Cāturmāsya Vrata
BhaktiRaghava Swami Maharaj is currently observing Caturmasya Vrata at Sahyadri Sri Krishna Balarama Ksetra [SSKBK] located near the Town of Hebri in the District of Udupi.
Srila Prabhupada on Cāturmāsya from The Cāturmāsya period begins in the month of Āṣāḍha (June-July) from the day of Ekādaśī called Śayanā-ekādaśī, in the fortnight of the waxing moon. The period ends in the month of Kārttika (October-November) on the Ekādaśī day known as Utthānā-ekādaśī, in the fortnight of the waxing moon. This four-month period is known as Cāturmāsya. Some Vaiṣṇavas also observe it from the full-moon day of Āṣāḍha until the full-moon day of Kārttika. That is also a period of four months. This period, calculated by the lunar months, is called Cāturmāsya, but others also observe Cāturmāsya according to the solar month from Śrāvaṇa to Kārtika.
This is not very difficult. In the month of Śrāvaṇa one should not eat spinach, in the month of Bhādra one should not eat yogurt, and in the month of Āśvina one should not drink milk. One should not eat fish or other nonvegetarian food during the month of Kārtika. A nonvegetarian diet means fish and meat. Similarly, masūra dhal and urad dhal are also considered nonvegetarian. These two dhals contain a great amount of protein, and food rich in protein is considered nonvegetarian. On the whole, during the four-month period of Cāturmāsya one should practice giving up all food intended for sense enjoyment
The whole period, either lunar or solar, takes place during the rainy season. Cāturmāsya should be observed by all sections of the population. It does not matter whether one is a gṛhastha or a sannyāsī. The observance is obligatory for all āśramas. The real purpose behind the vow taken during these four months is to minimize the quantity of sense gratification.
Maharaj Daily Schedule:
a) Maharaj is getting up everyday at 3:00 AM
b) Will chant minimum 10 rnds before mangalarathi
c) Temple Programme upto 7:30 AM
d) Personal deity worship upto 9 AM
e) 9:00-9:30 AM Yoga
f) 9:30 AM– Milk
g) 10:30 AM to 11:30 — Local managment and meeting guests
h) 11:30 to 1:30 — Readign & Chanting
i) 1:30 PM — Taking bath
2:30 PM – Lunch in coconut shell(Only one bowl of rice)
j) 3:30 PM — 6:30 PM — Reading
k) 7:00 PM — Taking Bath
l) 7:30 PM — Personal deities rest
m) 8:00 PM — Taking milk
n) 8:30 PM — Rest for the day
Srila Prabhupada even gives precedence to the practice of growing a beard. “Under the chaturmasya vow the candidate does not shave for four months during the year (July to October), he does not eat certain foods, does not eat twice in a day or does not leave home,” he writes in the Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
