Chaturmasa Deeksha

Chaturmasa Deeksha:

Chaturmasa means four months and this vartham is observed for four months taken on one paksha also on forthnight and is normally observed for two months. In olden Days, Saints used to observe this vratham to stay away from rainy season and to halt in one place and meditate peacefully and to instruct the disciples about spirituality.

Cultural Beliefs:

Lord Sri Hari slept for four months in the milk ocean i.e., from Ashada Shuddha Ekadashi to Karthika Shuddha Ekadashi. The deeksha performed during this period by yathis, peetadhipathis is called Chaturmasa Deeksha. Earlier, households and the women use to perfom this deeksha and gain good health. Ashada Shuddha Ekadashi is also known as Shayana Ekadashi or Tholi Ekadashi and Lord Sri Hari wakes up from his sleep on Karthika Shuddha Ekadashi which is also known as Utthana Ekadashi.

Interesting Facts:

During Chaturmasa deeksha, we should not take brinjal, radish, watermelon, bobbarlu, kotha regullu,tamarind and snake gourd. Normal people following this deeksha will gain in good mental and physical health.

On the pournami day the following devatas are invoked by the saints:

Krishna Panchaka:Sri Krishna and his four energies Sankarshana, Vasudeva, Aniruddha and Pradyumna called as Amshas

Vyasa Panchaka :Sage Veda Vyasa Veda who is the founder of Vedas(our wealth).He compiled into 4 vedas and 18puranas.His four important disciplines Sage Jaimini, Paila, Vaishampayana and Sumantu. Veda Vyasa pooja will be performed specially on  the day.

Sankara Panchaka: Shankaracharya known as amsha of Lord Shiva and his disciplines Acharya Sureswara, Padmapada, Hastamalaka and Trotakacharya

Sanaka Panchaka : Sages Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana,Sanatkumara and Sanatsujata the propagators of knowledge.

Dattareya Panchaka: The important guru like Dattatreya, Bhargava Rama, Shanta Tapa, Sri Pada Vallabha and Saraswati.

Scientific Reasons:

It starts raining from Tholi Ekadashi and when rainy season starts, many contagious diseases spread over and so people use to have some restrictions having a strict diet to protect their health.

In the rainy season people will affected by many insects and worms to avoid that they used to go to safe place.

Vegetable, Curd, Milk Vratha(Sakha, Dadhi, Ksheera Vrathalu):

Vegetable vratham (Sakha Vratham) is followed in between Ashada Pournami and Shravana Pournami. It means we should not take vegetables, Leafy Veggies in our food. We should eat only the food with dal combinations. Likewise, we should not use any masala items except pepper and jeera.

Curd Vratham (Dadhi Vratham) is followed in between Shravana Pournami and Badhrapada Pournami.It means that we should not take curd and buttermilk in our food.

Milk Vratham (Ksherra Vratham) is followed in between Badhrapada Pournami and Asveeyuja Pournami.It means that we should not take any of the milk items in our food. This is followed because in this period all milk producing animals give new milk which is not good for health.

Dwidala Vratham in Asveeyuja and Karthika Months:This is followed in Asveeyuja and Karthika Months by not taking dal combinations in food to get good health physically and mentally.