3 November•Krishna Paksha Navami
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Vikata Sankashtahara

Vikata Sankashtahara

Vikata Sankashtahara is a Sankashti vrat, the fast kept for Lord Ganesha on the Krishna paksha Chaturthi and broken at moonrise.

CategoryVrat & Fasting

Significance & Spiritual Meaning

Spiritual philosophy, inner meaning and eternal virtues

Significance & Spiritual Meaning

Vikata Sankashtahara is observed on the Chaturthi of the waning moon. Devotees fast through the day and worship Lord Ganesha in the evening, and the fast is broken when the moon is seen.

Spiritual philosophy, inner meaning and eternal virtues

Sankashti means "deliverance from trouble". Keeping the vrat is believed to remove obstacles and to bring wisdom, calm and success.

Key Rituals & Observance

Step-by-step sacred rituals and worship practices

  1. 1Step 1

    Make the sankalpa after the morning bath.

  2. 2Step 2

    Worship Lord Ganesha with durva grass, modak and red flowers.

  3. 3Step 3

    Recite the Ganesha stotra or the vrat katha in the evening.

  4. 4Step 4

    See the moon, offer arghya to it and then break the fast.

Fasting & Parana Guidelines

✓Keep the fast from sunrise, with water, fruit or milk only if the fast is not strict.
✓Avoid grain, onion, garlic and salt in the strict form of the fast.
✓Break the fast at the time the vrat directs, after the worship.