Vedic influence on the Sun-worship in the Puranas
by Goswami Mitali | 2018 | 68,171 words
This page relates ‘Sun-worship Vratas (17) Candrovrata’ of the study on the Vedic influence of Sun-worship in the Puranas, conducted by Goswami Mitali in 2018. The tradition of observing Agnihotra sacrifice and the Sandhya, etc., is frequently observed among the Hindus. Another important innovation of the Sun-worship in the Puranas is the installation of the images of the Sun in the temples.—This section belongs to the series “Rituals Related to the Sun-Worship in the Puranas”.
Sun-worship Vratas (17) Candrovrata
The Candrovrata falls on the new moon day and lasts for a year. The images of the Sun and the moon are worshipped on two Lotuses in it.[1] According to another reference of the same Purāṇa, only the moon is worshipped by the Candrovrata on the full moon day, started in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa along with the fasting in devotion of the deity which yields great benefits towards the worshipper.[2] The Matsyapurāṇa refers to this vrata and prescribes the gift of golden image to the Brāhmaṇas, at the end of the vrata. [3]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ibid., 3.191.1-5
[2]:
cf., mārgaśīrṣādathārabhya candramaṇḍala ke naraḥ/ sopavāsastu sampūjya pauṇḍrīkaphalaṃ labhet// kṛtvā vrataṃ vatsarametadiṣṭaṃ prāpnoti lokaṃ sa niśākarasya/ Ibid., 3.194.1,2
[3]:
cf., cāndrāyaṇaṃ ca yaḥ kuryādhaimaṃ candraṃ nivedayet/ candravratamidaṃ proktaṃ