Māsopavāsa Vrata (Nārada Purāṇa, Chapter 82)

Māsopavāsa Vrata, simply known as Masopavasa Vrata, Sanskrit: मासोपवास व्रत, Telugu: మాసోపవాస వ్రతం, Hindi: मासोपवास व्रत.

The Māsopavāsa Vrata is a month-long nirāhāra (complete fast) kept in any one of the four months Āshāḍha, Śrāvaṇa, Bhādrapada or Āśvayuja. The Nārada Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 82, teaches it as a vrata that destroys all pāpa (sin), cleans the keeper and helps everyone. The keeper lives in the Hari-mandira (the temple of Bhagavān Vishṇu) for the whole month, does pañcāmṛta abhisheka and keeps an akhaṇḍa-dīpa every day, and holds indriya-jaya (mastery of the senses) throughout. Its phala grows with the number of times it is kept over the years: three times gives double the fruit of an Āptoryāma yajña, and thirteen times gives nirduḥkha paramānanda (supreme bliss without sorrow). The Purāṇa especially recommends it for women without husband or sons, for yatis, brahmacārīs and vānaprasthas.

The teaching

Sanakar Maharshi begins: “I will describe another vrata, which destroys all pāpa, is holy, and helps all. Listen with attention.” The vrata is different from most vratas because of its length: a whole month living in the presence of Bhagavān Vishṇu, eating nothing, and giving up the body’s comfort as a constant act of service (sevā). The text gives a reward for repeating it across years, with each added year giving a greater number of yajñas’ fruit.

The months

The vrata may be kept in any one of these four months:

• Āshāḍha
• Śrāvaṇa
• Bhādrapada
• Āśvayuja (Āśvina)

The keeper chooses one month according to strength and circumstances.

The vidhi

The beginning (śukla paksha of the chosen month)

• Hold indriya-jaya (mastery of the senses) throughout.
• Take pañcagavya-prāśana (the five products of the cow) for purity.
• Sleep that night in the presence of Śrī Mahāvishṇu.

The saṃkalpa (first morning)

• Rise early and finish the nitya-karma (duties of prātaḥkāla, early morning).
• Give up anger (krodha) fully and hold indriya-jaya.
• Worship Śrī Mahāvishṇu with faith (śraddhā), together with paṇḍitas.
• Say the svasti-vācana and then take the saṃkalpa:

“O Keśava, from this day onward for one month I stay without food (nirāhāra) by your command. O one whose form is tapas, O giver of the fruit of tapas, remove all obstacles (vighna) and grant my wish (abhīshṭa). At the end of the month I will break the fast (pāraṇā).”

After giving this auspicious saṃkalpa to Śrī Hari, the keeper takes up residence in the Hari-mandira for the whole month.

Daily practice through the month

• Pañcāmṛta abhisheka of Śrī Hari every single day.
• Akhaṇḍa-dīpa (an unbroken lamp) in the Hari-mandira through the whole month.
• Dantadhāvana (cleaning the teeth) every day with uttaraṇikā, a particular herb.
• Snāna (bath) each morning with dhyāna (meditation) on Śrī Nārāyaṇa.
• Abhisheka and arcanā of Śrī Hari with full bhakti and śraddhā.
• Brāhmaṇa-bhojana (feeding brāhmaṇas) with dakshiṇā every day, as one is able.
• The keeper eats with the family at the proper time, holding indriya-jaya.

The udyāpana (at the end)

After the vrata is kept once, or after the full cycle of thirteen times, the udyāpana has these parts:

• Godāna (gift of a cow) to a brāhmaṇa who knows the Veda.
• Dakshiṇā to that brāhmaṇa.
• Brāhmaṇa-bhojana: feeding twelve brāhmaṇas.
• Dāna of ornaments (ābharaṇa) and other auspicious gifts, as one is able (yathāśakti).

The phala grows with each time

The fruit of the vrata grows when it is kept again across years. The Nārada Purāṇa gives this list:

The text says, without any doubt (saṃśaya), that Gaṅgā-snāna (bathing in the Gaṅgā) and the Māsopavāsa together make the keepers teachers of the path of dharma (dharma-mārga-pravaktā) and muktas (liberated ones).

Who it is for

The Purāṇa especially commends this vrata for:

• Women without husband or sons (pati-putra-rahita).
• Yatis (renunciants).
• Brahmacārīs.
• Vānaprasthas (forest-dwellers), most of all.

For any person, whether householder (gṛhastha) or yati, scholar (paṇḍita) or fool (mūrkha), woman or man, who keeps this vrata or even hears of it, moksha is gained. The text declares: “A devotee of Nārāyaṇa who hears or tells this pure vrata is freed from all pāpa.”

Sources

• Nārada Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 82