Chaandrayanam

[mvhprasanth]

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Dear All,

Few years ago, I got the thought of doing Chaandrayan. I searched through different websites and literature before I could able to summarize bits and pieces of the information to do this penance.

Sharing for the benefit of others who want to perform this penance and also for my future references.

1. This is considered to be one of the most hardest prayaschitta penance
2. Well, one can cleanse the sins with a holy dip in mother ganges (as I am currently living in Varanasi). But still we do these kind of prayaschittas to cleanse the "Vasanas" that we acquire through numerous past lives
3. Chaandrayan, as the name suggests is the penance following the phases of the moon..
4. There are 3 types of Chaandrayan: Purnimasya, Amavasya and Yati Chaandrayan
5. There is no special Sankalpa mantra I found anywhere. However, yes; we do pray to our diety for allowing and supporting us with this mighty penance
6. Similarly, no conclusion mantra; but I do our regular "Kayane vaacha ... narayanayethi samarpayami" to dedicate the karma results to the lord

Rules of this penance:

1. Morsel of Food = Just enough to fit into our folded palm, egg size
2. Purnimasya Chaandrayan:

• Most widely followed
• Start with any Purnima (Full moon) day and End with next Purnima
• Total days: approx 30
• First Purnima day - Take 15 morsels of food, followed by 14,13,12,11,10.... 0 on Amavasya (new moon day) and then again 1,2,3,4,5...15 on the Last Purnima day

3. Amavasya Chaandrayan:

• Starts with any Amavasya (New moon) day and End with next Amavasya
• First Amavasya day - Take 0 morsels of food, followed by 1,2,3,4,5.... 15 on Purnima (full moon day) and then again 14,13,12,11,10...0 on the Last Amavasya day

4. Yati Chaandrayan:

• Can do with Purnima to Purnima or Amavasya to Amavasya
• Fixed 8 morsels a day, through out the 30 day period

5. Other general rules:

• Brahmacharyam
• Sleep on the Floor
• Sattvik food (no spices or sour)
• Break the fast after the Sunset, once done with the nitya karma like Sandhyavandan and Bagavath seva

6. Bath thrice, if possible. Or atleast twice (in the morning and evening)

I have done twice in the last two years and currently doing it for 3rd time while I am here in the holy city Varanasi.

Other Experience:

1. Doing it once a year, cleanses our body toxins and makes us fit physically aswell as spiritually
2. Due to gradual descent and ascent of food intake; body slows gets adjusted without much toll
3. Toughest period (for me), was during 4-3-2-1-0-1-2-3-4 morsels/day, but with the blessings of paradevatha; we can do it
4. Improvement in the clarity of mind during our prayers, might be because of complete Sattvik diet and controlled food intake

Please comment incase if there is anywhere I can improve doing this penance.

Hara Hara Mahadeva ?