Vaishakha Amavasya

Vaishakh Amavasya falls on the No-Moon day in the Hindu month of Vaishakh, which is the second month of the Hindu calendar. According to the Gregorian calendar, this corresponds to April/May.

This day is significant for paying respect to our ancestors and praying for the salvation of their souls. Blessings from our fore-fathers play an important role in the well-being of the family according to Vedic traditions. This day is important from the astrological point of view to get rid of any ‘Kaal Sarp Dosh’ that one is suffering from. In some states like, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnatka, this day is also celebrated as Shani Jayanti.

The importance of Vaishakh Amavasya finds mention in the Hindu mythological stories. Long ago, there lived a brahmin named Dharmavarna. He was very religious and oriented towards spirituality. He led an ascetic life, keeping fasts, performing yajyas and imbibing knowledge from sages and monks. During one such session of knowledge, he learned that in ‘Kalyug’, nothing can be greater than the worship of Lord Vishnu. Just chanting the name of the Lord is equivalent to performing other difficult religious ceremonies.

Feeling much empowered by this knowledge, Dharmavarna, renounced the World, swearing on celibacy and started the life of a hermit with his mind and senses completely surrendered to Lord Vishnu. One day, during his travels he reached the abode of his ancestors. He saw his father in a bad state. Troubled on seeing this, he asked what the reason could be. The ancestors told him that his father was in this state because Dharmavarna had sworn celibacy and now there was no one in the family who could perform rites to bring salvation to the departed souls of the family.

They requested that Dharmavarna should stop this ascetic life, get married and have children. Only then would the condition of the ancestors improve. Also, on every Vaishakh Amavasya, Dharmavarna should perform rites that would grant them salvation. Dharmavarna promised his ancestors that he would do anything to bring them salvation. He went back, got married and on every Vaishakh Amavasya, he performed the rituals that paid homage to his dead ancestors helping them attain salvation.

On the day of the puja, one should get up before sunrise and after the morning ablutions, should preferably take bath in a holy river. River Ganges and Yamuna are considered to be the most holy, for the bath, according to Hindu religion. Alternatively, one can bathe in any holy water body.

After bathing, the Sun God should be worshipped. Then, sesame seeds should be placed in flowing water and a ‘Peepal tree’ should be watered.

On this day, Shani Jayanti is also celebrated at some places. For this, worship Lord Shani by pouring mustard oil on the deity, offering black sesame seeds to him and lighting a lamp with mustard oil in front of the deity. Read ‘Shani Chalisa’ and recite the Shani mantras.

One must donate and give alms to the poor according to one’s means.