Chaturmas
Chaturmas (Sanskrit: चातुर्मास, Cāturmāsa) is a holy period of four months (July to October), beginning on Shayani Ekadashi—the eleventh day of the first bright half, Shukla paksha, of Ashadh (fourth month of the Hindu lunar calendar)—until Prabodhini Ekadashi, the eleventh day of the first bright half of Kartik (eighth month of the Hindu lunar calendar) in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
Chaturmas is reserved for penance, austerities, fasting, bathing in holy rivers and religious observances for all. Devotees resolve to observe some form of vow, be it of silence or abstaining from a favourite food item, or having only a single meal in a day.
Etymology
Chaturmas literally means "four months", derived from the Sanskrit catur (चतुर्), "four", and māsa (मासः), "month".
Zodiac Interpretation
The sun enters the zodiacal sign of Karka (Cancer) and begins to move southwards in the month of Ashadh.
Hinduism
The eleventh day of Ashadh is called Devashayani Ekadashi, because in Hinduism, Lord Vishnu is believed to begin to sleep on this day. He is believed to wake up on the eleventh of Kartik, hence called Prabodhini Ekadashi. The period corresponds with the rainy season in India.
Podcasts:
-
by Peter, Paul & Mary
-
by Mark Chesnutt
-
by Candice Alley
SHE DREAMS
by: Peter, Paul & MaryShe dreams; no one can hear her.
If she cries, who will be there to care?
She needs someone to believe her when she lies
When she pretends to share.
She sees other people being what it is she ought to be.
Other people fast pursuing what she can't believe in '
'Til she's free,
'Til she's free.
She thinks that no one can see her;
All that she can hide is what she's searching for.
She sees other people being what it is she ought to be.
Other people fast pursuing what she can't believe in
'Til she's free,
'Til she's free.
She dreams, and waiting inside her when she wakes;
All that she needs to know.