“Dhanurmasa”
What is Dhanurmasa –
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As Sun transits through Dhanur Rashi (Sagarittus) it is called as Dhanur Maasa. Usually this maasa will be observed during Dec16, 17th to January 14, 15th. During this month, the sun transits the Dhanur Rasi until it enters the Makara Rashi during the end of this month on the Makara Sankranthi day.
Why we have to do all the pooja before sunrise during the period ?
– During this period devategalu and Rushigalu will pray Srihari early in the morning before Sunrise, i.e, during Brahmee Muhurtha with special prayers. As such, we have to get up early in the morning and do snaana, ahneeka, sandhyavandana, devarapooja, vaishwadeva, agnikarya (for brahmacharis), and Madhyahnika before Sunrise. Further, it is as per the orders of Srihari that we have to wake up early in the morning to all the rituals
What are the different phalas for pooja during dhanurmasa?
As per Agneya PuraNa –
muKyaaruNOdayE pUjaa madhyamaa luptataarakaa | adhamaa sUryasahitaa madhyaahnE niShphalaa bhavEt|ಮುಖ್ಯಾರುಣೋದಯೇ ಪೂಜಾ ಮಧ್ಯಮಾ ಲುಪ್ತತಾರಕಾ |
ಅಧಮಾ ಸೂರ್ಯಸಹಿತಾ ಮಧ್ಯಾಹ್ನೇ ನಿಷ್ಫಲಾ ಭವೇತ್|
मुख्यारुणोदये पूजा मध्यमा लुप्ततारका ।
अधमा सूर्यसहिता मध्याह्ने निष्फला भवेत्।
– We have to finish pooja when the stars are still twinkling. It is considered as the best. Pooja that finishes after the stars have vanished, but before sunrise, is considered as Medium, whereas pooja that completed after sunrise is inferior. Puja performed in the afternoon is practically useless. We have to do the pooja and naivedya atleast 96 minutes before sunrise.
What will happen if we are not doing the pooja, etc in time during dhanurmasa?
yastu daaridryabuddyaa mudgaannam na nivEdayEt | viShNavE kaarmukE praata: saptajanmasu nirdhana: ||यस्तु दारिद्र्यबुद्द्या मुद्गान्नं न निवेदयेत् ।
विष्णवे कार्मुके प्रात: सप्तजन्मसु निर्धन: ॥
ಯಸ್ತು ದಾರಿದ್ರ್ಯಬುದ್ದ್ಯಾ ಮುದ್ಗಾನ್ನಂ ನ ನಿವೇದಯೇತ್ |
ವಿಷ್ಣವೇ ಕಾರ್ಮುಕೇ ಪ್ರಾತ: ಸಪ್ತಜನ್ಮಸು ನಿರ್ಧನ: ||
– As per Agneya Purana – One who does not do pooja of Srihari in time, i.e., before Sunrise will get Daaridrya during his next seven births as well, he will suffer from diseases and his mental strength will be very limited.
uSha:poojaam dhanurmaasE yO na kurvIta vaiShNavIm | saptajanmasu rikta: syaat kShayarOgI chamODadhI: || उष:पूजां धनुर्मासे यो न कुर्वीत वैष्णवीं ।
सप्तजन्मसु रिक्त: स्यात् क्षयरोगी च मूडधी: ॥
ಉಷ:ಪೂಜಾಂ ಧನುರ್ಮಾಸೇ ಯೋ ನ ಕುರ್ವೀತ ವೈಷ್ಣವೀಂ |
ಸಪ್ತಜನ್ಮಸು ರಿಕ್ತ: ಸ್ಯಾತ್ ಕ್ಷಯರೋಗೀ ಚ ಮೂಡಧೀ: ||
What will we get if we do the pooja in time during Dhanurmasa?
kOdanDasthE savitari pratyUSha: pUjanaaddharE: | sahasraabdhaarchanaphalam dinEnaikEna labhyatE ||कोदंडस्थे सवितरि प्रत्यूष: पूजनाद्धरे: ।
सहस्राब्धार्चनफलं दिनेनैकेन लभ्यते ॥
ಕೋದಂಡಸ್ಥೇ ಸವಿತರಿ ಪ್ರತ್ಯೂಷ: ಪೂಜನಾದ್ಧರೇ: |
ಸಹಸ್ರಾಬ್ಧಾರ್ಚನಫಲಂ ದಿನೇನೈಕೇನ ಲಭ್ಯತೇ ||
– By doing one day of pooja early in the morning during Dhanurmasa, will get the pooja punya phala equal to 1000 years. Pl note – We must do it throughout the month unfailingly. (It is not restricted to a single day, we will get the punya only if we do it for the full month). He will get Dhana Dhaanya, and in all his births he will be born as Vishnu devotee only.
What we have to offer during Dhanurmasa?
– We have to offer Mudgnaanna (huggi) to Srihari.
What is Mudganna is made up of?
– Mudganna is made up of Rice, Moong dall (hesaru bELe or green gram), Godambi, jinger, Pepper, and butter, dry coconut, turmeric, etc.
What is the proportion of rice:dall ?
AgnEya puraaNa –
mudgaM taMDulamaanaM syaadyuttamOttamamuchyatE | madhyamaM taMDulaadardhaM tadardhamadhamaM bhavEt| mudgaM tu dviguNaM kEchit prashaMsaMti munIshvaraa: | yathaabalaM prakurvIta na hIyEttaMDulaardhata: |ಮುದ್ಗಂ ತಂಡುಲಮಾನಂ ಸ್ಯಾದ್ಯುತ್ತಮೋತ್ತಮಮುಚ್ಯತೇ |
ಮಧ್ಯಮಂ ತಂಡುಲಾದರ್ಧಂ ತದರ್ಧಮಧಮಂ ಭವೇತ್|
ಮುದ್ಗಂ ತು ದ್ವಿಗುಣಂ ಕೇಚಿತ್ ಪ್ರಶಂಸಂತಿ ಮುನೀಶ್ವರಾ: |
ಯಥಾಬಲಂ ಪ್ರಕುರ್ವೀತ ನ ಹೀಯೇತ್ತಂಡುಲಾರ್ಧತ: |
मुद्गं तंडुलमानं स्याद्युत्तमोत्तममुच्यते ।
मध्यमं तंडुलादर्धं तदर्धमधमं भवेत्।
मुद्गं तु द्विगुणं केचित् प्रशंसंति मुनीश्वरा: ।
यथाबलं प्रकुर्वीत न हीयेत्तंडुलार्धत: ।
Best – One is to one (1:1) proportion of Rice-Moong Dall
Medium – One Rice to Half (2:1) Moong Dall
Average – One rice to Quarter Moongdall (4:1)
Higher the proportion of Rice-Moongdall, taste also will be good, punya will be more.
(Ofcourse for the poor people, who could not offer in the proportion as mentioned, they can do the same yathashakthi, Srihari will give them sufficient punya. But for those who are capable of they have to use the good proportion only).
What are the main items to kept for Naivedya during Dhanurmasa?
– Mudganna (huggi), gojju (made of jiggery, tamarind), Butter.
What is the phala for samarpaNa of Mudgaanna?
As per smruthimuktaavali
dadhyaardakaM cha mudgaannaM dadyaachchailaaguDOjjvalam | susuKOShNaM sakaMdaM cha viShNavE ya: samarpayEt| dRuShTvaa tachchubhamudgaannaM saMtuShTO bhaktavatsala: | dadaati sakalaan bhOgaan mOkShaM cha jagadIshvara: |ದಧ್ಯಾರ್ದಕಂ ಚ ಮುದ್ಗಾನ್ನಂ ದದ್ಯಾಚ್ಚೈಲಾಗುಡೋಜ್ಜ್ವಲಮ್ |
ಸುಸುಖೋಷ್ಣಂ ಸಕಂದಂ ಚ ವಿಷ್ಣವೇ ಯ: ಸಮರ್ಪಯೇತ್|
ದೃಷ್ಟ್ವಾ ತಚ್ಚುಭಮುದ್ಗಾನ್ನಂ ಸಂತುಷ್ಟೋ ಭಕ್ತವತ್ಸಲ: |
ದದಾತಿ ಸಕಲಾನ್ ಭೋಗಾನ್ ಮೋಕ್ಷಂ ಚ ಜಗದೀಶ್ವರ: |
दध्यार्दकं च मुद्गान्नं दद्याच्चैलागुडोज्ज्वलम् ।
सुसुखोष्णं सकंदं च विष्णवे य: समर्पयेत्।
दृष्ट्वा तच्चुभमुद्गान्नं संतुष्टो भक्तवत्सल: ।
ददाति सकलान् भोगान् मोक्षं च जगदीश्वर: ।
– If we offer Mudgaanna to Srihari in the right proportion, yathaashakthi, he will be pleased and will give you all your requirements, finally Moksha also.
What are the duties during Dhanurmaasa?
tasmaat sarvaprayatnEna chaapamaasE dine dine | uSha:kale tu saMpraaptE archayitvaa janaardhanaM| upachaarai: ShODashIbhirmudgaannaM cha nivEdayEt | yathaa saMkOchya satkarma bhuMktElpadvaadashIdinE | tathaa praatardhanurmaasE tyaktaa va karmaaNyarchayEchchamaam |तस्मात् सर्वप्रयत्नेन चापमासे दिनॆ दिनॆ ।
उष:कलॆ तु संप्राप्ते अर्चयित्वा जनार्धनं।
उपचारै: षोडशीभिर्मुद्गान्नं च निवेदयेत् ।
यथा संकोच्य सत्कर्म भुंक्तेल्पद्वादशीदिने ।
तथा प्रातर्धनुर्मासे त्यक्ता व कर्माण्यर्चयेच्चमाम् ।
ತಸ್ಮಾತ್ ಸರ್ವಪ್ರಯತ್ನೇನ ಚಾಪಮಾಸೇ ದಿನೆ ದಿನೆ |
ಉಷ:ಕಲೆ ತು ಸಂಪ್ರಾಪ್ತೇ ಅರ್ಚಯಿತ್ವಾ ಜನಾರ್ಧನಂ|
ಉಪಚಾರೈ: ಷೋಡಶೀಭಿರ್ಮುದ್ಗಾನ್ನಂ ಚ ನಿವೇದಯೇತ್ |
ಯಥಾ ಸಂಕೋಚ್ಯ ಸತ್ಕರ್ಮ ಭುಂಕ್ತೇಲ್ಪದ್ವಾದಶೀದಿನೇ |
ತಥಾ ಪ್ರಾತರ್ಧನುರ್ಮಾಸೇ ತ್ಯಕ್ತಾ ವ ಕರ್ಮಾಣ್ಯರ್ಚಯೇಚ್ಚಮಾಮ್ |
– Chaapamaase – means dhanurmaasa – We have to get up early in the morning. Do the pooja of Srihari. Do the samarpana of Mudgaannna. During Saadhana dwaadashi, we are minimizing other paaraayana, bhajana, etc. Similarly during Dhanurmasa, we must restrict special paarayana to ensure that dhanurmaasa pooja is done in time.
–What are the other names for Dhanurmasa?
– Chaapamaasa, KodanDa maasa, shoonya maasa.
Whether we have to finish our bhojana before sunrise?
– No, Never. One must never sit for bhojana before sunrise. (Even during Saadhana Dwadashi or alpa dwaadashi also, we have to do the naivedya, hastodaka, vaishwadeva in the alpa dwaadashi period, and we can take Theertha and have gandhakshate, after giving to brahmana-muthaideyaru.) As such, we can give theertha to brahmana-suvasiniyaru before Sunrise, and once the sun rises, we can sit for Bhojana.
What about the Shradda to be done during Dhanurmaasa?
– If there is any pitru kaarya falling during the period, one must do it before sun rises. We will get the punya for having done the shraadha only if we do it before sun rise, not otherwise.
What are the prohibitions during the month?
– Kshoura, mundane
– Upanayana, marriage, gruhapravesha, etc
Why this month is termed as Shoonya maasa?
– This full month is reserved for Srihari. We have to do the pooja of LakshmI samEta Srihari only. To enable pooja of Srihari, we have to restrict other functions and as Sun sets inDhanur it is not good for any functions like upanayana, marriage, gruhapravesha. If we do these mangala kaaryaas, we will not get upanayana phala, punya of Kanyadhana in marriage. That is why we must not do any such functions in this month. – As this month is dedicated to gods only and for it is a blank month, it is termed as shoonya maasa.
(Source – different books and articles)