Chaturmas 2017 - Chaturmasya Vrata

Chaturmas in 2014 is commenced from July 4, 2017. Various rituals, fasts and religious ceremonies are performed in Indian culture throughout the year. These rituals bring desired results to devotees, if performed with adherence to rules and regulations mentioned in scriptures. Out of all these fasts, Chaturmasya Vrat is considered to be of utmost importance. As the name suggests, this Vrat continues for the period of four months. This is very significant time for hermits. According to Hindu calendar, it starts on eleventh day (Dev Shayani Ekadashi) of bright half of Ashadha month (July 4, 2017) and finishes on Kartik Shukla Ekadashi (October 31, 2017). Earlier, Chatur Mas was mostly observed by recluses and hermits, but householders also began to observe it with the time. Undoubtedly, Chaturmas brings auspicious fruits in everyone’s life, who observe it with due rituals.

As per Bhavishyottara Purana, on the auspicious day of its beginning, one should fast whole day. S/he should get one gold/silver/copper idol of Lord Vishnu and should worship it with Pancopchaar or Shodashopachara. After this, one should offer a yellow cloth and a beautiful bed idol covered by white bed-sheets to the deity. There should be soft pillow and mattress placed on it. One should also worship Lord Vishnu in the evening again with hymns and alleluias, and should offer a beautiful cot idol while chanting the mantra - “Supte Twayi Jagannate”. According to Ramarchandrika, one can also take the idol to a river in a chariot with singing, dancing and other festivities, and then perform the ceremony of immersion of the idol there. It is believed that Lord Vishnu sleeps in water during this period.

According to the scriptures, Chaturmas Vrat can fulfill all the worldly and spiritual desires. There is a tradition of abstinence from certain goods in order to achieve desired result during this period.

Apart from this, one must take food on the dishware made of leaves (Pattal) for four months. One should sleep on floor and should observe complete continence. One should not eat anything offered by anyone in these four months. He should observe at least one type of fast during these four months as follows:

1. Ekbhukt (one should eat only once in a day)
2. Naktvrat (one should not eat anything after sunset)
3. Ayachit Vrat (one should eat whatever one gets without asking)
4. One should take only milk and fruits.

Likewise, one should continue to observe the rules of Chaturmas in the month of Sravan. S/he should worship Lord Shiva on every Mondays during this month. In the month of Bhadrapad, one should worship Lord Krishna. Worship forefathers in Ashwin and in Kartik, one should finish these rituals with Dev Uthani Ekadashi (October 31, 2017). If a person performs the aforementioned rituals, s/he gets all the desired results in this life and goes to heaven hereafter.