Posted on Astrology, Astronomy, Ethics & Rituals

Ritualistic Significance of ‘Magha-Masa’ in Hindu Calendar

– Prof. C. L. Prabhakar, President, WAVES, Bangalore Chapter

clprabhakar

Prof. Prabhakar obtained Ph.D. in Vedic  Studies (thesis on’ Sukla Yajurveda’) from  Poona University, Poona in 1968. He is former Professor of Sanskrit and has published many books and articles. Honored with the award ‘Veda Vaaridhi’, currently he is director of the Nada Veda Adhyayana Kendra, Bangalore. He is active to spread Vedic heritage and culture.

Magha-Masa is important among the months in Hindu calendar. This month is an opportunity to get reduced of our sins. ‘Maaghamsyaatitimaaghah’ meaning no sins more could be acquired further. Doctors know the reducing tablet to reduce pain. So like this month to reduce our sins.

Hindu calendar is invested with twelve months. Each month is covered by 30 days. Every day has the five (pancanga) elements viz. Tithi, Vara, Nakshatra, Yoga and Karanas. Everyday is important for spiritual Practices. But there is choice and special importance. We have twelve months beginning form Caitra-Masa and going upto the Phalguna-Masa. Every month has a connections of some significance and mythology to speak the importance of the month and marking auspicious days in it. Sun would be transiting every month in to one sign (rasi) to another sign. It occurs usually on the 14th day of each month called Sankramana technically. There are twelve zodiac signs to complete one year’s time. When Sun is in Makara-Rasi, from then, for six months it is called Uttarayanam and the remaining six months are known as Dakshinayanam. These indicate the direction of the Sun astronomically moving towards north and southern directions. As a result there would be effects upon the people and nature: good, bad and different due to the movement of Sun. Manasollasa of Somadeva is a source Book for us to know about the importance of days and months, festivals and more.

Magha-Masa is the eleventh Month of each Year. This year is called by name Manmatha and the next would be Durmukha year by name. Out of the cycle of sixty years, this is the 29th/30thYear of the cycle. Each month is characterized with the Nakshatra-name. For example, if Sravana-Nakshatra is there on the full moon day then it is called Sravana-Masa. Likewise the Magha-Masa is the name derived from the Magha-Nakshatra on the Purnima. Similarly the other months go by the name of a Nakshatra. Although we have many numbers of years, we have only seven days of life. One day to take birth and another some day to exit from the body and the world. However seven are the days of life beginning from Sunday to Saturday. These days too go by the names of the planets Ravi, Candra and so on. Rahus and Ketu are the two nodes who entered the count among the planets as Chayagrahas. They follow the main planets. Moreover they do not have any orbit .They are simply ascending and descending nods of ecliptic and moon orbit

Magha _3

Let us know the prominent festivities in this month. At first, on 5th day of Shukla-Paksha it is called Sri Pancami or Vasanta Pancami. This is the first festival when Goddess Sarasvati is worshipped. She is known also as Sarada Devi, Syamala Devi and Vag Devi. She is called Jnanasarasvati. On this day Sarada-puja is done. She is a Goddess who blesses good knowledge and good education (sadbuddhi and vidyanaipunya). On this day many people observe the important samskara namely Aksharabhyasam to their children with a belief that the child would be good in education, learning and prosperity.The child is introduced to writing the alphabets and salutation to Lord Siva well known as Dakshinamuty, a guru to all. On this day Goddess Sarasvati is offered Payasa as food. And the child is made to write ‘Om namahsivayasiddhamnamah’. In Devi Bhagavata details of Sarasvati Aradhanaare given. We have prayer to Sarasvatiin a length of a Veda-Sukta by name Sarasvati-Sukta that could be recited on that occasion specially. The sixth day of the month namely Shashthi is festival of Lord Subrahmanya. He is born on this day and so his puja is done. Abrahmacari (unmarried Boy) is fed and worshipped symbolically on this day to get the grace of the Murugan. The next day is Rathasaptami, when Sun turns to the northern direction fully and gallops to pick up more and more heat. On this day Suryaradhana is done with offering of payasa (naivedya). Arunaprasnapurvaka Surya-namaskaras could be done to get the grace of this deity. Arunaprasna is the first section of Taittiriya Aranyaka. It contains thirty two passages reciting which 32 namaskaras are offered to Suryadeva. Surya loves prostrations (namaskarapriyobhanuh). On the Eleventh day we get Bhishma Ekadasi when Bhishamacarya gave up his body (bhautikasarira) in the presence of Sri Krishna. He is the avatar of one of the eight Vasus. This ekadasi is virtuous and people get their desires fulfilled. This day is called ‘Bhishmaikadasi’. Bhishma had the boon from his father Santanu Maharaja to leave the body whenever he desired (svacchandamarana scope). Then we get the Purnima, the full Moon day. Every month we get Full moon days (Purnimas.) But this is one of the three special Purnimas of each year. Actually Asvija Purnima, Kartika Purnima and Magha Purnima are best. Especially on this Purnima day, there would Magha Nakshatra. On this day when bath to Siva is done, it is highly fetching and beneficial. Siva Purana extols more details on this aspect. Texts like Padmapurana, Nirnayasindhu, Krityatattva elaborate on the importance of bath at early hours of the day before sunrise. Very auspicious would it be if the bath and dip is taken in the sacred river Ganges at Kasi or elsewhere where the Ganga flows. Even other sacred rivers too remain helpful for the ritual of Maghasnana with sankalpa. In Bhagavata too the merit of taking dip in Ganga is described, It is said there that no other river but ganga waters has exclusive power to undo the sins at that time. In this month not only the Devataradhana even Pitrutarpana is also recommended to be significant as it pleases the Manes (the Pitrus). Magha-Nakshatra is the constellation of Pitri-devataa (deity of ancestors).

After Purnima, New Moon days begin. On eighth day it is called ‘Anaghashtami’. Lord Dattatreya is worshipped. Anagha Devi is revered as the goddess Lakshmi herself. She is called Anagha Lakshmi. We can get the blessings of Guru as well as Goddess with this worship. He is known as Dattaguru. We recite amantram ‘Dattagurumbhaje’ simply to get his grace. Dattatreys is the avatar of three Murtis Brahma, Siva and Vishnu who are three forces and Powers creation, annihilation and maintenance of the Universe. Therefore, Dattatreya is the preceptor who blesses all the three abilities in the upasakas. Also Natya Ganapati is worshipped on this day. He provides expertise further in the performing arts and excellences in the professional career. Ganapati is known in 32 forms and therein Natya Ganapati is special.

Actually every thirteenth day (trayodasi) of each month we get Pradosha Puja when Siva is worshipped. That day is called as Masasivaratri. The next day on the caturdasi at midnight Sivaratri actually dawns. But this month alone that day is called Mahasivaratri when Siva is worshipped strongly all the time. It has three durations (yamas) of night. People worship Lord Shiva with Mahanyasapurvaka Rudrabhishekas and other pujas. They also recite many Siva stotras. All this activity provides benefit and hope for liberation and mundane prosperity. After all one of the most important is to a get masa-punya as far as possible in the given calendar of Life to everybody including gods and others. Everybody is born but never the Brahma who is Lord Purusha Narayana who is described as ‘ajayamanobahudhavijayate’ in Purushasukta of RV. It is said here that the Lord does not take birth but causes births to take place.

Besides all these festivals and vows (vratas) etc. in this month, the Sundays are auspicious and important. They are best days for Surya Anushthanas. The forms of rites and devotion like Arunaprasnaparayanam, Arunahomam and recitation of Surya Sahasranama, Adityahrudayamand more are observed these days depending on the convenience and time-scope. This is technically called as Maghabhanuvara.

All the days of this month bath before sunrise is precious. This is called as Maghasnanavratam. That itself brings merit, unknown cleansing, peace and prosperity (punya).

Thus this Magha-Masa is a month well liked by gods and more so the Goddess Saradadevi, Subrahmanyaswamy, Bhismacarya who is Vishnu Rupa only. On Purnima, Siva Parvatis, Goddess Anagha Devi, Anjaneya, Lord Narasimha, Lord Kumaraswamy etc. can be worshipped.

We have Magha Purana where we come across the super importance of this month. So let us get the special grace of the deities to smoothen our life free from hurdles and unwanted things.

‘Om namahsivayasivataraya ca.’

6 thoughts on “Ritualistic Significance of ‘Magha-Masa’ in Hindu Calendar”

  2. Comments By Dr. Shyam Deo Mishra –

    (i) Month is not a tool it is an auspicious time-frame that provides opportunity to reduce your paapa-phala (result of ill-deeds) by performing punya-karma (several daana-tapa-japa).
    (ii) Star is not the appropriate term for nakshatra. It is the English replacement for the word ‘Taaraka’ or ‘Taara’. Even in Surya-Siddhanta, the five planets viz. Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn are called as Taaraagrahaas (Star-planets). For ‘Nakshatra’ the quintessential words are ‘Asterism’ and ‘constellation’.
    (iii) Currently the 2nd month (Vaishaakha) is running in ‘Saumya Samvat’.
    (iv) According to the ‘Surya-Siddhanta’, starting from the Saturn’s orbit ( farthest orbit) the ‘Graha’ (planet) which comes 4th in descending orbital order, becomes the lord of next weekday.
    (v) In Padma-Purana, Nirnaya-sandhu, Kritya-tattva, the utmost significance of Snaana-karm in Magha maasa especially in river Ganga and other holly rivers is well described. Apart from this the Pitri-tarpana-karma is also recommended in this holly month especially on ‘Poornimaa’ because Maghaa nakshtra is the constellation of Pitri-devataa (deity of ancestors).

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  5. We have to add the caturthi tithi of this suddha paksha where Lord Ganesh is worshipped as described in Ganesha Purana, a briefing of this was made by Dr. Dhanajaya Ghare, IISc., Professor, Bangalore. It is said the Ganesh worship spree starts from today and goes for 30 days where with saqmpurna Ganesha aseervada would be in the the form of removal of doshas and obstacles and helping smooth life further. Faith and belief are foundations and acarana is the experience of the promises and fruits of the Anushtana. Krishna said in Bhagvad Gita ‘na me bhaktah pranasyanti uddharanti ca’. We may therefore add the Ganesha caturthi is auspicious time added in this sanctity of this month . A discourse given by Dr. Ghare is available on record would be in NVAK’S YouTube channel soon.

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  6. Significance of ‘Panchami’s and ‘Panchami_vrata’s in Vedic tradition.
    Theoretically there are 24 ‘Panchami’s’ in every one year and 26 in the third year with 13th ‘adhika’ or ‘mala’ maasa.
    1) If we imagine points in ‘Space’ S, E and M to represent the centers of gravity of Sun. Earth and Moon, then the arms ES and EM will be rotating like the arms of a clock.
    When, the arm EM completes a 360 deg, full rotation, with respect to the arm ES, the period is defined as one Indian vedic Lunar_month. i.e. ES and EM will be ovrlapping on each other at the start of each new month, Chaitra, Vaishaakha, etc.
    Similar to 12 hours in a clock, there are 12 Lunar_months in a normal one year period of a vedic Calendar.
    Similar to 12 hours in a clock, there are 12 ‘raashee’ star constellations in the celestial sphere zodiac.
    When the EM arm completes its one full rotation, the ES arm moves by 30 deg. Represented by one Raashee constellation. (This is also very similar to the movement of the Hour indicating arm by one hour I.e.30deg.)
    2) In any one ‘tithi’ period, the ES arm moves forward by (360/30=) 12 deg. From the arm EM.
    Therefore, in the shukla ‘panchami’ tithi period, the angle between ES and EM increases from 48 deg. to – 60 deg.
    During the kRushNa_panchami period this angle increases from (180+48=) 228 deg. to (180+60=)240 deg.
    3) Like the hour arm of a clock, the ES arm moves through one raashi constellation in a solar one month period, which is slightly larger than one “lunar_month” period. It completes the full rotation in 360 deg. In one vedic Solar_year covering all 12 raashi_sankramaNa events. Traditionally, in a vedic Solar_year, this annual rotation is counted starting from MeSha_sankramaNa and coming back to next consecutive MeSha_sankramaNa.
    In every lunar ‘Chaitra’ month, the Sun will therefore be residing and moving in the ‘Mesha’ raashee constellation area in the celestial sphere or zodiac.
    4)‘Chaitra’ shukla_panchami tithi is regarded (and recommended to be celebrated) as ‘Kalpaadi_tithi’ meaning the starting point of a ‘Kalpa’ period.
    4_A) It is also recommended to be celebrated as “Shree_panchami” with vratopavaaasa and worship of Goddess Laxmi.
    4_B) It is also recommended to be celebrated as “dolotsava” (वार्षिक_चैत्रा_गौरी दोलोत्सव ) or cradle_riding playful spiritual_entertainment, for ‘chaitraa_gauree’ vrata performers. The period for this चैत्रा_गौरी_vrata is of one month from Chaitra_shukla_truteeyaa (known as गौरी_तृतीया ) to vaishaakha_shukla_truteeyaa (known as अक्षय_तृतीया ).
    4_C) On ‘Chaitra’ shukla_panchami tithi, it is also recommended to celebrate “matsyaavataara_Jayanti”, “Hayagreeva_vrata”, “PRuthvee_vrata” etc.
    5) On ‘AShaaDha_shukla_panchami tithi’ period, it is recommended to perform and celebrate the Vaayu_panchami_vrata. A cane with holes drilled in all directions similar to a flute is placed in open air and sound due to natural wind blowing through these holes is respectfully listened as a blessing hiss from the Vaayu_devataa. It is believed that the “Vaayu_devataa” blessfully conveys “शुभाशुभ_फल” in a ‘Dream’ to the vrata_performer next day, in early morning dream_period.
    6) On ‘ShraavaNa_shukla_panchami tithi’ period, it is recommended to perform and celebrate the naaga_panchami_vrata. ‘Nava_naaga_devataa’ statues are installed on a platform surrounding a banyan_tree or an ashvattha_tree near almost every temple complex in every Indian village and similar size localities in all Indian cities. These statues are worshiped (following special panchopachaara or ShoDashopachaara procedures) and some restrictions on dieting and use of cooking tools like knifes etc. are followed. In some special villages or towns, (e.g. in ‘Battisa_shiraaLaa’ town in Sangli district of Maharashtra, India ) hundreds of “Live_snakes” are caught from nearby agricultural fields and brought to human habitats and men, women & children are trained to get friendly and become accustomed with their presence, without fear and hatred towards such species of animals. These species are normally friendly with human species and help agriculture by eating & controlling the rat population in agricultural fields.

    7) On ‘Bhaadrapada_shukla_panchami tithi’ period, it is recommended to perform and celebrate the Rushi_panchami_vrata. The vrata performer worships the famous 7_brahmarshi_sages and avoids to consume any food_preparations made from grains grown with efforts of bulls etc. in the agricultural fields. In modern era of us of Tractors for tilling the agricultural fields, this food restriction is not of much relevance.
    8) On ‘Ashvina_shukla_panchami tithi’ period, it is recommended to perform and celebrate the Goddess Lalitaa’s Lalitaa_panchami or Upaanga_lalitaa_vrata. This day is one of the annual Shaaradaa_navaraatre_vrata period, or ‘nava_durgaa_pujaa’ starting with ‘ghaTa_sthaapanaa’ on Ashvina_shukla_pratipadaa’ and “udyaapana” on ‘Vijayaa_dashamee’.
    9) On ‘Kaartika_shukla_panchami tithi’ period, it is recommended to perform and celebrate the PaanDava_panchami_vrata. The five fold incarnations of Lord_Indra, famous as “PaanDava’s” are worshiped along with Goddess ‘IndraaNi’ or ‘Shachi’ incarnated as “draupadee”.
    10)On ‘Maagha_shukla_panchami tithi’ period, it is recommended to perform and celebrate the “Vasanta_panchami”_vrata. It is also called as “Madana_Panchami” and is related with the birth of “Pradyumna”, the son of Lord_KrushNa, and an incarnation of Lord_Kaama_deva, the son of Lord_VishNu and Goddess Laxmi. The pauraanic character ‘Vasanta’ (is perhaps “Pradyumna” or an another less known incarnation of ‘Lord_Kaamadeva’ : symbolically born on this day.
    Further, The ‘Rutu’ period of 2 months “Chaitra_Vaishaakha” is called as ‘Vasanta_Rutu’. It is the most pleasant time period (in the Indian_subcontinent) with moderate day temperatures, beautiful dry weather, maximum flowering of trees and their pleasant smell in the air etc.

    10_A) Traditionally, Goddess ‘Sarasvatee’ is being worshiped on “Vasanta_panchami”. She is also called as ‘VaaNee’, ‘Vaagdevataa’, etc. In spiritual sense, she represents the divine ability to choose correct (or perfect) words and construct the meaningful sentences to express one’s thoughts, emotions, opinions, demands, requirements etc. (and therefore holds a symbolic book in one hand). She is the inspiration to creativity and musical rhymes. Rhythms, etc. (and therefore holds a symbolic musical instrument ‘VeeNaa’ in another hand).
    Traditionally, on ‘Maagha_shukla_panchami or “Vasanta_panchami”, small children were being initiated into the educational arena, by teaching them to perform the worship of Goddess Sarasvatee and introducing them to read and write the graphical symbolic representations of some selected spoken sounds.

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