Rishi Panchami will Coming on 2013 Thrusday 10th September and known as a Sama Pancham.
About Rishi Panchami Vratam
Bhadrapada Shukla Panchami is known as Rishi Panchami and usually observed two days after Hartalika Teej and one day after Ganesh Chaturthi. Currently Rishi Panchami day falls in August or September on English calendar.
previous day to pillayar chathurthi mangala gowri vratham will come pooja will be done as per in the book vradha pooja vidhanam. next day to pillaiyar chathurthi day Rishi Panchami Vratam will be celebrated in olden days.
Eligibility to do rishi panchami vratham sukla patcha chathurthi vratham and aswatha pradakshinam vratham (udhyapanam) must be finished . those who have finished these vrathams are only neligible to do rishi panchami vratham.
On Rishi Panchami,a ritual bath is taken in holy rivers,ponds or in other water masses.Hands and mouth is washed 108 times. Lord Ganesh, Navagraha( nine planetary Gods), Saptarshis (seven Sages) and Arundathi are worshipped.Women offer the ‘Prasad’ to Gods and wash husbands’ feet.Then,women again perform sacred bath and rub the special red mud for several times on different parts of the body.They sprinkle water over head and brush the teeth for 360 times with Dantiwan, a sacred plan.By taking one more ritual bath in sacred water,devotees feel blessed that their all sins are cleansed away.
The women perform the pooja in the month of Shravan and garland the Goddess,made up of Aghoda and Durva leaves.In some places the face of the Goddess is placed on the bunch of Aghada leaves.
The Jains regard rishi panchami,as a very important day.In Jains the followers of The fast on this day is undertaken by man and women alike. Its effect is to wash away sin done voluntarily or involuntarily. After a bath in the sacred water, clean your hands 108 times, wash your mouth 108 times and listen to the story of Ganesa, Navagreh, Saptrishi and worship Arundhati. Eat only fruit one tune in the day. Give oblation to the Brahmin.
Celebration Of Rishi Panchami
On the day of Rishi Panchami, devotees observe strict fast throughout the day. Early in the morning they use Upmarga, which is a kind of medicinal plant, to clean their teeth. After that they smear a mixture of turmeric and sandalwood paste onto their body before taking a bath. After bathing people drink a mixture of curd, milk, butter and basil to purify their soul. The mixture also contains medicinal and aesthetic properties. Having purified the body and soul, devotees offer prayers to Lord Ganesha, the God of wisdom in Hindu mythology and pay homage by reciting incantations to the seven sages. People finally break their fast and donate the conducts of ritual to the priests.
Rishi Panchami is indeed an accolade to the cultural heritage of India, the sacred land of religions anddevotions.
Rituls and Legend Of Rishi Panchami
A certain king Sitasale asked Brahma to tell him the fast, which is of utmost bliss and bestows quick result. Brahma replied that Rishi Pane mi fast was the one such by virtue of which all sins are washed away. He narrated the story of a virtuous Brahmin Utank of Vidharba region. His wife was a devoted wife Shushila. They had two children, a son and daughter. The daughter was married to a young capable boy, but unfortunately became a widow soon. The parents made a cottage on the bank of Ganges and lived there with their widow daughter. One day while asleep the ants covered the body of the daughter. The parents were perplexed. The Brahmin through meditation found out that in previous birth, she had entered the kitchen on the day of menstruation. The routine is-that on the first day of menstruation, the woman is Candalini (demon), on second day Brahmdhatini (wizard), on third day a washer woman, and on fourth day after bath, she becomes purified. Women undertaking Rishi Pane mi fast do not suffer from attack of worms’ and in all future births remain happy.Shwetambar cult,end their Parjushan Maha Parva on this day and the others following Digambar cult, start their Maha Parva from rishi panchamithis day. Coming to know about their suffering, their son and his wife observed an austere fast and worshipped the sages Atri, Gautam, Baradwaj, Kashyap, Vasisht, Vishwamitra and Jamagdagni. Consequently, their curse was dissolved; Sumitra and Jayashri were freed from their animal bodies and their souls were raised to heavenly abode.
Hrishabhadeva’ was the first and the most sacred Teerthankar as per the Jains,who is also known as Aadinath. ‘Rishi Panchami’ day is observed in the name of Aadinath.The Hindus and the Jains have the same feeling and motive behind observing this Vrat of Rishi Panchami.
