Twelve Months- Twelve Lords

Month 4

This is known as Vamana Masa/Ashada masa and is equivalent to June-July month in the English calendar.

Ashada is the 4th month in the Lunar calendar and it is usually considered as inauspicious to perform any auspicious tasks like marriages, grihapravesa, thread ceremony etc in this month.

Lord Sri Vamana is the Masa Niyamaka or the governing Lord of the Ashada masa. Reference to Vamana is found in Vishnu Sahasranama Stothra (sloka # 17 and 56); He is also known as Upendra and Trivikrama.

Upendro Vaamanah Praamshuh Amoghas Shuchiroorjitah  |
Ateendras Sangrahas Sargo Dhritaatmaa Niyamo Yamah ||17||

 The Lord appeared in a dwarf form and hence was known as Vamana. He was born to Sage Kasyapa and Aditi. He is the younger brother of Indra and known as Upendra. He got the name of Trivikrama when He conquered all the three worlds with just three foot steps. All these three names are also in the 24 Keshava namas. Sri Vyasadev has compiled a special purana known as Vamana purana and it is one among the 18 puranas. The lord appeared as Vamana in the Treta Yuga.

Sage Kashyapa and Aditi decided to perform the sacred thread ceremony to Vamana, their son. The Lord received precious gifts at that time by the Demi-gods, Sun-god, The goddesses, the sages, Brahmadev, Kuvera, the sapta rishis, His mother. After the sacred thread ceremony, the Lord visited the sacrificial arena of King Bali, at a place known as Bhrugukaccha. The Lord visited this place with an umbrella, a kamandalu (water pot) and a stick (danda). King Bali, honoured the young brahmana by washing his feet and he then asked the young brahmana to ask for anything he wanted. The Lord asked for three paces of land and then assumed the Trivikrama form and conquered all the three worlds with his foot steps.

pañcadaśaṁ vāmanakaṁ kṛtvāgād adhvaraṁ baleḥ
pada-trayaṁ yācamānaḥ pratyāditsus tri-piṣṭapam

-SB 1.19.9

In the fifteenth incarnation, the Lord assumed the form of a dwarf-brāhmaṇa [Vāmana] and visited the arena of sacrifice arranged by Mahārāja Bali. Although at heart He was willing to regain the kingdom of the three planetary systems, He simply asked for a donation of three steps of land.

The Sun god, traverses this fourth month with his associates by entering the fourth zodiac sign – Karkataka or Cancer and is known as;
Vasistha as the sage, Varuna as the sun-god, Rambha as the Apsara, Sahajanya as the Raksasa, Huhu as the Gandharva, Sukra as the Naga and Citrasvana as the Yaksa rule the month of Suci.

Some of the festivals in this month are

Yogini Ekadashi – Yogini Ekadashi is one of the twenty four Ekadashi vrats which are observed to seek blessing of Lord Vishnu.
Devshayani Ekadashi – Devshayani Ekadashi is one of the twenty four Ekadashi vrats which are observed to seek blessing of Lord Vishnu.
Guru Purnima – Guru Purnima is a festival traditionally celebrated by Hindus. On this day, disciples offer puja or pay respect to their Guru.
Vyasa Puja – Full moon day during Ashadha month is known as Vyasa Puja day. Traditionally this day is reserved for Guru Puja or Guru Worship.

Festivals in Holy Dham

At Jagannath Puri

Hari Sayana Ekadasi: As mentioned above, Asadha Sukla Ekadasi i.e. the 11th day of bright Asadha (June-July) is known as Hari Sayana Ekadasi. This day, Lord Vishnu goes to sleep.

Nabakalebara (new-body ceremony): When the month of Asadha (June-July) happens to be an intercalary month (Joda Asadha or two months of Asadha), the Nabakalebara ceremony of the deities takes place. It is worth mentioning that the wooden images are liable to decay after a certain period and needs replacement. This new body change over ceremony is called the Nabakalebara when the new ones replace old images. Generally, this takes place once in every 12 years, but actually the shortest period is eight years and the longest is 19 years

Rath Yatra that is dedicated to Jagannath is held in the month of Asadha every year in Puri and other places.

Hari Sayan

This is the sayana utsav (sleeping ceremony) of the Lord. Sri Hari Sayan festival of Lord Jagannath is observed on the Asadha sukla edadashi (June–July)

At Dwarka

Ashadh: The 2nd day of this month is celebrated as Ratha Yathra day. The small symbol of the Lord is put into a chariot in mark of celebration of Rath-Yatra festival.

At badrinath

The week long Badri-Kedar Utsav has been started by the tourism ministry of the Uttarakhand government. Organised in July / August it has cultural festivals being held at both Badrinath and Kedarnath. The dates can be found on the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam website.

At Tirumala

As per the tradition followed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTDs), the accounting of temple profits and expenses commence from Dakshinayana (winter solstice) in July. Anivara Asthanam, the grand durbar festival of Lord Venkateswara otherwise known as “Accounting Festival”, is celebrated on that day (usually on July 16).

On this day the previous year’s accounts are submitted to the Lord and begin a new financial year opening a new book. All the principal officers of the temple deposit their insignia of office at the feet of the Lord and take them back. The significance of the ceremony is that the Lord allows them to hold their respective offices as He found them fit.

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