Vaikuntha Chaturdashi is celebrated one day before Kartik Purnima and Dev Diwali.
Lord Vishnu once offered His eye to complete Shiva’s lotus Puja.
Vishnu is worshipped at midnight (Nishitha), while Shiva is worshipped at dawn (Arunodaya).
The Manikarnika Snan during Arunodaya in Varanasi is especially significant.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple honors Lord Vishnu on this day, symbolizing divine unity.
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Vaikuntha Chaturdashi, observed on the Chaturdashi of Kartik Shukla Paksha, is a rare and highly sacred Hindu festival where Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva are worshipped together. This unique occasion, falling one day before Kartik Purnima and Dev Diwali, is particularly significant in Varanasi, where elaborate rituals are performed in temples and along the Ganges. As per the Shiva Purana, Lord Vishnu once visited Varanasi with the intent to offer 1000 lotus flowers to Lord Shiva. When one lotus went missing, He offered one of His eyes—often compared to a lotus—demonstrating His unwavering devotion. Moved by this act, Lord Shiva restored His eye and gifted Him the Sudarshana Chakra.
This event is celebrated with grandeur in temples across Varanasi, Rishikesh, Gaya, and Maharashtra. On this day, devotees of Lord Vishnu perform the Vishnu Sahasranama recitation and offer 1000 lotus flowers during Nishitha, the midnight hour per Hindu timekeeping. Simultaneously, devotees of Lord Shiva perform Arunodaya Puja at dawn, with the Manikarnika Snan (holy dip) at Varanasi’s Manikarnika Ghat being considered especially meritorious. The day underscores the spiritual harmony and oneness between Vaishnavism and Shaivism.
The highlight of this occasion is that Lord Vishnu is ceremonially honored within the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, a Shiva shrine, marking a rare reversal of traditional roles. On Vaikuntha Chaturdashi, Vishnu offers Tulsi leaves to Shiva, and Shiva reciprocates with Bael leaves to Vishnu, symbolizing divine unity and mutual reverence. This celebration exemplifies the philosophical oneness of the divine forms and is a testament to the mutual devotion and harmony that lie at the heart of Hindu tradition.
