When the sacred month of Kārttika arrives, the scriptures enjoin that one should honor the brāhmaṇas with a variety of foods and delicacies, as well as with garments, garlands, and ornaments. It is a time of special offerings: after performing the ritual offering of a blue bull according to the proper injunctions, one should present a golden bull along with cows, dedicating them to Umā and Maheśvara. A bed should be offered as well, splendidly adorned with eight pearls, covered with a pure white cloth for the eyes, and complete with all necessary accessories, including a water jar. Upon a copper vessel, rice grains are to be placed and offered to a peaceful Brahmin, one who is steadfast in Vedic vows. This gift is best given to someone who knows the Jyeṣṭha Sāma, or one newly initiated into sacred vows, or to one skilled in virtue, a Śrotriya, or a teacher who knows the truth. The recipient should be whole in body, gentle, always engaged in ritual, and accompanied by his wife, having first been honored with garments, garlands, and ornaments. If the guru is present, the offering should go to him; if not, then to another twice-born Brahmin. One must not act with deceit regarding wealth, for wrongdoing leads only to downfall. Whoever observes the Śiva Caturdaśī with such devotion and procedure attains the merit of a thousand horse sacrifices. All sins, even the gravest—such as the killing of a Brahmin—whether committed by oneself, ancestors, or brothers, are destroyed. Through this observance, one attains long life, health, prosperity for the family, inexhaustible food, and, in the hereafter, a four-armed form and lordship over the Gaṇas. After dwelling in heaven for hundreds of kalpa cycles, one ultimately reaches the abode of Śambhu. The fruits of this vow are so vast that not even Bṛhaspati, Indra, Pitāmaha, the host of Siddhas, nor even I myself, could describe them fully—even if I had millions of tongues. Beloved of the immortals is the one who recites, remembers, or listens to this liberating Śiva Caturdaśī, which is praised by countless heavenly maidens; what blame could ever befall one who acts thus? Any woman who performs this vow with devotion, having sought the consent of her husband, children, or teachers, also attains by the Lord’s grace the supreme abode of Pinākapāṇi. Now, O Nārada, hear of the greatness of the fruit of renunciation, which is imperishable and supreme in this world and grants all desired results. In the auspicious month of Mārgaśīrṣa, on the third day, or on the twelfth, eighth, or fourteenth day of the bright fortnight, after having a Brahmin recite the appropriate texts, one should begin the vow. In other auspicious months as well, Brahmins should be fed with sweet rice and proper gifts, according to one’s means. For a year, except for medicinal purposes, one should avoid the eighteen types of grains, as well as other fruits and roots, and create images of Rudra and Dharmarāja with a bull and gold. Among the fruits to be offered are gourd, citron, eggplant, jackfruit, amrataka, wood apple, and the fruit known as kaliṅga or vālukam; coconut, sacred fig, jujube, lemon, banana, kashmara, and pomegranate—sixteen in all, each cleansed as one is able. Also included are radish, Indian gooseberry, jambū, tamarind, amardaka, kaṅkola, cardamom, tuṇḍīra, karīra, kuṭaja, and śamī. According to one’s means, one should have made of silver: a fig (audumbara), a coconut, two grapes, and two eggplants—completing the set of sixteen fruits. In copper, one should have a palmyra fruit, agasti fruit, pinda fruit, kashmari fruit, and surana tuber, along with a red yam, kanakāhva fruit, cirbhiṭa, citravalli fruit, and silk-cotton fruit. A mango, niṣpāva, licorice, banyan, mudga, and patola—these sixteen, too, should be made of copper, according to capacity. Two water pots should be prepared, with grain placed atop and covered with cloth; on top of this, arrange bedding with fine garments. With three vessels for food, and accompanied by images of the bull of Yama and Rudra, together with a cow, one should honor a peaceful Brahmin who has a family, along with his wife, presenting these gifts on an auspicious day. It is said that as countless immortals reside in all these fruits, so may devotion to Shiva arise in the devotee from the vow of giving all fruits. Just as Shiva and Dharma always bestow endless fruits, so may they grant boons in return for these offerings. May the rewards be endless, birth after birth, just as the fruits are endless for Shiva’s devotees. And just as there is no difference in my eyes among Shiva, Vishnu, the Sun, and the Lotus-born Brahmā, so may Shankara, the Soul of the Universe, always be mine. After giving all these, adorned with ornaments if able, one should also offer a bed complete with all accessories. If unable, then only the prescribed fruits, with two water pots and two golden images of Shiva and Dharma, should be given. Having made the gift to a Brahmin, one may then eat, keeping speech pure and avoiding oil, and, as able, also feed other Brahmins. The knowers of the Veda declare that this vow of giving all fruits is auspicious for devotees of Bhagavān, as well as for those devoted to the Sun, to Vishnu, and to Yoga. This vow, which grants endless fruits, should also be performed by women as they are able; there is no other vow in this world or the next that surpasses it. For however many atoms there are in the gold, silver, and copper when the fruits are ground, for that many thousands of ages one is honored in the world of Rudra. This vow removes all sins, grants long life among humans, and even in future births, one does not suffer the pain of losing a child, ultimately attaining the abode of Indra. Even a poor man who hears or recites this in temples or in the homes of the righteous is freed from sins and attains the blissful abode of Vishnu. Then, O Lord Nandīśa, a question is asked: “Tell me of that vow which brings health to people, bestows endless rewards, and grants peace to mortals.” The answer is revealed: That supreme, eternal Brahman, the abode of the universal soul, is established in the world in three forms—as the sun, fire, and moon.