Angaraki Chaturthi Of Shri Ganesh

The Angarika Chaturthi (angarak in Sanskrit means red like burning coal embers) devotees believe their wishes will be fulfilled if they pray on this auspicious day. The fast of Sankashti Chaturthi is generally started from the day "Angarika Sankashti Chaturthi". 2. Significance: Angarika Chaturth (???????? ???????) is a Sankashti Chaturthi falling on on the fourth day of the Krishna Paksha (the dark lunar phase or the waning fortnight of the Moon), is considered highly auspicious among all Sankashti Chaturthi days. Sankashti Chaturthi (??????? ???????), also known as Sankatahara Chaturthi, is an auspicious day dedicated to Lord Ganesha.

What is the story behind it? According to the legend, Angarak, the son of Mother Earth (Bhu or Bhooma Devi) and Bharadwaj Rishi, an accomplished Rishi and a great devotee of Lord Ganesha. He worshipped Lord Ganesha and sought his blessings. On Magh Krishna Chaturthi (a Tuesday), Lord Ganesha blessed him and asked him for a wish. Angarak expressed that his only wish was to be associated with Lord Ganesha’s name forever. The Lord granted his wish and proclaimed that whoever worships Lord Ganesha on Angarika Chaturthi will be granted all that he/she prays for.

From that day onwards, Magh Krishna Chaturthi came to be known as Angarak Chaturthi. Angaraka (Mars) is one of the Navagrahas. He is also called Mangal or Kuja. He is a planet of martial aspect, and the equivalent of Mars in Roman Mythology or Ares in Greek. He is red coloured and is said to be a descendant of Bharadwaja.

According to the Padma Purana, once a drop of perspiration from Lord Vishnu's brow fell on the earth, and from it sprang a red colored child, who was called Lohitaanga, for his red color. Lohitaanga performed many penances and won a boon from Brahma to become one of the Navagrahas, with the name of Angaraka.

He is also sometimes equated to Skanda, the commander of the Deva army. His vehicle is the goat. Tuesday is his sacred day, red his favorite colour.] On the day of Angarika Sankashti Chaturthi, the devotees observe a strict fast from morning till evening. They break the fast at night after having a darshan/auspicious sighting of the moon, preceded by prayers and a pooja for Lord Ganesha.

The Angarika Chaturthi (angarak in Sanskrit means red like burning coal embers) devotees believe their wishes will be fulfilled if they pray on this auspicious day. The fast of Sankashti Chaturthi is generally started from the day "Angarika Sankashti Chaturthi". Also Angarika Sankashti means deliverance during troubled times, hence observing this fast is believed to reduce a person's problems, as Lord Ganesha is the remover of all obstacles and the supreme lord of intelligence. Before moonlight, the Ganapati Atharvashesha is recited to summon the blessings of Lord Ganesha.

Once, Sage Durvasa was travelling from Vaikuntha, the abode of Lord Vishnu to the abode of Lord Shiva, i.e., Kailas. He came upon Lord Indra, who was spending time with the Apsara Rambha. Lord Indra bowed before Sage Durvasa in reverence, and Sage Durvasa, who was pleased, handed him a Parijat flower, and spoke the following words: “O Indra, this is a flower given by the lord which removes all the obstructions and the person whose head it will be placed will be victorious all around. He will be adored by the people first of all and will be the foremost of all gods. Mahalakshmi will not part company from him and follow him like a shadow. He will equate himself with Lord Vishnu in knowledge, wisdom, prowess. He will be more powerful than all gods and will be valorous like Vishnu.”

Sage Durvasa left after this, and Lord Indra, still intoxicated by the presence of Rambha, placed the flower on the head of his elephant. The elephant thus got all the qualities that were ordained by the flower. The elephant then fought and defeated all other elephants and left Lord Indra. Thus destiny resulted in the elephant getting all the advantages associated with the blessings of the Parijat flower. If Indra had accepted the flower, he would have got all its qualities. But destiny, which was also a play of Vishnu, had other plans, and it waited for the birth of Ganesha. Jay Shri Ganesh