Published:18 Nov 2019 7 PMUpdated:18 Nov 2019 7 PM Sakthi Vikatan
சக்தி கொடு! – 16 Give Sakthi - 16
சக்தி விகடன் டீம் = Sakthi Vikatan Team
கார்த்திகை விநாயகர் விரதம்! kārttikai Vināyakar Viratam
Karttikai Month Fasting
Authoress: V.R. Sundari. Paintings: Ilayaraja.
2. In memory of Kārttikās (Pleiades) the foster-mothers of Kārttikeya, the God of war (Muruga Perumāṉ) the object of worship, this month is noteworthy for celebration and proclamation. Also, Kārttikai is a desirable and acceptable month for the worship of the First and the foremost God Piḷḷaiyār. We will find more about the two vows for observance in the worship of Gaṇapathi this month.
3. Saṣti Viratam to Vināyakar.
4. Saṣti Viratam is an earmark for Murugaperumāṉ. But Saṣti Viratam is also for Vināyakar, known as ‘Vināyaka Saṣti Viratam.’ This Vināyakar Remembrance Vow begins in Kārttikai (Nov-Dec) a day after the waning moon and lasts up to Mārgazhi (Dec-Jan) waxing moon Saṣti (8th day) amounting to 21 days.
5. Males wear 21-stranded Nōṉpu thread on the right wrist and the women on the left wrist.
நோன்பு: nōṉpu 1. Ceremonial fasting, abstinence from food; 2. Penance, religious austerity;
6A. Sense organs are five: body1, mouth2, eye3, nose4, and ear.5
6B. Motor organs are five: Mouth1, Hand2, leg3, anus4, & urethra.5
When the mouth does not eat indiscriminately, it is then called a sense organ. But it will talk indiscriminately: then it is a motor organ.
6C. Functions: Tasting1, Seeing2, Touch3, Hearing4, & Smell5
6D. The Great Elements: Fire1, Water2, Air3, Sky4, and Earth.5
The total Tattvas are 20.
Mind-1
7. If you add the Tattvas inclusive of Mind, they amount to 21.
Vināyakar Remembrance Vow: ‘I surrendered unto you whatever I have with me. Please take me as your protégé and shower me with your grace and blessings.’
8. The devotees observe this Viratam by wearing the Twenty-one stranded protective thread (indicative of 21 Tattvas and amulet).
Notes: 21 இழைகள் கொண்ட காப்புக் கயிறு= 21-strands of Raksha thread Rakshabandhan Talisman, amulet, charm amulets, charms, or threads on the wrists of his patrons, or changes their sacred thread
9. For the duration of Viratam, the devotees sing panegyric to Piḷḷaiyār, offer aṟukam-pul (Harialli grass = Cynodon dactylon) and Kozukkattai (food item) and seek his grace. The elders say that the sought-after desirables will come true. This Viratam also offers Vināyakā’s blessings of a wealth of wisdom.
Cynodon dactylon = அறுகம்புல். Cynodon dactylon, a medicinal herb, favorable to Lord Ganesha
10. Dūrvā Gaṇapathy Viratam. On Kārttikai month’s 4th day waxing moon, place Vināyakar on Harialli grass (= அறுகம்புல் = aṟukam-pul = Harialli grass = Cynodon dactylon), meditate on him and worship him. The grass has such greatness.
11. Aṉalaṉ is the son of Yamaṉ (God of Death) and received boon after performing Tapas and obtaining of Darsan of Braḥmadēvaṉ. Aṉalaṉ entered the body of individuals without their knowledge and took ownership of their Jīvasakthi (Vital force). The affected people wandered like zombies and fell with losing vitality. All, overcome with fear, appealed to Vināyakar for help.
12. To alleviate their concerns, Vināyakar lifted Aṉalaṉ by his proboscis, put him in his mouth, and swallowed him. As his eponymous name Aṉalaṉ suggests (heat), Vināyakar’s stomach was boiling hot with the heat of Aṉalaṉ.
13. The Devas and the Muṉis tried their best to cool him down. They showered Vināyakar with the coolest ambrosial rays of the moon. They poured umpteen gallons of milk on him. They wound the snakes all around his body, hoping for heat transfer to the snakes. Nothing worked.
14. The Ṛṣis, one by one, applied 21 grass shoots (= aṟukam-pul = Harialli grass = Cynodon dactylon) on his holy body and facilitated the cooling of his body. On the fourth day of the waxing moon in the month of Kārttikai, the greatness of the grass became public knowledge as the elephant-faced God annihilated Aṉalaṉ. This event caused the practice of Dūrvā Gaṇapathy Viratam, which guarantees disease-free life in man. Let us discover the greatness of Viratam to Kārttikēyan.
15. Paying homage to Murugaṉ. Just like a desire pops in the mind of everyone, a desire arose in the mind of Nāradar. He desired to be the foremost among all Muṉis. To attain fructification of his desire, he fell at the holy feet of Vināyakar, opposed his raised palms in homage, and said, “My five-handed father! I, your servitor, must attain the highest position among the Muṉis. Please bless me and point to me the right way for such attainment.” Gaṇapathi looked at him with love and tenderness and said, “Nāradā! Why worry about it? Think of my younger brother Kandhaṉ, observe Kārttikai Viratam and worship him for the next 12 years with earnestness, and your thoughts and desires will come to fruition.” The five hands of Vināyakar = Four limbs plus the proboscis.
16. Vinayakar. Once Nāradar came to know of the path to success, he began his 12-year commitment. He paid homage to Gaṇapathy and rose. From heavens, he came down to earth. In the month of Kārttikai under the auspices of Bharaṇi Nakshatra, he ate the noontime meals only. The next day under auspices of Kārttikai Nakshatra, he woke early in the morning. He took a bath. He subdued all his five senses (not letting them run amuck) and left them at the holy feet of six-faced God for safekeeping. He worshipped God Murugaṉ with the punctilious observance of the Viratam. He drank only water as his food. He stayed up nights and meditated on Murugaṉ’s feet.
17. Next day, Nāradar on the day of Rōhiṇi, he bathed before sunrise and worshipped Murugaṉ with the melting of heart, mind, and soul. Later, he ate with the visiting Muṉis. Those who ate food after the 12-year Viratam should not take a daytime sleep. If they sleep, it is a great sin. Knowing of such a requirement, Nāradar stayed awake. Having observed the 12-year monthly Kārttikai Viratam, according to injunctions, Nāradar attained the supreme status of being at the top of the class of Muṉis. If one dedicates himself or herself to observe the rigors of Kārttikai Viratam, the observance should begin on the day of Krittikai Nakshatra day in the month of Kārttikai. If a person cannot observe the Viratam month after month, one should observe without fail or procrastination the Viratam on the holy day of Tirukkārttikai in the month of Kārttika according to prescribed injunctions. It is a wish-fulfilling wonderful Viratam.
Will grow.