The Glory of Chaturmasa

The chapter ‘Chaturmasya Mahatmaya’ in the Brahma Khanda of Skanda Purana states:

In the four months of the rainy season, from the Ekadashi of the bright fortnight of Ashadha when the Sun is in the Cancer to the Ekadashi of the bright fortnight of Kartika, Lord Vishnu sleeps on the serpent-bed. This period is pious and most appropriate for devotion to Lord Vishnu. All holy waters, holy places, temples, charities and merits take shelter in Lord Vishnu. One bathing in a river in the Chaturmasa becomes accomplished, and if one bathes in holy waters, one’s sins are destroyed.

If one mixes sesame seeds and amla powder, or bilva-patras (wood-apple leaves) in water and takes a bath with this water, he will get purged of all sins. Putting a couple of bilva-patras in a bucket of water and bathing with such water after japa of ‘Om Namah Sivaya’ is particularly beneficial. It safeguards one’s health and alleviates disorders of the wind humor.

As Lord Vishnu sleeps in the water during Chaturmasa, water is impregnated with Lord Vishnu’s potency. A bath in the water so impregnated is higher in religious merit than bathing in all the holy water on earth. Apart from the time of an eclipse, one should not bathe in the evening or at night. Bathing with warm water too is interdicted.

Chaturmasa is an excellent period imbued with all virtues. One should earnestly devote oneself to garnering religious merit during this period. If one doesn’t take up the practice of yoga with faith and earnestness in Chaturmasa, one has virtually let go of a pot of nectar. One with a wiser sense should try always to keep his mind under control, for mind control is a pre-requisite for attainment of Supreme Knowledge.

Acts like misappropriation and adultery are always forbidden but should be particularly eschewed in Chaturmasa.

Compassion to living beings is particularly recommended in Chaturmasa and the giving of food, water and cows etc. reading of scriptures and fire sacrifices afford immense religious merit. Giving food bestows the highest religious merit. It can be given at any time of the day; it can be given even to one’s enemies.

It is a rare virtue to have the inclination to abide by dharma, to serve the saints, have darshana and satsanga of saints to worship Lord Vishnu and practice almsgiving in Chaturmasa.

If one, for the sake of the Lord’s pleasure, voluntarily forswears sense-enjoyments dear to one’s heart in Chaturmasa, one gets those sense-enjoyments in unlimited quantity. One doing so with full faith gets immense religious merit.

One not using metal utensils and taking food on Palasha leaves in Chaturmasa attains to Brahma Bhava (God-consciousness). One should particularly refrain from taking food in copper utensils during Chaturmasa. Wearing black and blue is harmful in Chaturmasa. One, who refrains from shaving in Chaturmasa, saves himself from the three – fold afflictions (tritapa). Sleeping on the ground, observing brahmacharya, eating on leaves, fasting, Mauna (silence), japa, meditation and charities in Chaturmasa are especially beneficial.

Slandering others should be particularly avoided in Chaturmasa. Even listening to slander regarding anybody is sinful.

Parninda mahapaapam parninda mahabhayam
Parninda mahdadukhsm na tasyah patakam param

‘Slander is a huge sin; it is great fear; it is highly distressing; there is no sin more heinous than slander.
(Skanda Purana, Brahma Khanda
Chaturmasa Mahatmya 4.25)
Observing brahmacharya is the greatest among the pious vows. Brahmacharya is the essence of all penance and bestows the highest merit. Therefore, take recourse to brahmacharya in all manners. Brahmacharya leads to the highest in austerity. There is no greater means of dharma than brahmacharya. The vow of brahmacharya is particularly more rewarding in Chaturmasa.

If one remains steadfast and takes moderate quantities of food only once in a day throughout Chaturmasa, he gets absolved of all sins and goes to Lord Vishnu’s abode. One eating only a single cereal throughout Chaturmasa is saved from diseases. One taking only one meal in a day in Chaturmasa attains religious merit of performing twelve fire sacrifices. One living on milk or fruit alone gets thousands of this sins destroyed.

Complete fasting on one out of fifteen days destroys all ailments of the body and converts all the food taken in past fourteen days into ojas. That is why fasting on Ekadashi is so highly celebrated. One living a married life can do with fasting only on the Ekadashi falling in the bright fortnight but one should fast on both Ekadashis in Chaturmasa.

Lord Vishnu sleeps in yognidra during Chaturmasa; therefore, no marriages or other ceremonies or sacrifices with desire of future reward should be performed in Chaturmasa. This four month period is for austerities.