Evrat Jeevrat or Divaso Tradition
When :
Amavas (no-moon) day of Ashadh Month as per the Hindu Calendar
The Ritual :
Light a lamp. Observe a fast (healthy restricted diet as per choice).
The Story
There lived a young man. He had a very beautiful and spiritual wife. Both were devotees of God Shiva. They did not have any kids. After a lot of difficult penance, Lord Shiva was happy and gave them a boon- a son on a condition that either they can educate their son or they can do his marriage in future. They are not allowed to do both.
As the kid turned 5, the parents thought he must study. And so they educated him well. When he turned adult, parents thought that he must get married. The young gentleman had turned out to be very smart and handsome, the family helped him find a girl and fixed the marriage date.
On the marriage day, the entire village went to the girl’s village to attend the marriage. When they were returning, all of a sudden heavy rains started. Bullock carts stopped moving, so the groom thought may be he will walk. But while the groom was walking, his leg got bitten by a poisonous snake. He died on the spot.
Everybody became very sad. It was in the middle of a dense forest and almost evening. So all the villagers thought it was a good idea to go to the village and come back in morning to do the rituals for the dead person. The groom’s parents agreed to that as well. But only his wife stayed back. She was adamant on staying back in forest with her husband. Everybody else left.
As the kid turned 5, the parents thought he must study. And so they educated him well. When he turned adult, parents thought that he must get married. The young gentleman had turned out to be very smart and handsome, the family helped him find a girl and fixed the marriage date.
On the marriage day, the entire village went to the girl’s village to attend the marriage. When they were returning, all of a sudden heavy rains started. Bullock carts stopped moving, so the groom thought may be he will walk. But while the groom was walking, his leg got bitten by a poisonous snake. He died on the spot.
Everybody became very sad. It was in the middle of a dense forest and almost evening. So all the villagers thought it was a good idea to go to the village and come back in morning to do the rituals for the dead person. The groom’s parents agreed to that as well. But only his wife stayed back. She was adamant on staying back in forest with her husband. Everybody else left.
As it started becoming darker in the night, she thought maybe some wild animals can come and harm both of them, so she thought it was a good idea to move from there. She dragged the body to a small temple in the middle of the forest. She went into the temple and locked its doors from inside so that no wild animals would enter.
At the change of prahar (hour), Jaya Goddess came to the temple and got angry as she had brought a dead person inside her temple. She prayed to her, touched her feet and explained what transpired and said she will do whatever the Goddess will say. Upon hearing her Jaya Goddess said , “Alright then, but you will have to do as I say whenever I say”. The bride agreed. Jaya Goddess left, and her husband’s right leg thumb moved a bit.
At the next hour, Vijaya Goddess came and everything repeated as with Jaya Goddess. When she left, her husband’s right feet moved a little.
At the change of prahar (hour), Jaya Goddess came to the temple and got angry as she had brought a dead person inside her temple. She prayed to her, touched her feet and explained what transpired and said she will do whatever the Goddess will say. Upon hearing her Jaya Goddess said , “Alright then, but you will have to do as I say whenever I say”. The bride agreed. Jaya Goddess left, and her husband’s right leg thumb moved a bit.
At the next hour, Vijaya Goddess came and everything repeated as with Jaya Goddess. When she left, her husband’s right feet moved a little.
At the next hour, Evrat Goddess came and everything repeated again. When she left her husband’s full right side body became active.
At the next hour, Jeevrat Goddess came and everything repeated again. When she left her husband was alive and sitting.
As it was still dark, she suggested they wait till it is morning to go home. When it was just dawn, few villagers came there with their cows and saw both of them in temple. They were very surprised and went running back to the village to inform the groom’s parents who were readying things for their dead son’s rituals.
Hearing from the villagers, the parents were very happy and came to the forest temple to take their son and daughter-in-law home.
At the end of first year, the lady was carrying and gave birth to a son. She started doing Evrat Goddess’s vrat (fast) every year. As soon as the son was born, that night when everyone was asleep, Jaya Goddess came to her and asked to give her son. She had agreed to do whatever she told, when Jaya Goddess had saved his husband’s life. So the lady gave his first son to Jaya Goddess without any questioning. In the morning when everyone got up, everyone was shocked to see the baby missing. Nobody knew what happened.
Second year again she was carrying and gave birth to a son. Again the same story repeated with this time Vijaya Goddess coming and taking the new born with her.
Third year again she was carrying and gave birth to a son. Again the same story repeated with this time Evrat Goddess coming and taking the new born with her.
Forth year again she was carrying and gave birth to a son. Again the same story repeated with this time Jeevrat Goddess coming and taking the new born with her.
Fifth year again she was carrying and gave birth to a daughter. This time no one took her daughter at night. This year she had to celebrate her Evrat Jeevrat Vrat. And so she had to call few ladies for the celebration. She went to that temple, where her husband’s life was saved by the four Goddesses. And she invited all Goddesses to become Goini (a person getting involved in celebration of vrat). As invited, all four Goddesses came along with her sons. All sons were looking bright along with the divine ladies. She cleaned all Goddess’s feet, worshiped them and served them lunch.
After the lunch was done, while all Goddesses were returning, she came to see them off with her daughter. She pleaded to them to return her sons and they did. So at the end of the day, she had all her 4 sons, 1 daughter and husband. All the villagers later came to know about her story. They praised her for her virtues and the decision of not leaving her husband that night in forest even when his own parents had left him. This is how Evrat-Jeevrat or Divaso vrat comes into practice.
At the next hour, Jeevrat Goddess came and everything repeated again. When she left her husband was alive and sitting.
As it was still dark, she suggested they wait till it is morning to go home. When it was just dawn, few villagers came there with their cows and saw both of them in temple. They were very surprised and went running back to the village to inform the groom’s parents who were readying things for their dead son’s rituals.
Hearing from the villagers, the parents were very happy and came to the forest temple to take their son and daughter-in-law home.
At the end of first year, the lady was carrying and gave birth to a son. She started doing Evrat Goddess’s vrat (fast) every year. As soon as the son was born, that night when everyone was asleep, Jaya Goddess came to her and asked to give her son. She had agreed to do whatever she told, when Jaya Goddess had saved his husband’s life. So the lady gave his first son to Jaya Goddess without any questioning. In the morning when everyone got up, everyone was shocked to see the baby missing. Nobody knew what happened.
Second year again she was carrying and gave birth to a son. Again the same story repeated with this time Vijaya Goddess coming and taking the new born with her.
Third year again she was carrying and gave birth to a son. Again the same story repeated with this time Evrat Goddess coming and taking the new born with her.
Forth year again she was carrying and gave birth to a son. Again the same story repeated with this time Jeevrat Goddess coming and taking the new born with her.
Fifth year again she was carrying and gave birth to a daughter. This time no one took her daughter at night. This year she had to celebrate her Evrat Jeevrat Vrat. And so she had to call few ladies for the celebration. She went to that temple, where her husband’s life was saved by the four Goddesses. And she invited all Goddesses to become Goini (a person getting involved in celebration of vrat). As invited, all four Goddesses came along with her sons. All sons were looking bright along with the divine ladies. She cleaned all Goddess’s feet, worshiped them and served them lunch.
After the lunch was done, while all Goddesses were returning, she came to see them off with her daughter. She pleaded to them to return her sons and they did. So at the end of the day, she had all her 4 sons, 1 daughter and husband. All the villagers later came to know about her story. They praised her for her virtues and the decision of not leaving her husband that night in forest even when his own parents had left him. This is how Evrat-Jeevrat or Divaso vrat comes into practice.
The Message
The tradition is a reminder to the ladies (and to the men) of their ability to protect the family with love and spiritual inclination. Women naturally have the ability to lead in matters involving emotional strength.
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