Sankatahara Chaturthi importance – Spiritual Significance of Sankat Chavithi

Tomorrow is Sankatahara Chaturthi.
Sankata Hara Chaturthi or Sankashti Chaturthi or Sankat Ganesh Chaturthi is observed on the Chaturthi or Chavithi, the fourth day of Krishna Paksha during every month. Sankatahara Chaturthi which comes on Tuesday is referred to as Angaraki Sankashti Chaturthi. Devotees of Lord Ganesh consider the Sankat Vinayaka vratam as highly auspicious. They observe upvaas on whole day and perform Sankat Ganesh Puja in the evening and break their fast after Chandra darshan (seeing the Moon God).
The significance, spiritual importance and the greatness of Sankatahara Chaturthi is mentioned in the Bhavishya Purana and the Narasimha Purana. Sankashti Chaturthi mahatmya was narrated by Lord Krishna to Yudhistira.
The legend or story or Vrat Katha of Sankashti Ganesh Chaturthi is associated with King Shursen, Lord Indra and sage Brushundi. The legend or katha goes like this:
Once God Indras Vimana (plane) returning to home from sage Brushundi (a great devotee of Lord Ganesha), was going above king Shursens kingdom. One person who has done many sins in his life saw that plane in the sky. With his single look the plane landed on the ground. Surprised by the brightness of the plane, king went to see the plane.
The king was very much pleased and saluted God Indra. He asked God Indra the reason for landing of the plane. God Indra told him that a sinner from your kingdom looked at the plane, due to his sins the plane landed on the ground. King Shursen asked Lord Indra how the plane could start again.
Lord Indra told him that today is Panchami, yesterday was the Chaturthi. A person, who fasted yesterday, gives his virtue to me then my plane will start. Soldiers searched the whole kingdom for the person who did fasting on Chaturthi. But unfortunately no one was there.
At the same moment some soldiers saw a recently dead woman being taken away by Ganesh-Duta (a soldier of Lord Ganesha). They asked him that how can you take such a sinner woman to Ganesh loka. Ganesh-Duta replied that yesterday whole night she was in sleep and had not eaten anything. She woke up late night after moon-rise and ate some food. Without knowing it she did Sankashti Chaturthi upvas vratam . She died today.
The soldier also said that a person, who does Sankashti Chaturthi at least once in life-time, goes to Ganesh loka or Swananda loka after death. Soldiers requested Ganesh-Duta to give that womans body to them so that the plane could start. But he refused to give virtue of that woman to soldiers. The wind which blew from the dead womans body diffused at the place where the plane of Lord Indra was stopped. The air was made virtuous with the air diffused from the dead body of woman. It means that the wind that touched the virtuous body of dead woman also become virtuous.
This story tells the significance of Sankashti Vinayaka Chavithi and signifies the spiritual importance of Sankata chavithi vratam fasting.
Devotees of Lord Ganesh believe that if a person who observes Sankshta Chathurthi vrat would collect lot of virtues. The person goes directly to the Swanand-loka where he can enjoy the prosperity and blessings of the Lord. There is a strong belief in Hinduism that a person takes seven births before she/he gets Moksha (salvation) but, the person who will do the Sankashta-Chathurthi will go Ganesh loka or Swanand loka directly and his rebirth will be stopped.
Now it is the time to go for Naivedhyam.

Kozhakkattai