With the end of Kartika month approaching, the last five days, known as Bhishma Panchaka, are considered very auspicious for worshipping Lord Krishna. As such, our Jagannatha temple in Bhadrak always sees a large increase in the attendance by devotees for the evening arati during these last five days, culminating in Kartika Purnima.
For the entire month of Kartika, the devotees perform worship of Lord Damodara, as instructed in Skanda Purana, by offering lamps to the Lord and singing the prayers known as Damodarashtaka, which were composed by Sage Satyavrata Muni.
Bhishma Panchaka are the five days that Bhishma fasted while laying on the bed of arrows, preparing to leave his body. These five days are considered especially powerful for spiritual advancement, so devotees generally observe fasts and austerities, while increasing their worship and contemplation on Lord Krishna.
The last day, Kartika Purnima, is considered one of the most important days in the Hindu calendar. Each year on this day several thousand devotees will come to our temple for circumambulating Lord Jagannath. Once a year on this day, we allow the public to enter the garbhagriha and perform pradakshina of the Lord at very close distance. This year Kartika Purnima will fall on November 25th, 2015.
In the Puranas it is said:
“In the month of Kartika, which is very dear to Sri Hari, one who bathes early in the morning attains the merit of bathing in all places of pilgrimage. Anybody who offers the Lord a ghee lamp in the month of Kartika becomes free from all kinds of sins, such as brahmahatya, and he goes to the abode of Lord Hari, Sri Vaikunta.”
“If anyone fasts and observes the Kartika vrata according to proper rules and regulations, the Yamadutas (the messengers of Yamaraja) run away from him, just as an elephant runs away by seeing a lion. This vrata to Lord Vishnu is even better than performing one hundred great sacrifices that would take him to heaven because the person who observes the Kartika vrata goes to the spiritual world or Sri Vaikuntha.”
Below are a few photos from the first day of Bhishma Panchaka during the evening arati at our Jagannatha temple in Bhadrak, Orissa.
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Thanks for your information. Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna.
Love these articles. Very informative.
Om Namoh Bhagvathe Vasudevaya . Om Namoh Narayana . Jai Guru Dev
The articles published are very informative and interesting. Thanks for publishing.
Great wealth of knowledge. Thank you Hari Om
Karthik, Margazi & Thai are very imp. Tamil months, South Indians get up early in the morning takes Ganga snanam, Fasting in the month of Karthik, draw beautiful rangoli, taking head bath , make Venn PONGAL for Neivedhya to GOD BALAJI in the month of Margazi, Chakkarai pongal on Gudaravalli with lots of ghee, are very imp. Thai Pongal is the day we remember the farmers (only on that day). Day & night from dawn to dusk farmers work hard in their farms to feed the population. We must praise them & pray for their welfare everyday. I thank you very miuch for this article.
Bhishma instructions to Yudhishthira whilst he lay on the bed of arrows lives on today.
It keeps me connected to my traditions & good things of my land of birth which is in a way good & has sobering effect in today’s fast tech world
excellant….. i am fortunate that i rememberd this last 5 days of kartigai
Very nice and important information given to be known by one and all
Thank you for your information.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna ……….. Vasudevaya Namah……….
Excllent information, one has to remember and take blessings of LORD in this every Karthika masam, perticularly five days of Bhisma Panchaka
Very informative and satisfying. Lighting and offering lamps at worship is important as pointed out.
Dear Sirs,
My one year stay at BBSR has attracted me towards Lord JAGANNATH and his Blessings to the people of Odisha and the Populace of the World. It is really GREAT to see LORD JAGANNATH everywhere in the World. I am staying now at Bengaluru and Lord Jagannath is residing here also in Bengaluru i.e., beside Agara Lake, which adjacent to one of the Main Ring Road Covering the whole Bengaluru City. It is really great to have his Darshan as and when time permits.
Let Lord Jagannath Bless Everyone. JAI JAGANNATH.