Chaturmasya vows pertaining to Krishna - worship.
Chaturmasya vows pertaining to Krishna - worship.
Shri Narayan Muni said:-
‘so far I have told you vows common for all. Now I am explaining specific vows that are to be observed by my devotees following proper rituals. 1.
On Ekadashi day of bright half of Ashadh month after taking bath, seated in front of the idol of Krishna or in the presence of some devotee of Krishna, observing religious duties steadfastly, one should resolve to assume Chaturmasya vow to please the Lord. 2-3
One should say, ‘O Lord, I am taking this vow before you by your grace. May it be accomplished without any interruption. While observing this vow, O Lord, if I meet death, let the vow be considered as completed.’ 4 - 5.
Praying thus to Lord Govind, a man should begin to act according to the sacred vow by abiding its essential requisites. 6.
A married woman should not take the vow on her own. She should seek her husband’s permission. Otherwise it will cause conflict in the household. 7.
Be it a commoner or an ascetic, one should take vow according to one’s position and ability and abide by it without fail. 8.
If any difficulty arises because of adversity of time or place, do your best with this thought in mind that ‘Krishna knows everything’. 9.
Every day reading, listening or loud recitation and narration (Kirtan) of the main Puran, the Bhagvat, should be done (during chaturmas). 10.
In case of listening, the respected reader should be honoured and be given food etc. according to one’s ability; and when Kirtan and recitation is arranged, Brahmins and sages should be honoured and ceremonial worship of the consort of Ram should be performed. These three vows (Sravan, Kirtan, and Pathan) are said to be meritorious. They should be observed with full respect. In the same way reading etc. of the tenth canto of Bhagavat is advised. 11-13.
Worship of Krishna with good, selected substances available, three times a day, in the morning, noon and in the evening is also to be done, and ceremonial worship on the concluding day as told before. 14.
Chanting a thousand names of Krishna, circumambulating and prostrating before Krishna (every day) are also commendable vows. 15.
Bead-string chanting Krishna Nam in hundreds every day according to one’s capacity, is to my mind, the greatest vow. 16.
At the completion of these vows, grand ceremonial worship of Krishna should be done along with worship of his devotees. At the conclusion of Jap i.e. chanting vow, offering oblations in sacred fire, should be done. 17.
Offering sandal-paste (flowers) etc. or offering pure good food every day to the Vaisnavs are two more of the vows. 18.
At the end of these two vows, ceremonial worship of the devotees of Krishna with clothes, utensils etc. and giving food should be done. 19.
One should abstain from falsehood, anger and inflicting pain to others knowingly, by all means, always. At the same time one should not eat oil etc., raw sugar and salt, should observe celibacy and leave aside self-pride. 20-21.
With all these various vows, worship of Shri Hari should be done to the best of one’s ability every day. Only then would those vows please Shri Hari’. 22.
On the concluding day ascetics, absorbed in the service of Krishna, should be respectfully honored with clothes, good food, etc. 23.
Of all the vows I have related so far, those pertaining to Krishna are of utmost importance. 24.
Vows prescribed by Puranas and those done with a view to desired fruits are not agreeable to me, because they yield insignificant and mean results. 25.
To those with minds full of desires and of rustic nature, such vows or rites are to be prescribed that they may refrain from their usual practices and feel interested in religious ones for their own good.
Because of bad company people desirous of pleasures get attracted and attached to sensuality. But there they derive little satisfaction (so they become more desirous). Hence they get stuck up in the chain of birth and death. 26 - 27.
Wise people do not exert themselves for worldly pleasures like having wife, children, wealth and possession of cattle like cows etc. They are firm in their faith that these come according to one’s fate. 28.
One who wishes to do good to himself should act and strive in such a way that the Lord and his devotees get pleased. 29.
One who will not observe Chaturmasya vow to his ability, will go to hell hereafter and from there will be born as an insect (on this earth). 30.
O good-natured one, out of the vows that I have explained so far, my followers should observe at least one steadfastly. 31.
One the twelfth day of bright half of Kartik month, Krishna should be worshipped with words like, ‘O Lord, I have observed this vow to please you. May my vow be fully accomplished by your grace, in spite of any shortcomings.’ 32. - 33.
Thus concluding the vow, one should offer meals to the sages and Brahmins and should then break his fast by taking meals with his friends and relatives. 34.
Those men who comply with the rites of the vow which are laid down by the Holy Scriptures and the sages for the good of the people, they get good name and righteous qualities like purity of intellect and highest happiness in the abode of the Lord supreme. 35.
Thus ends the Forty-second chapter entitled ‘Narration of rites of Chaturmasya vows’ in the second Prakarana of Satsangijivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 42
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