Rohiṇī Candra-Śayana Vrata

Rohiṇī Candra-Śayana Vrata, simply known as Rohini Chandra Shayana Vrata, Sanskrit: रोहिणी चन्द्र-शयन व्रत, Telugu: రోహిణీ చంద్ర శయన వ్రతం, Hindi: रोहिणी चंद्र शयन व्रत.

The Rohiṇī Candra-Śayana Vrata is a vrata kept for one year. In it, Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa is worshipped with eighteen names of Soma (the moon). Each name is given to one limb of His form. It is kept on a Pūrṇimā that falls on Somavāra (Monday), or on a Pūrṇimā in Rohiṇī nakshatra, and the first day is in the month of Kārtika. Rohiṇī is worshipped as Lakshmī herself, together with Bhagavān Vishṇu. The Matsya Purāṇa gives this vrata in Chapter 57.

Why the vrata was taught

Nārada asked Bhagavān Śiva for a vrata that would give, in this world, a long life without illness (dīrgha-āyurārogya), growth of the family line (vaṃśa-abhivṛddhi) and fullness of every good quality (sarvaguṇa-samṛddhi), without a break. Bhagavān Śiva answered that the Purāṇas have such a vrata: the Rohiṇī Candra-Śayana Vrata. In it Nārāyaṇa is worshipped with the names of Soma, because Vishṇu and Soma are not different.

When it is kept

• The vrata day is a Pūrṇimā on Somavāra, or a Pūrṇimā in Rohiṇī.
• The first day is the Pūrṇimā-Somavāra or the Rohiṇī-Pūrṇimā of the month of Kārtika.
• The vrata goes on for one year.

The vidhi

The bath

On the vrata day, the dvijas (twice-born) bathe with pañcagavya and āvapiṇḍi. They recite the Āpyāyasva mantra 108 times. Śūdras may take the same bath with a mantra of salutation to Varada-Soma and Vishṇu.

The worship of the limbs

The worshipper then worships Vishṇu limb by limb, with the names of Candra:

The worship of Rohiṇī

Rohiṇī is then worshipped as Lakshmī, in this form: “Saubhāgya-saukhyāmṛtamaya-manohara-śarīra Rohiṇī-rūpa-Lakshmī”. The offerings are fragrant flowers, dhūpa, dīpa and naivedya.

Food and rules of the vrata

• On the vrata day the food is havishyānna: food without salt, oil or spices, such as rice with moong dal or mild vegetables.
• The one who keeps the vrata sleeps on the ground.
• The next day, a bath is taken at dawn.
• A gold water vessel (jala-pātra) is given to a brāhmaṇa.
• During the day only gomūtra is taken.
• At night, for those who are used to eating meat, the food has no meat, no salt, nothing sour and no spice. Twenty-eight morsels are eaten.
• One listens to an itihāsa for one muhūrta.

The dāna at the end of the year

At the end of the year, a beautifully adorned bed is prepared. Gold pratimās are made:

• Candra pratimā: six aṅgulas
• Rohiṇī pratimā: four aṅgulas

These are given with the following:

• eight muktās (pearls) for Rohiṇī’s eyes
• eye-cover cloth
• a milk vessel filled with akshatas
• fine white garments
• ornaments
• a śaṅkha
• food items

A kapilā cow is also given. She has golden marks on her face, silver hooves, silver horns and a calf, and she comes with a bronze milking vessel. All this is given in the morning to brāhmaṇa couples, with this mantra:

“May Vishṇu never abandon you, O Rohiṇī-rūpa-Lakshmī, as you never abandon Candra. May I too never be separated from all these aishvaryas.”

The phala

Those who keep this vrata, men or women, become rulers of the three worlds for 2100 kalpas. They gain brahma-jñāna and reach mukti (moksha). Women who keep it receive the same phala. Those who read or hear this account reach Vishṇuloka, where the devas worship them.

Sources

• Matsya Purāṇa, Chapter 57