Karwa Chauth and Significance of Sargi

Karwa Chauth will be celebrated on October 10, 2025.

Karwa Chauth is a waterless fast and austerity observed by married women to ensure the well-being of their husbands. It is celebrated each year on the fourth day after Purnima (the full moon) between Dussehra and Deepavali.

The word "Karwa" (karawa) refers to the earthen or copper pot in which water is taken for offering to the moon.

The fast begins before sunrise and ends after sighting the moon in the evening. The moon is the ruler of the mind. Worship is performed seeking long life for their husbands, as well as prosperity and peace in marital life.  

Looking at the moon through a sieve represents the process of screening out scattered or unpleasant thoughts. Prayer is the medium for stabilizing the mind. The woman purifies her mind and thoughts through these rituals and, thereafter, looks into the face of her husband. The husband needs to be ready by the time she completes her fast, so that she can look at his face before seeing others. 

What is Sargi

Sargi is a pre-dawn meal prepared by the mother-in-law and given to her daughter-in-law, who is about to fast on this Karwa Chauth day. The food is served on a thali (preferably a new plate) and should contain satvik food, rich in vitamins, nutrients, and proteins.

Besides the pre-dawn meal, Sargi contains clothes and ornaments known as Solah Singaar (16 types of golden jewelry and ornaments that include a necklace, waist-belt, bangles, lipsticks, anklets, bracelets, and other auspicious items for the lady). These are all part of the Sargi offered to the woman by her mother-in-law before the start of the fasting ritual. 

How To Perform Karwa Chauth

• Get up early in the morning before dawn.
• Take a complete bath (known as the oil bath) to purify the body.
• Wear clean and pure clothes, preferably new. If clothes were offered by the mother-in-law, you should wear them for the ritual.
• Wear the jewelry and other items that signify auspiciousness (mangal-sutra, bindi, mehndi,sindhoor, etc.)
• If you are on Nirjala Upavas, you should not drink water till the moon-sighting ceremony.
• Indulge in the worship, chanting prayers, performing bhajans, reading scriptures, etc., throughout the day.
• Preferably, read stories centered around the divinity of women. Stories of Sita Mata, Urmila Devi, Sati Savitri, Ahalya, Arundhati, etc.
• When the moon becomes visible in the sky, offer water to Him and look at him through the sieve.
• She will have to wait till the moon appears, and then only can she break her fast. 
• After seeing the moon, look at your husband's face without looking at other people or things.
• Thereafter, obtain the blessings from her husband and his parents. The ritual concludes in this manner.
• Now, you can eat food/drink water.

Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati Stotram Lyrics With Meanings

In this post, I am providing some of the popular worship hymns for Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati.

There is one "trayambakam yajAmahE..." verse that I am applying to worship both Lord Shiva and Parvati Devi.

First, I am providing the lyrics for Shiva, and thereafter, the hymns/stotrams for Parvati worship.

Shiva Stuti Verses With Meanings

Om trayambakam yajAmahE sugandhim pushtivardhanam

urvAruka miva bandhanAt mrutyOr muksheeya mAmamrutAt || (1)

Meaning:

 O Lord, Shiva! You are Three-Eyed, the Supreme Being, the abode of fragrance-filled knowledge, bestower of sustenance (growth and strength, both physical and mental). 

Please relieve us from the bonds of death to liberation, just like a gourd becomes free from the bondage of its hold at its prime stage (it gets cut or falls apart from the vine).

vandE shambhu-mumApatim, suragurum, vandE jagadkAraNam,

vandE pannaga-bhooshaNam, mruga-dharam, vandE pashoonAm-patim | 

vandE surya-shashAnka vahni nayanam, vandE mukunda-priyam,

vandE bhakta-janAshrayancha varadam, vandE shivam-shankaram || (2)

Meaning:

O Lord, Shambhu, the consort of Uma! Shiva is addressed as Shambhu, and Parvati as Uma.

O Reverend teacher of Angels! My salutations, O Cause of Creation!

Salutations, bejeweled with snake, clothed in deer-skin, and Lord of Beings! (Here, the word 'pashu' means animal, but in a broader sense refers to all living beings).

Salutations, who bears the Sun and Moon as his eyes, and is dearer to Vishnu, known as Mukunda.

My salutations, O Shiva, Shankara, who grants boons to his devotees. 

angikam bhuvanam, yasya vAchikam sarva-vANgmayam,

aahAryam chandra-tArAdi, tam numa sAtvikam, Sivam || (3)

Meaning:

The whole universe is your body/garment. Your voice is the knowledge. Your food is the Sun and the Moon. Here, food is symbolic. It denotes that the Sun and Moon are in his abode/belly.

My salutations to such a virtuous and supreme Lord Shiva.

mrityunjayAya, rudrAya,

NeelakanthAya, shambhavE,

amrutEshAya, sharvAya,

sri mahAdEvatE namaha || (4) 

Meaning:

You are Mrutyunjaya, the conqueror and controller of Death. You are Rudra, the fierce deity who is the destructive power who aids in the cycles of Destruction and Creation of the Universe.

Your neck is blue due to the gulping of the poison that emerged from the Ocean while churning for the Nectar. You are the blissful and holy Shambhava.

You are the God of Nectar, AmrutEsha. You are the Sharva who is present and spread throughout the Universe.

My salutations to such a mighty, Supreme Lord. 

Goddess Parvati Stuti and Stotram Lyrics

Om triyambakam yajAmahE sugandhim pushtivardhanam

urvAruka miva bandhanAn mrutyOr-muksheeya mAmrutAt || (1)

Meaning: 

O Mother (of the three Goddesses of Lakshmi, Parvati, and Saraswati), you are the greatest Deity, spreading the fragrances of Auspicious Qualities. You are the bestower of Power and Strength.

O Mother, please release us from the bondages of worldly attachments just like a gourd gets released from its root when ripe.

mahAkALi, mahAlakshmi, mahAsAraswati prabhA

ishta-kAmEshwari kuryAt visva-shreer-vishvamangaLam || (2)

Meaning:

O Mother, you are Lakshmi, KaaLi, and Saraswati. You are the shining glory behind them.

Please grant my wishes. Please bestow Auspiciousness and Wellbeing for the entire Universe.

shOdashi-poorNa chandrAbhA, mallikArjuna-gEhini

ishta-kAmEshwari kuryAt jaganneerOga shObhanam || (3)

Meaning:

O Mother, you are gladiant with the sixteen qualities of Moon-Light. Your body sports the hues of the Mallikarjuna flowers ( a celestial blossoming tree).

Please grant my wishes. Make the universe free of diseases. Mallikarjuna has healing powers.

jagad-dhAtri, lOka-nEtri, sudhA-nishyandi sushmitA

ishta-kAmEshwari kuryAt lOkam sadbuddhi-sundaram || (4)

Meaning:

O Mother. You are the Bearer of this Universe, the Eye of this World, your eyes sport the Nectar (her eyes are cool and pleasant as if filled with the nectar), and your face is delightful.

O Mother, grant my wishes. Make this World beautiful with good-charactered beings.

paramEshwara-vAllabhya divya-soubhAgya suprabhA

ishta-kAmEshwari dadyAt mAngaLyAnanda jeevanam || (5)

Meaning:

O Mother, you, along with your consort's auspicious qualities and glorious radiances, bestow us with a blessed and auspicious life full of happiness and peace.

Raksha Bandhan Facts, Stories, and Celebration Tips

This year, Raksha Bandhan is to be celebrated on August 9, 2025.

Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the Full Moon Day of the Shravana month each year. The Purnima tithi begins after 2 pm on August 8th and ends after 1 pm on the following day. Though some people may celebrate the ceremony on the beginning day, most others follow the tradition of celebrating their festivals and rituals on the following day, if there is enough time left during the day. If enough daytime (at least 3 to 4 hours after sunrise) is not available, then celebrate it the previous evening.

What is Raksha Bandhan

The phrase Raksha Bandhan means Protective Bond. It is the ritual of tying an auspicious thread around the wrist of the beneficier.

This Raksha Bandhan is a cord or string made up of threads. The threads are a blend of red and yellow colors. Yellow represents turmeric, symbolizing purity and holiness, while red stands for vermilion (Kumkuma). Both colors signify prosperity, well-being, and luck.

The raksha should contain some grains of rice and mustard seeds.

According to the modern version of this celebration, this festival honors the tradition of a thread tied around a brother's wrist by his sister as a symbol of her care for his well-being. The brother promises his sister that he will be there to protect her from any troubles she may face during her life.

Stories Behind the Birth of Raksha Bandhan

There are many legends surrounding the origin of the Raksha Bandhan celebration.

Originally, Raksha Bandhan was not limited to brothers and sisters. Brahmins and Priests used to tie the thread to their disciples or devotees as a protection against evil forces. Wives used to tie these protective threads to their husbands after performing puja, wishing for their good luck in new jobs, ventures, or wars. So, it was considered an auspicious ritual that involved prayers, yajnas, and austerities observed by the person tying the Raksha.    

• There is a reference in the Uttara Parva of Bhavishya Purana to an incident where Sri Krishna advised Yudhisthira to have a raksha tied to his wrist by their Royal Priest. The Raksha should be made up of fresh cotton or silk cloth, wrapped with grains of rice, mustard seeds, and vermilion inside. He should wear it after taking a holy bath and performing sandhyavandanam, tarpan to his ancestors, etc., during midday time.
• According to Vishnu Purana, during the Vamana avatar, Mahabali offered three feet of land to Vamana as an act of charity. Vamana grew into his Vishwaroopa form and covered the entire earth with one foot and the whole sky with the other. For the third step, Bali asked him to place his foot on his head. Vishnu placed his foot on Bali's head and thrust him into Paataala Loka, telling him to live there and rule that realm. Bali prayed to Vishnu to be his guardian and reside there. Lakshmi Devi learned of this and wanted Vishnu to return home. She went to Patala Loka and tied a raksha bandhan to Mahabali. He was pleased with her gesture and asked her to choose any gift. She immediately asked for Vishnu's release, and Bali had to agree, since he was committed to keeping his vows.  
• There is another legend in the Mahabharata where Krishna was tied with a bandage by Draupadi. Krishna was flying a kite along with others and cut his finger while doing so. Draupadi saw the blood dropping from his fingers and got agitated. She immediately tore a piece from her saree and bandaged his finger. Krishna was grateful to her and treated her as his sister. He bestowed upon her a boon that he would be there to protect her at all times of misery. 
• There was the story of Indra's wife (Sachi Devi) tying the rakhee to her husband as a protection from the demons on the advice of their Guru, Brihaspati.
• There was another legend that tells of Yama (the God of Death) visiting his parents and sister after a long gap. His sister, Yamuna, tied a sacred thread around his wrist, seeking his regular presence and her protection from any untoward happenings. 

How to Celebrate Raksha Bandhan

Although I am not very familiar with celebration traditions, I am sharing some insights on how to observe this festival for your information and consideration.

• Purchase the Raksha Bandhan straps, vermilion, and some sweets on the eve of this festival so you can tie the rakhee to your brothers the next morning. 
• If you're interested in arts and crafts, you can make the rakhee yourself. Create a circular or square plate using some thick paper or cloth, decorating it with painted or crafted designs. Put some whole grains of rice and mustard seeds, and cover them with a layer of top. Glue the designs onto the top layer. Then, attach ribbon-like cotton strings to both sides using the same glue for tying.
• On the day of the celebration, take a bath and wear fresh, clean clothes.
• Light an oil lamp in front of your God and place the rakhee and kumkuma in a clean plate before the deity. Say your prayers and perform the worship, both to God and the rakhee.
• Offer naivedyam to God; the sweets should also be offered.
• Meanwhile, your brothers should also prepare by bathing and putting on fresh clothes. They may also do the worship.
• Now, you can tie the rakhee to each of them, one by one. Apply a tilak on their forehead with the worshiped kumkuma. Give aarati (circumambulate the plate containing the Raksha, oil lamp, and the sweets around his face, and then, tie the rakhee around their right wrist. Feed them a sweet, and as they bite into it, offer them other food as well.
• Now, it's their turn to give you a gift.
• You may like to visit the temple along with your siblings/parents and seek blessings for your entire family.
• Enjoy the whole day with your brothers and family.  

Daily Puja: My Unique Method of Worship

If you are offering prayers to God regularly, daily, it is better to devise a consistent method that suits your convenience.

Regular worship involves following a sequence of rituals systematically and, often, depends on your available time and energy. To accommodate your schedule and stamina, create your own method that doesn't miss the key parts of the ritual.

In my case, I am a 70-year-old, retired person. I am habituated to the ritual for decades, and with constantly changing circumstances, I kept evolving my progressive methods of performing the Daily Puja.

Presently, I am sitting with my God for one full hour in the morning from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM and for half an hour in the evening from 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM.

Regarding the dress for puja, I wear the silk dhoti and shawl for morning puja, and the normal pyjama-kurta during the evening worship.

This is How I Do My Puja

I am splitting the entire procedure into sections with suitable subheadings to make the presentation more easily accessible. It will make you grasp the idea of how to perform worship systematically. But you don't need to adopt this procedure. Devise your own method and sequence of rituals to suit your environment and culture.

Preparation for Puja

After having your morning bath, apply the tilak on your forehead with kumkuma or thiruchoornam. It is considered auspicious and brings purity to mind. Wear the silk dhoti or any clean clothes.

• Clean the oil lamp holders with a paper napkin and arrange the vattulu.
• Fill the oil up to 60% of the holder (maximum 80%) and place it on a plate to avert spills.
• You may use a single lamp or two lamps. Place them in front of the worship idol and light the diyas.
• Folding your hands, offer respects to God. 
• Fill water into the puja vessel from the tap (better to keep two vessels, one for your achamanam and the other for services to God). 
• Besides the water holders, you need a deep plate for dropping the water during the worship procedure.

Services to God While Starting Puja

• Placing your right palm on one vessel, welcome the seven rivers to purify the water. The sloka for this is "gangEcha yamunEchaiva gOdAvari Saraswati narmadA sindhu kAvEri ja;asmin sannidhim kuru".
• Offer arghyam to the Gods with the purified water. Draw some water with a spoon (this spoon, the vessel/s, and plates should be used exclusively for worship purposes and not to be mingled with your kitchen crockery). The water in the spoon should be shown to the hands of God and dropped into the deep plate.
• Then, I offer pAdyam. It is the act of washing God's feet. Show the water-filled spoon to their feet and drop that water into the plate.
• Now, I offer snAnam. Take a spoonful of water and circumambulate it around the Gods. Then, drop it into the plate.
• Next is aachamanam. Take water with the spoon and place it near the lips of the God, as if he is sipping the water, and drop it into the plate. Repeat this process three times.
• You can do the sandhyAvandanam at this stage, if you haven't done it earlier in the morning. My habit is to do it at this time of worship. Most people can find fault with me. But I believe my God does not find fault with me. Previously, I used to perform it much earlier, but not nowadays. 

My Ritual of Worship

• After completing the above processes, I begin my puja by chanting the "Suklambaradharam Vishnum" slokam. Then, I sing a Telugu prayer for Ganesha "tondamu nEkadantamu dOrapu bojjayu vAmahastamun". Thereafter, I chant the "jnAnAnandamayam dEvam nirmala spatikAkrutim" and the Vishwaksena slokam. These are slokas for protection from hurdles and for granting wisdom (by removing the darkness).
• Next, I sit down and recite the 24 names of Vishnu. Thereafter, sing 3 stotrams for Vishnu and two for Lakshmi Devi.
• Then I chant "Om ganeshaaya namaha" eight times and the slokam "vakratunda mahAkAya...". Thereafter, I recite the Rama mantra, gifted by Lord Shiva, three times.  
• Now, Hanuman dandakam that starts with "Sri Anjaneyam, prasanna Anjaneyam" (only two lines of it). Thereafter, Hanuman dwAdasha nAmAvaLi is recited by me. 
• Then, I chant another slokam glorifying Goddess Lakshmi "vandE padma karAm..."
• Now, I close my eyes and contemplate the Supreme Being with my concentration centered on my inner self. This is done for 5 minutes.
• Thereafter, I recite some more prayers and bhajans.

Bhajan and Prayers

• I do "harE rAma harE krishna bhajan for some time.
• Thereafter, I recite Sri Krishna Ashtakam.
• Then, I chant Sri Venkateswara Swamy Stotram, PanchAyudha stotram, and Shiva Panchakshari.
• Now, I do the prayers for Goda Devi, Sri Krishna, Andal, and Ranganathaswamy. These contain the hymns of "neeLAtungastana...", "annavayal puduvai AndAlarngarku", "shitrum siru kAlE...", and "vangakkadal kadaintha mAdhavanai...". These are important in our Vaishnava tradition. They are the closing hymns expressing love and submission towards God.

Naivedyam and Mangala Aarati

• Before naivedyam, dhoop sticks are lit and shown to God, and the light from the diyas is offered to God.
• Then, offer achamanam three times.
• Now, naivedyam is offered. Generally, I offer two bananas and jaggery. On special occasions, we may cook some food for offerings.
• After naivedyam, God's hands and feet are washed. Then, I offer some water for drinking.
• I chant the mangala aarati lyrics now, while circumambulating the oil diyas around God. I do not light camphor nowadays.
• Now, pay obeisance to God and take the prasadam. Prasadam includes the water from the plate and the naivedyam items. 

Weekly Prayers

Besides the daily routine of worship, I have some weekly rotational recitations. I pray to Lord Shiva on Mondays, to Hanuman and Goddess Gouri on Tuesdays, to Ganesha on Wednesdays, to the Teachers and Vaishnava Acharyas on Thursdays, to Goddess Lakshmi on Fridays, to Venkateswara Swamy on Saturdays, and the Sun God on Sundays.

• I chant "shivAya nama Om" bhajan for 2, 3 minutes on each Monday.
• On Tuesdays, I do Hanuman Chalisa and three hymns of Gouri.
• On Wednesdays, I sing "Om gam GaNapathayE namaha" 21 times or so.
• I pay respects to all Gurus (including my mother and father) and the Acharyas, including ALwars and Sri Krishna, on Thursdays.
• I recite the Lakshmi Ashtottara Shatanamam stotram on Fridays.
• On Saturdays, I do the entire Suprabhatam that contains four sections to Lord Venkateswara.
• I recite the Surya Ashtakam on Sundays.

This is how I do my puja. The total time taken for this entire process is one hour. In the evening, I do not perform the preliminary services, nor wear the puja dress. I do the worship prayers and offer the naivedyam.

Follow your own method and choose whatever slokams and hymns appeal to you. God does not force you to do them compulsorily. Whatever you do should come from your heart. You should enjoy the bliss and satisfaction.

How to Do Gayatri Mantra

The Gayatri mantra is a sacred hymn recited in reverence of the Supreme Soul, considered the primordial source of sound, light, and energy. It is the underlying source of all life and activity.

This mantra is part of the Sandhyavandanam ritual, which is performed to invoke the Sun God and goddesses like Gayatri, Saraswati, Savitri, and Sandhya Devi. It is a ritual through which we pay our respects, along with purified water, to Lord Narayan by uttering his 24 names and to other celestial beings, including our ancestors.

The mantra itself starts with the primordial sound of "aum".

While reciting the mantra, we focus our attention on the Supreme Being as a central point dwelling inside the visible glow of the Sun.

Now, let me first explain the mantra itself and the inherent meanings of each syllable/word.

Gayatri Mantra 

Om bhoor bhuva svah |

tat savitur varENyam |

bhargO dEvasya dheemahi |

dhiyO yO nah prachOdayAt ||

Meanings:

• Om is the pranava naadam, the primordial sound that underlies the entire creation process. The three elements of creation, preservation, and dissolution are embodied within this "onkar" syllable.  
• "bhoo" denotes the physical earth, the element of earth, and nature.  
• "bhuva" is the place between the earth and the sky, referring to the element that connects the physical world with the celestial universe.  
• "sva" represents heaven and celestial nature.  
• "tat" means that or that form/element.  
• "savitu" refers to the Sun or the light emanating from the Sun, and it also denotes the heavenly form of the Supreme Being.  
• "varenyam" refers to that reverential being or the best quality of that being.  
• "bhargo" refers to the holiness and celestial nature of knowledge.  
• "devasya" means that celestial power is being revered by me.  
• "dheemahi" means let us pray to that being.  
• "dhiyo" signifies knowledge, particularly celestial knowledge.  
• "yO + nah" becomes "yona," which means that such a revered Supreme Being will bestow upon us.  
• "prachodayat" means may He bestow upon me or instill me.

So, the complete meaning of the above mantra can be understood as follows: I pay my obeisance to that primordial source or being who encompasses the earth, the heavens, and the space, and shines through the radiance of the Sun. This being is pure, adorable, and is the source and embodiment of knowledge. I seek his blessings for enlightenment and knowledge.

How to Do Gayatri Japam

As already mentioned, the GAyatri mantra is generally performed during the daily ritual of Sandhyavandanam. 

Sandhyavandanam is the ritual of paying respects to the Almighty through the medium of the visible God of Power and Energy, the Sun. He is the "Savitr" referred to above. The Almighty is believed to be centered amid the Sun.

Besides the Almighty and the Sun, we bow our heads to the celestial mothers like Sandhya Devi (the wife of the Sun), Savitri Devi, GAyatri Devi, and Goddess Saraswati during this process. They are the presiding deities of the four directions (from East to North, respectively).

I am providing here a simplified version of Gayatri Japam. If you like to perform the entire Sandhyavandanam ritual, you can do it according to the steps provided in another post at this link.

• Get ready by wearing some pure clothes after taking your bath. A dhoti and kanduva (cotton or silk) are recommended.
• Keep clean and pure water in a small vessel and a small pot (copper or any metal), and sit facing the east. Keep a bowl or deep plate (by your side) for dropping the water.
• Now, you may like to purify your body once again by sprinkling drops of water on your head. For this purpose, place your right palm on the water-filled vessel and take the names of holy rivers (Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu, Kaveri are regarded as celestial by Hindu scriptures) and dip the tip of your right thumb into the water and sprinkle it over head for three times.
• Then, do the aachamanam (sipping the water 3 times, reciting the names - Om Achyutaaya namaha, Om Anataaya namaha, and Om Govindaaya namaha).
• Thereafter, chant the twelve names of Vishnu as follows: Om kEsavAya namaha, Om nArAyanAya namaha,
• Fold your hands and bow your head in reverence of Vishnu, the Sun God, Sandhya Devi in the east, Savitri in the south, Mother GAyatri in the west, and Saraswati in the north.
• Facing the east, take the water pot and offer water to the Sun, gently dropping the water into your bowl-shaped palm and releasing it into the deep plate or onto the ground, if no plate, three times.
• Now, recite the GAyatri mantra 11 times and offer the water again from the pot with both hands.
• Express your reverence and gratitude to Mother Gayatri.

This is the method of performing Gayatri.