ABOUT DHANURMASA - II

This is about Dhanurvayateepata and Dhanurdhruti.

YOgEshu parvakAlaha syAt vyateepAtashcha vAiDhrutihi say Smrutis. Therefore, both VyateepAta and VaiDhruti are ranked as Yogas and Parvakala. These are Pitrudinas or those very beloved to ancestors or

forefathers.

Yoga is one of the components of Panchanga, along with Tithi, Vara, Nakshatra (star) and Karana. Yoga is different from Aanandaadi Yogas or Gauri Panchanga that is usually mentioned in every Panchanga. Yoga represents the sum of longitudes of the Sun and the Moon for a given lunar day. Like Nakshatras or constellations, Yogas too are 27 in number and their duration is 13.20 degrees each that keep happening every day on a cyclical basis in a specific sequence starting from Vishkambha and ending with Vydruti Yoga. Although Yoga is given secondary importance in the ordinary parlance of Astrology, some of them, especially the Vyateepata and Vydruthi are forbidden for auspicious events.

Vyateepaata actually means great calamity or prone to sudden mishaps or chaos. Vyateepaata Yoga is in the 17^th position in the list of 27 Yogas. Like Nakshatras, Yogas also have presiding deities or Abhimani Devatas) and Vishwedevatas are the presiding (abhimani) deities for Vyateepata Yoga. Though Yogas like Vyateepata and Vaidhruti are not considered good for auspicious events, they are highly appropriate, auspicious and special for ceremonies, especially those related to Pitrus or ancestors or forefathers.  

Generally, 12 or more Vyateepata days occur in a year. If it is associated with Dhanurmasa, it is called Dhanur-Vyateepata Yoga, which is most significant for performing Pitru-related activities. It is said that any Pitru karya or charity given in respectful reverence to one’s Pitrus on the sacred day of Dhanur Vyateepata Yoga during Dhanurmasa is considered 1000 times more meritorious than the one performed during Ardhodhayaadi parva kala.

On this day of Vyateepata, after the early morning pujas akin to Dhanurmasa, Tarpana should be offered to the Pitrus, followed by Arghya. Sankalpa shloka is as follows:

DhanrmAsaniyAmaka SankarShaNaprEraNayA SankarShaNarUpee ParamAtmapreetyarTham DhanurvyateepAtaparvakAlE pitrutarpaNAKhyam karma kartum Adau vyateepAtArGhyadAnam KariShyE||

VyateepAta mahAsatwa sarvapApapraNAshan|

SahasrabAhO VishwAtman gruhANArGhyam namO(a)stu tE||

VyateepAta namastE(a)stu namastE vishwamangala|

ViShNuchakraswarUpAya namastE divyatEjasE||

Reciting the above hymns and keeping water in the palm, the Arghya should be given as is done during the Mahalaya and Tarpana should be offered to all Pitrus in the same order.

Prayer:

ViShNupriya vyateepAta pitruNAmAnRuNaprada|

PitrUNAm mama VaikunTham prayachCha Bhagavan HarE||

TwatprasAdEna mE BhaktirastvEvamanapAyinee|

JnAnavijnAnavairAgyam prayachChaBhagavan mama||

AnEna DhanurvyateepAtapUjArGhyatilatarpaNAdikarmakaraNEna ViShNuchakrAntahasThitasudarshanAtmaka SankarShaNarUpiparmAtmA preeyatAm||Sri KriShNArpaNamastu||