Sharada Rutucharya (शरद ऋतुचर्या)
Sharada Rutu/ Rtu is one of the 6 seasons of the Hindu calendar year. Ashvina and Karthika masas/months comprise of this season. It is the period of the year that coincides with october heat period. Therefore the diet, lifestyle regime, do's and dont's for this season are peculiar and are described under Sharada rutucharya.
शरदमासाः॥ Months of Hindu calendar for Sharada rtu
As per Hindu calendar in Bharata, for every 2 months there is one season. Therefore for 12 months there are 6 seasons. However the seasons are listed with little variation in the names in 2 different cases. The list of season and months in Hindu calendar is given below,
| No. | Rtu list 1 | Hindu calendar months | Rtu list 2 | Hindu calendar months | Corresponding season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shishira (शिशिरः) | Magha, Phalguna | --- | --- | Winter |
| 2 | Vasanta (वसंतः) | Chaitra, Vaishakha | Vasanta (वसंतः) | Falguna (फाल्गुन), Chaitra (चैत्रः) | Spring |
| 3 | Grishma (ग्रीष्मः) | Jyeshtha, Ashadha | Grishma (ग्रीष्मः) | Vaishakha (वैशाखः), Jyeshtha (ज्येष्ठः) | Summer |
| 4 | --- | --- | Pravrt / Pravrush (प्रावृट्/प्रावृष्) | Ashadha (आषाढः), Shravana (श्रावणः) | Early Monsoon |
| 5 | Varsha (वर्षा) | Shravana, Bhadrapada | Varsha (वर्षा) | Bhadrapada (भाद्रपदः), Ashvin (अश्विन्) | Monsoon |
| 6 | Sharad (शरदः) | Ashvin, Kartika | Sharad (शरदः) | Kartika (कार्तिक), Margashirsha (मार्गशीर्ष) | Autumn |
| 7 | Hemanta (हेमंतः) | Margashirsha, Pausha | Hemanta (हेमंतः) | Pausha (पौष), Magha (माघ) | Winter or late autumn |
The month of Ashvina, Karthika and also Margashirsha (as per some scholars) make up the Sharada rutu.
अव्यापन्नशरदऋतुलक्षणानि॥ Characteristics of Pravrt Rtu
वर्षाशरद्धेमन्तेषु तु दक्षिणाभिमुखेऽर्के कालमार्गमेघवातवर्षाभिहतप्रतापे, शशिनि चाव्याहतबले, माहेन्द्रसलिलप्रशान्तसन्तापे जगति, अरूक्षा रसाः प्रवर्धन्तेऽम्ललवणमधुरा यथाक्रमं तत्र बलमुपचीयते नृणामिति||७|| (Char. Samh. Su. 6.7)
वर्षाशीतोचिताङ्गानां सहसैवार्करश्मिभिः|
तप्तानामाचितं पित्तं प्रायः शरदि कुप्यति||४१||
शरदि अग्निदोषादीनां गतिः॥ The status of bio-energies in body in Pravrt
वर्षाशीतोचिताङ्गानां सहसैवार्करश्मिभिः|
तप्तानामाचितं पित्तं प्रायः शरदि कुप्यति||४१||
शरद ऋतुचर्याविधानम्॥ Rtucharya for Pravrt
| arad | Autumn | Foods that are sweet or bitter in taste, cooling in nature and light on digestion should be consumed to remain fit. These foods can then pacify vitiated Pitta. Wheat, green gram, sugar candy, honey, , flesh of animals having habitat in dry land (Jangala Mamsa) can be consumed. | In order to keep a check on naturally aggravating Pitta dosha, it is advised to avoid hot and spicy food. Few food stuffs which are to be avoided - fat, oils, meat of aquatic animals, curds, etc. | Medical procedures, such as Virechana (purging), Rakta-Mokshana (blood letting) are ideally performed in this season. It is recommended to observe the natural urge for food and eat only after having the natural desire for food. Its best to avoid overeating. It is also recommended to take water purified by the rays of sun in day time and rays of moon at night time for drinking, bathing, etc. Use of fresh, cooling flowers in surrounding, use of cooling fragrances like Sandalwood can be made as scents and also for local application on body. It is said that moon rays in night are conducive for health. On this ground various rituals wherein staying awake late nights is expected are followed like Kojagiri pournima. | Exposure to sunlight, heat, Daytime sleep and excessive eating is to b |
तत्रान्नपानं मधुरं लघु शीतं सतिक्तकम्|
पित्तप्रशमनं सेव्यं मात्रया सुप्रकाङ्क्षितैः||४२||
लावान् कपिञ्जलानेणानुरभ्राञ्छरभान् शशान्|
शालीन् सयवगोधूमान् सेव्यानाहुर्घनात्यये||४३||
तिक्तस्य सर्पिषः पानं विरेको रक्तमोक्षणम्|
धाराधरात्यये कार्यमातपस्य च वर्जनम्||४४||
वसां तैलमवश्यायमौदकानूपमामिषम्|
क्षारं दधि दिवास्वप्नं प्राग्वातं चात्र वर्जयेत्||४५||
दिवा सूर्यांशुसन्तप्तं निशि चन्द्रांशुशीतलम्|
कालेन पक्वं निर्दोषमगस्त्येनाविषीकृतम्||४६||
हंसोदकमिति ख्यातं शारदं विमलं शुचि|
स्नानपानावगाहेषु हितमम्बु यथाऽमृतम् [१] ||४७||
शारदानि च माल्यानि वासांसि विमलानि च|
शरत्काले प्रशस्यन्ते प्रदोषे चेन्दुरश्मयः||४८|| (Char. Samh. Su. 6.41-48)
शरदि पंचकर्माणि॥ Panchakarmas done in Pravrt Rtu
तिक्तस्य सर्पिषः पानं विरेको रक्तमोक्षणम्| (Char. Samh. Su. 6.44)
दिवा सूर्यांशुसन्तप्तं निशि चन्द्रांशुशीतलम्|
कालेन पक्वं निर्दोषमगस्त्येनाविषीकृतम्||४६||
हंसोदकमिति ख्यातं शारदं विमलं शुचि|
स्नानपानावगाहेषु हितमम्बु यथाऽमृतम् [१] ||४७||
Festivals that appear in Sharada Rutu and guide on useful regime
navaratri, Kojagiri