Pañcarātra Vrata
Pañcarātra Vrata, simply known as Pancharatra Vrata, Sanskrit: पञ्चरात्र व्रत, Telugu: పంచరాత్ర వ్రతం, Hindi: पंचरात्र व्रत.
The Pañcarātra Vrata is also called Hari-Pañcaka. It is a vrata of five nights, offered to Bhagavān Vishṇu as Vāsudeva and Śrī Hari. It begins on Mārgaśīrsha śukla ekādaśī and is kept again from ekādaśī to pūrṇimā in each month’s śukla paksha through the year. The Nārada Mahā Purāṇa gives it in Pūrvārdha, Chapter 21. Those who keep it for the year do not return from Brahmaloka.
Its importance
Sanaka Maharshi calls it Hari-pañcaka, famous in all lokas. It fulfils dharma, kāma, artha and moksha. It gives the phala (fruit) of every wish, and it equals the phala of all other vratas. Like a blazing fire, it destroys the forests of pāpa (pāpa-araṇya).
When it begins
On Mārgaśīrsha śukla daśamī, keep mastery of the senses (indriya-jaya), clean the teeth (dantadhāvana), bathe, and complete the worship of the devas (deva-arcana) and the five great daily yajñas (pañca-mahāyajña).
Ekādaśī
- Rise at prātaḥkāla (early morning).
- Complete the bath (āśarānugata snāna) and the pūjā of Śrī Hari at home.
- Perform pañcāmṛta-abhisheka (bathing the mūrti with the five nectars).
- Worship with sandal paste, flowers and the other offerings in the right order.
- Complete the offering of incense, lamp, naivedya (food), tāmbūla (betel) and pradakshiṇā (walking round).
- Say this mantra:
Namaste jñāna-rūpāya jñāna-dāya namo’stu te, namaste sarva-rūpāya sarva-siddhi-pradāyine
It means: “Salutation to the one who is the form of jñāna (knowledge), the giver of jñāna, the one of all forms, the giver of all siddhis.”
- Then take the vow of fasting (upavāsa) with this mantra:
Pañcarātraṃ nirāhāro hy adya prabhṛti Keśava! tvadājñayā jagat-svāmin mama abhīshṭa-prado bhava
It means: “O Keśava, master of the world, by your command I shall stay without food (nirāhāra) for five nights from today. Grant me my wish (abhīshṭa).”
- Keep jāgaraṇa (the night vigil) through the night.
The five nights
Keep jāgaraṇa on all five nights: ekādaśī, dvādaśī, trayodaśī, caturdaśī and paurṇimā. On all five days the pūjā is the same, beginning with the pañcāmṛta offerings.
Paurṇimā
Bathe the mūrti with milk (abhisheka) as far as one is able. Perform tila-homa (an offering of sesame in the fire) and tila-dāna (the gift of sesame).
Shashṭhī, the sixth day
- Complete the duties of one’s āśrama (āśramācāra).
- Take pañcagavya-prāśana, eating the five products of the cow.
- Worship Śrī Hari as laid down.
- Give brāhmaṇa-bhojana (a meal for brāhmaṇas) generously.
- Then take your own meal in silence (mauna) with relatives and friends.
The yearly observance
This cycle of five nights is kept in each month from Pushya through Kārtika (in each śukla paksha from Pushya to Āśvayuja). The whole year of vratas ends in Mārgaśīrsha with the udyāpana:
- Keep the ekādaśī upavāsa again.
- On dvādaśī, take pañcagavya-prāśana.
- Worship Janārdana with incense, lamp, sandal paste, flowers and the other offerings.
- Offer an upāyana (gift) to the brāhmaṇa, with mastery of the senses.
- The dāna is a kalaśa (pot) filled with pāyasa (rice cooked in milk) mixed with ghee and honey, fresh fruits, and scented water with the five jewels (pañca-ratna), covered with cloth, together with dakshiṇā. It is given with this mantra:
Sarvātman sarvabhūteśa sarvavyāpin sanātana, paramānna-pradānena suprīto bhava Mādhava
- Give brāhmaṇa-bhojana, then take your own meal in silence.
The phalaśruti
Those who keep this Pañcarātra vrata do not return from Brahmaloka. The phala of the vrata, with its upavāsa, equals a thousand crore godānas (gifts of cows). Even hearing the vidhi of the vrata with devotion destroys crores of mahāpātakas (great pāpa).
Sources
- Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 21