Aṅgāraka Caturthī Vrata

Aṅgāraka Caturthi Vrata, “the fourth-day vow of Aṅgāraka”

Aṅgāraka Caturthī is a caturthi (the fourth tithi of a fortnight) that falls on a Tuesday, called Maṅgalavāra. It is kept for Bhagavān Gaṇeśa together with Maṅgala, who is also called Aṅgāraka and is the planet Mars. It is one of the strongest forms of the Saṅkashṭa Caturthī vrata. The Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Upāsanā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 60, gives its origin.

The Agni Purāṇa (Chapter 179) also names it among the caturthī vratas: one who worships Gaṇapati on a caturthī that falls on a Tuesday gains all that he desires.

How it began

Maṅgala is also called Bhūmiputra, the son of the Earth. He was born from the retas (seed) of Bhāradvāja Ṛshi and from the earth. The Gaṇeśa Purāṇa tells of Maṅgala’s birth and of his thousand-year tapas (austerity) on the banks of the Narmadā.

At the end of that tapas, Bhagavān Gaṇeśa appeared to Maṅgala on the Māgha kṛshṇa caturthi (the fourth day of the dark fortnight of Māgha), and that day was a Tuesday. Bhagavān Gaṇeśa declared that this day was the day of Maṅgala’s darśana (sight of Bhagavān Gaṇeśa) and his moksha (liberation). So it would always be known as a day of special joint power: the power of Bhagavān Gaṇeśa’s caturthi grace joined with the influence of Maṅgala.

Bhagavān Gaṇeśa also made it known that whenever a caturthi falls on a Tuesday, in any month, that day shares in this special quality, which was set at the moksha of Maṅgala.

When it is kept

Any caturthi that falls on Maṅgalavāra (Tuesday) is an Aṅgāraka Caturthī. It may be a śukla caturthi (in the bright fortnight) or a kṛshṇa caturthi (in the dark fortnight). This happens several times in a year, and each time is very auspicious for the worship of Bhagavān Gaṇeśa.

The strongest case is when the Māgha kṛshṇa caturthi itself falls on a Tuesday. Then the conditions are the same as on the day of Maṅgala’s moksha.

The vidhi

Aṅgāraka Caturthī is kept with the whole procedure of the Saṅkashṭa Caturthī vrata:

  • a fast from dawn;
  • the full shoḍaśopacāra pūjā (worship with sixteen offerings) for Bhagavān Gaṇeśa;
  • worship with twenty-one names, each with its own leaf;
  • the Candra-arghya, the offering of water to the moon at moonrise (on kṛshṇa caturthi).

These further things are right for Aṅgāraka Caturthī:

  • Red offerings. Maṅgala, the red planet, is linked with red. So is the pravāḷa (coral-red) form of Bhagavān Gaṇeśa that is linked with Kārtavīryārjuna. So red flowers and red cloth are especially fitting on this day.
  • Invocation of Maṅgala. With the pūjā of Bhagavān Gaṇeśa, a short invocation of Maṅgala-graha (Maṅgala the planet) is made. It honours him as Bhūmiputra and as the one who received the grace of Bhagavān Gaṇeśa on this day of joint power.
  • Prayer for health and courage. The joint influence of Bhagavān Gaṇeśa and Maṅgala makes this day very strong for prayers about bodily health, courage in hard times and victory over opponents.

Pravāḷa Gaṇapati and Maṅgala

Kārtavīryārjuna did a twelve-year Ekāksharī tapas (tapas on the one-syllable mantra) at Pravāḷa-kshetra. During it, a coral-red (pravāḷa) form of Bhagavān Gaṇeśa appeared to him from the sacred lake. This form has the colour of Maṅgala. Both are red, and both stand for the fierce, active power that destroys obstacles: Maṅgala as the planet of warlike energy, and Bhagavān Gaṇeśa in his red-coral form as the giver of great bodily strength. The Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Upāsanā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 73, tells of this form.

Per Agni Purāṇa

Agni Deva teaches the caturthī vratas, which give both bhukti (enjoyment in this world) and mukti (moksha). Among them he says: “One who worships Gaṇapati on a caturthī joined with Maṅgalavāra (Tuesday) gains all desired things.”

In the same chapter he gives the way Gaṇapati is worshipped on the caturthī:

  • The mūla-mantra is gaṃ svāhā, and the nyāsa (placing of the mantra) on the heart and the other limbs is done with gāṃ namaḥ and the rest.
  • Gaṇapati is invoked with āgaccha ulkāya and given farewell with gaccha ulkāya.
  • He is worshipped with fragrance and the other upacāras, and modakas are offered.
  • Then japa is done of the Gaṇapati Gāyatrī: oṃ maholkāya vidmahe vakratuṇḍāya dhīmahi tanno dantī pracodayāt.

Source: Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 179

Sources

  • Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Upāsanā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 60
  • Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Upāsanā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 73
  • Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 179