Does any one know which is the best day to fast for ganesh.Is it Tuesday of thursday?

The best fasting day for Lord Ganesha is to observe fast on Ganesh chaturthi, which comes once every month and food to be taken only after taking bath or next day.

Looking at the moon is prohibited on this day because the moon is the cause of the mind, that is it provokes the mind to operate. However a seeker wants to attain thoughtlessness. In the constellation of planets, just as the moon is unstable as it has phases of waxing and waning so is the mind unstable in the physical body. Looking at the moon increases the instability of the mind by 1/1,00,000 times. Only when the mind becomes thoughtless does one attain the turiyavastha. On sankashti, after doing spiritual practice the whole day, the moon is viewed at night. This is an indication for the mind to return to the usual state after doing spiritual practice that day. The story connected with this in the Purans (mythological texts) goes thus. Once the moon ridiculed Ganapati saying, What a big belly You have, Your ears are like sifting pans, that trunk is weird and those eyes are so tiny !' So, Ganapati cursed it, Henceforth no one shall look at your face. Whoever does so will be accused of theft.' Accordingly everyone began to avoid the moon. So it could not go anywhere. Living in seclusion is very difficult. Hence, the moon appeased Ganapati by performing austerities and pleaded for mitigation of the curse. When reducing the intensity of a curse, the main curse should not be destroyed. Both the curse and its mitigation should be present in certain proportions. It is not appropriate for Me to destroy a curse given by Me completely.' Thinking thus, Ganapati mitigated the curse given to the moon by saying,' None shall look at you on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. However on Sankashti Chaturthi, no one will eat their meal without looking at you.'

If you want more detail, you can purchase book on this Ganesh Chaturthi from any shop which sells puja material. Let me know if you need anything else.


Jai Ganesha!

The day on which the Ganesh frequencies reached earth for the first time, that is the day on which Lord Ganesh was born is the fourth day (chaturthi) of the bright fortnight of the Hindu lunar month of Magh. Since then, an association between Ganesh and chaturthi was established. Thus it is named as Ganesh Chaturthi.

Types of Ganesh Chaturthi:

The fourth day (chaturthi) of the bright fortnight of each Hindu lunar month is called Vinayaki and that of the dark fortnight is called Sankashti.

A. Vinayaki : The ritualistic worship on this day does not include viewing the moon and worshipping it like sankashti. On the day of Vinayaki, one fasts the whole day through and ends the fast only the next day. The deity of this vowed religious observance (vrat) is 'Shri Siddhivinayak'. Vinayaki is performed for well-being and prosperity.

B. Sankashti : On this day, one should observe a complete fast the whole day. In the evening after a bath, one should make preparations for the ritualistic worship of Lord Ganesh. In the night after looking at the moon, either an idol of Ganesh or a betelnut placed on a mound of consecrated rice (akshata) symbolic of Ganesh, should be worshipped with sixteen substances (shodashopchar puja). Twenty-one rounds (avartans) of the Atharvashirsha should be recited. One should pay obeisance to the moon after giving an offering and sprinkling sandalwood paste (gandha), flowers and consecrated rice in its direction. On the day of chaturthi, the offering should be made in a circular shelving metal dish (tamhan). One should eat only after the holy sacrament which consists of five delicacies (mahanaivedya) is offered. The deity of this vowed religious observance is 'Shri Vighnavinayak'. Sankashta means sankat (crisis). The 360 frequencies which are emitted from the core of the earth surround us and thus slow down the body processes. This itself is called a 'sankat'.In the dark fortnight of the Hindu lunar month, these 360 frequencies are more active. This obstructs the flow of energy through the channels (nadis) in our body. Sankashti is performedto overcome this crisis. Ganesh controls the 360 frequencies. Hence by worshipping Him, one is released from the bondage of these 360 frequencies.

C. Angaraki : The chaturthi which falls on a Tuesday is called Angaraki. Angar means the planet Mars (Mangal) or earth(bhumi). Ganesh is the presiding deity of Mars just as He is of the earth. Ganesh and Mars, both have the same complexion.On the day of Angaraki, the Ganesh frequencies reach the earthin greater quantities and those from the Mars too reach the earth. Consequently, most of the frequencies emitted from the moon are destroyed. Hence the benefit obtained by performing 'angarika vinayaki' and 'angarika sankashti' is equivalent to that obtained by performing all the vinayakis and sankashtis respectively, throughout the year. Angaraki unlike other vowed religious observances (vrat) is not performed throughout the day and night. It is an observance lasting for five prahars (one prahar is a period of about three hours), four during the day and one at night. According to the ritual, a meal should be taken at moonrise. Thus that meal becomes a part of the ritual and is not partaken to conclude the fast.


Jai Ganesha!

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Originally posted by kripa12

Does any one know which is the best day to fast for ganesh.Is it Tuesday of thursday?

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એક જ ટીપામાં હો જાણે સાત સમંદર,
એવા ઝંઝાવાત હજુ હૈયાની અંદર

If u r intersted to fast for ganesha u must start from the chaturthi which first fall on tuesday luckily it's falling on 25/3/2008 it's very rare and comes once or twice in the year.
prem

That's right. It was Angaraka Chaturti, one of the most auspicious days. If anyone wants, I can provide a list in a day or two for the entire year.

I am willing to take fasting on the name of lord Ganesha throughout the year. When should I start? Could you please suggest me.