Ishti And Anvadhan Rituals

History And Significance Of Ishti And Anvadhan Rituals

Lord Vishnu is one of the most worshipped and recognized Gods in India. Devotees of Lord Vishnu are not confined to any one religion but Lord Vishnu has devotes of varying religions and they find positivity and strength in their prayers and offerings to lord Vishnu. Though, the preponderance of devotees worshipping Lord Vishnu belongs to the Vaishnava Sampradaya.

The Anvadhan and Ishti are the most auspicious days for the natives of this Vaishnava Sampradaya itself. They celebrate the Purnima (full moon) and Amavasya (new moon) as the two sacred days of the month. This custom is very popular and well-recognized in particularly the Hindu religion since both these days Purnima and Amavasya have a special meaning and importance in Sanskrit.

Anvadhan term in Sanskrit refers to the custom of adding fuel to keep the sacred fire burning after carrying out the Agnihotra (a homam or a havan). On this auspicious day, the natives belonging to the Vaishnava Sampradaya as a ritual keep a day-long fast.

Ishti is a custom that the devotees perform for a short period of time in order to pray for the fulfillment of their wishes. This custom is like a 'havan' that that continues for a few hours, different from those that last for a complete day, weeks, months or even years. Ishti in informal term means desire. The Sanskrit term Ishti, in the broader picture, refers to the act of performing a deed and invoking a deity to gain something.

The followers of Vaishnava Sampradaya or the devotees of Shri Vishnu hold the 2 days of Ishti and Anvadhan with much importance. On the day of new moon, the Anvadhan custom takes place and on the day of full moon, the Ishti custom occurs Hence the occurrence of these significant rituals happens two times a month. Devotees worships to the supreme nurturer of this universe, the Lord Vishnu using24-carat gold plated items.

http://www.talktoastro.com/article/ishti-and-anvadhan-rituals