Chaturmāsa Vrata (Fast) | Sri Vinod Babaji Maharaj

 

Chaturmāsa Vrata is a four month long fast. It starts from Shayan Ekadasi and ends on Utthan Ekadasi. It could also be started from Vamana Masa Purnima (Guru Purnima) and ends on Damodara Masa Purninma. It has great significance for Vaishnavas. During this time, Lord Hari goes into Yoga Nidra (divine sleep) during which He watches His devotees and is especially pleased by those engaged in austerities.

[For more details, one may refer to Hari Bhakti Vilas on this topic.] One of the main aspects of Chaturmāsa Vrata is Āhāra Shuddhi (purity of food intake).

“Āhāra śuddhau sattva śuddhau dhruvā smṛtiḥ smṛtilambhe sarvagranthīnāṃ vipramokṣah.”
(Chandogya Upanishad 7.26.2)

Meaning: If one eats pure food, one’s mind becomes pure. If the mind is pure, one’s memory (of Lord Hari) becomes strong and steady. If the memory is good, one becomes free from all bondages.

The food we eat has a great impact on our bhajan. Food can be of three types according to the three modes of nature (Sattvik, Rajasik and Tamasik). Therefore, the food causes the mind to become Sattvik, Rajasik and Tamasik when ingested.

This affects our ability to contemplate on Radha Krishna. A mind in the Rajasik or Tamasik mode of nature is hardly able to contemplate on Radha Krishna, while a Sattvik mind helps in contemplation of Radha Krishna since at that time, the mind is pure. Prolonged intake of Sattvik food purifies the mind and with such a pure mind, the contemplation of Radha Krishna becomes strong and steady.

But this is not what Chaturmās Vrata is all about. A sadhak must devote these four months of the year to please Lord Hari, regardless of whether he is a householder or a renunciate. The goal should be pleasing Radha Krishna and not just performing great austerities through Falahar (eating only fruits, roots and seeds), Jalahar (Only drinking water), etc. This means the sadhak must eat less and eat nutritious Sattvik food, but not to the point of falling ill and doing less bhajan. The austerities must enhance bhajan and contemplation of Radha Krishna.

The sadhak must beware of three types Anna doshas (impurities of food):

1. Jāti dosha: Jāti means species. The food that is impure by nature must not be consumed at all. For example, meat, wine, onion, garlic, etc are impure by nature. A person who consumes such food can never do bhajan at all because they are Tamasik by nature. It is now scientifically proven that they cause the mind to become restless and gradually result in diseases.
2. Nimitta dosha: Nimitta means infliction. When a food, which is pure, is caused to be impure by an external cause, the food is said to have incurred Nimitta dosha. For example, when dirt, hair, insects, etc fall into the food or the food is touched by foot, impure hands, or another’s mouth (saliva), then the food should not be consumed.
3. Āshray dosha: Āshray means source. The money used to buy food should be earned through honesty and hard work. If the money came through stealing, dishonesty, bribery or other unfair means, then the food bought with it will be devastating for bhajan. The one who eats such food will incur similar qualities and thoughts. 

Another type of Āshray dosha is when the food is cooked or served by a very materialistic, lustful or criminal person, the qualities of that person get infused into the food. Whoever eats such food will incur similar thoughts. This is why, many sadhaks prefer to cook their own food. How can we know who has pure money, who has pure mind? So, it is best to cook one’s own food.

In order to avoid these three Anna doshas, the best way for Sadhus (since they don’t have their own earned money) is Bhiksha or Madhukari (food procured from many households in little quantities, just like a bee that collects honey from many flowers without damaging them). Madhukari is the purest of all foods and is never contaminated by  Āshray dosha but Jāti dosha and Nimitta dosha should still be avoided. However, only renunciates are allowed to do Madhukari, though anyone can eat Madhukari provided it has been given willingly by any renunciate from his/her share of Bhiksha.

Let me tell you a real story. Once, a Sadhu went to a Grihasthi’s house. The Brahmin householder welcomed him warmly and since the Sadhu was Swapāki (one who takes up the life long vow of cooking by himself), the householder made all arrangements for the Sadhu to cook his meal. After the supper, the Brahmin let the Sadhu rest in the temple sanctuary of his house.

At night, the Sadhu was overcome by a desire to steal all the jewelleries of the deities and sell them in the market to get a lot of money. He quietly stole the jewellery and escaped from the house undetected. After running the whole night, in the morning he regained some of his conscience. He thought, ‘Why did I steal these jewelleries? How come I was overcome by the desire to steal? I actually stole like a deluded person and escaped from the householder who served me warmly?! Alright, now the best solution is to go back, hand over these jewelleries and receive the well-deserved beating.’

Therefore, he went back to the Brahmin householder and gave the jewellery back. The Brahmin did not beat him out of respect but was confused by the events. The Sadhu asked him, “Where did you get the rice that you gave me for cooking last night?” The Brahmin said, “Maharaj, I had received the rice as fees from a Yajmān (one who invites a Brahmin to perform Vedic rituals for him).” The Sadhu asked him to find out how his Yajmān earns money.

It was found out that the Yajmān was a thief and had bought the rice with stolen money. This Āshray dosha caused the Sadhu to develop a desire to steal.

In this way, it must be understood that Anna dosha is a very important aspect of a sadhak’s life, especially in Chaturmāsa Vrata when we can easily progress in bhajan with Lord Hari’s blessings.

Apart from eating less but pure, sadhak must also focus on creating such a daily bhajan routine so that there is no scope for idle talk or worldly entertainment. He must find out how much time he can make for bhajan after performing his daily tasks. Then, he must divide that time for Harinaam Japa, reading scriptures like Srimad Bhagvad Geeta & Srimad Bhagavatam, kirtan and so on. The sadhak must try to give more time to Harinaam and contemplation of Radha Krishna. He must ensure that the Chaturmāsa Vrata does not become all about dietary restrictions and some mechanic bhajan. He must try to chant Harinaam sitting on his bhajan Āsana (seat made of pure woollen blanket for daily bhajan) continuously for at least one hour. This time can be increased gradually to deepen bhajan.

If not all year, atleast these four months should be devoted to the contemplation of Radha Krishna. Especially, during sitting on Āsana, he must chant with utmost concentration on Harinaam or while contemplating Gurudev or Radha Krishna.  And he must follow his bhajan routine with staunch determination. No obstacle must be able to deter him from his bhajan (since usually, there will be tests to deter him from bhajan). This kind of Bhajan Nishtha (determination to do bhajan) is very important for the sadhak to progress in bhajan.

Another important aspect about Chaturmāsa Vrata is reducing sleep. For a sadhak, Harinaam Japa gives spiritual energy and it also provides better rest to the body than sleep. That is why, at most, 6 hours of sleep is enough for a sadhak.

Also, the sadhak must wake up atleast 1 hour before the sunrise and bath. Bathing before sunrise is an indispensable rule of Chaturmāsa Vrata.

“Pehle pahar me sab koi jaage,
Dusre pahar me bhogi,
Tisre pahar me taskar jaage,
Chauthe pahar me yogi.”

Meaning: During the night’s first quadrant, that is, from 6pm to 9pm, everyone stays awake. During the second quadrant, that is, from 9pm to 12am, the materialistic and lustful people stay awake. From 12 am to 3am, in the third quadrant of the night, the thieves and robbers stay awake for their crimes. In the fourth quadrant of the night, that is, from 3am to 6am, the Yogis (all sadhaks who want to progress in spirituality stay awake.

Therefore, it is best to wake up at Brahma Muhurta (Brahma Muhurta is a period that begins one hour and 36 minutes before sunrise, and ends 48 minutes before sunrise. 3am to 6am is an approximate time).

As the sadhak’s bhajan progresses, he must try to reduce his sleep. But this is a gradual process. If a sadhak reduces even half an hour of sleep and devotes it to bhajan, his bhajan progresses with the blessings of Siddha Sadhus and Lord Hari.

One who truly wants to do bhajan will find the time to do it. People make time for the things they give priority. A gambler finds time for gambling, a householder finds time for all kinds of chores, family functions and what not. Similarly, a sadhak who really wants to progress in bhajan will not mind reducing sleep, finishing other tasks quickly and making time for bhajan.

A sadhak must think, ‘If I do not do bhajan and attain Prem Bhakti in this lifetime, then it will have devastating consequences. Who knows whether I will be born as a human or not? What if I am thrown back to the cycle of 84 million types of births before taking birth as a human again? Even if I am born as a human, what if I end up in a situation unfavourable for bhajan? What if I never find a Guru or get to visit the Vraja Dham? Even if that happens, what if I fall ill and become physically unable to do bhajan? When all these favourable conditions have already been blessed upon me, should I not stop wasting my time on useless worldly matters and start doing bhajan with determination?’

One who thinks that he has a lot of worldly matters to handle and is unable to do bhajan in this lifetime is a great fool because he is expecting the endless worldly matters to come to an end and give him favourable conditions for bhajan. A sadhak must devote every bit of free time to bhajan and try to contemplate on Radha Krishna even during performing his daily tasks.

Chaturmāsa Vrata helps the sadhak create better bhajan routine year by year and hence, progress in bhajan. A true sadhak must not abandon the bhajan routine after the end of the Vrata, but follow it steadily until the next year’s Chaturmāsa Vrata. Then, he upgrades his bhajan further the next year and so on. In this way, this Vrata is highly auspicious for all Vaishnavas who follow it.