(July 1974)
The last day of the last month (June 1974) was the Ashadhi Ekadashiday. Everywhere we could hear the Bhajan and "Dnyanoba Tukaram" which is-a speciality of Ashadhi Ekadashi. It is because of this special feature that this Ekadashi is known to one and all but apart from this importance of this Ekadashi this day has got some further importance also. It signifies the advent of Chaturmas-the collection of four holy months of the year.
Our country is
a country of farmers. We are mainly depending on the crops that we reap after
the monsoon. We are still depending mainly on the rain for our annual food
production. These days of monsoon are therefore very important for us. It may
be because of this peculiar position that the months of monsoon have synchronised
with our holy months of the year.
The
"Chaturmas" begins on the Ekadashi in the month of Ashadha and ends
with the Ekadashi in the month of Kartik. During these four months we have lot
of festivals. Some are religious in nature while others have a social
significance and importance-Immediately after the advent of Chaturmas we get
the Guru Poornima. Thereafter comes the month of Shravana. This month is full
of important days. Shravana Mondays are important for the worship of Lord
Shankar. The Poornima in this month is the Narali Poornima which marks the end
of heavy rain and the throwing of the coconut in the sea appeases the sea and
it calms down.
The Nag
Panchami which is famous for the worship of the serpents and the Gokul Ashtami
which is the day of the worship of Lord Krishna are both coming in this month.
The atmosphere js quite gay in this month. There is greenary everywhere, The
crops are growing with full bloom in the fields. All trees are decorated with
flowers of varied colours, which are competing with the colours of the Rainbow.
Nature and the minds of the people are hilarious. It is therefore no wonder
that our forefathers, who were having perfect communion with nature, included
this month of Shravan in the four holy months of the year.
Bhadrapad, the
next month is a month of festivals. The first half of the month is dedicated to
the worship of Ganapati. In Maharashtra this festival is Celebrated in two
ways. The idol worsip is done in individual houses and in the public festivals
lectures, music programmes and other items of entertainment are held for all
the ten days. Mile long processions are a common feature at the time of the
immersion of the idol of Ganapati. The second half of this month is dedicated
to the remembrance of the forefathers who have gone to heaven. In this period
everybody is expected to feed his near relatives at the religious ceremony
which is held in memory of the departed souls. During this fortnight every
house is echoing with the Sweet memories of the departed ancestors.
The month of
Ashwin starts with the "Navratri" as it is called in Maharashtra and
Gujarat. Public programmes of entertainment are held during all the nine
nights in this festival and Dasara marks the end of this festival. In Bengal
this festival is called "Durga-Pooja" and there it has importance
even more than the Diwali festival. The Schools will be having holidays. The
magazines will be bringing special "Pooja" numbers and the Railways
will be offering special concessions for traveling. The Dasara processions at
Mysore and Baroda were quite famous for their pomp and splendour.
The Poornima in
this month is known as "The Kojagiri Poornima." During the days of
monsoon the sky is usually overcast with clouds and the moon can hardly be
seen. Hence we are more or less deprived of the beauty and splendour of the
moonlight. On this full moon day the sky is usually bright and clear and the
people enjoy this moonlight on a large scale. Games are played and coffee and
milk are drunk during the whole of the night especially by the young
generation.
The second half
of the Ashwin is spent in making preparation for the Diwali festival, which
comes at the end of Ashwin. This festival is the most important festival of the
year in the Maharashtra and Gujarat states. Feasting with your friends and
relatives is the common way of enjoyment during this festival. Illuminations
are also done on a large scale in this festival, because the very name of the
festival Diwali or Deepawali (a row of lights) refers to illumination. The
magazines in the aforesaid states have their special numbers for Diwali and
they are widely read. New clothes are usually prepared for the festival and
even gold and pearl ornaments are often made for the occasion. Firing of
crackers is a favourite pass time of the children during these days and because
people are in a purchasing mood the shopkeepers are declaring "grand
reduction sales" in the Diwali season. The newly-wed couples always celebrate
their first Diwali on a grand scale and the son-in-law will always be fondled
and entertained at the time of the first Diwali after the marriage by the
Father-in-law and Mother-in-law. The last two days of Ashwin and the first two
days of Kartik are usually the days of the Diwali festival. The Ekadashi in the
first half of the month of Kartik marks the end of the Chaturmas.
It will be seen
from the aforesaid festivals, that are celebrated during the Chaturmas every
year, that these four months of the year are the months of festival. Out of
these festivals a large number consists of religious functions. Our forefathers
have always had the foresight of linking up our physical well being with our
religious practices. Hence in a number of festivals the fast has been linked up
as a part of the religious festival. The Mondays in the month of Shravan, the
Gokul Ashtami and Ekadashi days are all the days of fast. The days of monsoon
are not usually healthy days in our country. Where river water was being used
for drinking, it used to become turbid and this new water was likely to be
contaminated. Hence observance of fast used to counteract these unhealthy
conditions and help the people to maintain their health.
Observance of certain vows for Chaturmas is a common practice. Those readers who, must have been reading the issues of this magazine closely must have observed that Yogiraj Vasudevanand Saraswati used to observe some special vow during every Chaturmas. During these four months he used to have some special religious practices. Hence we all as Sai devotees, must also undertake to have some religious vow during the Chaturmas. The religious vows are of various nature. Some religious books like Mahabharat, Bhagwat or Sai Satcharit could be read everyday according to the time available to everyone. Somebody could undertake to pay a daily visit to a certain temple. Others could take a vow to do "jap" of a certain mantra for a certain number of times everyday. Abstaining from a certain daily eatable like tea, coffee, sugar, rice, wheat etc. for Chaturmas is also another vow which certain people are taking. The vow may be anything. The details of each vow might be different; but they are ultimately meant for attaining peace of mind, control over the mind, conservation of energy etc. The real meaning of life is sacrifice and not enjoyment. Hence the proper meaning of observance of the Chaturmas should be understood and we should do well to behave in this period in such a way that the Chaturmas will be utilized utmost for religious, purposes.