Chaturmasya Discourses
A year has four spiritually important months known as Ashadha, Karteeka, Magha and Vyshakha - familiarly known as AA-KA-MA-VY, which are comparable to that of nodes (sprouts) in sugarcane. Sugarcane nodes are the seedlings for the propagation. Similarly, a year has AA-KA-MA-VY months, which are known for the best spiritual propagation. The node of sugar cane is called as “Parva” in Sanskrit, the ancient language. That is why AA-KA-MA-VY are known as "Maha Parvas''. The very first of these is Ashadha Maasa. In this month the rains will start afresh and a number of creatures (living beings) will sprout on the earth. This month is the befitting period for innovation of spiritual propagation in the minds of human beings. Hence, Hindu monks (Yeteeshwaras) will undertake Deeksha and stay at one place from Ashadha Shudha Purnima to Bhadrapada Shudha Purnima for four fortnights and impart spiritual knowledge to those devotees who come to visit them there by inculcating spiritual awareness in them. This is called Yateeshwara Chaturmasa Deeksha. The significance of starting the Sankalpa on Ashadha Pournami is that it is celebrated as the Avatara day of the great sage Vyasa. The place where these selfless Yateeshwaras stay and perform this Chaturmasa Deeksha will flourish in wealth, prosperity and spiritual life as depicted in our Shastras and Vedas. The Chaturmasya is important not only for the ascetic but for everyone. The word Yati, though it ordinarily means ascetic, etymologically means all those, who strive for salvation by performing the duties enjoined on them by the Shastras and dedicating the results thereof. Having Darshan of Yateeshwaras during Chaturmasa is considered very efficacious and meritorious. We have a tradition to receive blessings of such ascetics who observe Chaturmasa in a fervent manner for the benefit of the society. Such ascetics suspend their travel at the beginning of Chaturmasa and during that period. At the end of the Bhadrapada Purnima the rituals, observances, rights and ceremonies, which they have performed, will be dedicated to the principal deity of their worship. By this the Chaturmasa Vrata concludes. Jaya Guru Datta