Hari-Pañcaka Vrata
Hari-Pañcaka Vrata, simply known as Hari Panchaka Vrata, Sanskrit: हरि-पञ्चक व्रत, Telugu: హరి పంచక వ్రతం, Hindi: हरि पंचक व्रत.
The Hari-Pañcaka Vrata is also called the Pañcarātri Vrata. It is a vrata of five nights offered to Bhagavān Vishṇu. It begins on Mārgaśīrsha śukla ekādaśī and runs through pūrṇimā. Sanaka Maharshi teaches it to Nārada in the Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 81.
Names and importance
Sanaka Maharshi says to Nārada: “I will describe another vrata, famous in all worlds under the name Hari-pañcaka. It removes all duḥkha (sorrow) for women and men alike. O best of munis, it is the very root of dharma, kāma, artha and moksha. It gives every wish and is the essence of all vratas.”
The name comes from its form: five nights (pañca-rātri) of unbroken service to Hari. Its power is called supreme. One upavāsa (fast) within this vrata gives the merit of a thousand crore godānas (gifts of cows). Hearing its procedure destroys crores of gathered mahāpāpas (great pāpa). One who completes the full yearly cycle does not return from Brahmaloka.
The yearly cycle
The vrata is kept in the śukla paksha of each month from Pushya through Kārtika. In each month the five days are kept by the procedure below. The cycle ends with the udyāpana in the following Mārgaśīrsha.
The vidhi
The day before (Mārgaśīrsha śukla daśamī)
- Rise with indriya-jaya (mastery of the senses).
- Clean the teeth (dantadhāvana) and bathe (snāna).
- Complete the worship of the devas (deva-arcana) and the five great daily yajñas (pañca-mahāyajña).
The five main days (Ekādaśī to Pūrṇimā)
Each morning:
- Rise early, bathe and perform ācamana in the proper way.
- Worship Śrī Hari at home with pañcāmṛta-abhisheka (bathing the mūrti with the five nectars).
- Offer arcanā with gandha (sandal paste), flowers, dhūpa (incense), dīpa (lamp), naivedya (food offering) and tāmbūla (betel).
- Bow to Vāsudeva and say this mantra:
Namaste jñānarūpāya jñānadāya namostute, namaste sarvarūpāya sarvasiddhi-pradāyine
It means: “Salutation to the one who is of the form of jñāna (knowledge), who gives jñāna, who is of all forms, who gives all siddhis.”
The vrata saṅkalpa (vow) is made to Bhagavān Vishṇu on the first day:
Pañcarātraṃ nirāhāro hyadya prabhṛti Keśava, tvadājñayā jagat-svāmin mamābhīshṭa-prodo bhava
It means: “O Keśava, from this day I stay without food (nirāhāra) for five nights by your command. O master of the world, grant my abhīshṭa (wish).”
Each night, keep jāgaraṇa (the night vigil) before Śrī Hari, with mastery of the senses.
On all five days (ekādaśī, dvādaśī, trayodaśī, caturdaśī and pūrṇimā) the pañcāmṛta pūjā and the other offerings are the same.
Pūrṇimā, the fifth day
In addition to the usual pūjā:
- Perform kshīrābhisheka, the bathing of Śrī Mahāvishṇu with milk, as far as one is able.
- Perform tila-homa, an offering of sesame in the fire.
- Perform tila-dāna, the gift of sesame seeds.
The sixth day
On the day after pūrṇimā:
- Complete the duties of one’s āśrama (āśramācāra).
- Take pañcagavya-prāśana, eating the five products of the cow, for purity.
- Worship Śrī Hari with due devotion.
- Give brāhmaṇa-bhojana, a meal for brāhmaṇas, as far as one is able.
- Then eat in silence together with the members of the family.
The udyāpana
The udyāpana is done in the next Mārgaśīrsha, after a full year of the vrata.
On ekādaśī, stay without food as in the vrata.
On dvādaśī:
- Take pañcagavya-prāśana.
- Worship Janārdana fully with sandal paste, flowers and the other offerings.
- Offer a brahmopāyana (a gift to a brāhmaṇa) with full mastery of the senses.
- Prepare pāyasa (rice cooked in milk) with ghee and honey.
- Give it with fruits, dakshiṇā and a water-kumbha (pot) holding the five jewels (pañca-ratna) and covered with cloth.
- Say the mantra of the gift:
Sarvātman sarvabhūteśa sarvavyāpin sanātana, paramānna-pradānena suprīto bhava Mādhava
It means: “O Sarvātman, master of all beings, all-pervading Sanātana, O Mādhava, be pleased by this gift of the best food.”
- Give brāhmaṇa-bhojana, then eat in silence with the members of the family.
The phala
- One upavāsa in this vrata gives the merit of a thousand crore godānas, through the power of devotion to Nārāyaṇa.
- One who completes the full yearly cycle does not return from Brahmaloka. This vrata is therefore a path to moksha.
- Hearing the procedure of this Pañcarātra vrata with devotion to Nārāyaṇa destroys crores of gathered mahāpāpas.
- The vrata is called sarva-pāpa-araṇya-davānala, a forest fire that burns up all the forests of pāpa.
Sources
- Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 81