Holiest month for Hindus
Karthika Masam is considered to be the holiest month for Hindus. It is also said to be the favourite month of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. During Karthika Masam the constellation will exert its influence through the sign Scorpio-Libra. These stars will be in the shape of scissors. The term Karika is allegorized in scriptures as the Krittikas who are the 6 mothers who feed the son of Lord Shiva – Kartikeya who again is 6 faced Kumara.
Also Read: Karthika Masam: Month of Illumination & Enlightenment
Karthika Masam started from October 20 and will end on November 18. Major festivals are celebrated during this month. Some also consider that Karthika month is dedicated to Lord Kartikeya. During this month Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and Lord Kartikeya are worshipped.
What does each day of the month signify?
1st day is Padyami. Should go to Lord Siva or Lord Vishnu temple to pray them to give strength to do the puja for the whole month. This is the Day we start lighting Akasa Deepam. The Lamp you light either at the entrance of your house or at Siva or Vishnu temple
2nd day is Vidiya. Brother should go to his sister’s house on this auspicious day and eat the food cooked by her and bestow her with blessings and gifts
3rd day of the month – Thadiya. Good Day to do Thrilochana Gauri Vratham.. Those who are unable to do the Vrath can do Kumkuma archana or Puja to Maa Parvathi on this day
4th Day is Chavithi. It is said to be Nagula Chavithi in Andhra. On this day its good to worship Lord Subramanya Swamy (Kartikeya).
5th day is Panchami, also known as Jnana Panchami. Need to do archana for Lord Subramanya Swamy.
6th Day is Shasti. Should not eat your favorite items today
7th Day is Sapthami: Pray to Lord Surya (Sun God) and donate tie wheat in a red color cloth and donate
8th Day is Ashtami, also known as Gopala Ashtami, Need to do puja to Gau matha (Holy Cow)
9th Day is Navami, good to start Vishnu Thri rathra vratham, which need to be done for 3 days. Its good to do puja for Lord Vishnu in the evening and Night time.
10th Day is Dasami, pray to Lord Vishnu today
11th Day is Ekadasi, Do fasting (Upavasam) and break the fast on Dwadasi.
12th Day is Dwadasi, known as Khseerabdi Dwadasi . Lord Vishnu will wake up from his yoga nidra on this day. Do Puja to Lord Vishnu. Good to do puja under Gooseberry tree or Tulasi plant.
13th Day is Trayodasi, Good day to skip dinner. Auspicious to donate Saligrama Sila
14th Day is Chathurdasi, good to donate Iron and Sesame today, Not to eat your favorite food
15th Day is Pournami. Need to do Nadi Snanam (Taking Bath in River). Do puja to Lord Varuna. Auspicious to light diya at Lord Siva or Vishnu temple. It brings a lot of good even if you see the deepa at the temple
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16th Day is Bahula Padyami. Not to eat stocked food and curd
17th Day is Vidiya. Good day to do Vana Bhojanam. It is said that offering prayers to Lord Vishnu under Gooseberry tree and then having food there with relatives and friends will bring great benefits.
18th Day is Thadiya. Good to donate Thulasi Mala to Bramhin
19th Day is Chavithi. Need to do puja to Lord Vinayaka with Garika ( a type of grass, favorite for Ganapathi)
20th day is Panchami. Need to feed the animals, ants, birds etc
21st day is Shasti. Need to do Puja to Grama Devatha. Good to donate what ever you can depending on your status.
22nd Day is Sapthami. Need to do puja to Lord Shiva with white Calotropis Gigantea (Jilledu in Telugu, Erukku in tamil)
23rd Day is Ashtami. Need to do puja for Kala Bhairava with Vada ( Garelu in Telugu)
24th day is Navami. Good to donate water, red color saree, blouse piece, bangles etc
25th day is Dasami: Good to donate food , need to do upavasam (fasting)
26th day is Ekadasi: Doing Deeparadhana (lighting the Lamp), Listening to Puranas will give great benefits today
27th Day is Dwadasi: Good to donate food for the needy
28th Day is Thrayodasi. Need to do puja to Navagraha. Good to do Fasting on the name of Navagraha
29th Day is Chathurdasi. Today is known as Masa Siva rathri, Need to pray Lord Shiva and doing fasting in day time is good.
30th Day is Amavasya. Need to donate food on the name of pithru devathalu (the deceased). Good to do fasting. Last day of lighting Akasa Deepam. Need to light the lamp at temple and offer coconut to Lord.
Chhath : The festival of Sun, goes beyond boundaries
Karthika Snanam – Holy Bath in this month
In this season one should take bath 3 times a day. Water is only solvent which can wash not only all kind of physical impurities but also mental impurities and can cleanse the astral and emotional currents. Treating water as god or as a form of a energy (energy hidden in the atomic constituents) if we take bath it bath by chanting those sacred hyms related Lord Varuna and this would refresh all the atomic substance of the body as well as mind. Also it would benefit us in terms of both spiritual and mundane plane in many ways. It is the presence of that consciousness which makes the water as the universal solvent. Sacred waters are offered to Lord Shiva as offering in Abishekam. Especially in this month all the waters are charged with the special electro-magnetic currents hence bathing is very important in this month.
Karthika Deepam – Enlightening thy selves
After sacred bath one should lit the Karthika Deepam (holy lamps) in the house and around the house. Deepam should also be lit in Shiva and Vaishnavas temples during sunrise and sunset. Lamps should be lit with the ghee made from the cow’s milk. It is said due to this all the evil we have done from past either knowingly or unknowingly will be expelled. It is believed that the light of the lamp is knowledge that expels the darkness of ignorance. It also brings prosperity, wealth, health and vitality into our lives.
Tulasi Pooja
After lighting the Karthika Deepam one should worship the holy plant Tulasi. Tulasi, a herb, is considered in the scriptures as the most loving plant for both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The very presence of it dispels all the evil in the house and in us with sacred air that flows through it. In the atmosphere all the toxic chemical bacterial agents are neutralized with the air of Tulasi. Tulasi worship is mostly recommended for the ladies and as the one who worship Tulasi in their house to build a healthy environment by preventing all the disease causing agents in the atmosphere. Lightening deepa near Tulasi gives prosperity to the household.
Damodara Pooja – Harmony of Shaivas & Vaishnavas
Worship of Lord Damodara is worship of Lord Vishnu is Lord Shiva temple. Because it is during this month Lord Vishnu prays Lord Shiva and vice versa. Both the lords are like the consciousness of self existence and the consciousness of the world around. They are like circle and the point which are inseparable, when there is a circle there is centre unless there is a centre there is no circle. Centre of self existence is called Lord Shiva and the circumference of other existences is called Lord Vishnu thus one who worships both as one attains the highest state of nirvana that is observing the every form in the world as your own image.
Karthika Somavaram – Special Mondays
Monday is considered as the favorite day of Lord Shiva. Monday is ruled by the planet moon which in turn governs the mind of humans. So on Mondays one who performs pradosha vratha and meditates on Lord Shiva can not only glimpse the supreme spirit but can also attain the highest point of knowledge as a siddhi. By performing Karthika Somavaram (the Monday rituals) our individual consciousness gets tuned into the higher realms. In scriptures it is said that one who fasts on Mondays until evening and after feeding a Brahmin takes the food will receive the full grace of Lord Shiva.
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