OM SRI SAI RAM
Swetha ji and Rajeswari ji, Sai Ram!
Here are the details of the Sankata Hara Ganesha Vrat. By Baba's grace, I am blessed to share this with you. May everyone who comes across this perform and be benefited by the Grace of the Lord Sai Ganesh.
"Sankatahara Chathurthi" falls every month on the chavithi (fourth day) after Pournima (full moon day). "Sankata" means trouble, "hara" means to take it off. You can fast on this day, taking head bath in the morning and not eating in the day till the evening, have thins ke drinking milk and having a fruit, and having food only in the evening after pooja after offering Naivedya to lord Ganesha. You can also have just a one time meal that day or having tiffin at night depending on your ability to fast. God never tells us to do anything that is beyond our capacity or ability. It is up to us.
You can perform this vrat for one time or making a sankalpa to do for 3 / 5 / 7 / times. It is said that number 3 is more dearer to Ganesha and hence 3, 12 or 21 are usually preferred. However, we can take a vow to do what ever number of times i.e, chaturthis we feel like doing.
In the evening, like you do for any vrat, make a mandap and place a photo of Lord Ganesha. In a small plate, separately, place another Ganesh made of Turmeric on a beetle leaf. Light diyas and agarbatti and do the shodasopachara pooja just like we do for Vinayaka Chaturthi - dhyanam, Avahanam, Asanam.......chanting the Astothram (you can do sahasra nama pooja if you have time) breaking a coconut and offering plantains and Naivedyam.
Offer "Kudum / Kolakattai / Modakas (rice flour cooked with a tsp of bengal gram dal and tsp of ghee and jeera each and then made into balls and steamed - there are varations in this preparation) as Naivdya. It is preferred to light diya for Lord Vinayaka using Coconut oil. You can also offer some sweets etc again this is all depending on our capacity and ability. Main thing that is required is devotion and shraddha. The next day, place the turmeric ganesha in the 'Tulasi' plant or any other flowering plant that is having green leaves.
Lord Vinayaka is the one removes all the obstacles. On a daily basis you can recite the following Ganapathi slokas.
Vakratunda Mahakaaya SuryaKoti Samaprabha
Nirvighnam Kurumedeva Sarva Karyeshu Sarvadaa
Shuklambaradharam Vishnum Shasi Varnam Chaturbhujam
Prasannavadanam Dhyayet Sarva Vighnopashantaye.
SRI GANESA SUPRAPATHAM
Rathna pradeepa visadhikrutha soudha madhye
Mukthasma garbamani ranjitha hema manche
Supghah sukham suravadhu kalithopa saraihi
Uthishta kalpaka Vinayaka suprabatham
Veena mridhanga panavathi vichathra vadyaihi
Gayanthi nakalalanaha thava punya keerthim
Srunvannitham madhura geetham amantha harshath
Uthishta kalpaka vinayaka suprabatham
Vedassaho upanishadaam nikarana moorthaha
Prahvaja pranamya sirasa parameshti mukhyaihi
Bakthya sthuvanthi krutha vaangmaisthvam
Uthishta kalpaka vinayaka suprabatham
Saptharishayaha sarajanihi madhukaitabharihi
Indradhi deva nikaraha sanathayas cha
Kangshanthi dharsana mananyathaya prapannaha
Uthishta kalpaka vinayaka suprabatham
Aahruthya punya salilani nadhi nadhebyaha
Rathnabhisheka kalasaihi vidhina vidhignjaha
Kangshanthi dharsana mananyathaya prapannaha
Uthishta kalpaka vinayaka suprabatham
Vandharu brundha hrudhayambuja bhaskarasya
Mandharamoola manipeeta sukhasthi thasya
Kumbodharathi janamandala mandithasya
Swanandha bandhana pathesthava suprabatham
Vaikunta padmabava veerjithachamarasya
Suthramadharitha sitha thapa vaaranasya
Kumbodharena dhrutha patha saro ruhasya
Bhadrasanastha nrupathesthava suprabatham
Svananda punya nagare navarathna soudhe
Simhasana priya vadhuma vinivesya parsve
Japali kasyapa mathanga mukhair munindhraihi
Pattabhishiktha Gananayaka suprabatham
SARVE JANAH SUKHINO BHAVANTU
JAI SAI RAM