Highlight of the Dhanurmasa Pooja , Significance of Dhanurmasam

It is said as one day Dhanurmasa pooja during the Brahmi muhurtha or the Punya Kaal or the Maha Punya
Kaal equals 1000 years of daily pooja.
Offering of Pongal (in Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh), Mudganna (called as Huggi in Karnataka) as naivedya is
the most sacred offer for Lord Vishnu. Basil is one more thing that is more important and auspicious to offer
to the Lord.
The 30 pasuras of Thiruppavai will be recited to wake up Lord Venkateshwara at Thirumala instead of
Suprabhatham.
During this month, Ekantha Seva will be performed to the idol of Lord Krishna instead of Lord Venkateshwara.
Lord Venkateshwara will be offered daily with
1. Seera (wooden plougher),
2. Pongal (mudganna in Kannada, pongal in Tamil & Telugu),
3. Sundal (boiled peas) and
4. Dosa during this month.
Lord Vekateshwara will be decorated with two parrots during the Dhanurmasam. One is made of gold and the
other is made with flowers.
Apart from these two parrots one more will be place on the left should of the Lord.
*Kaathyaayani Vrath Legend and Benefits:*
Gopikas are the young damsels who lived in Brindhavana / Vrindhavan. They had great desire to make Lord
Krishna (Lord Vishnu incarnation) as their husbands. So they performed a vratha called Kaathyaayani Vratha
during the Dhanurmasam. The Twenty-second Chapter contains thirty-eight verses, describing how the gopis
prayed to the goddess Katyayani and obtained Krishna as their husband. They installed an idol of Goddess
Durga on the shore of the River Yamuna worshipped her by offering sandalwood pulp, lamps, fruits, betel
nuts, newly grown leaves, and fragrant garlands and incense in everday for thirty days in the Dhanurmasam.

The Gopis chanted the following manthra during their worship. It is as follows:*

/Om katyayani maha-maye/

/maha-yoginy adhisvari/
/nanda-gopa-sutam devi/
/patim me kuru te namah./

For 108 times. And the last time should finishing reciting the next two lines.*

/iti mantram japantyas tah/

/pujam cakruh kamarikah./

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It meanse O goddess Katyayani, O great potency of the Lord, O possessor of great mystic power and mighty
controller of all, please make the son of Nanda Maharaja my husband. I offer my obeisances unto you.
*Katyayani Pooja Vrath / Vidhi:*

First get up by early morning 03.30 and take a bath

Install an idol or a photo of Goddess Durga in your pooja room.
Then lit a lamp, Panchamruth, sandal wood pulp, flowers, fruits, 3 betel leaves & 2 nuts,
newly grown leaves, incense, etc,.
Chant Maa Katyayanis Mantra for 108 times
Performing Sankalp to seek the blessings of the Goddess
Show Aarti
Do Vastra Dahan (offering clothes) if possible to the poor people
*Benefits:*
Kathyaayani Vrath One who has obstacles or delay in marriage, they can perform this vrath. This should be
done early in the morning just as like Dhanurmasa vrath, but dedicated to Goddess Durga. Offer the Pooja
Samagri as per your possiblility. The Hindu scriptures says that, the desire for marriage gets accomplished by
performing this vrath.

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