What is Sankashti Chaturthi's significance?

The Sankashti Chaturthi is an auspicious day dedicated to Lord Ganesha. It is celebrated on every fourth day of the full moon or Krishna Paksha according to the Hindu calendar. Sankashti Chaturthi is a famous fast observed by most men and women for the welfare of their families. Sankashti means deliverance from the troubled times. Thus, observing this Vrat is believed to reduce all the problems in a person's life because Lord Ganesha is the remover of all obstacles and problems. People observe strict fast on the day of Sankashti Chaturthi and break the fast only at night after viewing the moon. Sankashti Vrat is the fast that eradicates all obstacles from the devotees lives. It heralds auspicious beginnings and blesses people with prosperity, intelligence and happy family life.

Why is Ganesh Chaturthi celebrated? Lord Ganesha is the Hindu God (Deity) who is believed to be the Lord of new beginnings therefore, he is worshipped at the start of all Hindu religious ceremonies. Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrating the arrival of Ganesh ji to earth from Kailash Parvat with their mother Goddess Parvati/Gauri. The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesh clay idols privately in homes, or publicly on elaborate pandals. He is the Lord of letters and is associated with intellectualism.

Hence, he is the patron of authors, bankers, scholars and the like. He is also called ‘Vighnaharta’ i.e. the remover of obstacles. deep research of holy Vedas and pious Bhagavad Gita and other scriptures provides evidence that the whole universe is created by Aadi Ganesha who is immortal? He is the destroyer of sins. (Yajurveda Adhyaya 8 Mantra 13) He is the remover of obstacles. He is the supreme Lord who is worthy to be worshipped. (Yajurveda Adhyaya 5 Mantra 32).

This raises a question in the mind of devotees when Aadi Ganesha is Almighty then why do people worship demigods? Is Aadi Ganesha different from Lord Ganesha? Lord Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. He resides with them on Mount Kailash in ‘Ganesh Lok’. Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu’s powers are limited since, both Tamogun-Shiv Ji and Sat-gun-Vishnu Ji and even Goddess Parvati-an epitome of Shakti who can even destroy the creation could not restore the original head of Ganesha. They had to put the head of an elephant. Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, Goddess Parvati, and all other deities present there were inefficient. They have limited powers. Then what relief they can provide to their seekers is well understood.

Ganesha died and then was restored to life- meaning he was born again. He is in the cycle of birth and death. He is not immortal then how can his disciples be relieved from birth and rebirth?. This should be well understood to all devotees that lord Ganesha is also a demigod. This practice of celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi is not scripture based and is simply worshipping according to one’s desire. In Shrimad Bhagwat Gita Chapter 16 Verse 23, the knowledge giver of Gita Ji says that ‘Oh Arjun, whoever denounces the way of worship as mentioned in the scriptures and worships according to his own desires gets no benefit be it a worldly desire or salvation’. Gita Chapter 9 Verse 23-24 does not support the worship of demigods since it is opposite to the scriptures which is the cause of their decline. The right way of worship is by taking initiation from a tatvadarshi saint and chanting the mantra given by him.

Scientifically the women’s menstrual cycle is related to moons movements. On no-moon day she gets into periods and ovulates around full moon. To have child the days right after ovulation are very important for wife and husband to meet. So, these 3–4 days are the days around full moon day are very important, as there is high probability to have a child if husband and wife are together. due to women’s ovulation cycle.

But due to ignorance, and traditional joint families husband and wife could not get that privacy at the right time always. But some intelligent Rishis/people have found reasonable solution to get this mostly right to increase chances of having children. Chaturthi (4th day), after full moon day is a day in Indian time zone when Moon rises late at night (but still before too late like midnight).

So the couple is asked to observe full day fast and Pooja and dinner only after moonrise late night, especially in the name of the most important god (Ganesha) to bless each other. This means wife is exclusively with her husband, even in a joint family and spend late night together in pooja followed by dinner and possible romance afterwards. Due to various reasons and uncertain situations, the fasting and Pooja became responsibility of Wife only.

The Karvwa Chauth is one such day around Navaratri/Dashahara when celebrations are high in northern India. Which has more reasons around this. If we know Ram met Seetha first time after war and Ravan was killed on Dashahara day. Probably we know why that ‘Karwa Chauth’ day is more important. Hence, a festival is more meaningful where husband and wife are meeting on spiritual grounds with calm and personal time, to be blessed with good children. They pray using grass, few cultures radish and off-course coconut (which all are related to fertility).