Upcoming Festival-When is Somvati Amavasya in the Year 2021

Amavasya of any month which falls on Monday is called Somvati Amavasya. It is specially known for the Tarpan of ancestors. Person observing this fast should sit under the Peepal tree and chant the Shani mantra on this day.

 

Baths and donations performed on Somvati Amavasya have a special significance. Staying Maun (silent) is very fruitful on this day. According to Dev Rishi Vyas, staying Maun and performing baths and donation give virtues similar to donating thousand cows. 

 

Additionally, person observing fast revolves 108 times around Peepal tree and offers Puja to lord Vishnu and the tree. This fast is mainly observed by women. After this, donations are made according to the capabilities. 

 

Having a dip in Brahma Sarovar of Kurukshetra gives auspicious fruits to a person on this day. This gives inexhaustible fruits. From sunrise to sunset, crowd of people can be seen bathing in holy river. Echo of sacred verse is spread in all directions. Performing these works fulfils all wishes of an individual. 

 

Women observing the fast of Somvati Amavasya should hear the fast story. 

 

Somavati Amavasya Fast Story

 

A moneylender had seven sons and one daughter. He married off all his sons. But, the daughter was yet not married. A monk used to come everyday to his house and asked for alms. In return, he gave blessings to them. He used to bless the daughter-in-law with happy married life but he never gave blessing of marriage to the daughter of the house.

 

Once the daughter told this thing to her mother. Mother felt sad and next day, she asked the monk about this. Sadhu gave no answer and went away. Seeing this, the mother got  worried.

 

Mother immediately called the Pandit and asked him to see the Kundali of her daughter. He said that the girl’s destiny is to become a widow. Mother got upset and asked for a remedy. He said the girl to go the island Singhal, where lived a washer women. The girl needed to ask for the Sindoor from that lady and wear on her forehead. Moreover, by observing the fast of Somvati Amavasya, the inauspicious Yoga can be removed.

 

Hearing this, mother requested the sons to go with her daughter. Only the youngest son agreed to go. Both of them left and reached the seashore. They started thinking, how to cross it. They sat under a tree on which a vulture had a nest. 

 

Whenever female vulture gave birth to a child, a snake used to eat him up. That day, vulture and his wife was out when a snake came and their children started shouting. Daughter of moneylender understood and killed the snake with her courage. When vulture and his wife returned, they became happy seeing their children alive and helped the girl to go to the house of washerwomen. 

 

The girl secretly served the washer women for many months. The lady was pleased and applied Sindoor on her forehead. Then, the girl left for her home without drinking water. On the way, she revolved around a Peepal tree and then, she drank water. She worshipped the Pipal tree and observed the fast of Somvati Amavasya. This way her inauspicious Yogas were cancelled and she became fortunate. 

 

 

सोमवती अमावस्या का पर्व विशेषकर महिलाएँ मनाती है। इस पर्व में स्नान-दान का बड़ा महत्व है। इस दिन मौन रहकर स्नान करने से हजार गौदान का फल होता है। इस दिन पीपल और भगवान विष्णु का पूजन तथा उनकी 108 प्रदक्षिणा करने का विधान है। 108 में से 8 प्रदक्षिणा पीपल के वृक्ष को कच्चा सूत लपेटते हुए की जाती हैं। प्रदक्षिणा करते समय 108 फल पृथक रखे जाते है।

बाद में वे भगवान का भजन करने वाले ब्राह्मणों या ब्राह्मणियों में वितरित कर दिये जाते है। ऐसा करने से संतान चिरंजीवी होती है। इस दिन तुलसी की 108 परिक्रमा करने से दरिद्रता मिटती है। सोमवती अमावस्या, रविवारी सप्तमी, मंगलवारी चतुर्थी, बुधवारी अष्टमी – ये चार तिथियाँ सूर्य ग्रहण के बराबर कही गयी हैं। इनमें किया गया स्नान, दान, जप व श्राद्ध अक्षय होता है।