🕉 Somvar Vrat (Sawan Mondays and Solah Somvar) Vrat Katha
The story
The tale of Solah Somvar: Shiva and Parvati sat down to play chausar at Amaravati (or a temple); Parvati asked the priest 'who will win?' — the priest said 'Shiva' without thinking; Parvati won, and in anger cursed the priest with leprosy; the apsaras told the priest of the Solah Somvar vrat — churma of wheat, ghee and jaggery and Shiva puja for 16 Mondays, the udyapan on the 17th; the priest was healed; Parvati kept the same vrat and brought back the sulking Kartikeya, Kartikeya his lost friend, the friend married a princess (the she-elephant's garland) — then the king found his daughter and son-in-law through this vrat. The lesson — Solah Somvar brings freedom from disease, reunion with friends, marriage, children.
The Monday katha of the merchant's son: a childless merchant kept the vrat every Monday; at Parvati's urging Shiva gave him a son, but with a life of 12 years; the son was sent to Kashi with his uncle; on the way he married a princess; in the 12th year while performing a yajna at Kashi his life left — the uncle wept; Shiva and Parvati passing by revived him at Parvati's urging — 'he is the son of a Monday vrati'; on their return the king accepted daughter and son-in-law, the merchant regained his son. The lesson — the Monday vrat gives children and long life.
The tale of Sawan: Shiva drank the halahala of the churning of the ocean in Shravana, and in the burning of the poison the gods and sages poured Gangajal — hence the water abhishek and kanwar in Sawan (Ravana is regarded as the first kanwariya — Baijnath); Parvati won Shiva as her husband by keeping the Monday vrat in Shravana — hence girls keep the Sawan Mondays; the long life of sage Markandeya came from Monday Shiva worship.
Why this katha — the significance
Shiva in Sawan: he drank the poison of the churning of the ocean in Shravana, and the gods cooled its burning by pouring water — hence the jalabhishek and kanwar in Sawan; Parvati won Shiva by penance in Shravana; every Monday of Sawan is one of Shiva-Parvati's union — married women in green bangles and mehndi, girls for a groom; the number of Sawan Mondays is 4 or 5 (in the Purnimanta Shravana — north India; the Amanta Shravana of Maharashtra-Gujarat begins 15 days later).
Solah Somvar: the chausar tale of Shiva and Parvati (below) — the priest of Amaravati; on completing 16 Mondays the udyapan on the 17th — feeding 16 couples/Brahmins, churma (of wheat, ghee and jaggery — the distinctive prasad of Solah Somvar), a Shiva havan; famous for obstacles to marriage, delays from Mars/Saturn in the chart, the protection of marital fortune.
The day of the Moon (Soma) — peace of mind, the mother's comfort, pacifying Chandra dosha (the Moon on Shiva's head); Shiva puja + the gift of white things on Monday; when a Somvati Amavasya or a Soma Pradosh falls on a Sawan Monday it is a rare great conjunction (Amavasya and Trayodashi cannot fall on the same day).
How the katha is heard
- Hear or read the katha after the puja, before the aarti — the whole family sits together.
- The one keeping the vrat should listen with a calm mind; keep a lamp lit and a little akshat-flowers in hand.
- At the end, offer the flowers at the deity's feet and bow; share the prasad with everyone.
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Frequently asked questions
When are the Sawan Mondays in {Y}?
The dates marked 'Shravana (Sawan) Somvar' in the list above are the Sawan Mondays (the Purnimanta Shravana — north India; 4 or 5); the Amanta Shravana of Maharashtra-Gujarat-the south begins 15 days later — their Shravana Mondays are the list's Shravana Shukla Mondays plus the following ones (Purnimanta Bhadrapada Krishna, i.e. Amanta Shravana Krishna); if there is an Adhika month the Mondays of 'Adhika Shravana' are counted separately.
When to begin the Solah Somvar vrat and what are the rules?
From a Monday of any Shukla Paksha (Shravana, Kartika, Margashirsha, or best from the first Monday of Sawan); 16 consecutive Mondays — the morning abhishek, the evening Shiva-Parvati puja, the katha, the bhog of churma (wheat-ghee-jaggery) and eating the same as prasad oneself (share too), one meal (many homes without salt); the udyapan on the 17th Monday — feeding 16 couples/Brahmins, havan, charity; if menstruation comes, someone else in the house does the puja and the count continues (customs differ).
Can salt be eaten in the Monday vrat?
In the ordinary/Sawan Monday vrat fruit fare with rock salt or one sattvic meal is fine; in Solah Somvar many traditions keep it without salt (sweet — churma-kheer-fruit); the unwell and pregnant take rock salt and fruit-milk — health first; the essence of the vrat is remembrance of Shiva and restraint.
Why do girls keep the Sawan Mondays?
Parvati won Shiva as her husband by penance and the Monday vrat in Shravana — hence girls keep the Sawan Mondays and Solah Somvar for the groom of their choice/one like Shiva; green bangles and mehndi, suhag items for Parvati; in delayed marriage (Mars/Saturn/7th-house dosha in the chart) this vrat is the folk-famous remedy — with an astrological check.
What is the shivamuth?
The Sawan Monday custom of Maharashtra — a new bride (the first five years) offers a fistful of grain on the Shivalinga every Sawan Monday — rice on the first Monday, sesame on the second, moong on the third, barley on the fourth, sattu on the fifth; saying 'Shiva Shiva Mahadeva…'; the fast of sabudana-vari; the wish for good fortune and children.
How are the Monday vrat, Soma Pradosh and Somvati Amavasya related?
All three are linked to Shiva and the Moon — the Monday vrat (every Monday/Sawan/Solah), Soma Pradosh (a Trayodashi on Monday — the Pradosh Kaal puja), Somvati Amavasya (an Amavasya on Monday — the peepal circumambulation); if two coincide on one day (a Sawan Monday + Soma Pradosh) it is a great conjunction — the same puja, the fruit multiplied; the Mondays in the list above, Pradosh on the Pradosh page, Somvati on the Amavasya page.
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