Anant Chaturdashi

The Anant Chaturdashi fast holds a great deal of significance in the Hindu faith. The festival is also known by the name of Anant Chaudas. The day commemorates the Lord of numerous avatars, Lord Vishnu.

Coming on the 14th day of the Shukla Paksha of the Bhadrapada month in the Hindu Panchang, the festival celebrates the strength of oneness and a common brotherhood. On Anant Chaturdashi, after paying respect to Lord Vishnu, a thread is being tied onto his arm. This thread could either be cotton or silk thread one and must have 14 knots in it. The Ganesh Visarjan is also celebrated on the same days as Anant Chaudas. The whole nation celebrates this festival with great prompting and enthusiasm. A lot many procession of the lord are also taken out in the masses to get everyone ringing in the festivity together.

Anant Chaturdashi as per the Scriptures

1. The fast on this festival is observed on the 14th day of the Shukla Paksha, of the Bhadrapada month in the Hindu Panchang. For this situation to be satisfied, the 14th day must start after 2 Muhurats from the time of the sunrise.
2. If the Chaturdashi date falls after the sunrises 2 Muhurats and ceases before it, then the festival of Anant Chaturdashi is to be celebrated a day prior to this. The whole procession of the festival, the worshipping, the paying respect, the fast, everything must take place in the first half of the day to maintain the good fortune of the rituals. If by any chance, you couldn’t find time to do it at that phase, itll be better if you do it in the 1st time frame of the middle phase of the day. The 1st time frame of the middle phase of the day is from the seventh and the ninth Muhurat.

Anant Chaturdashi Puja Vidhi and Vrat

In the Agni Puran, the significance of observing a fast is being stressed upon. This day commemorates the never-ending forms of the Lord Vishnu. This worshipping is done in the noon time; the Poojan Vidhi is mention below:

1. On this day, after properly bathing, take a bow and place a kalash on the Poojan altar.
2. Establishment of a kalash which has an Ashtadal lotus made of Kush on a vase can be installing, or if you wish you can also use a picture of God Vishnu.
3. After this get ready a thread by dipping it in saffron, vermilion, and turmeric. It must have 14 knots. Keep this thread in front of the idol of God Vishnu.
4. Now, worship the thread and the idol of the lord with Shodashopchar method and chant the mantra that being mentioned below. After that being done, you are to tie the holy thread around your arm.
   अनंत संसार महासुमद्रे मग्रं समभ्युद्धर वासुदेव।
   अनंतरूपे विनियोजयस्व ह्रानंतसूत्राय नमो नमस्ते।।
5. The men are supposed to tie it on their left arm and the women are supposed to wear it round their right arm. After this offer food to the Brahmans and accept the Prasad with your entire family.

The importance of Anant Chaturdashi

As per the mythology, the festival of Anant Chaturdashi has its roots in the epic Mahabharata. The day is being celebrated as the day of Lord Vishnu. The lord created 14 loks, Tal, Vital, Atal, Sutal, Talatal, Paatal, Rasatal, Bhi, Jan, Bhuva, Tap, Satya, mah. In order to follow and defend these, he came down to this mortal world in the form of 14 different avatars, which gave him the name of being endless. He knew he had save his people and his creation, for which these avatars played a main role. Therefore, the day of Anant Chaturdashi has great significance, since you can please the lord of formation himself and be blessed with his choicest blessing. The fast thats being observed on this day also holds a major importance. All this is said to please him and provide you with an eternal life full of bliss and contentment. It is also believed that along with fast on this day, if any people recite the Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra, all his wishes are fulfilled and he gets what he desires for from the Lord. This fast is done to attain wealth, profusion, and affluence in one’s life. The desire of having ample money, happiness and children etc lures the man to seek the lord’s blessings on his mortal survival. This fast is prevailing in many states of India. On this day folk tales of Lord Vishnu are hear by the members of the family.

Legendary tales surrounding a Anant Chaturdashi

According to the take in the epic Mahabharata, the Kauravas beaten the Pandavas in gaming with the help of rotating against them and going behind their back in the act of deceiving. After this, the Pandavas had to lose their kingdom, their wealth, and all the luxury and go for a time of exile in the wilderness. In this period, they had to suffer much pains and hardships to get through it. One fine day, Lord Krishna went to meet the Pandavas in the forest. After greeting him with good respect, the eldest of the Pandavas, Yudhishthira asked him for a way, through which they can come back to the right track and get their lost empire and wealth back with respect. The Lord upon hearing this gave him an antidote that could solve all his harms in life and complete his heart’s desire. This remedy was the fast of Anant Chaturdashi that commemorates God Vishnu who is the sole provider of solace. He advises him to observe this fast and pay homage to Lord Vishnu with his wife and brothers.

After hearing this, Yudhishthira asked Krishna to explain who is Anant. God Krishna went in great information to let him know that Lord Anant is another avatar of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu rests in the Chaturmas on the Sheshnag for an endless time. Anant lord in the avatar of Vaaman went through the three loks in just 2 pages. No one knows about his start, his end and that’s one of the major reason has called and known by the name, infinite. By worshipping him all the woes and issues that you gave on your life will cease to exist and you’ll be able to live a life that you’ve always wanted.

After the tale got ended, Yudhishthira pledge to watch this fast with his family, and after its winning completion he was able to get back his lost kingdom and wealth.