Vinayaka Vratha Kalpam

Pooja Samagri

Turmeric, kumkum, sandal paste, akshata, flowers, fruit, betel leaves, betel nuts, coconut, incense, lamp and its oil, panchamrita, undrallu, kudumulu and modakam, the twenty-one kinds of leaves, durva grass, and a clay Ganesha idol.

Achamanam

Om Keshavaya Svaha । Om Narayanaya Svaha । Om Madhavaya Svaha ॥

Govindaya Namah । Vishnave Namah । Madhusudanaya Namah । Trivikramaya Namah । Vamanaya Namah । Shridharaya Namah । Hrishikeshaya Namah । Padmanabhaya Namah । Damodaraya Namah । Sankarshanaya Namah । Vasudevaya Namah । Pradyumnaya Namah ॥

Pranayamam

Om Bhuh । Om Bhuvah । Om Suvah । Om Mahah । Om Janah । Om Tapah । Om Satyam । Om Tatsaviturvarenyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat । Om Apo Jyoti Rasomritam Brahma Bhurbhuvassuvarom ॥

Sankalpam

Mama Upatta Duritakshayadvara Shri Parameshvara Prityartham Shubhe Shobhane Muhurte, Adya Brahmanah Dvitiya Pararthe Shvetavaraha Kalpe Vaivasvata Manvantare Kaliyuge Prathama Pade Jambudvipe Bharatavarshe Bharatakhande Meroh Dakshina Digbhage, Asmin Vartamana Vyavaharika Chandramanena Shri ... Nama Samvatsare Dakshinayane Varsha Ritau Bhadrapada Mase Shukla Pakshe Chaturthyam Tithau ... Vasare Shubha Nakshatre Shubha Yoge Shubha Karana Evamguna Visheshana Vishishtayam Shubha Tithau Mama Kshema Sthairya Dhairya Vijaya Ayurarogya Aishvaryabhivriddhyartham, Dharmartha Kama Moksha Chaturvidha Phala Purushartha Siddhyartham, Siddhi Buddhi Sameta Shri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Devata Muddishya Shri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Devata Prityartham Kalpokta Prakarena Yavachchhakti Dhyanavahanadi Shodashopachara Poojam Karishye ॥

Dhyanam

Shuklambaradharam Vishnum Shashivarnam Chaturbhujam
Prasannavadanam Dhyayetsarvavighnopashantaye ॥

Agajanana Padmarkam Gajananamaharnisham
Anekadam Tam Bhaktanam Ekadantamupasmahe ॥

Om Shri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Svamine Namah । Dhyayami ॥

Shodashopachara Pooja

Om Shri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Svamine Namah ।

Avahayami — Avahanam Samarpayami ।
Navaratna Khachita Simhasanam Samarpayami ।
Padayoh Padyam Samarpayami ।
Hastayoh Arghyam Samarpayami ।
Mukhe Achamaniyam Samarpayami ।
Madhuparkam Samarpayami ।
Panchamrita Snanam Samarpayami ।
Shuddhodaka Snanam Samarpayami ।
Vastrayugmam Samarpayami ।
Yajnopavitam Samarpayami ।
Gandhan Dharayami ।
Akshatan Samarpayami ।
Pushpaih Poojayami ॥

Ekavimshati Patra Pooja

Om Sumukhaya Namah — Machipatram Poojayami ।
Om Ganadhipaya Namah — Brihatipatram Poojayami ।
Om Umaputraya Namah — Bilvapatram Poojayami ।
Om Gajananaya Namah — Durvayugmam Poojayami ।
Om Harasunave Namah — Dattarapatram Poojayami ।
Om Lambodaraya Namah — Badaripatram Poojayami ।
Om Guhagrajaya Namah — Apamargapatram Poojayami ।
Om Gajakarnaya Namah — Tulasipatram Poojayami ।
Om Ekadantaya Namah — Chutapatram Poojayami ।
Om Vikataya Namah — Karavirapatram Poojayami ।
Om Bhinnadantaya Namah — Vishnukrantapatram Poojayami ।
Om Vatave Namah — Dadimipatram Poojayami ।
Om Sarveshvaraya Namah — Devadarupatram Poojayami ।
Om Phalachandraya Namah — Maruvakapatram Poojayami ।
Om Herambaya Namah — Sindhuvarapatram Poojayami ।
Om Shurpakarnaya Namah — Jajipatram Poojayami ।
Om Suragrajaya Namah — Gandakipatram Poojayami ।
Om Ibhavaktraya Namah — Shamipatram Poojayami ।
Om Vinayakaya Namah — Ashvatthapatram Poojayami ।
Om Surasevitaya Namah — Arjunapatram Poojayami ।
Om Kapilaya Namah — Arkapatram Poojayami ॥

The Shri Vinayaka Ashtottara Shatanamavali is recited next.

Dhupa Deepa Naivedyam

Dhupamaghrapayami ।
Deepam Darshayami ।
Undrallu, Kudumulu, Modakam and fruit — Naivedyam Samarpayami ।
Tambulam Samarpayami ।
Nirajanam Samarpayami ।
Mantrapushpam Samarpayami ।
Atmapradakshina Namaskaran Samarpayami ॥

Vratha Katha

In an earlier age the elephant-faced Gajasura performed severe penance to Shiva and won the boon that Shiva dwell within his belly. With Shiva so confined, Parvati could not bear the separation and prayed to Vishnu. Vishnu came in the guise of a keeper of performing bulls, made Nandi dance, pleased Gajasura and had Shiva released.

Awaiting Shiva's return, Parvati formed a boy from the turmeric paste of her bath, gave him life, and set him to guard her door. When the boy would not let him in, Shiva severed his head. Seeing Parvati's grief, they brought the head of Gajasura, fixed it upon the boy and revived him. That elephant-faced one is Vinayaka, and he was given lordship over the ganas and over all obstacles.

On the fourth day of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada the gods worshipped Vinayaka and offered him kudumulu. Having eaten his fill, Vinayaka was riding his mouse when it started at the sight of a serpent, and he fell. His belly split and the offerings scattered; he gathered them back, filled his belly again and bound that same serpent about his waist. Seeing this, the moon laughed from the sky.

The angered Vinayaka cursed the moon: "Whoever looks upon you shall bear false blame." When the curse brought distress upon the world, at the gods' prayer he softened it — that the moon must not be looked upon on that one day, Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi; and that one who does so by mistake will be freed of the blame by hearing this vratha katha and placing akshata upon the head.

Later Shri Krishna looked upon the moon on that day unknowingly, and bore the false charge of stealing the Syamantaka gem. He fought Jambavan, recovered the gem, and on Narada's counsel performed the Vinayaka Vratham and was freed of the blame. It is for this reason that the vratham is kept, the katha heard, and akshata placed upon the head.

Mangala Harathi

Om Shri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Svamine Namah ।
Karpura Nirajanam Samarpayami ॥

Jaya Mangalam Nitya Shubha Mangalam
Siddhi Vinayaka Svamiki Mangalam ॥

Udvasana

Yajnena Yajnamayajanta Devah Tani Dharmani Prathamanyasan
Te Ha Nakam Mahimanah Sachante Yatra Purve Sadhyah Santi Devah ॥

Shri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Svamine Namah । Yathasthanam Udvasayami ॥

Anaya Dhyanavahanadi Shodashopachara Poojaya Bhagavan Sarvatmakah Shri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Devata Suprita Suprasanno Varado Bhavatu ॥