The transit of the sun from one zodiac sign to another zodiac sign is called Sankranti. Sun transits in another zodiac sign every month. In this way, there are 12 Sankranti in a year. Sun travels to Meghnagar, the last zodiac sign of Aries. The entry of the Sun into Pisces is called Mesha Sankranti.
Mesha Sankranti Importance
According to the scriptures, the bathing donation is considered to be of special importance on the day of Aries Sankranti. Donating food on the day of Aries Sankranti is said to have special significance. At this time there is a trend of Vaishakh month. On the day of Aries Sankranti, Suraj Dev completes the journey of Uttarayan. Aries are known by different names in different places in India. People living in Bengal celebrate Mesha Sankranti as New Year.
On the day of Aries Sankranti, donations of Dharmaghat, bath, and Sesame are offered to ancestors. It is considered important to worship Lord Madhusudan on this day. It is told in the scriptures that during the auspicious period of Mesh Sankranti, a lot of virtue is achieved by bathing, donating, and offering to the ancestors. On the day of Aries Sankranti, there is a rule of eating jaggery and Sattu along with worshiping Suraj Dev. In the state of Bihar, the day of Aries Sankranti is celebrated as Ho Satua.
Mesha Sankranti is considered very special in Hinduism because the solar year begins with Aries Sankranti only. Even great sins are washed away by taking a holy bath on this day. On this Sankranti, it is better to donate, offer sesame to the ancestors and worship Lord Madhusudan(Krishna). Manglik marriage, Mundan, Griha Pravesh, etc start from Aries Sankranti. After this, you can start new work. Mesh Sankranti is known by different names in many states of India. It is known as Baisakhi in Punjab, Bohag Bihu in Assam, Satuani in Bihar, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Poila Baisakh in West Bengal, Pana Sankranti in Odisha, and Vishu in Kerala.
Auspicious Work on Mesha Sankranti
There is a ban on auspicious works due to Kharmas from Pisces Sankranti. So when the sun enters Aries, the Kharmas is over. Due to which auspicious works begin. During this auspicious works like marriage, naming, and housewarming can be done.
Mesh Sankranti Punya Kaal
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Bathing in rivers on the day of Mesha Sankranti is said to be very virtuous in the scriptures.
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According to beliefs, if a person does charity on the day of Aries Sankranti, then it is considered extremely fruitful.
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According to the scriptures, on the day of Aries Sankranti, there is a virtuous period 4 hours before and 4 hours after Sankranti.
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Mesha Sankranti is celebrated in Uttarakhand by the name of Bikhoti. On the day of Mesha Sankranti, people living in Uttarakhand consider a stone as a demon and hit it with a stick.
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Fairs are organized at different places in Uttarakhand on the day of Mesha Sankranti.
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The festival of traditional dance, songs, and music is celebrated with much fanfare on the day of Mesha Sankranti.
Mesha Sankranti Puja Vidhi
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Offering water to the sun god on the day of Mesha Sankranti is considered to be of special importance.
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On this day, after getting up early in the morning and retiring from daily activities, a bath is taken in a holy river.
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If there is no holy river around the house, then bathing is done by mixing some Ganga water in the water at home itself.
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On this day, after taking a bath, red colored clothes are worn.
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After this, red sandalwood, a little kumkum, and red flowers or rose leaves are mixed in a copper pot filled with water.
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A stream of water is slowly created by filling a copper vessel with water and lifting the vessel above the head with both hands and facing towards the east.
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In this way, water is offered to Suraj Dev 7 times.
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If Arghya is being offered to the Sun God at home, then a vessel or bucket is kept where the water will fall.
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By doing this, the accumulated water is put in the root of the potted plant or tree.
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Gayatri Mantra is chanted while offering water to the Sun God.
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If the sun is in the lower position in a person's horoscope, then he should do charity on the day of Mesha Sankranti.
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Donating wheat, jaggery, and silver to the poor and needy on the day of Mesha Sankranti is considered auspicious.
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Worshiping Sun God on the day of Aries Sankranti removes all kinds of sorrows and diseases.
Story of Mesh Sankranti
Once Vishnu Narad ji, while traveling around, saw the people of the earth being troubled by different kinds of sorrows according to their deeds. His heart was moved by this and he went to the shelter of Lord Shri Hari while playing Veena. He asked God to tell him a solution to end the suffering of the people living on earth. Then Lord Shri Hari ji told Narad ji that he has asked a very beautiful question in the spirit of world welfare. Then Bhagwan ji said that he would tell him such a fast, which is rare even in heaven and virtuous. By observing this fast, the bondage of attachment decreases, and by observing this fast according to the rules and regulations, a person attains salvation in the hereafter by enjoying all the pleasures of the world.
After this, seeing a poor Brahmin of Kashipur city begging, Lord Vishnu himself in the form of an old Brahmin goes to that poor Brahmin and tells that Brahmin that Lord Satyanarayan wants to give the desired fruit. That Brahmin should worship him fast so that all his sorrows will go away. He said that this fast is very important. Not taking food in this fast is not fasting. There should be heart perception in this fast. In this, worship and the story of Lord Satyanarayan should be done with devotion.
The monk narrated the same incident to King Ulkamukh along with the rules and regulations. But his faith was incomplete. There was also a lack of faith in the king. The king said that he would worship Satyavrat to get a child. On getting time, a beautiful girl was born in his house; The king's wife was very devout. When he reminded the king, he said that he would fast at the time of the marriage of the girl. When the time comes, the girl also gets married. But he did not fast. The king goes on business with his son-in-law. The king and his son-in-law are put in jail by Chandraketu on charges of theft. Behind this, theft would also happen in the king's house. His wife and daughter are forced to beg. One day the king's daughter sees Satyanarayan being worshiped at someone's house and she comes home and tells her mother about this fast. The next day devotionally worships Lord Satyanarayan ji's fast. During this fast, she prays for her husband and son-in-law to come home. Pleased with Lilavati's fast, the Lord ordered the king to release both brothers in a dream. The king sent them both away by giving them wealth. After coming home, the king started organizing the worship of Lord Satyanarayan on Purnima and Sankranti. Due to this, he got worldly happiness and finally salvation.
Importance of donation on Mesha Sankranti
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Food items are donated to the poor and needy on Mesha Sankranti.
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Clothes and shoes and slippers are also donated on this day.
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Feeding green grass to a cow on the day of Aries Sankranti gives a lot of merit.
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On the day of Mesh Sankranti, things related to the sun like copper utensils, red cloth, wheat, jaggery, red sandalwood, etc. are donated.
Conclusion
According to the Panchang, the first Sankranti of the Hindu New Year is celebrated when the Sun God enters Aries. This is known as Mesh Sankranti. Mesha Sankranti usually falls in the month of Vaishakh and April. Aries Sankranti has special significance in Hinduism because on this day one month of Kharmas ends and auspicious works start again. To know more about the date, auspicious time, and importance of Aries Sankranti, talk to astrologers.