07 Cāturmāsya of sanyāsis
Sanyāsis have some more distinct Vidhis in addition to the dos and don’ts regarding food.
A sanyāsi should undertake the observance on the full moon day of the month of āshāḍha. If there are difficulties, he is allowed to take the vow till the next pañcamī. If that pañcamī also passes (without the vow) he will be subjected to Prāyaścitta.
अनेन विधिना भिक्षुः आषाढ्यां सुसमाहितः ।
प्रायश्चित्तेन युज्येत पाम्यूर्ध्वं व्रजेद्यदि ॥
He should settle down for the vrata after tonsure on the day of Pūrṇimā of Āshāḍha. He should not have his head tonsured in the middle till the vrata is completed. He should not cross rivers. Should not travel a distance beyond one krośa.
आषाढ्यां पौर्णमास्यां तु वपनं कारयेद्यतिः ।
तेषु मासेषु केशादीनृतुसंधौ न वापयेत् ॥
नदीश्च न तरेत्तेषु क्रोशादूर्ध्वं न च व्रजेत् ॥
The ascetic should announce in front of grhasthās as follows. I will live in one place during these four months when Lord Mādhava for the welfare of all living geings is sleeping on śeshaśayana and wakes up again. “Generally creatures will be wandering on the paths during the rainy season. To desist from causing any violence to them, I will stay in this place if it is not inconvenient to you.”
माधवश्चतुरो मासान् सर्वभूतहिताय वै।
स्वापं यास्यति शेषाङ्क,ए लक्ष्म्याः सह जगत्पतिः ॥
सुप्तश्चैवोत्थितो यावन्न भवेत्तु सनातनः ।
अहं तावन्निवत्स्यामि सर्वभूतहिताय वै ॥
प्रायेण प्रावृषि प्राणिसङ्क,अलं वर्त्म दृश्यते ।
अतस्तेषामहिंसार्थं पक्षान्वै द्विजसंश्रयान् ॥
स्थास्यामश्चतुरो मासान् अत्रैवासतिबाधके ॥
He then holds pure Mṛttika in his hands and then salutes the elders, offers it to them and then receiving it as Prasāda uses that Mṛttika for his observances. Then the the disciples who are by his side request him—“You can observe the cāturmāsya here with happiness. We shall serve you to the extent possible with pleasure, and shall become Kṛtārthās”
निवसन्तु सुखेनात्र गमिष्यामः कृतार्थताम् ।
यथाशकि च शुश्रूषां करिष्यामो वयं मुदा ॥
And then he starts the vrata there.
There is also a custom of worshipping Bhagavān vedavyāsa, the Bhikshusūtrakāra, sanaka and other yogis, Śrī Gaṇeśa, Śrī Durga, Śrī Sarasvatī, Śrī Kshetrapālakas, disciples of Vyāsa and gurus who are sūtrabhāshyakāras.
If it is not possible to observe cāturmāsya for all the four months, it has to be observed at least for the first two months.
चतुरोऽयं वसेन्मासान् वार्षिकान् द्वावथापि वा॥
वर्षासु ध्रुवशीलः स्यात्।
If cāturmāsya is going to be observed for four months, it should be concluded on the full moon day of Kārtika māsa, and, if it is to be observed for two months, it should be concluded on the full moon day of Bhādrapadamāsa. After tonsure and bath, the remaining sacred earth should be thrown into the water, and travel should be made in the direction of north. He should then go towards north or east. After this he should return.
During these four or two months he should either observe silence, or be in meditation. Or be engaged in japa and pārāyaṇa. which facilitate silence and meditation.
Why should a sanyāsi observe cāturmāsya? The general reason is, travel is difficult during the rainy season and small creatures get troubled by his travel. The significant reason has been mentioned earlier. Yati is the representative of Nārāyaṇa. During the time when Nārāyaṇa is (in the) posture of sleep, the Yati also, like that God, should spend the special time in yoga nidrā in one place. The day of Kārtika śuddha dvādaśī is the day when Nārāyaṇa wakes up from Yoganidrā and receives suprabhāta. The custom of worshipping HIM on that day, and then with HIS permission, the Yati ending the vow of silence on the following full moon day and thereafter following the āshrama dharma for the sake of service to Nārāyaṇa, and starting the journey which brings about the welfare of the world, and also welfare of one’s soul, is both natural and beautiful.