There are seven days in the week. A different God governs each day. Depending upon the purpose of the fast, one fasts accordingly. A common reason for fasting is to get over the malefic effect of a particular planet or God, or to achieve something through a blessing of the god. For each day there is a different procedure, different ways to pray to God, and also a different katha to read or arti to sing. However one resolves to fast, one must understand the details of different fasts.
A fast on Sunday is devoted to Surya - the sun
Eye problems or those pertaining to heat and skin may affect one. Blessings from Surya enable one to receive honour and fame and achieve success over enemies. Food is eaten once in the day before sunset. Food must not be eaten after sunset. It must be free of salt and oil. It must not be tamsik. One must offer prayers to Surya and read or listen to the prescribed katha. Only then one must eat. To appease Surya one should wear ruby. When inclined to give charity one must give wheat, red pulses, jaggery, or metals like gold and copper or ruby amongst gems. The best time to give charity is at sunset.
A fast on Monday is devoted to Chandrama - the moon
Prayers are offered to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Since they had a long, happy married life, fasting on Mondays helps one find a suitable marital partner. There are three kinds of fasts observed on Mondays. The routine fast observed on a Monday is the saumya pradosh - the fast to seek pardon for a fault, and a fast for 16 Mondays. The procedure to be followed is similar, but in each case the katha to be read or heard is different. Food is eaten once in the day. Cereals are permitted. After prayers to Shiva and Parvati one must read or hear the appropriate katha. To appease Chandrama one must wear pearls and silver. When inclined to give charity, one must give white things like rice, white clothes, conch shells, silver or pearls.
A fast on Tuesday is devoted to Mangal - the planet Mars
It is believed that fasting for 12 Tuesdays helps overcome the malefic effects of this planet. All kinds of obstacles are overcome. It also brings fame and honour. Prayers must be offered to Hanuman. Use of red clothes and red flowers is auspicious. Food prepared of wheat and jaggery must be eaten once in the day. After prayers to Hanuman one must read the katha.
A fast on Wednesday is devoted to Budh - the planet Mercury
One must preferably eat green things once in the day. One must pray to Lord Shiva and follow it by reading or hearing the katha. To appease Budh one must wear emerald in gold. When inclined to give charity one must give moong (green gram - Phaseolus mungo), kasturi (musk), blue clothes, gold, copper and five gems.
A fast on Thursday is devoted to Brihaspati - the planet Jupiter
It promotes greater learning and prosperity. Prayers must be offered to Brihespeshwar Mahadev, followed by reading or hearing the katha. One must preferably wear yellow clothes and use yellow sandalwood. Food must be eaten once. One must include yellow pulses in the meal. To appease Brihaspati one should wear topaz in gold. When inclined to give charity one should give yellow things like turmeric, salt, yellow clothes, rice, yellow pulses, gold and topaz.
A fast on Friday is devoted to Shukra - the planet Venus
The procedure for this fast is similar to that of Monday. It is preferable that food is eaten once a day. It must include white preparations like kheer (rice porridge) or rabri (milk preparation). To appease Shukra one must wear mani (a gem) in silver. Those inclined to charity must give rice, white clothes, a cow, ghee, diamonds and gold.
A fast on Friday is also devoted to Santoshi Maa
She is the daughter of Sri Ganesh and blesses one with happiness and contentment. Prayers are offered to her followed by katha and arti. Food must be eaten once. This is a strict fast and nothing sour or acidic must be eaten or offered to anyone else. It is customary to fast for 16 Fridays. On the final day, young boys are fed.
A fast on Saturday is devoted to Shani - the planet Saturn
The effect of Shani is harsh and lasts for a long time. Therefore this fast is observed. Shani is fond of all kinds of black things like black clothes, black peas, black sesame, iron and oil. Prayers are offered to Shani followed by the katha and arti. To appease Shani one must use sapphire and iron. When inclined to give charity one should give black things like an iron vessel with oil, an umbrella, a black shoe, black clothes, black sesame and black peas.
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A fast on Sunday is devoted to Surya - the sun
Eye problems or those pertaining to heat and skin may affect one. Blessings from Surya enable one to receive honour and fame and achieve success over enemies. Food is eaten once in the day before sunset. Food must not be eaten after sunset. It must be free of salt and oil. It must not be tamsik. One must offer prayers to Surya and read or listen to the prescribed katha. Only then one must eat. To appease Surya one should wear ruby. When inclined to give charity one must give wheat, red pulses, jaggery, or metals like gold and copper or ruby amongst gems. The best time to give charity is at sunset.
A fast on Monday is devoted to Chandrama - the moon
Prayers are offered to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Since they had a long, happy married life, fasting on Mondays helps one find a suitable marital partner. There are three kinds of fasts observed on Mondays. The routine fast observed on a Monday is the saumya pradosh - the fast to seek pardon for a fault, and a fast for 16 Mondays. The procedure to be followed is similar, but in each case the katha to be read or heard is different. Food is eaten once in the day. Cereals are permitted. After prayers to Shiva and Parvati one must read or hear the appropriate katha. To appease Chandrama one must wear pearls and silver. When inclined to give charity, one must give white things like rice, white clothes, conch shells, silver or pearls.
A fast on Tuesday is devoted to Mangal - the planet Mars
It is believed that fasting for 12 Tuesdays helps overcome the malefic effects of this planet. All kinds of obstacles are overcome. It also brings fame and honour. Prayers must be offered to Hanuman. Use of red clothes and red flowers is auspicious. Food prepared of wheat and jaggery must be eaten once in the day. After prayers to Hanuman one must read the katha.
A fast on Wednesday is devoted to Budh - the planet Mercury
One must preferably eat green things once in the day. One must pray to Lord Shiva and follow it by reading or hearing the katha. To appease Budh one must wear emerald in gold. When inclined to give charity one must give moong (green gram - Phaseolus mungo), kasturi (musk), blue clothes, gold, copper and five gems.
A fast on Thursday is devoted to Brihaspati - the planet Jupiter
It promotes greater learning and prosperity. Prayers must be offered to Brihespeshwar Mahadev, followed by reading or hearing the katha. One must preferably wear yellow clothes and use yellow sandalwood. Food must be eaten once. One must include yellow pulses in the meal. To appease Brihaspati one should wear topaz in gold. When inclined to give charity one should give yellow things like turmeric, salt, yellow clothes, rice, yellow pulses, gold and topaz.
A fast on Friday is devoted to Shukra - the planet Venus
The procedure for this fast is similar to that of Monday. It is preferable that food is eaten once a day. It must include white preparations like kheer (rice porridge) or rabri (milk preparation). To appease Shukra one must wear mani (a gem) in silver. Those inclined to charity must give rice, white clothes, a cow, ghee, diamonds and gold.
A fast on Friday is also devoted to Santoshi Maa
She is the daughter of Sri Ganesh and blesses one with happiness and contentment. Prayers are offered to her followed by katha and arti. Food must be eaten once. This is a strict fast and nothing sour or acidic must be eaten or offered to anyone else. It is customary to fast for 16 Fridays. On the final day, young boys are fed.
A fast on Saturday is devoted to Shani - the planet Saturn
The effect of Shani is harsh and lasts for a long time. Therefore this fast is observed. Shani is fond of all kinds of black things like black clothes, black peas, black sesame, iron and oil. Prayers are offered to Shani followed by the katha and arti. To appease Shani one must use sapphire and iron. When inclined to give charity one should give black things like an iron vessel with oil, an umbrella, a black shoe, black clothes, black sesame and black peas.
RiiTi - Dharma, Artha, Entertainment & Technology
қαvї - கவி
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