‘Vat Purnima Vrat’ is one of the most important festivals
celebrated by married women across India on the Purnima day of the Jyeshtha
month of the Hindu lunar calendar. This year, this festival is to fall on 8th
June 2017. This day is based on a legend of Savitri and Satyavan in the age of
Mahabharata. As per the legend, Savitri tricked Lord Yamraj, the lord of death,
and compelled him to return the life of her husband Satyavan. This is why
married women across the country observe the Vat Purnima Vrat for the
well-being and long life of their husband.
The legend behind the
Vat Purnima Vrat
During the times of Mahabharata, there was a princess named
Savitri who had chosen a prince named Satyavan as her husband, even after
knowing from Narad Muni that Satyavan would not live for more than one year
from that day onwards. One fine day, Satyavan was resting on Savitri’s lap
under a banyan tree, when he passed away. When Lord Yamraj came to take
Satyavan’s soul along with him, Savitri refused to part with her husband. As
Yamraj carried her husband’s soul with him, Savitri followed him and started
offering him praise. Yamraj, impressed by the content and style of her words,
granted her any boon, with the condition that she would not ask for the life of
Satyavan. Making a smart decision, Savitri first asked for the eyesight and
restoration of the kingdom of her blind father-in-law. Secondly, she asked for
children for her father. And third, she said that she would love to have
children. Yamraj, without giving the boons enough thought, granted all of them.
Ultimately, to grant her third boon, Yamraj had to grant the life of Satyavan.
This way, Savitri very intelligently brought back the life of Satyavan, after
which Yamraj blessed her life with eternal happiness.
Celebrating the Vat
Purnima Vrat
To pray for the long life of their husband, just like
Savitri did, married Indian women fast and pay offerings to the Banyan tree.
They dress up in beautiful red sarees,
wear dazzling ornaments, and approach the Banyan tree with Puja thaalis. After sprinkling kumkum
on the trunk, offering flowers, rice, and water, and lighting a diya, they tie a cotton thread on the
trunk, and circle around the tree with the thread seven times. They then join
their hands and pray to the tree for the long life and well-being of their
husband.
Why only the Banyan
tree?
The Banyan tree in Hinduism is a symbolic depiction of the
three superior lords – Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh (Shiva). The root of the tree
is considered to be Lord Brahma, the stem is believed to be Lord Vishnu, and
the upper portion is regarded as Lord Shiva. It is believed that offering
prayers to this tree on the Purnima
of the Jyeshtha month of the Hindu
calendar grants long life to the husband and prosperity to the entire family.
Although the tree does not play a significant role in the story of Savitri
mentioned above, it is worshipped in the memory that the entire legendary story
happened under the Banyan tree. Also, the fact that the Banyan tree has a long
life adds great significance to this entire story.
Website: https://www.makemypuja.com/
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