What is Maun Vrat and it’s significance
Namaste friends, how are you doing today? Bhagavan Sri Vishnu blessings to you and your family!
First of all let us know the meaning of the words ‘mauna’ and ‘vrata’:
Both mauna and vrata are Samskruta / Sanskrit words.
mauna – mau + na – mau = talking using mukha / mouth, na = no (not doing).
Total meaning of this word is: Someone doing something which is related to ‘not to talk’ for some particular time or day or few days.
vrata – vra + ta – vra = taking vow, ta = doing.
Vrata is a Sanskrit word that means “vow, resolve, devotion, something which we do to make Bhagavan Sri Hari or other Demigods happy”, and refers to pious observances such as doing pooja, fasting and pilgrimage (Tirtha) found in Indian religions.
Vrata is typically accompanied with prayers seeking health and happiness for their loved ones as examples for material benefits and for seeking moksha / mukti & related for Godly benefits.
Thus ‘mauna vrata’ means taking a vow, so that a person will be doing pious works without talking for some particular time or for a day or for few days.
Now, let us know the following:
What is Mauna Vrata?
What are the significance of Mauna Vrata?
What are Mauna Vrata uses and benefits?
Mauna Vrata means, someone taking a vow to not to talk, to keep silent, to remain mute, meaning not to speak at all for some particular time, or for a day, or for few days.
Mauna Vrata period could be for a particular period of time.
For example, it could be for one month or one whole day or from Sunrise to Sunset or for few hours in a day.
While doing Mauna Vrata, he / she should completely avoid watching TV, making gestures, talking over mobiles, exchanging messages over mobile, reading anything which is material etc.
But he / she should offer ‘mauna’ / silent prayer to Bhagavan Sri Vishnu, Devatas, Guru.
Bhagavan Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita, shloka #16 of 17th Chapter has said, ‘sraddhatraya-vibhaga-yoga’, that is, Bhagavan Sri Krishna is speaking about ‘mauna’ / silence:
मन: प्रसाद: सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्म-विनिग्रह: |
भाव-संशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते || 16 ||
ಮನಃ ಪ್ರಸಾದಃ ಸೌಮ್ಯತ್ವಂ ಮೌನಮಾತ್ಮ-ವಿನಿಗ್ರಹಃ |
ಭಾವ-ಸಂಶುದ್ಧಿರ್ ಇತಿ ಏತತ್ ತಪೋ ಮಾನಸಂ ಉಚ್ಯತೆ || 16 ||
manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ |
bhāva-sanśhuddhir ity etat tapo mānasam uchyate || 16 ||
1. manah-prasādaḥ– peace of mind/thought
2. saumyatvaṁ– gentleness / kind hearted / friendly temperament
3. maunam– silence
4. ātma-vinigrahaḥ– will power / self-control / restraining oneself)
5. bhāva-sanśhuddhir– purity of nature / purpose
These are the pancha / five values of life and together it is called as Tapas (penance) or ‘mental austerity’.
Here ‘maunam’ / silence is present means, ‘manah-prasādaḥ’, that is peace of mind and ‘saumyatvaṁ’ (gentleness / kind hearted / friendly temperament) can be easily achieved.
Similarly if someone is ‘maunam’ or someone’s mind is at peace means, will power, self control, restraining oneself can be easily achieved.
Another meaning of the word ‘mauna’ is derived from the word ‘muni’ (monk), that is, an ascetic person who practices ‘maunam’ / silence, the one who will be in the state of constant chintana (contemplation) and remembering Bhagavan Sri Vishnu through the ‘mana shakthi’ / mind power.
What should we do when in ‘mauna vrata’
Mauna means total peace, absolute tranquility and not simply shutting ones mouth.
If someone is keeping silent, but in his / her mind several hundreds and thousands of negative thoughts are coming means, then what is the use of keeping ‘mauna vrata’.
One should always think positive. One should always think of Bhagavan Sri Vishnu and other Devatas, Guru.
Must think about the several unlimited stories of Bhagavan Sri Vishnu in his different avatars like:
Sri Varaha
Sri Narasimha
Sri Matsya
Sri Kurma
Sri Vamana
Sri Parashurama
Sri Rama
Sri Krishna
Sri Buddha
Sri Kalki (will take place at the end of this Kali Yuga) etc.
One should chant different names of Bhagavan Sri Vishnu like:
Sri Krishnaaya Namaha
Sri Ramaaya Namaha
Sri Govindaaya Namaha
Sri Achyutaaya Namaha
Sri Gopaalaaya Namaha
Sri Mukundaaya Namaha
Om Namo Naaraayanaaya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vaasudevaaya
Sri Anantaaya Namaha
Sri Vishnuve Namaha
Sri Hariye Namaha
Sri Vaasudevaaya Namaha
Sri Hrushikeshaaya Namaha
Sri Aadidevaaya Namaha
etc etc etc
Uses and benefits of doing ‘mauna vrata’:
1. It helps in obtaining ‘shuddhata’ / purity of speech.
2. Niyantrana / control of anxiety, negative thinking, anger etc.
3. Enhances ‘aatma vishvasa’ / self confidence.
4. Increases self determination.
5. Increases self control, self discipline.
6. Change in positive personality.
7. Increases the opportunity for introspection of self.
8. Improves meditative ability.
9. Improves inner peace.
10. Improves positive energy.
11. Improves will power.
12. Increases ‘adyatmikata’ / spirituality.etc. etc. etc.
There are unlimited number of benefits of doing ‘mauna vrata’. The above mentioned are very limited.
Few of the great examples of our great people who have done the ‘mauna vrata’:
1. Sri Madhvacharya Ji: Sri Madhvacharya Ji spent 48 days in ‘kaashta mauna vrata’ (here kaashta means ‘highly difficult / arduous’) in Badrikashrama (Badri), when he got the ‘amantrana’ / invitation from Bhagavan Sri Veda Vyasa Ji.
Sri Madhvacharya Ji went to ‘uttara badri’ which is still not accessible to Kali Yuga’s humans.
The residents of this ‘uttara badri’ were stunned to see the great Sri Madhvacharya Ji.
Sri Madhvacharya Ji’s ‘tejas’ / brightness was more than the sun. But, yet it was calm than the moon.
Hence the residents of ‘uttara badri’ decided that it must be somebody who is higher than the Sun and the Moon.
Therefore he all decided that he must be Sri Vayu Deva, who has arrived in the form of Sri Madhvacharya Ji.
(Sri Madhvacharya Ji is an avatar of Sri Vayu Deva – Other avatars of Sri Vayu Deva are Sri Hanuman, Sri Bhimasena.)
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Sri Gurubhyo Namaha
Sri Raamaaya Namaha
Sri Krishnaarpanamastu
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