual practice (sadhana) is done the whole day and at night the darshan of the moon is taken. This marks the completion of spiritual practice and in worldly life the commencement of mental activities.

Moon is the symbol of activation of Energy of Desire (Icchha-shakti). The importance of ritualistically worshipping the moon is 70 %.

The effect of ritualistically worshipping an image of the moon: In the ritualistic worship of Sankashtachaturthi vrat, an image of the moon is made with wet sandalwood on the Nagawalli leaf and it is ritualistically worshipped. The ‘Riddhi-Siddhi’ bestowing Energies are created from the two ends of the crescent of the moon by ritualistically worshipping the moon. These Energy Principles are activated on the basis of the strength of the void in the moon and they function in a Nirgun form in the Universe.

Why is arghya offered after Chandrapujan in the Sankashtachaturthi Vratapujan?: By the action of offering arghya after the worship, one becomes conscious of discarding ego. He gains full benefit of this action at spiritual level.

        In order to absolve onerself of some mistake in the action of the Deity’s worship or an act of sin that might have happened inadvertently, modak and money are offered to a priest.

        By concluding the ritualistic worship, the Deity’s Principle, which has come in the Sagun form due to the worship, takes a Nirgun form. On conclusion of the worship, the Deity’s Principle leaves the place of worship and is again installed at its original place.

        According to the Scriptures, ritualistic conclusion of any vrat is an integral part of a vrat. Normally the faithful undertake the vrat for twenty-one Sankashtachaturthis. Whatever be the duration of the vrat, the ritualistic conclusion of the vrat is essential. If the day of the ritualistic conclusion of Sankashtachaturthi is on a Sankashta-chaturthi only, it is more beneficial.

In the ritual of Udyapan of the Sankashtachaturthi vrat, the Deities of the nine planets, the seven Sages and Brahma etc. are worshipped. Shri Ganeshji is consecrated with water and offered purnahuti. Mahanaivedya, that is, the meal is offered. The meal is partaken at night at the time of Moon rise and the next day, a priest and a married woman are served meals.

        In the Udyapan ritual of the Sankashtachaturthi vrat, a kalash is installed on wheat to offer a seat to the Deities. Pouring water in it, Mango leaves are kept in it. Some rice is kept in a copper platter.

• By installing a kalash on the wheat and worshipping it, destroyer energy is attracted in the wheat.

• When the kalash kept on the wheat is filled with water and Mango leaves are put in it, the stem of the leaves attract the sattvikta and Chaitanya of the water in the kalash and emit them from the edges of the leaves.

• By keeping a copper platter full of rice on the kalash, the sattvikta, Chaitanya and saviour Principle are attracted in the rice at the time of worship of the Deity.

In the Udyapan ritual of the Sankashtachaturthi vrat, the Deities of the nine planets, seven Sages and Lord Brahma etc. are worshipped followed by Shri Ganeshji.

        After performing rituals like padya, that is, washing feet, arghya etc. the idol of Shri Ganeshji is consecrated with water. During consecration, the sattvikta of the idol increases by the touch of the water. Beaded cotton (vastra) is offered. The frequencies of the Principle of Shri Ganeshji emanating from the idol are absorbed in the vastra, which benefits the worshipper. With the offering of turmeric powder, vermilion and Durva, 2 percent Ganesh Principle is attracted in the idol.

        When the priests utter mantras in the Udyapan ritual of the Sankashtachaturthi vrat:

• Golden and silver particles of sattvikta and Chaitanya are spread in the environment. This purifies the environment.
• Various Deity Principles are attracted in the form of light rays in the betel nuts installed in the worship ritual.

• The heat of the gross and subtle bodies of the host husband-wife increases.

        By touching the worshipped kalash on the Adnya-chakra by the host, the sattvikta and coolness in the kalash is spread in the bodies of the host husband-wife through their Adnya-chakra.

        During the ritualistic worship, the priest sprinkles rice on the host husband-wife with the recitation of mantras. With this the gross and subtle bodies of the host husband-wife are purified. Similarly, the sattva particles active in the subtle bodies of the host husband-wife become steady.

        In the Udyapan ritual of the Sankashtachaturthi vrat, the sacrificial fire (havan) is performed. Effects of the substances and performance of havan:

• When Durva is offered in the sacrificial pit, the Ganesh Principle is attracted in the fire.

• When black sesame seeds are offered, they emit destroyer energy which destroys the negative energies in the environment.
• By offering white sesame seeds, the sattvikta of the fire increases

• By offering sesame oil, the sattvikta, destroyer energy and Chaitanya collectively become active.

After giving the purnahuti, the flames of the fire become 10 percent more radiant. By performing havan in this manner:

• There is an increase in the sattvikta in the environment.

• Heat and coolness are experienced in the environment as per requirement.

• After the purnahuti, the subtle fragrance of sandalwood and turmeric powder-vermilion spreads in the environment and lasts for a long time.

After the purnahuti at the time of arati, the Ganesh Principle and the Lakshmi Principle are present in the environment. Similarly, the frequencies of Chaitanya and Anand are also spread in the environment. All the persons present there gain from the Udyapan ritual of the Sankashtachaturthi vrat performed with Bhav. Some people do the Sankashtachaturthi vrat for 4 years whereas some people for 13 years also. There are also the faithful persons who perform this vrat for life long.