When is Chathur Maasa?
- Chaturmasya starts from Ashada Shudda Dwadashi and ends on Kartikha Shudda dashami.
- chaturmasya comprises of the Hindu lunar months of Shravana, bhadrapada, Ashvayuja and karthIka.
Why should we observe Chathur Maasa?
- The eleventh day in Ashada Shudda ekadashi(Shayanaikadashi) , is the day that Sri naarayana, even though he is sleepless, hungerless, pretends to sleep, which is termed as “Yoga Nidra”. He sleeps till Karthika Shudda Dwadashi (Uttana Dwadashi)
- Observing Chaturmasya gets more punya than the other vrathas.
- Mostly marriages, Upanayana are not done during this period as Sri Narayana is in Yoga Nidra
Who Should observe this Vrata?
- Chaturvarnaas(Brahmana, Kshatriya, Shudra, Vaishya)
- Chatur Ashramas( Brahmachari, Gruhasta, Vanaprasta and Sanyasi)
- Women even in Menstruation cycle
What is the procedure to Perform this vrata?
- On Ashada shukla ekadashi (called shayani ekadashi) one should get tapta-mudra-dharane
- You should take an oath(Sankalpa) on dvadashi that you will observe chaturmasya with the objective of pleasing Lord Hari
- In the first month you should observe shaka vrata
- In the second month you should observe dadhi vrata
- In the third month you should observe kshira vrata
- In the fourth month you should observe dvidala vrata
- In case of not able to take tapta mudra dhaarane, Atleast one should try visting Swamiji in Chaathur maasa time and get mudra dhaarane done
Chathur Maasa Sankalpa Mantra:
ವ್ರತಾನಾಂ ವಕ್ಷ್ಯಮಾಣಾನಾಂ ಸನ್ಕಲ್ಪಂ ವಿಧಿವತ್ ಚರೇತ್ |
ನೈಮಿತ್ತಿಕಾನಾಂ ಕಾಮ್ಯಾನಾಂ ನಿತ್ಯಾನಾಂ ಚ ತಥೈವ ಚ ||
Vrataanaam vakshyamaanaanaam sankalpam vidhivat charet |
Naimittikaanaam kaamyaanaam nityaanaam cha tathaiva cha ||
Shaka vratha
- Ashada Shudda Ekadashi to Shravana Shudda Dashami
Permitted Food items:
Toor dal, Moong dal, Urad dal, Whole green moong, Sesame seeds, Black pepper, cumin seeds, Jaggery, Rava, wheat flour, Rice flour, Amchur powder, Milk, Yougurt(Curd), butter, Sugar, Mango fruit, Ghee .
Not Permitted:
All vegetables, all leaves(Curry leaves, coriander leaves, spinach), Mustard, Tamarind, Chana dal, Besan, Ginger, Green chillies, lemon, coconut, Red chillies. Oil, chilly powder, Turmeric powder
Shaka Vrata Recipes
Sankalpa
ಶಾಕವ್ರತಂ ಮಯಾದೇವ ಗೃಹೀತಂ ಪುರತಸ್ತವ |
ನಿರ್ವಿಘ್ನಂ ಸಿದ್ಧಿಮಾಯಾತು ಪ್ರಸಾದಾತ್ ತವ ಕೇಶವ ||
Shaakavratam mayaadeva gruhitam puratastava |
Nirvignam siddhimaayaatu prasaadaat tava keshava||
Samarpana
ಉಪಾಯಮಿದಂ ದೇವ ವ್ರತಸಂಪೂರ್ತಿ ಹೇತವೇ |
ಶಾಕಂ ತು ದ್ವಿಜವರ್ಯಾಯ ಸಹಿರಣ್ಯಂ ದದಾಮ್ಯಹಂ ||
Upaayamidam deva vratasampurti hetave |
Shaakam tu dvijavaryaaya sahiranyam dadaamyaham ||
Dadhi Vratha
- Shravana Shudda Ekadashi to Bhadrapada Shudda Dashami
- During this period, Curd/Yogurt should not be used in any form or manner while preparing naivedya. However, buttermilk is allowed.
Sankalpa:
ದಧಿ ಭಾದ್ರಪದೇ ಮಾಸಿ ವರ್ಜಯಿಷ್ಯೇ ಸದಾ ಹರೇ |
ಇಮಂ ಕರಿಷ್ಯೇ ನಿಯಮಂ ನಿರ್ವಿಘ್ನಂ ಕುರು ಕೇಶವ ||
Dadhi bhaadrapade maasi varjayishye sadaa hare |
Imam karishye niyamam nirvignam kuru keshava ||
Samarpana:
ಉಪಾಯನಮಿದಂ ದೇವ ವೃತಸಂಪೂರ್ತಿ ಹೇತವೆ |
ದ್ವಿಜವರ್ಯಾಯ ದಾಸ್ಯೇಹಂ ಸಹಿರಣ್ಯಮ್ ಘನಂ ದಧಿ||
Upaayanamidam deva vrutasampurti hetave |
Dvijavaryaaya daasyeham sahiranyam ganam dadhi||
Ksheera Vrata
- Bhadrapada Shudda Ekadashi to Ashwayuja Shudda Dashami
- milk should not be used in any form or manner while preparing naivedya. This restriction includes milk derivatives like kene , cheese or other dairy products, but excludes curd
Sankalpa
ಕ್ಷೀರವ್ರತಮಿದಂ ದೇವ ಗೃಹೀತಮ್ ಪುರತಸ್ತವ |
ನಿರ್ವಿಘ್ನಂ ಸಿದ್ಧಿಮಾಯಾತುಪ್ರಸಾದಾತ್ ರಮಾಪತೇ ||
Kshiravratamidam deva gruhitam puratastava |
Nirvignam siddhimaayaatuprasaadaat ramaapate ||
Samarpana
ಉಪಾಯನಮಿದಂ ದೇವ ವ್ರುತಸಂಪೂರ್ತಿ ಹೇತವೆ |
ಕ್ಷೀರಂತು ದ್ವಿಜವರ್ಯಾಯ ಸಹಿರಣ್ಯಂ ದದಾಮ್ಯಹಂ |
Upaayanamidam deva vrutasampurti hetave |
Kshiramtu dvijavaryaaya sahiranyam dadaamyaham ||
Dvitala Vrata
- Ashwayuja Shudda Ekadashi to Karthika Shudda Dashami
- During this period, one should avoid Dvidalaas and bahu-bija vegetables.
- Dvidala refers to any seed or vegetable which when broken or fried splits into two halves. Examples of such items are All Dalls
- Bahu-bija refers to any fruit or vegetable that contains multiple seeds and is covered by an external skin. Examples of such items are apples, grapes, pomegranate, cucumber
Items permitted:
rice, wheat, sesame seeds, black pepper, cumin seeds, coconut, banana, banana flower, suvarnagadde(suran), same gadde, agathi soppu, ginger, Gooseberry, sweet potato, amla powder, all purpose flour, Rava, cracked wheat, ghee, sugar, amchur powder, mango
Dwitala Vrata Recipes
Items not permitted:
All dhals, red or green chillies, fenugreek seeds, tamarind, coriander leaves and all vegetables mentioned than the permitted ones
Sankalpa
ಕಾರ್ತಿಕೇ ದ್ವಿದಳಂ ಧಾನ್ಯಂ ವರ್ಜಯಿಷ್ಯೇ ಸದಾ ಹರೇ|
ಇಮಂ ಕರಿಷ್ಯೇ ನಿಯಮಂ ನಿರ್ವಿಘ್ನಂ ಕುರು ಕೇಶವ ||
Kaartike dvidalam dhaanyam varjayishye sadaa hare|
Imam karishye niyamam nirvignam kuru keshava ||
Samarpana
ಉಪಾಯನಮಿದಂ ದೇವ ವ್ರತಸಂಪೂರ್ತಿ ಹೇತವೇ |
ದ್ವಿದಳಂ ದ್ವಿಜವರ್ಯಾಯ ಸಹಿರಣ್ಯಂ ದದಾಮ್ಯಹಂ ||
Upaayanamidam deva vratasampurti hetave |
Dvidalam dvijavaryaaya sahiranyam dadaamyaham ||
How to end Chathur Maasa?
After completion of Dwidala vratha, i.e.., on Kartika Shudda Ekadashi, we have to give daana of dvidala dhaanyaas, vegetables, fruits, to brahmana with dakshine and say Krishnarpanamastu
ಅನಿರುದ್ಧ ನಮಸ್ತುಭ್ಯಂ ದ್ವಿದಳಾಖ್ಯವ್ರತೇನ ಚ |
ಮತ್ಕತೇನಾಶ್ವಿನೇ ಮಾಸಿ ಪ್ರೀತ್ಯರ್ಥಂ ಫಲದೋ ಭವ ||
ಇದಂ ವ್ರತಂ ಮಯಾ ದೇವ ಕೃತಂ ಪ್ರೀತ್ಯೈ ತವ ಪ್ರಭೋ |
ನ್ಯೂನಂ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣತಾಂ ಯಾತು ತ್ವತ್ಪ್ರಸಾದಾತ್ ಜನಾರ್ಧನ||
Aniruddha namastubhyam dvidalaakyavratena cha |
Matkrutenaashvine maasi prityartham phalado bhava ||
Idam vratam mayaa deva krutam prityai tava prabho |
Nyunam sampurnataam yaatu tvatprasaadaat janaardhana||
On dvadashi one should perform pooja to an idol of Lord Lakshmi Damodara and donate this vigraha to elgible married couple.
Chant the following mantra while doing the damodara pooja
Deva deva, jagannatha, lakshmi damodara prabho.
Chaturmasye tvayajnaptah, krutva vrata chatushtayam|
Bhavannmurtim pradasyami tvat prasadabhikankshaya||
Please find other useful links here:
||Sri Krishnarpanamasthu||
Madhwa 
