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Katyayani Vrata- The Sacred Vow!

Katyayani Vrata- The Sacred Vow!

by | Dec 14, 2024 | Festivals

Vrindavan is a holy land with myriad of holy tales, and a girl called Lalita lived there. She belonged to a family who had great belief in Lord Krishna, and she grew up listening to the glorious stories and wisdom of Lord Krishna. She also became a devotee of Lord Krishna, but she was looking for a more divine connection with God in her life! That’s when her grandmother narrated the story of the Katyayani Vrata. It is a sacred vow taken by the gopis to invoke the blessings of Goddess Katyayani!

So in this story of Katyayani Vrata, the gopis of Vrindavangatehred by the river Yamuna and performed the Katyayani Vrata with pure devotion and love for Lord Krishna. They got up every day and went down for an entire month to bathe in the holy waters of the river Yamuna and offered their prayers to Goddess Katyayani, the sixth form of Durga.

The groups chanted “evi Katyayani, Maha-maye, Maha-yogini Adhiswari, Nanda-Gopa-Sutam Devi, Patim Me Kurute Namah,” and offered fresh butter, flowers, and earthen lamps and were pleased with the prayers and offerings, Goddess Katyayani blessed them, and Krishna Himself became the ultimate fulfilment of their desires.

The Importance of Katyayani Vrata

Katyayani Vrata has its roots in Skanda Purana and other ancient scriptures, and it is a proven practice that has the power to bless devotees with fulfillment and divine connection.

The Goddess Katyayani is born with the combined energies of the Trimurtis—Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. She is believed to be a warrior Goddess who destroyed the demon Mahishasura. She is filled with divine feminine energy called Shakti that nurtures, protects, and guides her devotees.

So, at ISKCON Delhi, the devotees learn that if you are looking for something that will help you overcome the obstacles in your spiritual and personal life, then Katyayani Vrata is the answer!

Know the Rituals Related To Katyayani Vrata

Lalita, who wanted to have a deep connection with the Lord, began her journey with Margashirsha on the first day of the month. She would begin at dawn, bathe, dress up and then offer fruits, incense, and ghee lamps to a clay idol of Goddess Katyayani. She also chanted the sacred mantra taught by her grandmother, immersing herself in its vibrations. She also visited River Yamuna with her friends, just like the gopis, to recite prayers, sing kirtans, and share stories of Krishna.

The whole thing ended with the vrata on the Purnima (full moon) of Margashirsha and a puja by the family!

Know The Benefits of Katyayani Vrata

1. Divine Guidance: It sets you as a devotee on the spiritual path, enabling you to make life decisions with harmony and dharma.

2. Good Relationships: If you are a woman looking for a righteous and spiritually compatible life partner, then Katyayani Vrata is best for you.

3. Removal of Obstacles: You can overcome your obstacles, whether material, emotional, or spiritual.

4. Inner Strength: You gain inner strength with the spiritual power gained!

5. Enhanced Bhakti: As you observe the vrata, your spiritual connection with the Lord strengthens.

The Eternal Outcomes of Katyayani Vrata

Continuing the story of Lalitha, the observation of Katyayani Vrata for a month brought her inner calm and peace with her prayers to Goddess Katyayani. In the end, she also gained a great sense of confidence. She was confident that KKrishna’sgrace would lead her at every turn and that her path was blessed.

Come to ISKCON Delhi and draw inspiration from the Gopis and Lalita. Practice Katyayani Vrata with faith and devotion, bringing you the blessings of Goddess Katyayani, who will put you on the path of spirituality, enrich your life, and bring about a divine connection with the Lord!

ISKCON Delhi and Its Role in Katyayani Vrata

ISKCON Delhi is where you can get guidance as a devotee to practice Katyayani Vrata. They organise special programs during Margashirsha when Katyayani Vrata is traditionally performed. You get to participate in bhajans, kirtans, preachings of Bhagavad Gita, and rituals invoking Goddess Katyayani.

You can also participate in sankirtan yajnas, and you do not haveddon’thave to worry about the materials required, like flowers, ghee lamps, or prasadam, as all is provided, enabling you to focus on the performance of your vrata with ease. The outcomes are profound, and you experience spirituality, peace, happiness, and clarity regarding your life purpose.

ISKCON Delhi plays a crucial role in both preserving and promoting Katyayani Vrata!

Wrap up!

The Katyayani Vrata is a great act where you surrender your desires to Goddess Katyayani and embrace the grace of Lord Krishna. As Srila Prabhupada said, “he real perfection of life is to please Lord Krishna and to always remain in His service.”

Your Smallest act of Charity can make a difference and bring smiles to Needy Faces.

Mokshada Ekadashi

Mokshada Ekadashi

by | Jun 5, 2024 | Ekadashi

Ekadashi of Margashirsha month is also called Mokshada Ekadashi. On the day of Mokshada Ekadashi, our ancient religious text Shrimad Bhagavad Gita was also born from the mouth of Lord Shri Krishna. In our Indian culture, the Gita of Shrimad Bhagavad is revered and exemplary. This is the only such book in our entire world, whose birth anniversary is also celebrated as Gita Jayanti in the whole country. The essence of Vedic texts is hidden in the Gita, which Lord Sri Lord Krishna told Arjuna with his Sri Mukha during the war of Mahabharata.

In the Gita, Lord Krishna told Arjuna that one who surrenders to Shrimad Bhagavad with complete devotion and respect. There is no effect of any foul misdeeds on that person. Mokshada Ekadashi was when Shrimad Bhagwat was descended on this holy land. Anyone who follows the principles laid down in the Bhagavad Gita, this religious book, never gets hurt in his life, and they get the solution of all the problems of their life in it.

In the Brahmanda Purana, Lord Krishna told Yudhishthira about the Ekadashi coming on the Shukla Paksha of Margashirsha month.

Once the Pandava’s son Shri Yudhishthira Maharaj asked Lord Shri Krishna that Oh Lord, you are the Lord of all the three worlds, you are the one who gives happiness to all, and you are the savior of the world, all the people are your well-wishers, I salute you, Lord, you clear one of my doubts. Would you please tell me the name of the Ekadashi of the month of Margashirsha? Which deity is worshiped on this day, what is its method, please tell me about the most important.

Lord Shri Krishna told Yudhishthira that, Yudhisthira, you have asked an excellent question. With this question, your fame will spread all over the world.

Margashirsha Ekadashi is the destroyer of many sins, and its name is Mokshada Ekadashi. On this day, Lord Damodar is worshiped with incense lamps, Naivedya, Tulsi Manjari, etc. The story of Ekadashi is as follows.

In ancient times, the Vaikhanas kings used to rule in Champak city. Brahmins, who knew all the four Vedas, also lived in his kingdom, and they used to take care of their subjects like a son. One night, the king saw his father suffering the tortures of hell in his dream. In this way, seeing the night dreams, the king became very worried, and he became very disturbed and called the pundits in the morning and told them about this dream.

kings father in hell mokshada ekadashi-1

The king told the brahmins that I saw my father suffering the torment of hell at night. In a dream, the king’s father said to him, ” Son, I am suffering a lot in this hell. Get me free from this hell. I am not relieved to hear these words of my father. I do not feel that the whole kingdom is pleasing to me. I am not feeling anything good. What should I do, where should I go, O Brahmin gods, please tell me the solution of this problem so that I can free my father from that hell? If I do not free my father from that hell, then my life on this earth is meaningless. That is why, please tell me a solution to this problem as soon as possible.

Hearing this pain of the king, all the Brahmins had some discussions with each other and told the king that O king, the knower of the past, the present, the present, the mountain Mahamuni, lives nearby here. If you go to him and tell his real suffering, he will free you from this problem. Then the king went to the sage’s hermitage. In that ashram, many other sages were engaged in penance with a calm mind. Mount Muni, the knower of the four Vedas, looked like Brahma.

The king bowed to him and gave his complete introduction. The king told the sage that everything was well in my kingdom, but suddenly a problem came in front of me, due to which my heart had become wholly disturbed. The king, weeping in the night’s dream, told his father what was bothering him in front of the mountain sage. And requested Munishwar that you please tell me such a way by which I can get my father free from that hell.

The mountain sage listened carefully to the king’s whole thing, closed his eyes, and started contemplating the past and future. After that, the sage told the king that I have acquired the knowledge of all your father’s misdeeds. Your father had discriminated against his wives so much that he has to suffer this hell. Then King Vaikhanas prayed to Munishwar in pleading words that you should show some way of his salvation.

Then the mountain sage told the king that the Ekadashi, which comes in the Shukla Paksha of the month of Margashirsha, is called Mokshada Ekadashi. This Ekadashi is going to give salvation. By taking the resolution of fasting on this Ekadashi, you can free your father from this hell. Your father will get saving due to fasting on this Ekadashi. Hearing such words of king Parvat Muni, he returned to his kingdom and, together with his family, fasted on Mokshada Ekadashi. Due to the effect of fasting on Mokshada Ekadashi, the king offered his virtue to his father. Then the king’s father got freedom from that hell.

Shri Krishna told Yudhishthira that those who observe a fast on Mokshada Ekadashi of Shukla Paksha of this Margashirsha month, all their sins are destroyed, and they get a place in the higher lokas. There is no other fast that bestows salvation than the fasting of this fast. This fast is like a Chintamani, which gives salvation. By observing this quickly, all the wishes of a person are fulfilled.

That is why the fast of Mokshada Ekadashi is said to be the best for all human beings who desire salvation. This fast should be done with complete devotion and devotion in front of Lord Shri Hari.

On the auspicious occasion of Mokshada Ekadashi, various significant books like Bhagavad Gita in the form of scriptures will be distributed in all the temples of ISKCON. This divine message of God can be passed on to all the people. All of you have become a participant in this holy work. Make your life bright and successful by buying all these books, studying them, distributing them elsewhere.

Moreover, you can also get your copy of Bhagavad Gita from- www.BuyGita.in

Your Smallest act of Charity can make a difference and bring smiles to Needy Faces.