Garuda Purana

भक्तं सद्भक्तिश्रद्धाभ्यां मुक्तिकामी हि मानवः । आम्र पत्रपुटे कृत्वा यो भुड्क्ते कुशवोष्टिते ॥ १,१३२.

A person desiring liberation should eat food with true devotion and faith, placing it on a mango leaf and eating it with kusa grass.

कलम्बिकाम्लिकोपेतं काम्यं तस्य फलं भवे (लभे) त् । बुधं पञ्चोपचारेण पूजयित्वा जलाशये ॥ १,१३२.

Mixed with sour kalambika, the desired fruit is obtained. After worshipping Budha with five offerings at a water place,

शक्तितो दक्षिणं दद्यात्कर्करीं तण्डुलान्विताम् । बुं बुधायेति बीजं स्यात्स्वाहान्तः कमलादिकः ॥ १,१३२.

One should give, as able, a gourd with rice as a donation. The seed mantra for Budha is 'buṃ budhāya', ending with 'svāhā', along with lotus and other items.

बाणचापधरंश्यामं दले चाङ्गनि मध्यतः । बुधाष्टमीकथा पुण्या श्रोतव्या कृतिभिर्ध्रुवम् ॥ १,१३२.

Dark-complexioned, holding bow and arrow, in the middle of the leaf and limbs. The story of Budha's eighth day is virtuous and should certainly be heard by the wise.

पुरे पाटलिपुत्राख्ये वीरो नाम द्विजोत्तमः । रम्भा भार्या तस्य चासीत्कौशिकः पुत्र उत्तमः ॥ १,१३२.

In the city called Pataliputra, there was a noble Brahmin named Vira. His wife was Rambha, and their excellent son was Kaushika.

दुहिता विजयानाम्नी व (ध) नपालो वृषोऽभवत् । गृहीत्वा कौशिकस्तं च ग्रीष्मे गङ्गां गतोऽरमत् ॥ १,१३२.

Their daughter was named Vijaya, and the cowherd was Vrisha. Kaushika took him and, in summer, went to the Ganges and enjoyed himself.

गोपालकैर्वृषश्चौरैः क्रीडास्थोपहृतो बलात् । गङ्गातः स च उत्थाय वनं बभ्राम दुः खितः ॥ १,१३२.

Vrisha was seized by cowherds and thieves during play, by force. Rising from the Ganges, he wandered in the forest, distressed.

जलार्थं विजया चागाद्भ्रा(न्मा) त्रा सार्धं च साप्यगात् । पिपासितो मृणालार्थो आगतोऽथ सरोवरम् ॥ १,१३२.

Vijaya went for water, and her brother also went with her. Thirsty and seeking lotus stalks, he arrived at the lake.

दिव्यस्त्रीणां च पूजादीन्दृष्ट्वा चाप्यथ विस्मितः । स ता गत्वा ययाचेऽन्नं सानुजोऽहं बुभुक्षितः ॥ १,१३२.

Seeing the worship and other rites of divine women, he was amazed. He approached them and begged for food, saying, 'I am hungry, along with my brother.'

स्त्रियोऽब्रुवन्व्रतं कर्तुं दास्यामश्च कुरु व्रतम् । पत्न्यर्थं धनपाना (लार्) थं पूजयामासतुर्बुधम् ॥ १,१३२.

The women said, 'Perform the vow, and we will give you food; do the vow.' For the sake of his wife and wealth, they worshipped Budha.

पुटद्वयं गृहीत्वान्नं बुभुजाते प्रदत्तकम् । स्त्रियो गतास्तौ धनदौ धनपानमपश्यताम् ॥ १,१३२.

Taking two leaves, he ate the food that was given. The women departed, and those two obtained wealth and drank the wealth.

चौरैर्दत्तं गृहीत्वाथ प्रदोषे प्राप्तवान् गृहम् । वीरं च दुः खितं नत्वा रात्रौ सुप्तो यथासुखम् ॥ १,१३२.

Having taken what was given by the thieves, he returned home at nightfall, bowed to the distressed hero, and then slept comfortably through the night.

कन्यां च युवतीं दृष्ट्वा कस्मै देया सुता मया । यमायेत्यब्रवीद्दुः खात्साचाराद्व्रतसत्फलात् ॥ १,१३२.

Seeing the maiden, now a young woman, he wondered, 'To whom should I give my daughter?' Out of sorrow, and because of the fruit of his vow, he said, 'To Yama.'

स्वर्गं गतौ च पितरौ व्रतं राज्याय कौ शिकः । चक्रेऽयोध्यामहाराज्यं दत्त्वा च भगिनीं यमे ॥ १,१३२.

When his parents had gone to heaven, Kauśika performed a vow for the sake of the kingdom, gave the great kingdom of Ayodhya, and gave his sister to Yama.

यमोऽपि विजयामाह गृहस्था भव मे पुरे । नोद्धाटयान्यत्रगते यमे सा न तथाकरोत् । अपश्यन्मातरं स्वां सा पाशयातनया स्थिताम् ॥ १,१३२.

Yama said to her, 'Become a householder in my city.' She did not open the door when Yama had gone elsewhere. She saw her own mother bound by the noose, standing as a captive.

अथोद्विग्ना कौशिकोक्तं ज्ञात्वा मुक्तिप्रदं व्रतम् । चक्रे च सा ततो मुक्ता माता तस्माच्चरेद्व्रतम् ॥ १,१३२.

Then, anxious, she learned of the vow spoken by Kauśika, which grants liberation. She performed it, and was freed; therefore, one should observe this vow.

व्रतपुण्यप्रभावेण स्वर्गं गत्वावसत्सुखम् ॥ १,१३२.

By the power of the merit from the vow, she went to heaven and dwelt there happily.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् १३३ ब्रह्मोवाच । अशोककलिका ह्यष्टौ ये पिबन्ति पुनर्वसौ । चैत्रे मासि सिताष्टम्यां न ते शोकमवाप्नुयुः ॥ १,१३३.

Brahmā said: Those who drink eight buds of the aśoka tree during the bright eighth day of the month of Caitra, under the star Punarvasu, will never experience sorrow.

त्वामशोक ! हराभीष्ट ! मधुमाससमुद्भव । पिबामि शोकसन्तप्तो मामशोकं सदा कुरु ॥ १,१३३.

O aśoka, beloved of Hara, born in the spring month, I drink you, tormented by sorrow—always remove my sorrow.

(इत्यशोकाष्टमीव्रतम्) । ब्रह्मोवाच । शुक्लाष्टम्यामाश्वयुजे उत्तराषाढया युता । सा महानवमीत्युक्ता स्नानदानादि चाक्षयम् ॥ १,१३३.

Thus is the aśokāṣṭamī vow. Brahmā said: On the bright eighth day in the month of Āśvayuja, joined with the star Uttarāṣāḍhā, that is called the great Navamī; bathing, giving gifts, and so on, are inexhaustible in merit.

नवमी केवला चापि दुर्गां चैव तु पूजयेत् । महाव्रतं महापुण्यं शङ्कराद्यैरनुष्ठितम् ॥ १,१३३.

On the pure Navamī, one should worship Durgā; this is a great vow, of great merit, practiced by Śaṅkara and others.

अयाचितादि षष्ठ्यादौ राजा शत्रुजयाया च । जपहोमसमायुक्तः कन्यां वा भोजयेत्सदा ॥ १,१३३.

Beginning from the sixth day, without asking, and for the king's victory over enemies, one should always feed a maiden, accompanied by recitation and fire offerings.

दुर्गेदुर्गे रक्षिणि स्वाहा मन्त्रोऽयं पूजनादिषु । दीर्घाकारादिमात्राभिर्नव देव्यो नमोऽन्तिकाः ॥ १,१३३.

In worship and related rites, the mantra is: 'O Durgā, O Durgā, O Protectress, svāhā.' The nine goddesses are to be honored with elongated syllables, ending with 'obeisance.'

षड्भिः पदैर्नमः स्वाहा वषडादिहृदादिकम् । अङ्गुष्ठादिकनिष्ठान्तं न्यस्य वै पृजयेच्छिवाम् ॥ १,१३३.

With six words—'obeisance, svāhā, vaṣaṭ,' and so on, beginning with the heart and ending with the little finger—one should perform the ritual for Śivā.

अष्टम्यां नव गेहानि दारुजान्येकमेव वा । तस्मिन्देवी प्रकर्तव्या हैमी वाराजतापि वा ॥ १,१३३.

On the eighth day, one should make nine wooden houses, or even just one; in that, the goddess should be installed, whether made of gold or silver.

शूले खङ्गे पुस्तके वा पटे वा मण्डले (पे) यजेत् । कपालं खेटकं घण्टां दर्पणं तर्जनीं धनः ॥ १,१३३.

One should worship her on a spear, sword, book, cloth, or diagram; with a skull, shield, bell, mirror, forefinger, or wealth.

ध्वजं डमरुकं पाशं वामहस्तेषु बिभ्रती । शक्तिं च मुद्गरं शूलं वज्रं खङ्गं तथाङ्कुशम् ॥ १,१३३.

Bearing a banner, drum, noose in her left hands; and a spear, mallet, trident, thunderbolt, sword, and goad.

शरं चक्रं शलाकां च दुर्गामायुधसंयुताम् । शेषाः षोडशहस्तां स्युरञ्जनं डमरुं विना ॥ १,१३३.

With arrow, discus, and rod, Durgā is adorned with weapons; the remaining forms have sixteen arms, except for the collyrium and drum.

रुद्रचण्डा प्रचण्डा च चण्डोग्रा चण्डनायिका । चण्डा चण्डवती चैव चण्डरूपातिचण्डिका ॥ १,१३३.

Rudracaṇḍā, Pracaṇḍā, Caṇḍogrā, Caṇḍanāyikā, Caṇḍā, Caṇḍavatī, and Caṇḍarūpā, the exceedingly fierce Caṇḍikā.