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When to start this
vratam.
Sharvan krishna paksha chaturthi or angaraki (when sankathara chaturthi
appears on tuesday). This vrat can be observed for 21 sankathara chaturthi
or life time.
what happens when
you are in your monthly menstrual period during the Vrat?
The Nirnaysindhukar clearly addresses this issue by saying, whenever sutaka
(ashoucha) appears one can continue doing vrata by following sharirika
dharma. It means you can keep fast. Do manasika (in your mind) puja but
actual puja can be performed on your behalf by a brahmin or your family
member. They can take sankalpa on your behalf. If your vrata involves giving
alms or other thing that can be done after the ashucha period is over.
When to break fast
if moon is not visible due to Clouds?
At the time of moonrise, one can perform ganesha puja and give arghya water
to moon. Now comes the trick what if moon is not visible due to clouds?
Similar situation arises during surya/chandra grahana. Tithinirnay and other
grantha says, "Grahana Punyahkala exists if grahana is visible". This has to
be understood properly. It means if it's visible in your area then do all
punyakala. It adds further.... "if grahana is not visible due to
megha (rain), clouds or other things, refer to the shatrokta ganita and find
out sparsha and moksha timings and then do punyahkala things needs to be
done". This clearly mentions that we are unable to see the
eclipse due to clouds, but one can verify and one has to verify that eclipse
or that celestial body has risen by making sure it's a grahana or celestial
body's rising time. This is because any other celstial body may appear and
look like moon. The similar story is said in karwa chauth vrata katha where
"brothers light artificial fire and tells their sister that moon has risen
and she breaks fast without verifing with shastra thus incurring wrath".
It's very difficult for a normal person to calculate moon rise times and
sparsha, moksha time for eclipse. The daily newspaper will give sunrise,
sunset, moonrise and eclipse timings (if it's happening). One can note down
and then wait for moon to appear. If it doesn't appear within an hour one
can do ganesh puja and then make a picture of moon or with the help of rice
make moon and give arghya. This is completely shastroka as per sankathara
chaturthi vrata katha. Sometimes one can call friends in neighbouring city
to check if they have seen moon but after verifying shastroka moonrise time
from the ephemeries. Now many online ephemeries are available to find out
actual moonrise time. It will take roughly half an hour for moon to appear
as the moonrise timing mentioned in the ephemeries are usually the upper
limb visible on the horizon. Now you cannot take moonrise time of India and
break your fast. This is completely illegal. That's because i've already
explained that the moonrise time mentioned is the upper limb visiblity on
the horizon. This horizon differs from place to place, city to city.
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