The Month of Saawan
Spiritual & Astrological Significance.

how anyone can make the best of the spiritual benefits based on their individual charts.

Why is the month of Sawan in Hindu annual calendar considered the most important amongst all the months?

The month of Saawan has great spiritual significance and is the chosen month of Lord Shiva, the creator.

Shiva temples have more Pooja’s taking place, a lot of people control diet and forgo eating meats, some take up sankalp such as not cutting beard. Shrawan has two fold meaning- one is shrawannakshatra, secondly Hindi meaning listening- basically it’s the month of listening to the inner voice.

So this month signifies going inward into the mind and trying to get close to the element of truth or shiva present in all.

This month sees monsoons hence waters all over, and more water element in the body which means more fragile emotion. Hence when people vow to do something, it is done to control the mind from going astray and to perform on a decided good path with an end goal to be achieved.

There’s mythological stories behind Saawan. And every mythological story comes with astrological and astronomical significance.

One is that when Shivas wife Parvati was in Shakti form and was reincarnated as Parvati, she started to meditate in Shrawan month to earn Shiva as her husband. Hence many unmarried ladies perform Shiva pooja in Shrawan month to get a shiva like perfect husband, hence more pooja ceremonies observed across temples and homes.

Secondly, during the spiritual process of samundarManthan, many good things came out, and at the end halahal or poison also came out of the ocean. . While the Gods and Asuras lapped up the goodies, no one wanted to accept the poison. Since someone had to absorb it, Shiva being the creator and protector of the world took it up. That caused immense itching and turned him blue (called Neelkanth), so it is believed that Ravana brought holy Ganga water to relieve him of pain. Seeing that, all the devtas started doing the same to alleviate Shivas pain.

That is why it is seen that Shiva followers go to Shiva temple and offer water to Shiva Ling in symbolic obeisance to the God especially in the month of Shrawan. This provides happiness to God Shiva, and the devotee is blessed in return.

This year 2021 mimics the exact planetary placement of Guru or Jupiter in Aquarius as was the case during the spiritual SamundarManthan. Hence, it’s expected that based on individual planetary movements in charts, people will experience more churning of emotions as halahal will be released. It’s to be taken to mean that more inwardly seeking meditative processes would expose ugly and tough emotions (unbalanced emotions) with the end result being stronger and clearer mind and personality.  learn online vastu 

Would the emotional unbalance be experienced by all Rashis, or would particular Rashis be impacted more than the others?

While during SamundarManthan, the good and the bad were experienced by all, it’s to be seen as to how well is individual Guru or Jupiter placed in any chart from the Moon (the significator of emotion), to judge how much or how little would be the impact of the emotional poison on a particular person. This is actually great for everyone since it’ll extract and eliminate negativity or some form of mental poison from the person’s mind, albeit after some pain that is seen after any extraction by a doctor.

When water level goes up, emotions increase in the world (a universal incident) . In movies when love is shown it’s often in rains, if someone is sad he’s often seen sitting quietly by the sea. Hence, water which is controlled by the moon, is often shown as the significator in popular depictions of emotion.

The cosmic environment impacts everyone on levels of mind,  body and soul. However the quantum of impact is judged based on natal chart and transits. For example, Covid-19 related restrictions impact the entire world collectively, however, only certain percentage of the population experience the restrictions more severely.

What’s the significance of Jal Abhishek and Rudra Abhishek during Shrawan?

Abhishek is the process of offering worldly items such as milk, water, Rudra  to the symbolism of Lord Shiva in a temple, that is the Shiva Ling. Each offering has a different meaning and brings about a unique blessing for the devotee.

As water is available in abundance during Shrawan (being monsoon season), and since water is controlled by Moon ( the mind) spiritually, the offering of water to Lord Shiva symbolizes the offering of ones emotions and mind to the lord which brings about stability of thoughts.

When milk is offered, it’s for ones health and when honey is offered, it’s for prosperity.

The most auspicious offering is water since Shiva has always been submerged in water, even when the holy Ganges started from his holy feet. Hence offering water to Shiva calms the mind, improves health, finances and brings about overall prosperity.

Especially in the month of Shrawan when one undergoes penance of hundreds of kilometers on foot (while going to a holy shrine in order to offer prayers), one gets rid of tamas and rajas in the mind and body during the process of travel  and becomes total bliss or sattva, hence one attains Shiva and nature blesses by making every wish true.

In popular depiction, why is the moon always shown right above Lord Shiva?

In our generation everyone’s only seen symbolic depiction of lord shiva as shiva ling or as statue. Moon is symbolic of the mind since it changes every 2.5 days. In order to control the frivolity of the thoughts, one has to surrender to lord shiva through meditation and chanting. If one doesn’t want to be feelings oriented, and wants to be practical, one has to be guided by Lord Shiva through chanting of Om NamahShivay to balance the five elements of fire, water, earth, air and sky. One has to become happiest yet calmest version of self or awaken Shiva element in themselves to remain emotionally and practically balanced in life. The depiction of moon right above Lord Shiva is an indicator to surrender the mind to God.

What’s the significance of saying Shiva Shakti together?

In Hindu tradition, Shiva Shakti, Vishnu Laxmi, Sita Ram, Radha Krishna are often said in the same vein. It’s to depict equality of gender in a couple, and depicts left brain and right brain working in tandem together. One cannot always be logical, and at the same time one cannot be always emotional. In life, the balance of emotion and logic shows a complete life, both the elements of shiva and shaktitogether depict a complete life.

What’s the significance of going into a sattvik diet in Shrawan?

In popular culture, religious stories are easy to follow and make populace want to follow the right. In Shrawan month, due to increase of water all around, even cows milk is naturally more water based, hence not drink worthy. Digestive system becomes fragile, hence fasting helps give it a break and prepare it for next 11 months of work. The milk is usually offered to Shiva since Shiva accepts everything being the creator and protector.

Which remedy is more symbolic or significant in Shrawan?

Since Rudraksh is readily accessible as a fruit in this month, it’s easier offered to God hence becomes significant. Milk is easier offered since it’s not digested by humans, hence symbolic since it can be easily offered.

Rudra Pooja is symbolic for health and at the same time chanting as well as inner voice is important during Shrawan as it is the month of Shiva. Hence materialistic activities are reduced and meditative acts are increased. Doing these small things that can be easily done in daily life  help to maintain smooth life.

How does meditation help anyone astrologically?

Meditation is the process of looking inward, which increases Aakashtattva or guru. It increases wisdom, and it impacts 5 houses of dhan, shiksha, santaan, bhagya, karma, laabh positively.

Since meditation is related to mind which is basically the moon, it helps increase happiness and balances emotions.

Usually, one performs some form of Pranayaam before meditating, and that helps balance Mangal and Shani tattva as it improves Praana value.

When Aakashtattva increases in a personality, one starts looking beautiful, and hence Venus starts improving.

The balancing of mind leads to reduction of Rahu and increase of Ketu elements.

Thus meditation alone is the strongest single tool to balance all nine planets in a chart.

However, being so powerful in impact on life, it’s not something that anyone and everyone can perform or learn diligently. That’s why it’s observed that some people are not able to meditate at a stretch and experience breaks in the perpetual performance of the act. A solution to such a break is to perform mantra chanting, do yagnas, such that overall the attainment of moksha is easier. It’ll reduce effort and pain in life and lead to increase of happiness.

It is to be noted that the quantum of material  success to be  achieved in life and the possibility of earning money is to be seen through individual charts and does not relate to attainment of happiness.

Shivji is called Mahakaal and Kaal is also Shani Dev. Is there any relation between the two?

Operational energy is represented by Lord Vishnu. Creative energy is represented by Lord Shiva. Mythologically when other Gods are sleeping, Shiva is awake. So spiritually Shrawan is the month of letting go of the negative and since operational energy is low, it’s the time to get creative and do what’s rightful and new (Shiva). Lord Shani regards Mother Kaali as his mother. Mahakaal is the husband of Kaali. Saturn or Shani is responsible to provide fruit of Karma. If anyone’s able to save a person from wrath of Shani, it’s Mahakaal. Only one God is able to control Shani and that’s Shiva. If you pray to Mahakaal, then you might experience some relief in Saade Sati or Ashtam Shani or Pancham Shani, Shani Dasha, Kantak Shani and even Dhayya.

What’s the significance of KaalBhairavAshtkam, RudrakshaAshtkam in Shrawan month?

All AshtkamPoojas are related to 8 house in astrology which stands for problems in this life. And also takes care of punishment in this life that’s come as a result of bad karma in past life. If one has fears, paranoia, difficulties etc then usually these Ashtkamare recommended to ease the problem. Usually when performed in Shrawan, the effect is way better than doing it during the rest of the year.

Information provided by Renowned Celebrity Astrologer Mr. Alok Khandelwal

Transcribed and Formatted by Shiromani Student Jaspuneet Mohie