Chitragupta Puja 2017: Date, muhurat, significance and shloka

There was a king named Saudas. He was an unjust and a tyrant king and had no good deeds to his name.

Today is Chitragupta puja 2017. Every year, a day after the festival of lights Diwali, Kayastha's all over the world celebrate Chitragupta Puja also known as Kalam-Dawaat Puja.

This festival falls on the second day of the lunar day of Shukla Paksha in the Vikram Samvat calendar month of Kartik and coincides with Bhai Dooj, Bhau Beej, Bhai Phota or Bhai Teeka.

Devotees believe that by doing this puja they will be benefited and get to ascend to heaven as Chitragupta Maharaj keeps a record of all good and evil deeds of humans and by praying to him on this day they get absolution from all the sins. Upon the death of a human being, it is Chitragupta Maharaj who decides on heaven or hell for the person depending on their good work or bad deeds on earth.

Significance of Chitragupta Puja

Chitragupta Puja is celebrated by Kayasthas around the world that believe in learning, teaching, peace, knowledge, justice and literacy, the virtues depicted by Chitragupta Maharaj. The puja is also referred to as Dawaat (Inkpot) Puja and people worship pens and books symbolizing the importance of studies in the life of a Kayastha and weapons such as swords. The earning members of the family also give an account of their earning and expenditure to Chitragupta Maharaj and ask him for additional money to run the household efficiently next year. Devotees believe that by praying to Chitragupta Maharaja one can get absolution from their sins and they will get to ascend to heavens after their death.

Muhurat for Chitragupta Puja

Abhijit Muhurat from 11:48 am to 12:34 pm on 21 October 2017 and Amrit Kaal from 02:49 am to 04:33 am on 22 October 2017.
Vikrama Samvat - 2074

Chitragupta Vrata Katha

There was a king named Saudas. He was an unjust and a tyrant king and had no good deeds to his name. One day while he was wandering in his kingdom he encountered a Brahmin who was worshipping. His curiosity was aroused and he asked who was he worshipping to. The Brahmin replied that today is the second day of Karthik Shukla Paksha and hence I am worshipping Yamraj (God of Death and Dharma) and Chitragupta (His Bookkeeper), their worship is supposed to provide salvation from hell and nullifies your evil sins. After hearing this, Saudas also followed the rituals and performed the worship. Later when he died he was taken to Yamraj and his books were examined by Chitragupta and he informed Yamaraj that although the king has been sinful yet he has performed Yama's and Chitragupta's puja with full devotion and rituals and hence he cannot be sent to hell, his place is in hell. Thus by performing this puja only for one day, he was absolved of all his sins.

Chitragupta Shloka

The most important shloka or mantra for Chitragupta Puja is as follows:
Masibhajan sanyuktacharsi twam mahitale. Lekhi katni hasta chitragupta namostute. Chitragupta namostubhyam lekhashardayakam, kayastha jatimasadaya chitragupta namostute.

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