20161110 A Talk about the Bhīṣma Pañcaka fast.

 Following is a talk given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on November 10th 2016 in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, India. The talk was given on Lotus Building roof top and was about the upcoming Bhīṣma Pancaka fast and the requirements thereof.

Tomorrow is first day of Bhīṣma Pancaka.  Bhīṣma Pancaka is optional fast, starts from the Ekadasi and goes till the Purnima.Normally it’s 5 days, this year its 4 days. There is a diet where one takes either Panchagavya or fruits and roots or havishyānna which is like fruits and roots with few oil or few grains. Rice, wheat, barley and Helencha spinach which gives one love of Godhead. Also, one should offer some flowers to the Deities of Radha Madhava. One day lotuses at His Lotus Feet and each day there is a different flower.

Translator:

• First day is Lotus 

• Second day is Bilwa or Wood apple leaves

• Third day is scents (gandha)

• Fourth day is java flower

• Fifth day is malati flower

The Lotus flower on the first day is to be offered to the feet of the Lord, the Bilwa (Wood Apple) leaves on the second day is to be offered to the thigh of the Lord, Gandha (scent) is to be offered on the third day to the navel of the Lord, Java flower on the fourth day is to be offered to the shoulders of the Lord and Malati flowers on the fifth day is to be offered to the head of the Lord. So, devotees can choose whatever level of fasting is convenient to them. It should not disturb their normal devotional service and daily sadhana.

Level 1:

One can consume products of the cow (pancha-gavya) each for each day:

First day: Cow dung (Gomaya)
Second day: Cow urine (Go-muutra)
Third day: Cow milk (Kshiira)
Fourth day: Cow yoghurt (Dadhi)
Fifth day: All products of the cow mixed (Pancha-gavya)

Level 2:

If one can’t follow level 1, one can take fruits and roots. Fruits with many seeds should be avoided like guava, pomegranate, papaya, cucumber etc. Boiled potatoes, raw banana and sweet potato can be taken boiled or baked. We can use sea salt for taste. Cashewnuts, raisins, dates can be taken. We shouldn’t take milk and milk products in this level of fasting. Coconut water and grated coconut can be taken.

Level 3:

If one can’t follow level 2, one can take ‘Havishya’

References: Padma Puraana, Brahma-khanda, Chapter 23; Skanda Puraana, Vishnu Khanda, Kaartika Maahaatmya section, Chapter 32; Garuda Puraana, Puurva Khanda, Chapter 123.

The following are ingredients that can be taken during Bhīṣma Pancaka. Havishya is usually made with rice and mung dal. For those following caturmasa from Ekadasi to Ekadasi, technically their Kartika masa is over by Ekadasi, so they can take mung dal in their Havishya. However, most devotees follow caturmasa from purnima to purnima, so mung dal would not be allowed in the havishya for Bhīṣma Pancaka. No oil is allowed in havishya. The ingredients are:

• Rice which is unparboiled – raw or polished, unpre-cooked.

• Ghee from cow

• ‘Saindhava’ salt (mineral salt)

•  Ripe banana

•  Kaala-shaaka

•  Wheat

•  Barley

These ingredients are also allowed to be taken:

• Fruits (Skanda Puraana, Naagara Khanda says they must be with a small seed or with few seeds only)

• Mango

• Jackfruit

• Labali fruit

• Roots except ‘keaa’ (a type of grass or root)

• Pippalii

• Haritakii

• Naagaranga

• Ikshu-dravya or sugarcane derivatives (other than gur or mollasses)

• Whole milk with cream from a cow.

However, the following ingredients are normally part of Havishya but have to be
avoided in the month of Kartika:

• Mung dal

• Til oil

• Beta-shaaka

• Shashtikaa-shaaka

• Radish

• Jeeraa

• Tamarind

One should take bath in Ganges or a holy river every day and should offer Tarpana 3 times for Bhīṣmadeva by saying the following mantra:

Tarpana is when the Brahmin thread is put backwards (if applicable i.e. for men) and water is taken in both hands. The mantra is chanted and then the water is offered with tilting both hands to the right and downwards so that the water flows down the right thumb. This is a way of offering oblations to the forefathers. You do that for Bhīṣma Pancaka. This will be put up outside the JPS Office. So you can read from there. 105 Chakra Building. We will also put it up here somewhere outside.

Question: Tarpana can be done by those whose fathers are alive?

Guru Mahārāja: You are doing tarpana for Bhīṣmadeva. Not for your forefathers.

Question: Any restrictions on the number of times you can have food?

Guru Mahārāja: Doesn’t say particularly.

Question: Will the flowers available in the temple like java flowers?

Guru Mahārāja: Pujari will have if they have for Madhava deity. 

We should offer lamp to the deity. We are offering a prasadam in the morning and in afternoon at Gita Bhavan. So this Bhīṣma Pancaka is especially pleasing to Govinda. Govinda, Govinda and we can obtain Kṛṣṇa bhakti very easily. It is mentioned in the Hari Bhakti Vilas that it is an optional vrata, you have to break your fast on the Purnima day, after the sunset and daily at moon rises. So that’s about 5 o’clock. So that day we don’t have afternoon prasadam because at 5 o’clock we are having the breakfast and that would be a feast. So most people do the fruits and roots and we provide the potatoes and other roots and we also give fruits- bananas, apples, cools, water chestnuts and from Middle East we brought some dates and some nuts which are fruits. Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts they considered fruits. Cashews. But the peanuts are roots, also fruits. But pistachios are considered as seeds. So is a brazilnut. We don’t take those.

Question: Is sugarcane juice allowed?

Guru Mahārāja: Sugarcane juice and its derivatives like sugar, mishri, they are allowed but the jaggery and molasses are not. Since the idea is you should go on with your devotional service, not that ‘Oh I am fasting so we won’t do anything.’ Those who have diabetes or cannot fully fast can do the havishyānna. 

What’s interesting is how Bhismadeva he vowed not to marry because his father, his whole history behind that. So, he in the prayer, it says ‘ajanma brahmacarine’. So, we are doing Tarpana for him. He has no children. He never married. So, it’s interesting how millions of people all over India all over the world are doing the Bhīṣma Pancaka for  Bhīṣma and they are offering Tarpana but he has no children. So, and he is the son of Ganges. So here when the devotees are going to the Ganges, the Ganges feels happy that her son is being honoured

Question: Can women also do tarpana?

Guru Mahārāja: As far as I know, they can, but I don’t know. Among the mantras, one is the tarpana, there is also arghya and pranam. I would think everybody can do pranam and arghya. But traditionally for tarpana, I don’t know. But Prabhupāda, he did, he also gave the Brahmā Gāyatri to the ladies which is normally not done. So, he would do things which are exceptional. 

Question: If it can be announced in the JPS website that we should offer the results of our  Bhīṣma Pancaka for Guru Mahārāja. Can I ask my God brothers and God sisters present here to offer to Guru Mahārāja? 

Guru Mahārāja: I want you to all get some spiritual benefits. It says that by doing this you get the Lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa (Haribol). I already said that they can offer four circumambulation for themselves and four for me.

Question: After fasting for Ekadasi the next day what do we break our fast with, if it is fruits and roots?

Guru Mahārāja: We do a sankalpa that I will be doing a  Bhīṣma Pancaka, it is automatically included but you are also doing havishyānna, then we can take grains on second day. Bhakti Cāru Swami, he saw that there was lot of pre-occupation with this, so he did the Ekadasi with nirjala. Then next day of the Ekadasi he took water. And so you don’t take grains in first and second options, don’t take grains for 5 days. So, when it says don’t take grain for five days then you don’t take grains for 5 days and then break your fast on the fifth day. Probably you are really worried about you can do Nirjala First day.

Tags:  Bhīṣma Pancaka, Panchagavya, havishyānna, ISKCON, Ekadasi, Bhismadeva, Tarpana