Vat Savitri 2025: Vrat katha, date, fasting timings, significance and all you need to know
This year, the auspicious festival of Vat Savitri is being observed on Monday, May 26. As per Drik Panchang, the favourable timings to perform the rituals and observe the fast are as follows:
Amavasya Tithi begins -12:11 PM on May 26, 2025
Amavasya Tithi ends -08:31 AM on May 27, 2025
According to Hindu scriptures, Satyavaan was destined to have a short life, yet he married a devoted young woman named Savitri. One day, while Satyavaan was working in the forest, Yamraj, the god of death, appeared to take his soul. When Savitri found her husband lifeless, she encountered Yamraj and began to follow him, pleading for her husband's life. Despite his repeated refusals and requests for her to turn back, she remained steadfast and continued to follow him.
Impressed by her unwavering devotion and determination, Yamraj offered Savitri three boons, excluding her husband's life. For the first, she asked for her blind father-in-law's vision to be restored; second, for the return of his lost kingdom; and third, the blessing of becoming a mother to 100 sons.
Yamraj granted all three wishes, but Savitri continued to follow him. When Yamraj questioned her persistence, she cleverly pointed out that she couldn't have 100 sons without her husband. Moved by her intelligence and devotion, Yamraj finally relented and restored Satyavaan's life.
Vat Savitri is one of the most revered Hindu festivals, observed with deep devotion by married Hindu women. On this sacred day, they worship the banyan tree, praying for their husbands' health, longevity, and prosperity. The day is marked by a strict fast and the recitation of the legendary tale of Savitri and Satyavaan, symbolising unwavering love and dedication. Vat Savitri Vrat is observed on two significant lunar phases, Amavasya Tithi and Purnima Tithi.
Women in Maharashtra traditionally observe the fast on Purnima, while those in North India follow it on Amavasya. In Hinduism, the banyan tree holds immense spiritual significance, as it is believed to be the abode of the holy trinity, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva. Regarded as immortal and ever-giving, the tree is seen as a symbol of longevity and wish fulfilment.
Women tie sacred threads around the tree, circle it, and offer prayers, believing that its blessings bring stability and happiness to their married life. Along with worshipping the tree, they also pray to Goddess Savitri, seeking her blessings for strength, resilience, and a blissful marital life.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
11 hours ago
- Business Standard
When is Rakhi in 2025? Check date, time and meaning of Raksha Bandhan
Raksha Bandhan Date: On Saturday, August 9, 2025, people will celebrate Raksha Bandhan, a beloved Hindu festival that honours the special relationship between brothers and sisters. This auspicious day coincides with the full moon day, or Purnima Tithi, of the month of Shravana, which is a very important time in the Hindu calendar. The day, which is traditionally celebrated with great love and happiness throughout India, represents sibling respect, protection, and affection. Many government and private organisations declare a holiday to celebrate this unique festival. When is Rakshabandhan 2025: Date and time? This year, the most auspicious time to tie the Rakhi—a sacred thread symbolising love and protection—is between 5:47 am and 1:24 pm on August 9. As per the Hindu Panchang, the festival aligns with the Shravana Purnima, making the day spiritually significant and widely celebrated across the country. History of Rakshabandhan 'Rakhi' is another name for this auspicious festival. "Raksha Bandhan" means "the knot of protection" in Sanskrit. The legendary story of Lord Krishna and Draupadi is where the festival got its origin. According to the belief, Lord Krishna was flying a kite when he injured his finger. The Pandavas' wife, Draupadi, cut a piece of material from her saree and wrapped it over his injured finger. He vowed to always keep her safe from harm. It was recognised as "Raksha Sutra" by Lord Krishna. Years later, Lord Krishna kept his word when the Kauravas tried to publicly undress Draupadi after the Pandavas had lost her in a dice game. He fulfilled the promise he had made that day and preserved her dignity by miraculously providing an endless stream of cloth through his heavenly intervention. Raksha Bandhan's origins are connected to a number of fascinating Indian mythological tales. The Mahabharata is one of the most well-known tales. Significance of Rakshabandhan Raksha Bandhan represents the vow of love, devotion, and protection between siblings. Sisters pray for their brothers' health on this day by tying a sacred thread, known as Rakhi, around their wrists. In exchange, brothers promise to keep their sisters safe and frequently present them with presents as a sign of their closeness. The celebration has its origins in Hindu texts and is associated with the divine story of Lord Indra and his wife Shachi, in which Shachi knotted a sacred thread on Indra's wrist to represent protection and success before his fight with the demons.
Scroll.in
12 hours ago
- Scroll.in
‘Rahim says, those charred by love blaze, again and again': The metaphors in Rahim's couplets
The day-to-day experiences of ordinary folk supplied the metaphors that Rahim employed in his dohas; even today they express and evoke shared emotions and beliefs. This quality also strengthens the dohas. Since almost everyone is acquainted with these metaphors, they light up his message. Consider the following doha: रहिमन अती न कीजिये, गहि रहिये निज कानि । सैजन अति फूले तऊ, डार पात की हानि ॥ Rahim says, listen carefully, you must avoid excess; If the morenga blooms too much, its boughs snap under stress. The warning to avoid excess in everything and the advice to be moderate is illustrated by the image of the slender branches of a morenga tree cracking under the abundance of the long, thin fruit. Rahim's metaphors were also drawn from shared traditions and mythology. For instance, to deride both begging and deception, the poet refers to the story of Lord Vishnu tricking the generous King Bali out of his kingdom: माँगे घटत रहीम पद, कितौ करो बढि काम । तीन पैग वसुधा करो, तऊ बावनै नाम ॥ Begging diminishes one, Rahim, however great the deed; Crossed the cosmos in three strides, yet known as the dwarf in need! This is a well-known Puranic episode that Rahim refers to in at least three dohas to impart related but different lessons. Following the traditions of Hindi poetry, he employed images and incidents from the Hindu religious texts to write poetry, which need not necessarily hold personal meaning for him. This is also true for other metaphors that Rahim uses. An object may be used as a positive metaphor in one doha whereas in another it may acquire a negative value. For instance, in the following doha, the pawn is celebrated for its straightforwardness. फरजी साह न है सके, गति टेढी तासीर । रहिमन सीधे चालसों, प्यादो होत वजीर ॥ The queen cannot become king, by nature it's crooked; Pawns get to be queen, Rahim, by moving straight ahead. However, in this instance, the same pawn is deemed an upstart: जो रहीम ओछो बढ़े, तौ अति ही इतराय । प्यादा सों फरजी भयो, टेढ़ो टेढ़ो जाय ॥ Rahim, as lowly men advance, they put on new airs; When a pawn turns into queen, it only crosswise stirs Rahim can hardly be labelled a hypocrite for using the same metaphor in different ways in two dohas. He was, after all, writing poetry! He expresses a wide range of emotions – including sorrow, love, wit and humour – through felicitous figures of speech reflecting his understanding of the world. Therefore, his exploration of a range of emotions, from the longings of love to the pitfalls of pride, from the relief of release from desire to the sanity imparted by humility is deep yet delicate. Harish Trivedi puts it most aptly: 'There is hardly any other writer in Hindi literature who lived such a tumultuous life at such a high level and also wrote such heart-touching poetry'. Not only did Rahim write on a variety of themes, he also explored several themes from different standpoints. Here, a brief excursion into Rahim's dohas on love may prove worthwhile. We find the poet writing often on love in its various aspects that go beyond the perimeters of Riti poetry and Shringar rasa: romantic love, unrequited love, the heartache of separated lovers, love in friendship, and so on. The romantic in Rahim is devastated by the stunning eyes of beautiful women, which feature in several of his dohas. In this case, they may prove to be fatal: रहिमन तीर की चोट ते, चोट परे बचि जाय । नैन बान की चोट ते, चोट परे मरि जाय ॥ Rahim, if struck by arrows you may yet survive, But you're finished if you are pierced by striking eyes. Often, Rahim reminds us of the hazardous nature of the path of love and the courage required to negotiate it: रहिमन मैन-तुरंग चढि, चलिबो पावक माँहि । प्रेम-पन्थ ऐसो कठिन सबसों निबहत नाँहि ॥ Rahim, astride a horse of wax, race through a field of fire: The path of love is as trying – everyone can't aspire Perhaps recalling Omar Khayyam's famous quatrain, here he pictures the completeness and self sufficiency of love: कहा करौं बैकुंठ लै, कल्प बृच्छ की छाँह । रहिमन ढाक सुहावनो, जो गल पीतम बाँह ॥ What will I do with heaven, the shade of the Wishing Tree? Rahiman, drums sound sweet with my lover's arms around me. Rahim succinctly encompasses the force of unquenchable passion that fires love in the following doha: जे सुलगे ते बुझि गए, बुझे तो सुलगे नाहिं । रहिमन दाहे प्रेम के, बुझि बुझि के सुलगाहिं ॥ Whatever smoulders dies out, what's doused won't burn again; Rahim says, those charred by love blaze, again and again. The tussle between the beloved's gloom of separation and the firefly-like shimmer of hope is caught here: बिरह रूप घन तम भयो, अवधि आस उद्योत । ज्यों रहीम भादों निसा, चमकि जात खद्योत ॥ In the gloom of separation hope shines a tiny light, As glimmering fireflies, Rahim, illume a monsoon night. Rahim explores not only the facets of romantic love but other kinds of love too, such as that which flourishes between friends or love that strengthens other social relationships, which are more than transactional: यह न रहीम सराहिए, लेन देन की प्रीति । प्रानन बाजी राखिए, हार होय कै जीति ॥ Says Rahim, do not praise love founded on give and take; You may win or you may lose, but put your life at stake.
Scroll.in
16 hours ago
- Scroll.in
How Indian traditions and the mandala influenced Carl Jung's philosophy
In 1927, Carl Jung stood in his Zurich home, gripped by a vivid dream of a mandala, a radiant circle of intricate patterns, pulsing with meaning, which he later described in Memories, Dreams, Reflections as a 'Window on Eternity'. This vision, a map of the psyche's quest for wholeness, became a cornerstone of his theories, deeply enriched by his 1938 journey through India's spiritual heartland. July 27 was Jung's 150th birth anniversary. In today's fractured world, Jung's ideas, rooted in archetypes, the collective unconscious and the integration of opposites, feel more vital than ever. Balance and meaning Born in 1875 in a quiet Swiss village, Carl Gustav Jung was a psychiatrist, philosopher and mystic who saw the human psyche as a vast, dynamic universe. Unlike his mentor psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, who viewed the mind as a battleground of repressed desires, Jung believed it was a living system striving for balance and meaning. Jung's core concepts – individuation, archetypes, the shadow self, and the collective unconscious – were deeply influenced by the ancient wisdom he found in India's temples, texts and scholars. In Zurich, Jung's mandala dream echoed the sacred circles he saw in Hindu and Buddhist art. In these traditions, a mandala is far more than a geometric design. In Hinduism, it represents the cosmos, a map of divine order, often used in rituals to invoke deities like Kali or Vishnu. In Buddhism, particularly in Tibetan practices, mandalas are meditative tools, guiding the practitioner toward enlightenment by symbolising the universe's unity. Jung saw the mandala as a universal symbol of the psyche's integration, a bridge between the conscious and unconscious. Jung's fascination with India deepened as he engaged with its spiritual symbols. In Calcutta, he met Surendranath Dasgupta, a renowned scholar of Indian philosophy, with whom he had deep discussions about the Upanishads and kundalini, the coiled serpent energy at the base of the spine. In Tantric traditions, kundalini's awakening is a transformative ascent, uniting the individual with the divine. Jung saw parallels with his idea of individuation, the lifelong process of integrating the psyche's fragmented parts into a whole. He was equally struck by the Shiva-Shakti dynamic – the cosmic dance of masculine and feminine energies. In Tantra, Shiva represents pure consciousness, while Shakti is the dynamic force of creation. Jung linked this to his anima and animus: the inner feminine and masculine polarities that must be balanced for psychological wholeness. At the Konark Sun Temple, Jung stood before carvings of cosmic cycles and erotic figures, sketching them in his notebook. The raw passion depicted in the sculptures, blending the sacred and sensual, mirrored his concept of the shadow self, the hidden, often uncomfortable aspects of the psyche we must confront. He later wrote that Konark's imagery spoke to the 'living reality of the psyche', where opposites like light and dark coexist. In Bhubaneswar, he sketched temple carvings of Kali, the fierce goddess of destruction and renewal. Kali's dual nature – terrifying yet transformative – resonated with Jung's view of the shadow as both destructive and creative. He saw her as an archetype, a universal symbol of the psyche's power to devour and renew. Jung's encounter with the Tibetan Book of the Dead during his Indian sojourn further deepened his theories. This Buddhist text, a guide for navigating the Bardos, or transitional states, between death and rebirth, fascinated him. He saw its descriptions of visions and deities as manifestations of the collective unconscious, a shared reservoir of human experience that transcends individual minds. The book's emphasis on facing one's inner demons aligned with Jung's belief that confronting the shadow is essential for growth. He later wrote that the Tibetan Book of the Dead was a 'psychological commentary on the unconscious', a bridge between Eastern spirituality and Western psychology. In Delhi, Jung listened to Vedic hymns at a banquet, struck by their resonance with his concept of synchronicity – meaningful coincidences that reveal the psyche's connection to the cosmos. These moments cemented his belief that his theories were not new but echoes of ancient wisdom, reframed for a modern world. Jung's split with Freud, around 1913, was a pivotal moment that allowed him to pursue these ideas. Freud saw the psyche as driven by personal trauma and sexual instincts, with dreams as coded messages of repressed desires. Jung disagreed, arguing that dreams tapped into the collective unconscious, a shared layer of human experience filled with archetypes like the ' Hero ', who drives personal growth, or the ' Mother, the lifegiver who symbolises one's origin. Their breakup was painful, but it freed him to explore the mystical and cultural dimensions of the psyche. Jung in the era of polarisation Why do Jung's ideas resonate so powerfully in 2025? In an era of mass polarisation, his emphasis on integrating opposites offers a path forward. The shadow self, those parts of us we deny, is especially relevant. Social media amplifies our curated personas, but it also casts shadows – anger, fear, or shame we project onto others. Jung's call to face the shadow, to own it rather than vilify it, is a tool for healing. The collective unconscious speaks to our longing for connection, reminding us that beneath our differences lies a shared humanity. Jung's influence is undeniable. His ideas shape modern psychology, from therapy to personality tests like the Myers-Briggs, which claims to categorise personality types. Pop culture embraces his archetypes and mindfulness apps feature mandalas as tools for calm. In a world grappling with the rise of artificial intelligence, climate crises, and cultural divides, Jung's focus on inner transformation feels urgent. He believed that changing the world starts with changing oneself, a message that cuts through the noise of this era. Shadow work, Jung's boldest call, urged confronting the psyche's repressed elements. He saw it as a moral necessity for growth. Jung's shadow encompasses the darker aspects, anger, fear, or shame, that we deny or project onto others. Shadow work, his term for acknowledging and integrating these traits, aims for wholeness. In India, he saw parallels in Tantra's embrace of life's dualities, as seen in Kali's destructive yet regenerative imagery, which accepts all existence. Today, shadow work informs trauma therapy, where techniques like journaling or guided visualisation help process suppressed emotions, reclaiming fragmented selves for healing. Tantra's fearless acceptance of contradictions reinforced Jung's belief that embracing the shadow fosters authenticity. Freud suppressed undesirable impulses but Jung advocated their integration. Yet Jung wasn't flawless. Critics note his tendency to romanticise Eastern traditions, sometimes missing their nuances. His writing could be dense, almost esoteric, unlike Freud's clearer prose. Still, his willingness to grapple with the unknown, blending science with spirituality, made him a pioneer. He once said, 'The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases.' This embrace of individuality is why his work endures. On Carl Jung's 150th anniversary, his Mumbai mandala dream remains a profound symbol of the psyche's balance of opposites: Kali's cycle of destruction and renewal, Kundalini's ascent, and the union of Shiva and Shakti. In 2025, as algorithms shape desires and divisions and challenge our humanity, Jung's call to self-reflection feels revolutionary. Infused with Indian wisdom, his theories are vital tools for today's world, reminding us that the path to self-discovery also connects us to one another – a truth as alive now as it was all those years ago when he dreamt of the mandala in Zurich.
