Raksha Bandhan Festival: History, Significance, and Rituals

Rakshabandhan means the festival of Rakhi. It is a festival of brothers and sisters. The festival of Rakshabandhan is celebrated on the day of Shravan Purnima. Therefore, this day is also called Rakhi Purnima. This year, the festival is on August 9, 2025. On this day, a sister ties a Rakhi to her brother as a symbol of love. The purpose of tying Rakhi is, 'May the brother prosper and may the brother protect the sister.' After tying the Rakhi, the brother gives a gift to his sister and blesses her. The history, scriptures, method of preparing Rakhi, and importance of this Rakshabandhan festival, which has been going on for thousands of years, are given further in this article.

It is written in the scripture named 'Dharmasindhu' that 'Rakshabandhan should be performed on Shravan Purnima, free from Bhadra, during Aparahna or Pradosh Kaal (approximately two and a half hours after sunset).'

It is written in the scripture named 'Dharmasindhu' that 'celebrating Rakshabandhan during Vishti Karan (Bhadra) on Shravan Purnima is inviting destruction.' Tying Rakhi during this period is strictly forbidden.

It is written in the scripture named 'Dharmasindhu' that 'Rakshabandhan should be performed on Shravan Purnima, free from Bhadra, during Aparahna or Pradosh Kaal.' Therefore, this year, on August 19, 2024, Rakshabandhan can be celebrated anytime during Aparahna or Pradosh Kaal (approximately two and a half hours after sunset). Those who cannot celebrate during this period can celebrate Rakshabandhan anytime after 2 PM.

On Shravan Purnima, Vishti Karan (Bhadra) is present until approximately 1:33 PM. It is written in the scripture named 'Dharmasindhu' that 'celebrating Rakshabandhan during Vishti Karan (Bhadra) is inviting destruction.' Therefore, tying Rakhi until 1:33 PM on August 19, 2024, is strictly forbidden.

The sister should perform aarti (aukshan) for her brother and tie the Rakhi with a selfless attitude.

The sister should greet her brother and take his blessings.

If the brother wishes to give something to his sister voluntarily, he should give a sattvic (pure) gift.

Both should offer prayers.

Do not disrespect deities by tying Rakhis with pictures of gods on them to the brother.

The sister should not have any expectations while tying Rakhi to her brother.

The brother should go to his sister's house. Place a stool for the brother to sit on for tying the Rakhi. Make a rangoli around the stool. Now, both the brother and sister should pray to the deities for each other's protection.

The sister should perform aarti (aukshan) for her brother and tie the Rakhi with a selfless attitude. The sister should apply kumkum tilak to the brother, tie the Rakhi on his right wrist, and then perform his aarti. While performing aarti, first perform it in a semi-circular motion with a gold ring and betel nut, and then perform the brother's aarti 3 times in a semi-circular motion with a ghee lamp.

The sister should greet her brother and take his blessings. This day is celebrated to reduce the karmic give-and-take between siblings. When a sister ties Rakhi to her brother with a selfless attitude and takes his blessings, it helps reduce the karmic give-and-take between them.

If the brother wishes to give something to his sister voluntarily, he should give a sattvic (pure) gift. On Rakshabandhan, the brother gives a gift to his sister as a token of good fortune. Giving gifts helps in remembering each other. The brother can never repay the love a sister has for him; however, by giving love to his sister, he tries to reduce it to some extent. The brother expresses his love for his sister through a tangible medium like a gift. While giving a gift, the brother should have devotion towards God in his mind. This benefits the sister more. The sister should not ask for a gift from her brother. If the brother gives a gift voluntarily, the sister should accept and respect it; otherwise, it is more appropriate to avoid taking the gift. Sattvic items do not have worldly effects on any being. When a sattvic item is given as a gift, the giver benefits 20 percent and the receiver benefits 18 percent. Performing a sattvic act reduces karmic give-and-take and does not create new karmic transactions.

Both should offer prayers. 'By which the mighty King Bali, the great demon king, was bound, by that very protection I bind you too. O Rakhi, do not waver, do not waver.' Meaning: 'By the same protection that bound the mighty King Bali, the lord of demons, I bind you too. O'

O Rakhi (protection), may you remain steadfast. On the day of Raksha Bandhan, every brother should pray to God, 'May I strive for the protection of society, nation, and Dharma, along with the protection of my sister.' Sisters should pray for their brother's well-being, and also pray, 'May we both be instrumental in protecting the nation and Dharma.'

Do not tie Rakhis with images of deities to your brother. Stop the disrespect towards deities that occurs through Rakhis! Nowadays, Rakhis often have 'Om' or pictures of deities. After the Rakhi is used, it is seen scattered here and there. This insults deities and religious symbols, leading to sin. To avoid this, after removing the Rakhi, it should be immersed in water!

While tying Rakhi to her brother, a sister should not have any expectations from him. Nowadays, sisters often inform their brothers beforehand what gift they desire on Raksha Bandhan and even insist on receiving it. By harboring desires or expectations in their minds, sisters are deprived of the spiritual benefits received on that day. This is because the purpose of celebrating Raksha Bandhan is to reduce the karmic give-and-take between siblings. Having expectations and receiving an item from the brother increases the give-and-take threefold and results in a 12% spiritual loss. Due to expectations, the waves of love and joy present in the atmosphere on that day cannot be fully experienced.

Do not tie Rakhi during Bhadrakaal. (Reference: Dharmasindhu) Just as the cruel gaze of Shani (Saturn) is harmful, similarly, the influence of Bhadra, Shani's sister, is also harmful.

The brother should go to his sister's house. Place a wooden seat (peedha) for the brother to sit on for tying the Rakhi. Make a rangoli around the peedha. Now, both brother and sister should pray to the deities for each other's protection.

The sister should perform 'aukshan' (a ritual of waving light/objects) for her brother and tie the Rakhi selflessly. The sister should apply a kumkum tilak to her brother. The sister should tie the Rakhi on her brother's right wrist. After tying the Rakhi, the sister should perform 'aukshan' for her brother. First, perform 'aukshan' in a semi-circular motion with a gold ring and betel nut, and then perform Aarti three times in a semi-circular motion with a ghee lamp (niranjan).

The sister should greet her brother with respect (namaskar) and seek his blessings. This festival is celebrated to reduce the karmic give-and-take between siblings. By tying the Rakhi selflessly and taking her brother's blessings, the sister helps in minimizing the karmic give-and-take between them.

If a brother wishes to give something to his sister voluntarily, he should give a sattvic gift. On Raksha Bandhan, a brother gives a gift to his sister as a token of good fortune. Giving gifts helps in remembering each other. A brother can never repay the value of his sister's love; however, by giving love, he tries to reduce it to some extent. A brother expresses his love for his sister through a material medium like a gift. While giving a gift, the brother should have devotion towards God in his mind. This benefits the sister more. The sister should not ask for a gift from her brother. If the brother gives a gift voluntarily, the sister should accept it and respect it; otherwise, it is more appropriate to avoid taking it. Sattvic items do not have worldly effects on any being. When a sattvic item is given as a gift, the giver benefits 20% and the receiver benefits 18%. Performing sattvic actions reduces karmic give-and-take and does not create new karmic debt.

Both should pray. 'By which the mighty King Bali, the great demon king, was bound, by that very protection I bind you too. O Rakhi (protection), do not waver, do not waver.' Meaning: 'By the same protection that bound the mighty King Bali, the lord of demons, I bind you too. O Rakhi (protection), may you remain steadfast.' On the day of Raksha Bandhan, every brother should pray to God, 'May I strive for the protection of society, nation, and Dharma, along with the protection of my sister.' Sisters should pray for their brother's well-being, and also pray, 'May we both be instrumental in protecting the nation and Dharma.'

One should keep this in mind. Nowadays, sisters often inform their brothers beforehand what gift they desire on Raksha Bandhan and even insist on receiving it. By harboring such desires or expectations, the sister is deprived of the spiritual benefits available on that day. This is because the very purpose of celebrating Raksha Bandhan is to minimize the karmic give-and-take between siblings. When a sister receives an item from her brother with expectation, the karmic transaction increases threefold, and there is a 12% spiritual loss. Due to expectations, the waves of love and joy present in the atmosphere on that day cannot be fully experienced.

Do not tie Rakhi during Bhadrakal. Do not tie Rakhi during Bhadrakal. (Reference: Dharmasindhu) Just as the cruel gaze of Shani (Saturn) is harmful, similarly, the influence of Bhadra, Shani's sister, is also harmful.

Do not use Rakhis with pictures of deities! In the current situation, various types of Rakhis are available in the market for Raksha Bandhan. However, most of them are merely decorative. They are not Sattvic (pure). Instead of buying decorative Rakhis, choose Sattvic ones that have the capacity to attract divine principles. A Sattvic Rakhi also leads to an increase in Sattva quality.

The festival of Raksha Bandhan, along with increasing love between siblings, also helps in minimizing their karmic give-and-take through the Rakhi. Similarly, celebrating other festivals by understanding their underlying spiritual science brings us greater benefits. Therefore, to know such important information… Join Sanatan Sanstha's online satsang!

1. ‘By tying a Rakhi on the hand of Bali Raja of Patal, Lakshmi made him her brother and freed Narayana (Lord Vishnu). That day was Shravan Purnima.’

2. ‘A war raged between Indra and the demons for twelve years. Twelve years on Earth is equivalent to twelve days in the higher realms. Indra was exhausted, and the demons were overpowering him. Indra was preparing to flee, saving his own life. Hearing Indra's distress, Indrani sought refuge with her Guru. Guru Brihaspati, after meditating, told Indrani, ‘‘If you use the power of your chastity (pativrata bal) and resolve that your husband remains safe, and tie a thread on Indra's right wrist, then Indra will be victorious in the war.’’ Indra was victorious, and Indrani's resolve materialized. The mantra chanted was: 'Yena baddho balī rājā dānavendro mahābalaḥ. Tena tvām abhibadhnāmi rakṣe mā cal mā cal.' Meaning: 'The same delicate protective thread that bound the mighty demon king Bali, I am tying on you. May you be protected. May this thread not break and always protect you.'

3. According to the Bhavishya Purana, Raksha Bandhan was originally meant for kings. Now, this festival is celebrated by everyone.

By tying rice, gold, and white mustard together in a small pouch, a 'Raksha' or Rakhi is formed. It is tied with a silken thread. The mantra is: 'Yena baddho balī rājā dānavendro mahābalaḥ. Tena tvāmapi badhnāmi rakṣe mā cal mā cal.' Meaning: 'With the same protection that bound the mighty and demon-king Bali, I bind you too. O Rakhi, remain steadfast.'

Spiritual Perspective: Stopping harmful Yama-waves active in men. On Rakhi Purnima, i.e., Raksha Bandhan, the quantity of Yama-waves in the atmosphere is higher. Yama-waves become more active in men's bodies. When the flow of Yama-waves begins in a man's body, his Surya Nadi (sun channel) awakens. Due to the awakening of Surya Nadi, the dominance of Raja-Tama (components of cosmic energy) increases in the body. Yama-waves enter the entire body. If the quantity of these Yama-waves increases by more than 30 percent, there is a possibility of danger to the life force (prana) of the individual. Therefore, by tying the Rakhi, the Yama-waves flowing through the sister, who is a direct 'Shakti-Beej' (seed of divine energy), and the Surya Nadi are calmed. This awakens the Shiv-tattv (principle of Shiva) present in men, and the Sushumna Nadi (central spiritual channel) is partially awakened. – A Seer (through Shri Nishad Deshmukh, 30.7.2006, 1:45 PM)

Emotional Perspective: Neutralizing Kama-Krodha (lust and anger) through the pure love of siblings. ‘Raksha Bandhan is a vow for young men and women who get entangled in vices. More important than a sister tying a Rakhi to her brother is any young woman/woman tying a Rakhi to any young man/man. This particularly helps in changing the perspective of young men and men towards young women or women.

It is a symbol. This means it encompasses everyone and facilitates the excellent exchange of all waves. Tying a collection of rice in a white cloth with a silk thread on the right hand of the Shiva-like being (brother) means establishing a sattvic silken bond. The silk thread is a leader in the dynamic transmission of sattvic waves. To make it a direct action at the practical level, this silken bond is directly established. The power waves present in the person tying the Rakhi are transmitted to the Shiva-like being through the rice, activating his Surya Nadi and awakening the Shiva principle within him. Through the rice particles, Shiva's active energy becomes functional and dynamically projects active waves into the atmosphere, which disintegrates the Raja-Tama particles in the environment. Thus, the main objective of Raksha Bandhan is to gain benefits from the union of Shiva and Shakti on this day. This is highly desirable from the perspective of humanity.' – 'A Scholar of the Subtle Realm' (through Smt. Anjali Gadgil on 18.8.2005, 12.36 PM)

Increase in Teja-tattva (Fire Element): When performing Aarti for the brother while tying Rakhi, waves of Teja-tattva are projected towards the brother from the flame of the lamp. These waves help in the increase of the Teja-tattva present in the brother. Benefit of Shakti-tattva to the brother: On the day of Raksha Bandhan, the Shakti-tattva present in the woman tying the Rakhi awakens. The brother receives the benefit of this Shakti-tattva through the Rakhi. The brother benefits according to the sister's devotion. A. On this day, the principle of Shri Ganesh and Shri Saraswati Devi comes to Earth in greater quantity, and both (brother and sister) benefit from it in greater measure. B. While tying Rakhi, the Shakti-tattva manifests in the female being and is received by the male being through the hand. The brother receives 2 percent benefit from this for 5 hours. C. The greater the sister's devotion, her dedication to God, and the Guru's grace upon her, the greater the outcome when she calls upon God for her brother, leading to greater progress for the brother.

Rakhi is a festival of threads. The threads of Rakhi, combined with affection, blessings, and a mantra, become a protective thread (Raksha Sutra). Therefore, whenever sisters tie Rakhi on their brother's wrist, they must recite the Rakhi mantra given in the Puranas. The power of this mantra strengthens the Rakhi threads, protecting your brother from adversities. The influence of this mantra also brings the grace of Devi Lakshmi. Let's learn what the ancient Rakhi mantra is, how it originated, and what its meaning is.

This mantra is recited while tying Rakhi: 'Yena baddho Bali Raja, Danavendro Mahabal: Tena twaam pratibadhnaami rakshe maachal maachal:' This is a small Rakhi mantra that you can memorize by reading it four to five times. Priests also recite this mantra while tying Rakhi to their patrons. The same mantra is recited by priests while tying Kalawa (sacred thread).

Meaning of the Rakhi mantra: The meaning of the Rakhi mantra is - 'With the same protective thread (Raksha Sutra) by which the great and powerful king of demons, Bali, was bound, with that very Raksha Bandhan, I bind you, which will protect you. O Raksha (protective thread)! Do not waver, do not waver.' According to scholars of Dharma Shastra, its meaning is that while tying the protective thread, the Brahmin or priest tells his patron that with the same protective thread by which the mighty King Bali of the demons was bound in the bond of Dharma, i.e., engaged in Dharma, with that same thread I bind you, meaning I commit you to Dharma. After this, the priest tells the protective thread, 'O Raksha, remain stable, remain stable.' In this way, the purpose of the protective thread is for Brahmins to inspire and engage their patrons in Dharma. Sisters also bind their brothers with this same mantra to the Dharma of protecting their sisters.

The story of the Rakshabandhan mantra is found in the Vishnu Purana. A tale about this ancient mantra recited on Rakshabandhan, 'By which King Bali, the mighty king of demons, was bound, by that I bind you, O Raksha, do not waver, do not waver,' is also found in the Vamana Purana, Bhavishya Purana, and Vishnu Purana. King Bali was a very generous king and a devout devotee of Lord Vishnu. Once, he organized a yagya (sacrificial ritual). Devraj Indra became fearful of King Bali's power and his yagya. Devraj, along with all the deities, approached Lord Vishnu and requested him to alleviate their fear of King Bali.

Lord Vishnu assumed the form of Vamana (a dwarf Brahmin) and arrived at King Bali's yagya site, asking for alms. The king of demons said, 'Ask for whatever you desire.' The Lord replied, 'I only need three paces of land.' Everyone laughed at Vamana's request, wondering what could be done with three paces of land. But when the Lord extended his steps, everyone was astonished. In just two steps, the Lord measured the Earth, the sky, and the netherworld (Patala). When Bali had nothing left to offer for the third step, he placed his head at the Lord's feet.

Lord Vamana was very pleased to see King Bali's generosity and magnanimity and asked him to ask for a boon. Bali said, 'O Lord, please reside with me in Patala Loka (the netherworld).' Lord Vamana then began to reside in Patala in his Vamana form.

With the Lord residing in Patala Loka, Goddess Lakshmi became distressed. One day, Goddess Lakshmi enacted a divine play and appeared before King Bali as a poor woman. Seeing the woman's poverty, King Bali took her into his palace and began to care for her like a sister.

On the day of Shravan Purnima, Goddess Lakshmi tied a raw thread (rakhi) on King Bali's wrist. King Bali said, 'Since you have tied this sacred thread on my wrist as a sister, I wish to give you something; ask for whatever you desire.' At this, Goddess Lakshmi revealed her true form and said, 'You have the Lord himself with you; I want Him, I have come to take Him.'

I am alone in Vaikunth without my husband, Lord Vishnu. Even after knowing the woman's truth, King Bali remained steadfast on the path of dharma, and true to his word, King Bali allowed Lord Vishnu to go with Mother Lakshmi. However, while departing, Lord Vishnu granted King Bali a boon that He would reside in Patala for four months every year. These four months are known as Chaturmas, which extends from Devshayani Ekadashi to Devuthani Ekadashi.