Description

Vyatipat Shanti Puja is not just a regular but an extraordinary Vedic Hindu ritual, which is eAective in nullifying the evil eAects of "Vyatipat Yoga" and also in bringing spiritual purification. The adverse astrological alignment that is judged as being the worst for new ventures is also considered spiritually powerful for penance and remediation. In Hindu astrology (Jyotish), there are 27 Yogas formed by the longitudinal relationship of Sun and Moon. Vyatipat is the 17th of these Yogas and is often viewed with caution as it indicates a time of calamity, sudden misfortune or intense karmic payback. The term 'Vyatipat' itself denotes 'great fall' or 'disaster'. People born under this Yoga are thought to have a lot of past life karma that can be hard to bear and can show up in diAerent forms like struggles in childhood, family life that is not stable, poverty or health issues that last a lifetime. The Vyatipat Shanti Puja acts as a divine intervention, a spiritual cleansing process that quiets the fierce energies of Vyatipat and thus, changes its destructive power to one of spiritual strength and stability.

Meaning and significance

Vyatipat Yoga is of great importance which is based on myths and cosmic symbolism. According to the myth, the intense glare of the Sun God (Surya) was the reason for the birth of Vyatipat. It all happened when the Moon God (Chandra) was teasingly ignoring his wife Rohini and thus provoking Surya to the extreme. The fire of such intensity gave birth to a powerful entity that could take the three heavens by surprise. In a way, Vyatipat Yoga is like the Sun and the Moon together. It is the Sun's heat and the Moon's emotional turmoil at once. Babies born in this Yoga are characterized by an intense and volatile nature. The aAliction ("Dosha") connected with it can lead the person to suAer from constant failures in spite of being diligent, to experience accidents, or to have a very sad childhood ("Balarishta"). This is mainly blamed on the parents, as sometimes it would mean early separation or distress for the father. Yet the significance of Vyatipat Shanti is not purely preventing misfortune but rather making the most of a distinct spiritual power. Great epics like Mahabharata speak of the time, when Vyatipat was not good for any material beginnings like weddings and business; but on the other hand, it was tremendously beneficial for spiritual practices. It is believed that the power of 100,000 times will be provided to the practices of mantra chanting, giving away (Daan), and Pitru Tarpan during this Yoga. Hence, the Shanti Puja is a two-fold ceremony: it eliminates the material barriers that cause suAering and simultaneously unwraps the vast spiritual potential that has been lying dormant in the person. It honors the deity of the Yoga— Lord Rudra (a wrathful aspect of Shiva)—converting the "heat" of the dosha into the "light" of wisdom and endurance. 

When to perform and why

The Vyatipat Shanti Puja must take place at the proper moment, especially for a newborn, and it is ideally done on the 27th day after the birth or when the Moon is back to the nakshatra of the child. However, if it is not done in the infancy stage, later on, especially when the person begins to experience symptoms of the dosha—like mysterious sicknesses, sudden loss of money, or serious divorce—then, it is really a good idea to perform the puja on a day when Vyatipat Yoga is in eAect, as the cosmic energy is strongest at that time. The reason is very strong for the ones who are aAlicted by the "Vyatipat curse." This is because families perform this puja to keep the child alive and to ensure a healthy development, thus avoiding "Balarishta" consequences. Adults do this to get rid of "bad luck" cycles, where at the last moment opportunities just pass them by. It is also a very strong remedy for "pitru dosha" (ancestor curse). In fact, Vyatipat is associated with the Sun (the father and the ancestors) and so it happens that by lifting this dosha one often gets rid of family quarrels over inheritance and brings peace to the family line. Besides, it is done to calm the mind. Individuals born under this Yoga usually have anxiety or a "hot" temperament and the puja calms their energy, thus providing mental peace, and making their decision making power better.

Preparations and puja vidhi

Vyatipat Shanti ritual is exceedingly intricate and requires total compliance with the Vedic cleanliness. At first, choosing the proper Muhurat is the first step, which should be preferably during the Vyatipat Yoga period or on a Monday (Shiva's day) or Sunday (Sun's day). The family hosting the event has to either fast or consume only sattvic food during the period. The location of the puja is purified with Ganga Jal and adorned with flowers. Among other things, Kalash, an idol or picture of the Vyatipat Purusha (deity of the Yoga), special grains like wheat (for Sun) and rice (for Moon), red flowers (Hibiscus), and Rudraksha beads are included in the main Samagri. The first step of the ritual is Sankalp during which the priest proclaims the native's birth particulars and the purpose of appeasing the Vyatipat Dosha. Ganesh Pujan is done at the beginning to clear away any possible hindrances. The main part of the ritual is the Kalash Sthapana along with the invocation of the deities. Since Vyatipat is a solar-lunar phenomenon, Surya (Sun) and Chandra (Moon) get the most worship to their energies peaceful and friendly. The main god worshipped is Lord Rudra or Agni (Fire) who is in charge of this Yoga's fierce side. The priest carries out a special Vyatipat Shanti Havan (Fire Lab) that is very important. In this Havan, the Vyatipat Mantra together with Rudra Suktam is recited while 108 or 1008 oAerings of ghee, sesame, and specific woods (Samidha from Arka and Palash trees) are made into the fire considered holy. The ritual of fire is supposed to remove the negative karmic seeds of the participants. One of the special features of the ceremony is the idolization of the "Yoga Purusha", imploring him to divert his fierce look from the person concerned. Since the ancestors are closely linked, Pitru Tarpan (oAering water to ancestors) is frequently practiced along with the Shanti, thus turning the dosha into a gift from the ancestors. The ritual ends with Purnahuti (final oAering) and Daan (Donation). It is a must to make a gift of things related to the Sun and Moon—wheat, copper, jaggery, rice, white clothes, or silver, for instance. A "Chhaya Paatra" donation (giving away a bowl of oil with one's reflection) is also a common practice to overshadow misfortune. At last, the native receives Abhishek with the energized water from the Kalash, thus enveloping him/her in protecting divine aura. Through the performance of Vyatipat Shanti, the powerful energy that once created turmoil is transformed into a great force for both spiritual and material prosperity.

Procedure

The pooja follows these steps:

• • Initial prayers and sankalpam
• • Main ritual performance
• • Offerings to deities
• • Final aarti and prasad distribution

Benefits

• Bring peace and harmony
• Remove obstacles
• Enhance spiritual growth
• Promote overall well-being