Starting from Poush Poornima, Swasthani vrat ends today on Magh Poornima
Nepali way of living has many festivals than days in its lunar calendar, among such meaningful festivals and stories, month-long swasthani Vrat is one. Shalinadi (Shali River) is a Pauranic and Divine River which is also mentioned in several ancient Sanatan texts and scriptures, this tributary river of the Bagmati River has a huge significance upon the entire Bagmati civilization. By taking bath at the Shali River and observing a month-long Vrat followed by everyday recitation of Swasthani Bratakatha now the Vratakatha is finally to an end for this year. Every year on the full moon day of Poush month commences this Vratakatha and ends on the full moon day of consecutive month Magh. Swasthani goddesses are unquestionably considered as the deity for good luck, purification, ego eradication, and happy life.
Maghmahatmaya series of Skanda Purana
Swasthani Vratakatha is derived from the Maghmahatmaya series of Skanda Purana, stories are narrated by Lord Kumara to the ancient scholar (Risi) agastyamuni. These series have 31 chapters and each chapter narrates a different lesson. There are two classifications of Sanatan texts, one is shruti (Which is heard and transferred from generation to generation) and another is smriti (which is remembered). Ancient stories and incidents that date back to over a couple of thousand years are still prevailing as a source of knowledge and a subject to assimilate in Sanatan culture. Shree Swasthani Vratakatha is one among those manuscripts, these stories explain the creation of this universe, social structures, patience, responsibility, salvation and manifest a newer form of humanity into its listeners. These are the vast corpus of diverse incidents revolving around Lord Shiva and Parwati, the plots and places mentioned in these stories still exist in the Parwatkhanda (Mountainous range) of Nepal. It’s a wonder that this verbal tradition of preserving and transmitting Sanatan texts, from one generation to the next, continued into this modern era. Swasthani depicts the story of a princess and a poor, brings the essence of karma and salvation, inspires to do good, and comprehensively functions as the user manual of this precious life to its listeners. It's amazing that most of the Sanatan script including Swasthani hardly narrates any biased religious manifests, they moreover focus on karma and the meaning of living. Swasthani is an encyclopedic covering a wide range of topics such as love stories, theology, philosophy, cosmology, gods, kings, heroes, sages, normal people, pilgrimages, medicine, grammar, and what not? Each Puranas are derived from numerous manuscripts which sometimes makes Puranas highly inconsistent and confusing but the lessons and interpretations can be made by an individual's experience and perspectives. Over centuries, thousands of scholars/authors have contributed their life and efforts in preserving Puranas, every Puranas are a gift to the generations from the previous ones.
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How is the Swasthani vrat concluded?
Swasthani concludes today, various types of foods are prepared to mark this auspicious day, every food, flower, and prasad must be divided into 108 pieces as 108 is the auspicious number in Sanatan philosophy. Out of every 108 pieces, 8 pieces are offered to the husband and if there is no husband then to son, and if there is no son then to offer for aquatic creatures by flowing them in the river. Male devotee shall offer these eight pieces to wife and if there is no wife then to son/daughter whoever is available and if that’s not possible then similarly can be flowed in a river. Sanatan cultures are neither strict nor mandatory, these fasting are voluntary yet thousands of people observe this fast every year and surprisingly their numbers are increasing. Swasthani also grants a wish on Bishwobandhutwa (World brotherhood), world peace, and ecological balance. Hail Swasthani Mata, may peace prevail in seven oceans, six continents, and this entire universe.
Magh snan concludes today
Sanatan ritual focuses on the scientific and divine five elements (Panchatatwa) of which our universe and body are made from. Pancha refers to five and tatwa means elements, according to the universal law of creation everything on this planet is composed of the basic five elements of "PanhaBhutas". PanchaBhutas are Akash (Space), Vayu (Air), Jal (Water), Agni (Fire), and Prithwi (Earth).
Now let me get into the relevance of panchatatwas in Magh snan, Magh is considered as one of the auspicious months where our proximity with panchabhutas are higher. Scarify, austerity, and donations performed in this month have higher significance compared to all other months. Hereby I refer Santa Kabi Tulsidas where he writes about the month of Magh on the Balkanda of his Ramcharitra Manas.
‘माघ मकर गति रवि जब होई, तीरथपतिहि आव सब कोई।’
Magh or Makar is the month where the power of the sun slowly rises in this planet and with this also the series of pilgrimage and festivals come nearer.
If the whole year (12 months) was a day, Magh would be the morning as the power of the sun starts to increase from Magh. Magh snan is a divine ritual that commences from Poush Shukla Poornima and ends in Magh Poornima. Magh snan is one among several effective sanatan interventions which maximize the positive impact of panchabhutas in our life and avoid the inviolability of our living context.
गंगे यमुने चैव गोदावरि सरस्वती। कावेरी नर्मदे सिन्धोर्जलअस्मिन्सन्निधिं कुरु॥’
The above hymn is chanted before taking a dip into the water, the purity and positive flow of water are then translated into our body. Magh snan occurs for 30 days and huge pilgrimages can be seen in holy places like Shali Nadi, Bagdwar, Devghat, holy ponds of Mithila, and other places. Magh is also a month for world peace and prosperity, may all the rivers of this world flow with peace. The country of Mt Everest hereby makes a strong wish for peace, may the river Jordan flow with peace, May Nile, Huang Ho, Hormuz passage, Amazon, Yangtze, Niagara Falls, and all flows flow with peace.
Shanti Hi, Shanti Hi, Shanti Hi!
Poornima Vrata
The last day of Shukla Paksha is the full moon day. On this tithi, the moon is the brightest and most magnificent. It is believed that fasting on this day brings immense lunar grace to health, prosperity, and peace. On the full moon day, Lord Shiva and Vishnu are especially worshiped. Special worship to Lord Vishnu is done in the form of Satya Narayan Puja. Satya Narayan Puja is usually performed whenever possible, although the fruits of this puja performed on the day of the full moon are very abundant.
From a scientific point of view, it is said that gravity will have a great effect on the earth on the day of the full moon and self-purification will be done by fasting on this day and remembering the name of God. By fasting on this day, the metabolic process will be strengthened, gastric problems will be solved and positive energy will increase in the body.
This day is fasted from sunrise in the morning to moonrise in the evening. Some people observe this fast without drinking water, while others observe this fast by eating only one meal and eating no salt (alino) food. In the evening, after the moonrise, the fast ends with the sighting of the moon. Happy Magha Shukla Purnima to everyone this year.
Suyog Dhakal
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