Vat Purnima: Timings, Vrat Katha, Rituals, and Significance

The Vat Purnima Vrat is one of the highly auspicious Hindu festivals that is also known as Jyeshtha Purnima or the Vata Savitri Purnima. The word ‘Purnima’ means full moon, and the Vat purnima vrat is observed on the full moon day (15th day) of the Hindu month of Jyeshtha that is during the month of May-June as per the Gregorian calendar.

Narad Puran states that Vat Savitri Vrat can be observed on both Jyeshta Amavasya (Vat Amavasya) and Jyeshta Purnima (Vat Purnima). On the other hand, the Skanda Puran specifies Jyeshta Purnima as the tithi for the vrat, while Nirnayamrit mentions Jyeshta Amavasya as the designated tithi.

Vat Purnima 2023 was on June 03, Saturday

Vat purnima 2024 falls on June 21, Friday

Vat Savitri Vrat 2024 (Jyeshta Amavasya): June 06, Thursday

(*Timings in IST, for Ujjain. Visit Panchang page to change location.)

Vat Purnima Puja Vidhi Timings to keep in mind

The Vat Savitri Vrat or Vat Purnima is observed for a period of three continuous days starting from Trayodashi till Purnima, all throughout the India. But, the scriptures mention that women who are unable to fast for three days can observe a single-day vrat on the tithi of Jyeshta Amavasya and/or Purnima.

Vat Purnima Vrat Katha

The story mentioned in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana is as follows:

In the kingdom of Bhadra, there was once a king named Ashwapati who felt great sorrow despite his royal status because he had no children.

For eighteen years, the king performed elaborate rituals and recited mantras, offering countless oblations in the hope of being blessed with offspring. During this time, the goddess Savitri appeared before him and granted him a boon, saying, "O King, you shall have a radiant daughter named Savitri."

Grateful for this divine blessing, the king named his daughter Savitri. As she grew up, Savitri's unmatched beauty attracted the attention of many suitors, but her father struggled to find a suitable husband for her. Determined to choose her own life partner, Savitri embarked on a journey to find a worthy groom.

Her wanderings led her to the Tapovan, where she encountered King Dyumatsen of Salva, who had lost his kingdom to an enemy. There, she laid eyes on his son, Satyavan, and decided he would be her husband.

When the sage Narad learned of Savitri's choice, he approached King Ashwapati and cautioned him, saying, "O King, what are you doing? Satyavan is virtuous and strong, but his life is destined to be short-lived. He will pass away within a year." Hearing this disheartening news, King Ashwapati became deeply troubled. When Savitri questioned her father about his worries, he revealed the truth and urged her to consider another suitor.

However, Savitri remained steadfast, saying, "Father, according to our noble Aryan traditions, a woman marries her husband only once. The king's commands are given only once, and the priests perform the sacred rituals only once during the wedding ceremony. Kanyadan, the giving away of the bride, is also done only once."

With her determination unwavering, Savitri insisted on marrying Satyavan. King Ashwapati, unable to dissuade her, gave his daughter's hand in marriage to Satyavan. After settling into her new home, Savitri dutifully served her mother-in-law and father-in-law. As time passed, the predicted day of Satyavan's death, as foretold by Narada Muni, drew near. Savitri grew increasingly anxious, and three days before the fateful date, she began a fast and performed ancestral worship as instructed by Narada Muni.

On the appointed day, as Satyavan went to the forest to gather firewood with Savitri by his side, he suddenly experienced excruciating pain in his head and descended from a tree. Savitri understood the grim reality that awaited them.

Gently placing Satyavan's head on her lap, Savitri comforted him. The servants of the god of death, Yamraj, arrived to take Satyavan to the afterlife, but Savitri refused to let him go. Yamraj himself appeared and tried to convince Savitri, explaining that it was the law of nature. However, Savitri declined to accept his words and started following Yamraj to the afterlife.

Moved by Savitri's unwavering loyalty and devotion to her husband, Yamraj granted her a boon, saying, "O Goddess, you are truly blessed. Ask for any boon you desire."

Savitri made three requests:

"Grant divine sight to my blind father-in-law and mother-in-law who reside in the forest," she pleaded. Yamraj granted her this wish and assured her that it would be fulfilled. But Savitri refused to return, and her determination impressed him, and he asked her to make another wish.

"Restore my father-in-law's kingdom, which has been taken from him," Savitri requested. Yamraj granted her this wish as well and urged her to return. However, Savitri persisted. Touched by the courage of a mere mortal walking toward the afterlife for her husband's sake, Yamraj asked her to make one more wish.

Finally, Savitri asked for the blessing of a hundred children and prosperity. Unable to deny her request, Yamraj granted this wish too.

Savitri then spoke to Yamraj, saying, "Lord, I am a devoted wife, and you have blessed me with the boon of a hundred children. But this boon cannot be fulfilled without my husband by my side." Touched by her unwavering dedication, Yamraj relented and revived Satyavan.

As Savitri and Satyavan joyfully returned to their kingdom, they discovered that both sets of parents had attained divine enlightenment. Thus, Savitri and Satyavan ruled their kingdom happily ever after, experiencing eternal bliss and prosperity.

Where is Vat Purnima Vrat celebrated?

The Vat Purnima Vrat is commemorated by Hindus residing all over India as well as abroad. This sacred vrat is dedicated to Goddess Gauri and Sati Savitri. The Vat Purnima Vrat is commemorated with great pomp and show in the state of Maharashtra and Gujarat, though it is also observed in the Indian states of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa.

In the southern states of India like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, this vrat is called as ‘Karadaiyan Nonbu’. This vrat is observed with great joy all over India and is also considered symbolic of the womanhood.

Rituals of Vat Purnima Vrat:

This vrat is mainly observed by the married women for the longevity and prosperity of their husbands and pray for a happy married life.

On this propitious day, women wake up early in the morning, take a bath after applying the gingili (Sesame) and amla (Indian gooseberry) paste. They then get dressed like an ideal wife along with necessary adornments.

As in the Hindu religion, the adornments are considered sacred for the Hindu women, they wear all the new things on this day. There are 16 forms of adornments mention for married women which includes vermillion applied on the parting of the hair, bangles, kohl, bindi for forehead, henna and new clothes to name a few.

All through the day, women observe strict fast for their husbands. The roots of Banyan tree is eaten with water. In the morning they worship Goddess Savitri and the holy Banyan tree with full fervour and enthusiasm. Married women in large numbers gather around the Banyan tree. They pour water in the tree and tie a yellow or red thread 108 times around the tree to obtain blessings for their husband’s long life.

Prasad is offered in the form of fruits like banana, mango, jack fruit and lemon, along with wet pulses and rice.

The priest of the temple helps in the puja and also recites the ‘Savitri-Satyavan’ story to the women. After finishing all the rituals, the devotees also bring back some prasad for the family members. After completing all the rituals, women seek blessings from their husbands and other elders of the family.

The fast is broken on the next day by eating the prasad. Special delicacies are prepared too and eaten along with family members and relatives. It is also rewarding to distribute clothes, food and money to the needy on the occasion of Vat Savitri Vrat.

Important Timings On Vat Purnima Vrat 2023

Importance and Significance of Vat Savitri Vrat (Vat Purnima)

On the day of Vat Purnima Vrat, married women worship ‘Savitri-Satyavan’ and the Vat (Banyan) tree. The banyan tree holds a unique significance in Hindu religion. As per the Hindu scriptures, it holds the essence of the three great Gods in Hindu mythology, Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh.

The roots represents Brahma, the stem of Vat Vriksha is Vishnu while Shiva represents the upper part. It is believed that performing the rituals of the puja under this sacred tree, the devotees can fulfil all their desires. Just in the way that Savitri got her husband, Satyavan back from Yamaraj, it is known that women who observe this auspicious fast will be blessed with good fortune and blissful married life.

On the purnima of the Jyeshtha month, the devotees bring the idol of ‘Yamraj riding a buffalo’ and ‘Savitri-Satyavan’ made from either mud or gold. The idols are then worshipped with vermillion, saffron, incense-sandal and fruits.

The power of Vat Purnima

The glory of Vat Purnima is described in several Hindu scriptures like Skand Purana, Nirnayamrit and Bhavishyottar Purana to name a few. This sacred vrat is celebrated by married Hindu women for the well-being of their respective husbands and children.

The Vat Purnima vrat does not just strengthen the bond between the married couples, it also honours the spirit of womanhood. It is the faith in this vrat that makes it so sacred and auspicious. Even pregnant women, working women or women suffering from some ailment can perform this puja, even if they skip fasting. By devotedly offering their prayers, they can seek the same benefits as those who dutifully keep the fast.