SANKASHTAHARA GANAPATHI VRATHAM A very rare Muhurta for Ganesh Puja is coming on 2nd February 2010 at night 9.

00 P.M. Do Upavasa on that day, offer prayers to Chaturthi tithi, Moon god and Sankashtahara Ganapati between 8.30 P.M to 10.30 P.M, to get relief from all troubles. Sankashtahara Ganapathi Vratam is the best and most affective among all types of worship done to Lord Ganesh. Specific day to do this Vrata is known to occur only once in approximately seven years. The occurrence is a rare combination and a simultaneous incidence of Magha masa, Krishna paksha (fortnight before the new moon day), Chaturthi tithi, Tuesday, and the time of Rise of moon. According to our Puranas, it is a great boon and only gifted persons will be able to know about this Vrata and those who are blessed can only do this Vrata. By the grace of Lord Ganesh and to our luck, this great and auspicious occasion is coming on Feb, 2nd 2010 at night 9.00 P.M. What is the meaning of Sankashtahara Ganapathi Vrata? Accurding to Ganesha Purana, Lord Ganapathi is worshipped in two forms. 1) Varada Ganapathi 2) Sankashtahara Ganapathi Varada Ganapathi:Worship to Lord Ganapathi is famous in this form as we all worship him on Ganesh Chaturthi (Vinayaka Chaturthi) every year. Lord Ganapathi worshiped in this form blesses his devotees with all their desires. He is also famous as Siddhi Ganapathi or Vara Siddhi Ganapathi. Sankatahara Ganapathi:Lard Ganapathi worshipped in this form relieves us from all fears. He was worshiped by kuja (Mars) and he relieves from Kuja Dosha (Manglik Dosha) present in our horoscope. Sankashtahara Ganapathi was worshiped by Lord Yama and he also destroys the effect of sins in ones life. It is said that Shukla Chaturthi is important for the worship of Varada Ganapathi and Krishna Chaturthi (Bahula Chavithi) is important for worship of Sankashtahara Ganapathi. Krishna Chaturthi along with Tuesday is more significant. This is called Angaraka Chaturthi or Bhauma Chaturthi these days occur just twice or thrice in a year. But these days which happen to be in Magha masa are very very rare. That most precious combination is going to occur on forth coming Feb, 2nd 2010.

STORY ABOUT THE SANKASHTAHARA GANAPATHI VRATA : The significance of Sankashtahara Ganapathi Vrata is depicted in Ganesha Purana. Once king Kritavirya did a great penance being suffered by lack of son. Knowing this, his father, who was in Pithruloka, in turn worshiped Lord Brahama who blessed him with this Vrata is in the form of a book. Kritavirya got the knowledge of this Vrata along and the book, through his father who appeared in his dream. Kritavirya worshiped Sankashtahara Ganapathi in this Vrata Vidhana and got a son, who latter became 'Karthaviryarjuna the Great'. King Surasena came to know the greatness of this Vrata from Lord Indra and did this Vrata. As a result of that worship he was able to take all the people in his kingdom to Vinayaka loka along with him. PROCEDURE IN BRIEF : 1. Wake up before sunrise, have bath and complete the daily worship of favorite deity. 2. Then pray to lord Ganesha and make a wish (Sankalpam) to do Sankashtahara Ganapathi vrata. Do Poorvaanga Poojai, PraaNa Prathishtai, Uttara Poojai with the following sankalpam: Sankalpam Mamo Paktha Samastha Duritha Kshaya Dhwaara Sree Parameshvara Preethyartham Thadeva Lagnam Sudhinam Thatheva, Taraabalam Chandrabalam Thathevaa, Vidhyaabalam Daivabalam Thathevaa, Sri Lakshmipate Agriyugam Smaraami Apavithraha Pavithrovaa Sarvaavasthaam Gathopivaa Yasmareth Pundaree Kaaksham Sabaahya Abhyantharaha Suchihi Maanasam Vachikam Paapam KarmaNaam Samupaarjitham Sree Rama SmaraNe Naiva Vyapohadi Na Samshayaha Sree Rama Rama Rama Rama Tithir Vishnuhu Tathaavaraha Nakshthram VishNurevacha Yogascha KaraNamshaiva Sarvam VishNumayam Jagathu Sree Govinda Govinda Govinda Sri bhagavataha maha purushasya vishnor agnaya pravarthamanasya Shubhe Shobhane Muhoorthe Adhya adhya brahmanaha dweethiya parardhe shwetha varaha kalpe vaivasvatha manvanthare ashta vimsathi thame kali yuge prathame padhe jambu dweepe (For North America - Krauncha Dweepe) bharatha varshe (For North America RamaNaka Varshe) bharatha khande (For North America - Aindra KhaNde) meroho dakshine parswe (For North America - PaschimE Parswe) shakabdhe asminnu varthamane vyavahaarike prabavadeenam sashtya samvatsaraaNaam madhye.

Virodhi naama samvatsare, UttaraayaNe, Hemantha rithou, Makara maase, Krishna pakshe, Chaturthyaam Subathithou, Bhouma vaasara yukthaayaam, Uttara Phalguni Upari Hasta nakshatra yukthaayaam, Subha Yoga Subha KaraNa Evam GuNa ViseshaNa Vishishtaayaam, Asyaam, Chaturthyaam, PuNyathithou

3. Fast for whole day and have sacred thoughts all day. 4. In the evening bath with the powder made from seeds of white sesame and gooseberry (Tilamalaka churna). 5. Make an idol of lord Ganesha either with mud or turmeric powder. And pray him to come and stay in that idol (Avahanam). 6. Worship lord Ganapathi with Dhoopa, Deepa and flowers. Worshiping with Durva is most important and mandatory. 7. One can worship lord Ganapathi with Durva twigs having three, five or seven leaves. We can worship with 21 or more twigs and at least one. 8. Chant any Ganesha mantra for at least 48 minutes. 9. Offer Nivedya and Harathi to lord Ganesha. 10. Complete puja by the rise of moon. 11. Compulsorily see the moon. Pray to the moon and Chaturthi tithi and give Arghya to both. 12. After that, pray to lord Ganapathi and say sankaTaam maam nivaaraya and ask him to relieve from all troubles, give Arghya. 13. Then offer Prasada to the devotees and take yourself. 14. All through the night one should be awake with chanting and worshiping lord Ganapathi. 15. Next day morning pray to lord Ganesha and thank him for giving this opportunity to worship and pray to return back from the idol (Udyapanam). 16. Then do the Ganesh immersion in fresh flowing waters. Though the procedure appears to be simple, because of lack of habituation one may get some doubts regarding the Puja. Some of them may be as follows, for which answers have been taken from Ganesha Purana. 1. What are the most significant things of this Vrata? A. Have been highlighted in bold (2,3,7,8,11,12,13). 2. Which flowers can be used? A. Red colored flowers like China rose (Hibiscus) are favorite of lord Vinayaka. Tulasi should not be used in worship of lord Ganesh except on Vinayaka Chavithi, so it is banned. 3. Which Mantra to be chanted? A. The best is the one given by Guru to worship lord Ganesh. But we can use, either Nama mantra : "Gajaanana" or Nama stotra : "sumukhaschaikadantascha kapiloo gajakarNakah lamboodarascha vikaToo vighnanaasoo gaNaadhipah dhuumrakeeturgaNadhyakshoo phaalachandroo gajaananah dwaadasaitaani naamaani yah paTheechchhriNuyaadapi vidyaarambhee vivaaheecha praveesee nirgamee tathaa sangraamee sankaTeechaiva vighnastasya najaayatee" 4. What should be offered as Nivedya? A. Modakas, Bananas, Payasam and Seeds of sesame. 5. When should we take Prasada? A. Not in the next morning, we should take it that night itself 'after the rise of moon', after praying to lord Ganesh and offering to devotees. 6. What are the easiest ways to pass the whole day memorizing lord Ganesh?

A. Reading Ganesha Purana, Preparing Nivedya. Singing and Dancing in the name of lord Ganesh in also good. 7. What if we dont know about Arghya? A. Better avoid unknown procedures, and pray wholeheartedly. 8. What if we dont know how to do the Vrata? A. Better invite a priest and request him to do the Sankatahara Ganapathi Vrata for you. But compulsorily give the priest adequate money for his deed, immediately after completion. Benefits of Sankashtahara Ganapathi Vrata : The benefits and uses of Sankatahara Ganapathi Vrata are clearly depicted in Ganesha Purana as stories. Among them: Being blessed with children, getting rid of the sin of Brahmahatya, getting rid of handicap, getting rid of Kuja Dosha (Manglik Dosha), to be become a king, cure of leprosy, to be free from slavery, control of anger, to escape from unexpected sudden d ath, to get cured of TB, to be blessed with true knowledge, to get e back lost articles, being blessed with ones desires, victory in war, blessings of Guru, vitality etc.. But many of the above mentioned benefits are not essential for many people in present generation. So devotees who worship Lord Ganesha do this Vrata to get rid of the obstacles for marriages, to be blessed with children, to meet lost relatives and to get relieved of all bad effects in their horoscope. This great Vrata which has immense benefits can be fruitful if done just for one day and gives a place in Ganesha loka. "WHO KNOWS" what may be the situation when this great and precious day comes again. So let us make use of our excellent fortune to get close to our spiritual goals by doing this Sankatahara Ganapathi Vrata. Let us be blessed by the son of Sakthi who has Shakti !!!

Compiled by Vish/Raju