Dūrvāṣṭamī 2134

Dūrvāṣṭamī (also called Dhuro Aatham in Gujarati) is a Nitya Vrata, an obligatory, regularly-recurring vow (as distinct from a Kāmya Vrata, which is optional and desire-motivated), observed mainly by women, honouring Goddess Dūrvā (the Dūrvā grass, worshipped as a goddess on this day).

On this day Dūrvā grass (Cynodon dactylon, Bermuda grass), worshipped as Goddess Dūrvā, is the centre of the pūjā. When real Dūrvā grass cannot be found, a silver Dūrvā (a silver replica) may be offered in its place.

The vrata falls on Bhādrapada Śukla Aṣṭamī in most years. In years when that occurrence is Adhika (and not Saṃsarpa), it moves to Śrāvaṇa Kṛṣṇa Aṣṭamī instead, and if that too is disqualified, to Śrāvaṇa Śukla Aṣṭamī, per the Skanda Purāṇa's own rule for the day: “शुक्ले भाद्रपदे मासि दूर्वा-संज्ञा तु साष्टमी। सिंहार्के एव कर्तव्या न कन्यार्के कदाचित्॥”, observed while the Sun is in Siṃha (Leo), never while the Sun is in Kanyā (Virgo).

When the observance day's own nakṣatra is unavoidably Jyeṣṭhā or Mūla, Hemādri directs observing the vrata anyway, but with ekabhakta (single-meal) fasting: “कर्तव्या चैकभक्तेन ज्येष्ठामूलं यदा भवेत्। दूर्वामभ्यर्च्य नैवेद्यक्त्या न वर्ज्यं दिवसं नयेत्॥”