Tithi Vratas in the Garuḍa Purāṇa

A tithi is a day of the lunar calendar. Each lunar month has two fortnights, the bright half (śukla paksha) when the moon grows and the dark half (kṛshṇa paksha) when it wanes, and each fortnight has its tithis, from Pratipadā (the first day) onward. A vrata is a sacred vow, usually kept with fasting and pūjā.

The Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa gives a full set of vratas matched to the tithis of the lunar fortnight, from Pratipadā to Dvādaśī (the twelfth day). Each tithi has its presiding devatā, its own ritual method and its promised phalaśruti (fruit). The main vratas described are the Śikhi vrata on Pratipadā, Gaṇeśa pūjā on Caturthī, Nāgapañcamī on Pañcamī, Kārttikeya on Shashṭhī, the Sūrya vratas on Saptamī, Dūrvāshṭamī and Janmāshṭamī on Ashṭamī, Mahānavamī on Navamī, and Śravaṇa-dvādaśī on Dvādaśī.

Pratipadā Vratas (First Day)

The Pratipadā tithi is linked with the Śikhi vrata. The devotee keeps ekabhukta (eating only one meal in the day) and at the end gives a kapilā (tawny) cow as a gift.

On Caitra Pratipadā, Brahmā is honoured with fragrant flowers and garlands and a havana (fire offering) is performed. This grants every wished-for fruit.

Also, on the Ashṭamī of the bright fortnight of Kārttika, flowers and garlands are given as dāna (gifts). One who does this all through the year gains rūpa-saundarya (beauty of body).

The fruit of the Śikhi vrata itself is reaching Vaiśvānara-pada, the state of Agni.

Dvitīyā and Tṛtīyā Vratas (Second and Third Days)

On the Tṛtīyā of the dark fortnight of Śrāvaṇa, images (mūrtis) of Lakshmī and Śrīdhara (Vishṇu) are placed on a finely decorated śayyā (bed) and honoured with many kinds of fruit. The bed and everything with it are then given to a brāhmaṇa with the mantra Śrīdharāya namaḥ | Śriyai namaḥ. On the same tithi, Umā-Maheśvara and Agni are also honoured and offered havishyānna (pure food), white damanaka flowers (tella-kamala) and things personally dear to the devotee.

On the Tṛtīyā of Phālguna and each Tṛtīyā after it in every month, salt must be given up completely. At the end of the vrata, the devotee honours a brāhmaṇa together with his wife and gives them a fully furnished home with a bed, vessels and household goods, saying Bhavānī prīyatām (“may Bhavānī be pleased”). The fruit is Bhavānī-loka (the world of Devī Bhavānī) after death, and every worldly happiness in this life.

Starting from the Tṛtīyā of Mārgaśīrsha and going through the Tṛtīyās of each month, the twelve forms of Devī are honoured, one each month, in this order: Gaurī, Kālī, Umā, Bhadrā, Durgā, Kānti, Sarasvatī, Maṅgalā, Vaishṇavī, Lakshmī, Śivā, Nārāyaṇī. This protects the devotee from the grief of being parted from loved ones.

Caturthī Vratas (Fourth Day): Gaṇeśa Pūjā

Every Caturthī is sacred to Bhagavān Gaṇeśa. The Caturthī of the bright fortnight of Māgha has a special practice. The devotee fasts completely, gives a śilā (stone) to a brāhmaṇa, and lives on water alone. This is done every month for two years, and then the vrata is completed. One who completes it meets no obstacles in life.

On every Caturthī the devotee honours Gaṇapati with the root mantra (mūla-mantra) OM gaḥ svāhā and performs this aṅga-nyāsa (placing mantras on parts of the body):

After the āvāhana (invitation), the Gaṇeśa Gāyatrī is recited:

OM Mahā-karṇāya vidmahe | Vakra-tuṇḍāya dhīmahi | tanno daṃtiḥ pracodayāt ||

The homa (fire offering) is done with tila (sesame) and other offerings. These names of Gaṇeśa’s gaṇas (attendants) are honoured, each followed by svāhā: OM namaḥ Amogholāya, OM namaḥ Ekadantāya, OM namaḥ Tripurāntaka-rūpāya, OM namaḥ Śyāmadantāya, OM namaḥ Vikāra-lāsyāya, OM namaḥ Āhaveshāya, OM namaḥ Padma-daṃshṭrāya.

The twelve names of Gaṇeśa, one to be honoured on each Caturthī over twelve months, are:

Gaṇapūjyo Vakratuṇḍa Ekadaṃshṭrī Triyambakaḥ | Nīlagrīvo Lambodarō Vikaṭō Vighna-rājakaḥ || Dhūmravarṇo Bhālacandro daśamas tu Vināyakaḥ | Gaṇapatir Hastimukho dvādaśāre yajet gaṇam ||

Honouring one name on each Caturthī for a full year grants sarvābhīshṭa-siddhi, the fulfilment of every wish. On the Caturthī of the bright fortnight of Mārgaśīrsha, the deva-gaṇas are especially honoured. Honouring Gaṇapati with sugar laḍḍus and kuḍumulu (rice dumplings) on Pratipadā Caturthī fulfils all wishes, and honouring him with damanaka flowers grants the birth of a son (putra-prāpti).

Pañcamī Vrata (Fifth Day): Nāgapañcamī

The Pañcamī tithi is given to the pūjā of the nāga-rājas (serpent kings). On the Pañcamīs of the bright fortnights of Śrāvaṇa, Bhādrapada, Āśvayuja and Kārttika, the eight nāga-rājas are honoured: Vāsuki, Takshaka, Kāliya, Maṇibhadraka, Airāvata, Dhṛtarāshṭra, Karkoṭaka and Dhanañjaya. They are bathed with ghṛta (ghee) and honoured with proper ceremony. These lords of the nāgas give āyus (long life), ārogya (health) and svarga to their devotees.

For monthly pūjā through the year, twelve nāgas are honoured, one each month, in order: Ananta, Vāsuki, Śaṅkha, Padma, Kambala, Karkoṭaka, Dhṛtarāshṭra, Śaṅkhaka, Kāliya, Takshaka and Piṅgala. On the Pañcamī of the bright fortnight of Bhādrapada all eight are honoured together.

On the Pañcamī of the bright fortnight of Śrāvaṇa in particular, images of the nāgas are placed on both sides of the doorway and honoured with an offering of milk and ghee. This protects the household from poison and snakebite, and so this tithi is also called Daṃśa-dvāra Pañcamī.

Shashṭhī Vrata (Sixth Day): Kārttikeya

On Bhādrapada Shashṭhī, Bhagavān Kārttikeya is honoured. Every bath and good deed done on this day brings akshaya (never-ending) merit. On each Shashṭhī the devotee fasts, and on the next day, Saptamī, honours Sūrya with the mantra OM Khakholkāya namaḥ and then feeds brāhmaṇas.

Saptamī Vratas (Seventh Day): Sūrya

Several Saptamī vratas are described, each kept in its own way:

Marica-saptamī (Pepper Saptamī): the devotee fasts on Shashṭhī, honours Sūrya on Saptamī with the mantra OM Khakholkāya namaḥ, feeds brāhmaṇas, and on the next day, Ashṭamī, breaks the fast with a meal that includes pepper (marica). The name comes from the pepper eaten at the pāraṇa (the meal that ends the fast). This vrata brings back together those who have been parted from loved ones and ends all estrangement.

Phala-saptamī (Fruit Saptamī): the devotee honours Sūrya with self-control and gives fruits such as kharjūra (dates), nārikela (coconut) and gaja-nimma to brāhmaṇas, saying Mārtaṇḍaḥ prīyatām (“may Mārtaṇḍa, the Sun, be pleased”). The devotee also lives on those same fruits through the night. This is done on every Saptamī of the year.

Anaudaka-saptamī (Waterless Saptamī): the devotee honours Sūrya, feeds a brāhmaṇa pāyasa (sweet rice pudding), and then ends the vrata by drinking only milk. It is a fast from all food, including water. This vrata is kept by those who wish for wealth (dhana) and sons (putra-lābha).

Vijaya-saptamī (Victory Saptamī): for those seeking victory, only vāyu (air) is taken, a complete fast from all food and drink. For the vrata to give its full fruit, the devotee must also give up honey, maithuna (sexual union), uḍada (black gram), barley, oil massage, añjana (eye make-up) and all other pleasures.

Ashṭamī Vratas (Eighth Day)

Dūrvāshṭamī

On the Ashṭamī of the bright fortnight of Bhādrapada, the Dūrvāshṭamī vrata is kept. The devotee fasts and honours the images of Gaurī, Gaṇeśa and Śiva with dūrvā grass (Cynodon dactylon, garika grass), and then with fruits and flowers. Each offering is made with Śambhave namaḥ | Śivāya namaḥ. The dūrvā grass itself is addressed with this prārthanā:

tvam dūrve’mṛtajanmāsī vanditā ca surāsuraiḥ | saubhāgyaṃ santatiṃ kṛtvā sarva-kārya-karī bhava || yathā-śākhā praśākhābhir vistṛtāsi mahī-tale | tathā mamāpi santānaṃ dehi tvam ajara-mare ||

One who keeps this vrata and eats only uncooked food (agni-apakva) on that day is freed from the pāpa of brahma-hatyā (killing a brāhmaṇa).

Janmāshṭamī

Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa appeared on the Ashṭamī of the dark fortnight of Bhādrapada, at midnight, in the Rohiṇī nakshatra. An Ashṭamī joined with Saptamī is also thought fit for this vrata. Pūjā to Kṛshṇa on this day destroys the pāpas of three births.

The pūjā goes through four Govinda mantras in order:

1. Dhyāna (meditation): OM Yogāya yogapataye yogeśvarāya | yoga-sambhavāya Govindāya namo namaḥ ||
2. Snāna (bathing the image): OM Yajñāya yajñeśvarāya yajñapataye | yajña-sambhavāya Govindāya namo namaḥ |
3. Pūjā: OM Viśvāya viśveśvarāya viśvapataye | viśva-sambhavāya Govindāya namo namaḥ |
4. Śayana (laying the deity to rest): OM Sarvāya sarveśvarāya sarvapataye | sarva-sambhavāya Govindāya namo namaḥ |

On a sthaṇḍila (altar), images of Candra (the Moon), Rohiṇī and Śrī Kṛshṇa are set up and honoured. Arghya (a water offering) is given to the Moon with the mantra: kshīrodārṇava-sambhūta atri-netra-samudbhava | gṛhāṇārghyaṃ śaśāṅkeśa rohiṇyā sahito mama ||. Arghya is also offered to Mahālakshmī, Vasudeva, Nanda, Balarāma and Yaśodā.

Then the deity is praised with a stuti (hymn) of more than thirty names of Vishṇu, among them Ananta, Vāmana, Śauri, Vaikuṇṭha, Purushottama, Vāsudeva, Hṛshīkeśa, Mādhava, Madhusūdana, Varāha, Puṇḍarīkāksha, Nṛsiṃha, Dāmodara, Padmanābha, Keśava, Garuḍadhvaja, Govinda, Acyuta, Adhokshaja and Nārāyaṇa. It ends with a prārthanā for liberation:

trāhi māṃ deva-deveśa hare saṃsāra-sāgarāt | trāhi māṃ sarva-pāpaghna duḥkha-śokārṇavāt prabho ||

Everything asked for in this stuti, such as freedom from misery, release from wrong conduct, removal of ajñāna (ignorance), śānti (peace), wealth and sovereignty, is granted to one who keeps this vrata.

Navamī Vratas (Ninth Day)

Aśokāshṭamī

The Ashṭamī of the bright fortnight of Caitra, when joined with the Punarvasu nakshatra, is called Aśokāshṭamī. On this day eight buds of the aśoka flower are made into a kashāya (herbal drink) and drunk while reciting: tvam aśoka-harābhīshṭa madhumāsa-samudbhava | pibāmi śoka-santaptā māmaśokaṃ sadā kuru ||.

Mahānavamī

The Navamī of the bright fortnight of Āśvayuja, when joined with the Uttarāshāḍhā nakshatra, is called Mahānavamī, the most powerful Navamī. On it, bathing, giving and every good deed bring akshaya (never-ending) fruit. Even an ordinary Navamī of the bright fortnight of Āśvayuja calls for Durgā pūjā. Bhagavān Śiva himself, with all the devas, kept this great vrata.

The devī of Mahānavamī is Ugracaṇḍā, the eighteen-armed form of Devī, blazing with the colours of fire. Eight śaktis surround her: Rudracaṇḍā, Pracaṇḍā, Caṇḍogrā, Caṇḍanāyikā, Caṇḍā, Caṇḍavatī, Caṇḍarūpā and Aticaṇḍikā, each of a different colour (gorocanā-yellow, dawn-red, black, blue, smoky, white, yellow and pale). Ugracaṇḍā herself is the colour of a tongue of flame. She rides a lion. Before her stands Mahishāsura with a sword in his hand, while Devī holds him by his hair.

At the four corners of the maṇḍapa (pavilion) the fierce śaktis of Mahādevī are set up: Pūtanā (north-east), Pāpa-rākshasī, Carakī and Vidārikā. The root mantra for all Devī pūjā in this vrata is: OM Durge Durge rakshiṇī svāhā.

Before the Navamī, on the Ashṭamī itself, nine (or one) wooden maṇḍapas are built, and a gold or silver image of Devī is installed with a book, a trident (śūla), a sword (khaḍga) or a silk cloth. Japa (repeated chanting) of the root mantra and homa are done, and then young girls (kumārīs) are fed.

For kings and warriors who seek victory over enemies, Mahānavamī is made even greater by a ratha-yātrā (chariot procession) of Mahādevī and by pūjā of the Mātṛkās (mother devīs), Brāhmī, Māheśī, Kaumārī, Vaishṇavī and Vārāhī, who are bathed with milk.

Vīranavamī and Damanaka-navamī

Vīranavamī: on the Navamī of the bright fortnight of Āśvayuja, the devotee keeps ekabhukta (one meal a day), honours Devī and brāhmaṇas, and recites the bīja-mantra (seed mantra) one lakh (100,000) times.

Damanaka-navamī: on the Navamī of the bright fortnight of Caitra, Devī is honoured with damanaka flowers. This grants long life and health, wealth and power, and victory over enemies.

Daśamī Vrata (Tenth Day): Diggaja-daśamī

On the Daśamī of the bright fortnight of Caitra, the devotee begins an ekabhukta vrata and keeps it for a full year. At the end, ten cows are given as gifts and a golden waist-ornament (oḍḍāṇa) is offered to the Dikpālakas (guardians of the directions). The fruit is Brahmāṇḍādhipatya, rule over the whole universe (the cosmic egg).

Ekādaśī (Eleventh Day): Ṛshyekādaśī

The Ṛshyekādaśī vrata is kept on the Ekādaśī of the month concerned. The ten great ṛshis, Marīci, Atri, Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Pracetas, Vasishṭha, Bhṛgu and Nārada, are honoured with devotion with damanaka flowers and garlands made of them. The devotee who keeps this vrata enjoys every worldly pleasure together with jñāna (knowledge) in this life, and at the end of life gains ṛshi-loka-vāsa, a home in the world of the ṛshis.

Dvādaśī Vrata (Twelfth Day): Śravaṇa-dvādaśī

The day on which Ekādaśī, Dvādaśī and the Śravaṇa nakshatra come together is called Vijaya-tithi. It grants both bhoga (enjoyment) and moksha (liberation) to all living beings. Any pūjā to Hari done on this day earns akshaya puṇya (never-ending merit). The devotee may keep ekabhukta (one meal), nakta-vrata (eating only at night), ayācita (eating only what comes unasked), upavāsa (full fast) or bhikshānna-bhojana (eating food received as alms); all of these give unlimited merit. Forbidden on this day are bronze (kāṃsya) vessels, honey, meat, lobha (greed), falsehood, exercise, maithuna (sexual union), sleeping in the day, añjana (eye make-up), food made from ground grain, and pulses such as pesara (green gram).

The Dvādaśī of the bright fortnight of Bhādrapada joined with the Śravaṇa nakshatra is especially auspicious. If it also falls on a Wednesday, bathing at the meeting of rivers and japa bring extraordinary fruit. On this day a golden image of Bhagavān Vāmana is placed on a full pot (pūrṇa-kumbha) filled with water holding gems (ratna-jala), covered with two white cloths, together with a parasol and sandals (pādukā), and honoured with all the upacāras (services of pūjā).

The ten-part aṅga-nyāsa of Vāmana:

Ghee, pāyasa, pots (kumbhas) and kuḍumulu are offered, and the night is spent in bhajana (devotional singing) and jāgaraṇa (staying awake). At dawn the devotee bathes, performs ācamana (sipping water for purification), offers pūjā again with pushpāñjali (an offering of flowers held in both hands), and prays:

Namo namas te Govinda budha-śravaṇa-saṃjñaka | aghaaugha-saṃkshayaṃ kṛtvā sarva-saukhya-prado bhava ||

Then kalaśas (pots) are given to brāhmaṇas. A riverbank is the most praśasta (auspicious) place for this pūjā.

Sources

• Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa, Ācāra Khaṇḍa, Chapters 129–136
• Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa, Ācāra Khaṇḍa, Chapter 129 (Pratipadā to Pañcamī)
• Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa, Ācāra Khaṇḍa, Chapter 130 (Shashṭhī and Saptamī)
• Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa, Ācāra Khaṇḍa, Chapter 131 (Dūrvāshṭamī and Janmāshṭamī)
• Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa, Ācāra Khaṇḍa, Chapter 133 (Aśokāshṭamī, Navamī, Daśamī and Ekādaśī)
• Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa, Ācāra Khaṇḍa, Chapter 136 (Śravaṇa-dvādaśī)