The biggest festival of Kartik month is the festival of Goddess Lakshmi. Usually the festival of lights (Deepotsav) lasts for five days, including Dhanteras, Roop Chaturdashi (also known as Narak Chaturdashi), Diwali, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj. But this year, the festival will start from October 18, the day of Dhanteras, and will continue for six days till October 23, the day of Bhai Dooj.
Every devotee should know and understand how Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj, though different in their dates, are still connected to Goddess Lakshmi, and how their methods of worship differ from each other. You can save this information for future reference. So, read on to know about the two important days – Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj.
Govardhan Puja: Usually, the fourth holy day of Lakshmi Mahotsav falls on the next day of Diwali. According to the Hindu calendar, this puja takes place on the Pratipada (first day) of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month. However, based on the calculation of dates this year, Govardhan Puja will be celebrated on October 22. This is because Pratipada Tithi starts at 5:54 PM on October 21 and continues till 8:16 PM on October 22. Therefore, the auspicious time of Govardhan Puja will be on 22nd October.
Before worshiping, it is important to understand the divine nature of Govardhan because without understanding devotion cannot develop. In the Vedic era, cow was considered a symbol of Goddess Lakshmi and this belief continues even today. Therefore, Govardhan represents the deity who bestows wealth and abundance.
The scriptures say:
“There is no other god like you in Kali,
Sur, Nar, Muni all should worship.
Meaning: There will be no god like you in Kaliyuga. Whoever worships you and offers you milk will be freed from all sorrows. In Dwapar Yuga, Lord Shri Krishna himself demonstrated this truth through Govardhan Katha.
Lord Krishna’s Govardhana and destruction of Indra’s pride.
Our ancient stories are full of divine drama, and the story of Govardhan is an example of this. There was a mountain named Govardhan in Gokul, which the cowherds considered the protector of their cattle. They grazed their cows on its slopes and believed that the grass growing there contained divine nutrition that was beneficial to the cows. During the time of Lord Krishna, the people of Gokul started worshiping Govardhan Mountain. This made Indra, the god of rain, very angry, because earlier the festival of Annakoot was celebrated in the honor of Indra on Pratipada of Kartik month. On this day, people worship Indra and offer him a grand feast of fifty-six different food items (Chhappan Bhog).
But Lord Krishna stopped the worship of Indra on Pratipada and started worshiping Govardhan Mountain in its place. Seeing the Braj people worshiping Govardhan, Indra became angry and in his anger he caused torrential rains in the entire Braj region. The sudden and untimely rain caused chaos everywhere and caused floods in the entire area. Therefore, to protect the people of Braj, Lord Krishna lifted Govardhan Mountain on his little finger and kept it lifted for seven consecutive days. Under the shadow of the mountain he protected the cowherds, the cows and the entire community.
Seeing such a miracle on earth, Lord Indra realized that Lord Vishnu himself was present here in his eighth incarnation as Lord Krishna. Then he asked for forgiveness from Lord Krishna and after that Govardhan Puja started in place of Annakoot. However, in some places even today Annakoot is celebrated with Govardhan Puja. In this tradition, women make an image of Indra from cow dung and symbolically crush it with a pestle, symbolizing the end of ego and the victory of humility and devotion.
Method of worship of Goddess Lakshmi on the day of Govardhan Puja
Since Govardhan Puja is a part of Lakshmi Mahotsav, along with the worship of Govardhan, a special ritual is also performed on this day to honor Goddess Lakshmi. On this day, along with Lakshmi Puja, there is also a tradition of offering water to the Tulsi plant and lighting a ghee lamp. According to ancient texts, Goddess Tulsi is considered to be an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi herself and by worshiping her, one receives the special blessings of both Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Krishna.
main method of worship
Take the same coin that you kept in the puja thali on Diwali and sprinkle water on it before placing it back in the thali. Worship the coin with Roli (sindoor), Moli (sacred red thread), rice, turmeric and henna. Offer five red flowers, two pieces of raw turmeric, two pieces of lotus gatta and two pieces of amaranth. Along with this, offer two sweets made of milk or ghee along with a coin as Prasad. Now light five ghee lamps and perform the Aarti of Goddess Lakshmi with these five lamps. After Aarti, pray to the Goddess with folded hands:
“Mother, please fill our home with wealth, prosperity and abundance.”
After the puja, offer sweets to the goddess.
Where should the lamp be kept after puja?
After completing the ritual, pick up the lamps and place them at the following places: the first lamp outside the house near the Govardhan puja area, the second near the water pot (Matka), the third in front of the deity, the fourth near the cash box or cupboard, and the fifth near the Tulsi plant. Then, return inside the house and apply a small dot of vermillion and turmeric in front of Goddess Lakshmi. Join your hands, spread your palms in reverence and bow before Him. It is noteworthy that this entire method is based on the rituals described in the Puranas.
Last ritual of Lakshmi Mahotsav – Bhai Dooj
This day marks the conclusion of the five-day Lakshmi Mahotsav and hence, holds great significance. As the saying goes, “All’s well that ends well.” Similarly, it is essential to perform the rituals of Bhai Dooj properly to ensure the permanent presence of Goddess Lakshmi in one’s home.
Let us first understand the importance of Bhai Dooj Tithi. The festival of Bhai Dooj is celebrated on the second day of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month. This year, it will be celebrated on 23 October. According to the Hindu calendar, Dwitiya Tithi starts at 8:16 pm on October 22 and ends at 10:46 pm on October 23. Therefore this festival will be celebrated on 23 October. Apart from this, Bhai Dooj is also known as Yama Dwitiya.
Bhai Dooj and Yam Dwitiya
This festival is mainly dedicated to the love and bond between brother and sister. There are two ancient legends associated with it. The first is related to Lord Yama, the god of death, and his elder sister Yamuna. According to this story, both Yama and Yamuna were the children of Surya (Sun God) and Chhaya (Shadow Goddess). Yamuna would often invite her brother Yama to visit her home for meals, but being the god of death, Yama was hesitant to meet her. Every time he used to avoid talking to his sister by making some excuse or the other.
Finally, on the second day of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month, Yama unexpectedly came to the house of his sister Yamuna. Yamuna was very happy to see her brother and welcomed him warmly, serving him a grand meal. Pleased with her love and devotion, Yama asked her to ask for a boon. Yamuna said, “Brother, I wish that you come to my house every year for food on this day and any sister who respectfully serves food to her brother on this day and applies tilak on his forehead, should never fear you.” Yama fulfilled his wish by saying “Tathatastu” (so it will be) and returned to Yamalok. Since then this day is celebrated as Yama Dwitiya.
There is another story related to this festival, which is related to Lord Krishna.
Story of Lord Krishna and his sister Subhadra
Naraka Chaturdashi is celebrated to commemorate the day when Lord Krishna killed the demon Narakasura. During that fierce battle, Narakasura had injured Lord Krishna because Narakasura had the boon that he could be killed only at the hands of his mother. Because of this boon, every attack of Lord Krishna failed to harm him and then it was Krishna’s wife Satyabhama who played a very important role in the war. Satyabhama was actually an incarnation of Bhu-Devi, the earth goddess, who is considered the mother of all living beings.
In that war, it was Satyabhama who ultimately killed Narakasura. After the death of the demon, Lord Krishna freed 16,100 maidens imprisoned by Narakasura. To protect their honour, Lord Krishna married all of them. So, whenever you hear or read about the 16,000 wives of Lord Krishna, this is the story behind that belief. After winning the war, when Lord Krishna visited his sister Subhadra, she was very happy to see her brother safe and well and welcomed him with flowers, sweets and applied tilak on his forehead. That day was the second date of Shukla Paksha. Since the Dwapar era, this day has been considered a symbol of brother-sister love and became the foundation of the festival known as Bhai Dooj.
Method of worshiping Goddess Lakshmi on the day of Bhai Dooj
As mentioned earlier, it is the fifth and concluding day of Lakshmi Mahotsav. Therefore, you should consult a learned priest or astrologer to know the most auspicious time (Shubh and Labh Muhurat) to perform the puja on this day. After this, offer ground turmeric and kumkum to Goddess Lakshmi. First wash the coin used in puja and keep it in a plate. Along with this, also keep one lotus seed, one piece of turmeric, one piece of Amarbel and one red flower. Also keep kumkum, turmeric, moli, sandalwood paste, rice, henna, abeer and gulal in the plate. Light five ghee lamps and then burn camphor in the Aarti thali. Perform Aarti of Goddess Lakshmi with this burning camphor and bow before her with folded hands and open palms and pray. Now place the puja coin, amaranth, turmeric and lotus seeds in your open palms and pray to the Goddess by saying:
“O Mother, please reside in our home forever and bless us with prosperity.”
After this, remove the puja altar and purify that place by sprinkling water.
Where to keep the offered material after puja?
After the ritual, take the coin, lotus seeds, turmeric and amaranth from your palms and wrap them in a clean cloth. Keep this bundle safely in your cash box (safe) or cupboard. Of the five lamps, keep one in front of the cash box, the second in the temple of the house, the third near the water vessel, the fourth near the Tulsi plant and the fifth in the main hall of the house. Finally, sprinkle some yellow rice at the entrance and step inside your home. By doing this, the blessings and mercy of Goddess Lakshmi will always remain with you.
Brief biography of Pt. Pradeep Mishra Ji Maharaj:
Pandit Pradeep Mishra Ji Maharaj is a spiritual speaker and the chief priest of Kubereshwar Dham in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh. His fascinating speeches on Shivmahapuran draw huge crowds, often numbering in lakhs. A former teacher, Maharaj Ji’s effective communication skills have endeared him to his audiences. His insights into puja rituals and spiritual healing have received wide acceptance.
-Pandit Pradeep Mishra, Kubereshwar Dham, Sehore, Madhya Pradesh
Note to readers: This article is part of HT’s paid Consumer Connect initiative and has been independently created by the brand. HT does not take any editorial responsibility for the content, including its accuracy, completeness, or any errors or omissions. Readers are advised to independently verify all information.
Want to feature your story as above? Click here!
