Margashirsha Month and its Significance

Margashirsha Month

Margashirsha is the ninth month of Hinduism. Margashirsha is also given the name Agrahayana. The word Agrahayana is related to the constellation ‘Agrahayani’ which is another name for Mrigashira or Mrigashira. The Tadbhav form of Agrahayana is ‘Aghan’. This year, Margashirsha is starting from 20 November 2021 (according to the North Indian Hindu calendar). The month of Margashirsha has been of special importance since the Vedic period. In ancient times, the beginning of the new year was considered to be from Margashirsha itself.

In the month of Margashirsha, two major marriages of Sanatan culture took place. Shiva marriage and Ram marriage. Rama’s marriage to Margashirsh Shukla Panchami is well known, as well as according to Shiva Puran, Rudrasamhita, Parvatikhand, Himwan had fixed the marriage of his daughter with Shiva in the month of Margashirsha by the persuasion of the Saptarishis.

In Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta, Shri Krishna Himself says “Maasanam Margashirshoऽam Nakshatraanaam Tathbhijit” which means I am elated in the months of Margashirsha and the constellations.

According to the Skanda Purana, Vaishnavkhand, “Margashirshodhikastasmatsarvada cha Mam Priyah.. Ushasyuthaya yo martyah batham vidhivadacharet. Tushtoham tasya yachami svatmanampi putrak. Sri Bhagavan says that the month of Margashirsha is always dear to me. Satisfied with the person who wakes up early in the morning and takes a ritual bath in Margashirsha, I surrender myself to him.

There are Saptami, Ashtami month zero dates in Margashirsha. Doing auspicious work on monthless dates leads to destruction of lineage and wealth.

According to Mahabharata Discipline Parva Adhyay 106, “Margashirsham tu vai maasmekabhakten yah kshipeta. Bhojeycha dvijanshaktya sa muchyedvyadhikilbishaiah. Sarvakalyanasampoorna: Sarvaushdhisamvinith. Agriculturists go to Bahudhano Bahudhanyashch. One who spends the month of Margashirsha after having one meal and feeds a Brahmin according to his power, becomes free from diseases and sins.

He is endowed with all kinds of welfare means and full of all kinds of medicines (food-fruits etc.). By fasting in the month of Margashirsha, a person becomes disease free and strong in the second birth. He has the facility of farming and he is endowed with a lot of money and grains.

According to the Skanda Purana, Vaishnavakhand, “Margashirsham Samaramtu Ekabhakten Yah Kshipeta. Bhojayedyo dwijanbhaktya sa muchayedvyadhikilvishaih. One who eats once a day and spends the whole of the path and feeds the brahmins with devotion, he becomes free from diseases and evils.

According to Shiv Purana, donating silver in Margashirsha increases semen. According to Shivpuran Vishweshwar Samhita, the highest importance of food donation in Margashirsha is “Margashirshe Annadasyav Sarvmishtaphalam Bhavet”. Papakshayam chestasiddhi charogyam dharmameva cha” That is, in the month of Margashirsh, only those who donate food get all the desired results. In the month of Margashirsh, all the sins of a person who donates food are destroyed.

Residing in Mathurapuri in the month of Margashirsh is of great importance. In Skanda Purana, Shri Bhagavan Himself says to Brahma –

“Full year Sahasre tu teertharaje tu yatfalam. Thereafter, the son of the son of Sahomase Madho: Complete. That is, the result obtained by residing in Tirtharaj Prayag for a thousand years, is obtained by staying in Mathurapuri only in Aghan (Margashirsha).

In the month of Margashirsh, world deities are worshiped for the peace of the souls of those who have passed away so that they may get peace. In his lifetime, he could not take peace and his peace was visible in things but he was not found. So in the month of Margashirsh, worship of world deities is done for the salvation of the wandering creatures.