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Introduction

Bheemana Amavasye is the Amavasya or New Moon Day of Ashada month in the Hindu calendar, marking the final day of the month. Believers hold that on this sacred day Bhagwan Shiva was deeply moved by the devotion of Devi Parvati and accepted Her as His wife. The festival is widely celebrated as Bhimana Amavasya in Karnataka and many other states. It is also known as Pati Sanjeevini Vrata or Jyothi Bhimeshwara Vrata. People observe this festival for the well being and prosperity of all male members in a family.

The festival is dedicated to Bhagwan Shiva and Devi Parvati. Unmarried women pray for the good health and well being of their brothers, father, and all male relatives. Married women observe this vrata for the long life of their husbands. Married women carry out this ritual for nine consecutive years after marriage. In the ninth year, they gift a pair of sacred lamps to their brothers or a Brahmin.

Preparations and Puja Setup

Traditionally, women make two sacred lamps using Red Clay, believed to represent Kalikamba, or Thambittu wheat flour paste. One lamp symbolizes Bhagwan Shiva and the other represents Devi Parvati, who is worshiped as the Supreme Mother and the source of every other Devi. Devotees install these lamps on a bed of grains, typically Rice, facing east.

Puja begins by tying a Turmeric Root to the right lamp of the Deity picture, which is the lamp on our left as we face it, signifying Devi Parvati. The altar installation also incorporates representations of Surya Dev, Chandra Dev, and a sacred water pot called Kumbha.

Women light the lamps and offer a nine stranded thread called Gejje Vastra along with Sandal paste or Gandha, which is an essential offering for this puja. The sacred Tambula offering includes nine Betel leaves, nine Betel Nuts or Bettada Adike, and a fresh coconut.

Women also place Gowri Dara or Rakshe, which is a thread smeared with Turmeric paste, alongside the Puja Samagri. Married women use a nine stranded thread with nine knots, while unmarried women use a five stranded thread with five knots. During Granthi Puja, women perform a specific puja for each strand with offerings, and female family members later tie these sacred threads around their wrists.

Please note that variations exist in these practices depending on regional traditions and family customs.

Puja and Rituals

After the mandatory Ashtottara Puja of Bhagwan Ganesh to remove all obstacles, devotees worship Bhagwan Shiva and Devi Parvati. Uma Maheshwara Ashtottara Puja is performed with devotion, and the Gowri Dara is tied around the wrists. At this stage the main part of the Puja is complete, and everyone pays respect to the lady performing the rituals.

Naivedya offerings include Karjura or Dates, Cosambari, and usual seasonal fruits. Families prepare traditional Kadubu filled with coins, staple food grains, and dry fruits, which is called Bandhara or Treasure Chest to symbolize abundance. Post puja, this Bandhara is placed on either side of the house threshold or Hosilu. Male family members crush these sweet cakes using their elbows, signifying an abundant flow of material and spiritual wealth into the home. Afterwards, the wife performs an Arati to her husband praying for his health and long life.

Traditional Festive Feast

After the rituals comes the much awaited part of the festival, which is the grand feast. Typical items served at home include Chitranna or Lemon Rice, Cosambari, Groundnut Chutney Pudi, Midi Uppinakayi or Tender Mango Pickles, Appala or Pappad, Majjige Menasinakayi or Fried Curded Chilly, Hoorna Saaru or Rasam, and sweet Kaayi Holige or Obbattu.

Legend of Susheela and Dead Prince

A pious Brahmin couple living in Saurashtra decided to undertake a pilgrimage to Kashi, as praying to Mahadeva there was considered a crucial lifetime duty. In those days, traveling to Kashi was a perilous journey, and people were never sure if they would return safely. Therefore, they decided not to take their young daughter Susheela along. They placed Susheela under the care of their married son and asked him to get her married and well settled in case they did not return from Kashi.

Years rolled by with no news or sign of the parents returning. The son and his wife were greedy to possess the family property and did not want to spend any money on getting Susheela married. In those times, it was a moral obligation and societal norm that the son inheriting property must shoulder the responsibility of marrying off his sisters.

During this period, Saurashtra was ruled by an able and righteous king named Vajrabahu. He had a son named Prince Jayasheela, who suddenly died due to a strange illness. King Vajrabahu was deeply worried about who would fulfill the ritualistic requirements of Tilodaka for his forefathers. The palace astrologer discovered a remedy and suggested marrying the dead prince off before cremation to keep the Pitrus satisfied.

King Vajrabahu made a royal proclamation across his kingdom that whoever agreed to marry the deceased prince would receive vast rewards including gold coins, a palatial home, agricultural land, and enough food grains to last three generations.

The greedy brother and his wife had no concern for Susheela and convinced her to accept the offer, arguing that she would become a Princess even if widowed right after marriage. They also emphasized that it would help the family financially and raise their status in society. Though Susheela resisted and pleaded desperately with her brother, he forced her to agree and took her to the King. The marriage was solemnized between the helpless Susheela and the dead Prince Jayasheela. The brother collected all royal rewards from the King and left.

Divine Appearance on the Bhagirathi Riverbank

Immediately after the wedding, King Vajrabahu, the newly wed Susheela, the army, and all courtiers took the prince body to the banks of River Bhagirathi for cremation. Susheela, decked in full bridal glory with Haridra Kumkuma or Turmeric and Vermillion, was asked to perform Agni sparsha and light the funeral pyre. Praying fervently to Maa Parvati and Bhagwan Parameshwara, she set fire to the pyre.

Providentially, torrential rain began to fall as soon as the pyre was lit. It rained incessantly and turned pitch dark with no signs of the storm subsiding. King Vajrabahu asked Susheela to return to the palace since she was now the princess, but Susheela refused, stating her place was with her husband, and she stayed back beside the body.

The King and the rest of the gathering left the young bride all by herself and returned to the palace. Susheela sat grieving beside her husband body in the dark forest. As fear set in, she began praying to Shiva Parvati, cursing her fate and thinking this tragedy would not have happened if her parents were present.

Susheela beseeched with tears, asking O Parameshwara, You have blessed Markandeya with immortality, restored life to Agni Manmatha, and blessed Shwetavahana and Brighu Putra Chyavana Rishi with long life. What sin have I committed to undergo this terrible situation. Please show some compassion towards me.

Bhagwan Shiva, who is always on the side of His devotees, appeared before her along with Maa Parvati. Susheela immediately sought the blessings of Sowbhagya, Sumangali, and Wealth.

Bhagwan Shiva Directives on Jyotirbhimeshwara Vrata

Bhagwan Shiva then told her that They would teach her a vrata to observe diligently with utmost sincerity. On the Amavasya Tithi of Ashada month, one must take a ritualistic bath, clean the Puja sthala, and install Uma Maheshwara on a Peetha or pedestal. On a heap of rice, one should install two Ghee Lamps to worship Him. Bhagwan Shiva explained that in such a lamp He resides as Ashtamurti.

As described in the Shiva Purana, Ashtamurti represents eight distinct attributes of Bhagwan Shiva. Sharva represents Earth holding the entire universe of mobile and immobile beings. Bhava represents Water which is the lifeline of the world. Rudra represents Fire symbolizing perfection and destroying all imperfections. Ugra represents Air holding the outer and inner universe and throbbing by itself. Bhima represents Ether pervading everything and affording space to all, whose decomposition results in groups of elements. Pashupati represents Soul supporting individual souls and breaking the bondage that encircles them. Ishana represents Sun brightening the entire universe and moving in the heavens. Mahadeva represents Moon whose nectar like rays strengthen and fatten the universe to satiety.

Bhagwan Shiva continued explaining that He exists in the lamp in its unbiased purest form. He added that alongside this lamp, another lamp must be kept with a Turmeric Stick attached to represent His consort, Shakti or Parvati. Because His favorite moon exists as part of Ashtamurti, His luminous form is also known as Bhimeshwara.

Bhagwan Shiva instructed her to assume the lamp as Himself and worship with utmost sincerity for nine years, offering Kadubu rice cakes, Sandalwood, and flowers, along with doing charity for Brahmins. He promised that after nine years her husband would certainly return to life and she would become Sowbhagyavati.

Miracle and Awakening of the Prince

Susheela had to manage with whatever was available around her in the wilderness. Instead of real rice cakes, she made Kadubu out of mud, created lamps from clay, used Banyan leaves as Betel leaves, and Banyan fruits as Betel nuts. She gathered wild grass to use as flowers and sincerely began her vrata vows.

While she was performing worship, a young couple arrived and expressed curiosity about her actions. Susheela explained her plight and misfortune. Since she was alone, there was no male member present to break the mud Kadubu. The young man offered to break the mud cake for her, and as he broke it he blessed her saying Dheegha Sumangali Bhava, meaning may you be a happily married woman for a long time and may your husband stay alive for your entire lifetime.

With a sad face Susheela smirked and asked how that was possible when her husband lay dead on the pyre. The young couple pointed toward the prince and told her that he was merely in deep sleep and asked her to wake him up. When Susheela looked at the prince, she was shocked to see him opening his eyes slowly as if waking from sleep. She could not believe her eyes, and when she turned around to thank the young couple, they had vanished.

Her puja bore fruit and the Prince was brought back to life. Susheela offered her heart felt gratitude to Uma and Maheshwara mentally and explained everything to her husband. Upon learning the news, King Vajrabahu was elated and rushed to the banks of Bhagirathi to see his son alive. He embraced the couple heartily and expressed immense gratitude to Uma Maheshwara. The King ensured that the glory of observing this vrata on Ashada Amavasya, known as Jyotirbhimeshwara Vrata or Bheemana Amavasye, was spread far and wide.

Continuing Traditions and Modern Observances

To this day, married and unmarried women worship Uma and Maheshwara on this day for the happiness, prosperity, and health of the men in their family. Married women also pray for a deep marital bond like that of Parvati and Shiva.

Another central tradition is preparing sweet Kadubu or Tambittu, made out of rice, peanuts, and chickpea flour with coins or jewels hidden inside. In the evening at the end of the vrata, male members break these cakes to retrieve the coins, a process known as breaking of Bhandara or treasure chest.

May the blessings of Bhagwan Shiva be showered in abundance on everyone. This festival also launches month long Shravan Maasa Rudra Pujas and Satsangs conducted by the Art of Living Pundits, founded by His Holiness Pujya Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, across various locations. A friend named Sindhu under the handle agnyaa on Twitter has also written blog posts detailing Bhimana Amavasya.

The traditional sacred chant associated with this day is

Mrityunjaya Rudraya Neelakanthaya Sambhave Amriteshaya Sharvaya Mahadevaya Te Namaha.

Significance of Tilodaka and Tarpana

The sacred invocation chanted during this ritual is Vasurudraditya swaroopanam asmat Pitru Pitamaha Prappitamaha aavahayami.

Forefathers are believed to reside in Pitru Loka for some time after their death until they take rebirth, reach Deva Loka, or attain Mukti. Pitru Loka is inhabited by three generations of ancestors, namely Vasu representing Father, Rudra representing Grandfather, and Aditya representing Great Grandfather.

Pitru Loka is situated on the other side of the moon, which gets exposed to the sun only on Amavasya or New Moon day. This day marks the official meal time for Pitrus. All offerings made through Tarpana by descendants serve as the only source of nourishment to feed the Pitrus. If ancestors are left displeased, their curse is believed to affect the family line by preventing future male progeny.