Describing the significance and glory of the month of Mahg it is said that Lord Sri Hari is not pleased so much by observance of pious vows, charities and tapasyā as He is just by taking a bath in the Brahmamuhurta (the period of two and a half hours before sunrise) in the month of Magh. Therefore everybody should take bath in the Brahmamuhurta in the month of Magh so as to get delivered of sins and to be blessed with love for the Lord. The bathing for the month of Magh starts from the Purnima of the month of Pausha.
The peculiar quality of the month of Magh is that in this month, all the water is equivalent to the water of Ganga. Every day of this month is a festival. If because of weakness one is unable to take a vow of taking bath in the Brahmamuhurta in the whole of the month of Magh, the scriptures allow that such a vow should be taken for three days or at least for one day. Bath, charity, fasting and worship in this month is highly rewarding.
The Ekadshi of Magh (falling on 21st January) is known as ‘Shatatila Ekadashi’. Donating black sesame seeds and black cow on this day is considered to be of great religious merit. Taking a bath with water mixed with sesame seeds, smearing sesame unguent, fire sacrifice with sesame seeds as oblation, drinking water mixed with sesame seeds, eating sesame seeds and donating sesame seeds – these six things are destroyers of sin.
The Amavasya of Magh (no Moon day falling on 26th of January) is known as ‘Mauni Amavasya’. Keeping silent or conduction oneself like a sage on this pious day along with taking bath and giving charities is full of great religious merit. If, as is happening this year, the ‘Mauni Amavasya’ falls on Monday, it is full of so much religious merit as is difficult to attain even for gods because all the holy places on the earth and in the heavens – afford particularly great religious merit for japa, meditation and worship on a Monday Amavasya.
Amavasya on Monday, seventh lunar day on Sunday, fourth lunar day on Tuesday, eighth lunar day Wednesday – these four days are equivalent to solar eclipse. Taking bath, giving charities and performing Shraddha on these days affords inexhaustible religious merit.
The fifth lunar day of bright fortnight of Magh (Vasant Panchami) is believed to be the manifestation-day of Ma Saraswati. One should worship Ma Saraswati in the morning on this day (31st January). Ma Saraswati is believed to reside in the books and pens as welll. Therefore, these articles too are worshipped on this day.
The seventh lunar day of bright fortnight of Magh (2nd February) is known as ‘Achala Saptami’. One should take only one meal on the sixth lunar day and should take bath before sunrise on the seventh. This destroys sins and affords handsomeness, happiness, good fortune and good spiritual state.
That way, each day of Magh is pious; yet the Magh Purnima (9th February) is highly significant. Worship of the Lord, Shrāddha and charities performed on this day after ablutions is of great religious merit. One performing puja of Lord Shiva prescribed manner attains religious merit equal to that from performing an ashwamedha yajna and finds a place in Lord Vishnu’s abode.
Giving away of sesame seeds, cotton clothes, blankets, jewels, turbans, and shoes etc. as per one’s capacity on the Magh Purnima affords one happiness and a place in the heavens. According to Matsya Purana, one who donates Brahma-Vaivarta Purana on this day attains to the abode of Lord Brahma.
Vedanta does not say, ‘Know yourself.’ Everyone knows oneself. Someone knows oneself to be poor and tries to be rich. Another one knows oneself to be sick and wants to be healthy. Someone knows oneself to be short and exercises to grow taller. Someone knows oneself t be dark complexioned and tries various remedies to become fair.
No, Vedanta does not say that. Vedanta says: ‘Know yourself to be God.’ The root cause of misfortune in life is not general ignorance, but ignorance about the all important fact of one being God oneself. There is not much of gain or loss from the knowledge or ignorance of the body or the worldly affairs; but there is enormous loss from the ignorance of one’s inherent Divinity, and its knowledge is equally rewarding.
The peculiar quality of the month of Magh is that in this month, all the water is equivalent to the water of Ganga. Every day of this month is a festival. If because of weakness one is unable to take a vow of taking bath in the Brahmamuhurta in the whole of the month of Magh, the scriptures allow that such a vow should be taken for three days or at least for one day. Bath, charity, fasting and worship in this month is highly rewarding.
The Ekadshi of Magh (falling on 21st January) is known as ‘Shatatila Ekadashi’. Donating black sesame seeds and black cow on this day is considered to be of great religious merit. Taking a bath with water mixed with sesame seeds, smearing sesame unguent, fire sacrifice with sesame seeds as oblation, drinking water mixed with sesame seeds, eating sesame seeds and donating sesame seeds – these six things are destroyers of sin.
The Amavasya of Magh (no Moon day falling on 26th of January) is known as ‘Mauni Amavasya’. Keeping silent or conduction oneself like a sage on this pious day along with taking bath and giving charities is full of great religious merit. If, as is happening this year, the ‘Mauni Amavasya’ falls on Monday, it is full of so much religious merit as is difficult to attain even for gods because all the holy places on the earth and in the heavens – afford particularly great religious merit for japa, meditation and worship on a Monday Amavasya.
Amavasya on Monday, seventh lunar day on Sunday, fourth lunar day on Tuesday, eighth lunar day Wednesday – these four days are equivalent to solar eclipse. Taking bath, giving charities and performing Shraddha on these days affords inexhaustible religious merit.
The fifth lunar day of bright fortnight of Magh (Vasant Panchami) is believed to be the manifestation-day of Ma Saraswati. One should worship Ma Saraswati in the morning on this day (31st January). Ma Saraswati is believed to reside in the books and pens as welll. Therefore, these articles too are worshipped on this day.
The seventh lunar day of bright fortnight of Magh (2nd February) is known as ‘Achala Saptami’. One should take only one meal on the sixth lunar day and should take bath before sunrise on the seventh. This destroys sins and affords handsomeness, happiness, good fortune and good spiritual state.
That way, each day of Magh is pious; yet the Magh Purnima (9th February) is highly significant. Worship of the Lord, Shrāddha and charities performed on this day after ablutions is of great religious merit. One performing puja of Lord Shiva prescribed manner attains religious merit equal to that from performing an ashwamedha yajna and finds a place in Lord Vishnu’s abode.
Giving away of sesame seeds, cotton clothes, blankets, jewels, turbans, and shoes etc. as per one’s capacity on the Magh Purnima affords one happiness and a place in the heavens. According to Matsya Purana, one who donates Brahma-Vaivarta Purana on this day attains to the abode of Lord Brahma.
Vedanta does not say, ‘Know yourself.’ Everyone knows oneself. Someone knows oneself to be poor and tries to be rich. Another one knows oneself to be sick and wants to be healthy. Someone knows oneself to be short and exercises to grow taller. Someone knows oneself t be dark complexioned and tries various remedies to become fair.
No, Vedanta does not say that. Vedanta says: ‘Know yourself to be God.’ The root cause of misfortune in life is not general ignorance, but ignorance about the all important fact of one being God oneself. There is not much of gain or loss from the knowledge or ignorance of the body or the worldly affairs; but there is enormous loss from the ignorance of one’s inherent Divinity, and its knowledge is equally rewarding.
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