Hari Aum Sadhakas!
The women of the north and north-western states of Bharat like Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu/Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh celebrate the festival of Karva Chauth. There is a particular reason for this.
At one time the Indian Army was made up of a huge number of soldiers from these parts of Bharat so the wives who were left behind started fasting on this day for their safety. Due to this, the festival is mainly observed by married women.
The Hindu way of life
The word “karva” means an earthen pot and “chauth” is the number “four.” This festival is celebrated on the fourth day of the dark fortnight (krishna paksha) of the month of Kartika. This year, Karva Chauth falls on Thursday, 13th October. The festival aims at strengthening the bond between a man and his wife. However, even unmarried girls (above the age of 18) can observe this vow in order to get a good husband.
With all festivals in Bharat, we always try to connect it with some story from the Puranas. Once Arjuna went to the Himalayas to do penance to Shiva. The rest of the brothers had to undergo many challenges without Arjuna. Draupadi immediately prayed to Krishna to tell her how she could help her husbands. Krishna told her that once Parvati had performed the Karva Chauth rituals in order to overcome her problems. Draupadi immediately went on a strict observance of the Karva Chauth rituals and eventually her husbands became victorious.
Reflection of the week
“The sole mate for the jivatman is its soulmate – the Paramatman.”
For your everyday practice
Celebrate festivals and traditions.
In any religion, festivals and rituals are what keep the members together so it is always good to observe all the festivals that are kept in the Hindu Dharma. Of course, even though it is nice to have some fun during all festivals, yet it must be remembered that all Hindu festivals have deep scientific and spiritual meanings behind them and are not mere superstitions. Their esoteric meanings should not be forgotten.
For your health and well-being
Create a mindful evening routine that works for you.
How do you end your day? As the day winds down, so should we, for achieving optimal health. Activities that are less stimulating and more soothing/nourishing should ideally be engaged in after sunset. Eating a light dinner before sunset helps to also put less of a strain on the body’s digestive system, allowing for a better night’s rest. Watching a violent movie, having a heated conversation, eating a heavy dinner, or listening to loud music are all activities that are in opposition to the process of winding down for the night. Do you do any of these on a regular basis?
By Dr. Poorna Menon, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
From Vanamali Mataji’s desk
The Karva Chauth ritual starts with a pre-dawn meal. This should be eaten before sunrise which is normally round about 6 am in the morning in the month of Kartika. The ladies then fast for the rest of the day without food or even water.
In the evening the women gather together and exchange gifts. The priest or some older lady narrates the different Karva Chauth stories from the Puranas. They sing songs and wait for the moon to rise. Once it rises they are supposed to look at the reflection through a sieve. They offer water and fruits to the moon and pray for the long life of their husbands. After that they turn to look at their husbands through the same sieve. The husband then takes the plate from his wife’s hands and feeds her with some fruits or sweets and thus breaks her fast. Of course after this, all wives and husbands enjoy a good feast.
Important dates this week
Karva Chauth on Thursday, 13th October
That’s all for now. What would you like to see more of? Let us know! Thank you very much for reading.
At your service,
The Adiveda Team