Durva Ashtami 2008

Durva Ashtami (also called Dhuro Aatham in Gujarati) is a Nitya Vrata, an obligatory, regularly-recurring vow (as distinct from a Kamya Vrata, which is optional and desire-motivated), observed mainly by women, honouring Lord Ganesha and Goddess Durva (the Durva grass, worshipped in her own right as a goddess on this day).

On this day, Ganesha puja is performed and Durva grass (Cynodon dactylon, Bermuda grass), worshipped here as Goddess Durva, is offered to Ganesha as a central part of the ritual. When real Durva grass cannot be found, a silver Durva (a silver replica) may be offered in its place.

The vrat falls on Bhadrapada Shukla Ashtami in most years. In years when that occurrence is Adhika (and not Samsarpa), it moves to Shravana Krishna Ashtami instead, and if that too is disqualified, to Shravana Shukla Ashtami, per the Skanda Purana'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 Simha (Leo), never while the Sun is in Kanya (Virgo).

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