The Significance of the ‘Vrat’ or Fast of Vinayak Chaturthi
By: Future Point | 29-Jan-2021
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Lord Ganesh adorns many names and one of them is ‘Vighna Vinashak’ which means the ‘Vanquisher of Obstacles’. A person can achieve great success in life by the grace of Lord Ganesh and accomplish wonders that would have otherwise seemed impossible to achieve in life.
As per the Hindu Lunar Calendar, the 4th ‘Tithi’ (Date) of the ‘Shukla Paksha’ (Waxing Phase of the Moon) of a Lunar Month is associated with Lord Ganesh. It is called the ‘Vinayak Chaturthi’.
Worshipping Lord Ganesh on Vinayak Chaturthi has great significance as per the holy scriptures. One can easily receive the Grace of Lord Ganesh by performing a ‘Vrat’ or Fast on Vinayak Chaturthi.
A Vrat or Fast is essentially a Vedic Ritual that results in pleasing the Deity for which it is performed and brings the blessings of the Deity in the life of the person who performs that Vrat.
However, a Vrat has an extremely powerful divine element attached to it and hence must be performed while following all ritualistic procedures as prescribed in the holy scriptures. To know the proper procedure and rituals that must be followed in order to successfully perform a Vinayak Chaturthi Vrat, contact Future Point and consult with highly learned Vedic Professionals who would help you in receiving the Grace of Lord Ganesh in your life.
While a Vinayak Chaturthi comes every month but the one that comes in the Lunar month of ‘Bhadrapada’ is very special. A Vrat performed on the Vinayak Chaturthi of Bhadrapada is said to please Lord Ganesh very easily and brings great fortunes in the life of a person.
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‘Ganesh Katha’ for Vinayak Chaturthi Vrat
There is a ‘Katha’ or story in the 'Puranas' that is recited or listened to during the Vinayak Chaturthi Vrat.
Once, Goddess Parvati was applying herbal paste on Her body while preparing for a bath. During that time She wished to have a son. So She scraped off some of that herbal paste from Her arms and made a little clay figure resembling a boy. She then infused life into that clay figure and a versy beautiful young baby boy appeared in front of Her.
Her happiness knew no bounds upon seeing that beautiful child. She then told that child that She is going to take a bath inside a cave and asked the baby boy to guard the entrance of the cave and not allow anyone to enter until She comes out of it.
The baby boy obeying his mother's command started guarding the cave. Soon, Lord Shiva arrived there and when He was just about to enter the cave, the child stopped Him.
Lord Shiva asked him- 'Who are you and why are you stopping me from going inside the cave?'
The child replied- 'I am my mother's son and she has ordered me to not allow anyone from entering the cave till she comes out.'
Not knowing who the child is and who he is referring to as his mother, Lord Shiva politely tried to convince the child to step aside but the child refused and asked Lord Shiva to go back.
This infuriated Lord Shiva and He took His Trident and severed the head of that child.
Right at that time, Goddess Parvati came out of that cave and saw Her child lying dead with his head severed from his body.
Upon knowing all that has happened, Her anger led Her to take an extremely ferocious form and She decided to end the entire Creation itself.
This made all the Gods tremble in fear and they pleaded to Lord Shiva to save everyone from Goddess Parvati's wrath.
Lord Shiva tried to pacify Her but She refused and demanded that if Her child is not returned to Her alive & healthy immediately then She would end everything and take the Creation back to absolute nothing.
Lord Shiva immediately ordered His 'Ganas' (servants) to bring the head of a little boy who is sleeping and his mother is asleep as well with her back towards the boy.
The Ganas started looking everywhere but couldn't find a mother & boy who fit that description.
Soon, they found a baby elephant who was sleeping and the mother elephant was also asleep with her back towards her baby. Being short on time and not sure whether they would find a human boy in such a condition soon, the Ganas came back with the head of the baby elephant.
With time running out for infusing life into Goddess Parvati's child, Lord Shiva decided to go ahead and put the head of the baby elephant on the body of Goddess Parvati's child and brought him back to life.
Goddess Parvati was not pleased by attaching an elephant's head to Her son and said that everyone will now make fun of Her child.
Lord Shiva immediately declared that from now on, Her child will be worshipped first & foremost before all other Gods & Goddesses in all the rituals. Lord Shiva also made the boy the 'Commander of the Ganas' and gave him the name- Ganesh.
Soon, other Gods & Goddesses showered multiple boons on that child. This pleased Goddess Parvati and She calmed down.
Since then, Lord Ganesh is always worshipped first in all the Vedic Rituals. Lord Ganesh is the deity that blesses His devotees with 'Buddhi' (Intelligence/Wisdom) and dispels obstacles from their lives.
The Procedure of Vinayak Chaturthi Vrat
- A devotee must take bath before Sunrise and wear clean clothes on Vinayak Chaturthi before worshiping Lord Ganesh.
- While beginning the ‘Ganesh Pooja’, the devotee should chant the mantra to involve Lord Ganesh and thereafter offer Flowers, Durva Grass, Sandalwood, Curd, Sweets and Betel Leaf.
- The devotee should then light a ‘Deep’ or Lamp as well as incense and start the ‘Paath’ (recitation) of Ganesh Katha.
- The devotee can himself/herself recite the Ganesh Katha or listen to it from someone else.
- Post the Paath of Ganesh Katha, ‘Aarti’ should be performed and the ‘Prasad’ should be distributed among all.
- In the evening, the devotee should worship Lord Ganesh and complete the Vrat the next day by having fruits.
If you wish to know the detailed & exact procedure for Vinayak Chaturthi Vrat as prescribed in the Purana and the dates for Vinayak Chaturthi Vrat 2021, then consult with the highly learned Vedic Experts of Future Point who will guide you all the way and help you to successfully conduct the Ganesh Pooja that forms an integral part of this Vrat!