एवं जल्पंति विबुधा मनसा चिंतयंति च। ब्रह्मयज्ञं च कार्तिक्यां कदा द्रक्ष्यामहे नृप
Thus the gods speak and ponder in their minds: "When shall we see the Brahma-yajña in Kartika, O king?"
एवं ते विधिरुद्दिष्टो मयायं कुरुसत्तम। देवगंधर्वयक्षाणां सर्वदा दुर्लभो ह्यसौ
Thus, O best of the Kurus, I have described this procedure to you; it is always difficult to obtain, even for gods, Gandharvas, and Yakshas.
एवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वेन यश्च पश्यति मंडलम्। यश्चेमं शृणुयाच्चैव सर्वे मुक्ता इति श्रुतिः
Whoever truly knows this, and sees the mandala, and whoever hears this— all are liberated, so declares the scripture.
अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि रहस्यमिदमुत्तमम्। येन लक्ष्मीर्धृतिस्तुष्टिः पुष्टिश्चापि भवेन्नृणाम्
Now I shall declare to you this supreme secret, by which men attain prosperity, satisfaction, and nourishment.
सर्वे ग्रहास्सदा सौम्या जायंते येन पार्थिव। आदित्यवारं हस्तेन पूर्वमादाय भक्तितः
By which all the planets are always auspicious, O king: On a Sunday, with devotion, one should first take with his hand—
भक्तैकेन क्षिपेत्तावद्यावत्सप्त च संख्यया। ततस्तु सप्तमे पूर्णे कुर्याद्ब्राह्मणभोजनम्
A single devotee should offer as many as seven (items), and when the seventh is completed, he should arrange a meal for Brahmins.
आदित्यं चैव सौवर्णं कृत्वा यत्नेन मानवः। रक्तवस्त्रयुगच्छन्नं छत्रिकां पादुके तथा
A man should carefully make a golden image of the Sun, covered with a pair of red garments, along with an umbrella and sandals.
उपानहौ च दातव्ये स्थापयेत्ताम्रभाजने। घृतेन स्नपनं कृत्वा संपूर्णांग द्विजातये
He should also give shoes, placing them in a copper vessel; after anointing with ghee, he should give them, complete in all parts, to a twice-born.
दापयेत्कृत्यविदुषे ब्राह्मणाय विशेषतः। एवं कृतौ फलं तस्य भवेदारोग्यमुत्तमम्
He should have them given especially to a Brahmin who knows the rites; when this is done, the result is excellent health.
द्रव्यसंपत्समग्राप्तिरिति पौराणिकी क्रिया। अविसंवादिनी चेयं शांति पुष्टिप्रदा नृणाम्
The acquisition of all kinds of wealth and prosperity— such is the ancient rite; it is unfailing, brings peace, and bestows nourishment upon men.
तद्वच्चित्रासु संगृह्य सोमवारं विचक्षणः। रात्रिभक्षः क्षिपेदष्टौ सोमवारान्प्रयत्नतः
Likewise, the wise man should collect (items) in decorated vessels on Mondays, and, abstaining from food at night, carefully offer eight Mondays.
प्रत्येकं ब्राह्मणा भोज्या यथाशक्ति विचक्षणाः। नवमे तु ततः पूर्णे कुर्याद्ब्राह्मणभोजनम्
Each time, wise men should feed Brahmins according to their ability; and when the ninth is completed, he should arrange a Brahmin meal.
वस्त्रयुग्मं च दातव्यं ततः सोमं प्रदापयेत्। कांस्यभाजनसंस्थं तु क्षीरसंपूरितं ततः
He should then give a pair of garments and present Soma, placed in a bronze vessel and filled with milk.
तद्वच्छत्रं पादुके च तथोपानत्समन्वितम्। संपूर्णांगाय दातव्यं ब्राह्मणाय विशेषतः
Likewise, an umbrella and sandals, along with shoes, should be given, complete in all parts, especially to a Brahmin.
स्वात्यामंगारकं पूज्य क्षपयेन्नक्तभोजनैः। अष्टावेवं च यावच्च कुर्याद्ब्राह्मणभोजनम्
On the day of Svāti, one should worship Mars and observe fasting at night; this should be done for eight nights, and then one should offer food to Brahmins.
अंगारकं च सौवर्णं स्थापितं ताम्रभाजने। दापयेद्ब्राह्मणायाथ संपूर्णांगाय चैव हि
A golden image of Mars should be placed in a copper vessel and given to a Brahmin who is in good health.
नक्षत्रानुक्रमेणैव क्षिपेन्नक्तानि सप्त वै। अष्टमे तु क्रमात्खेटान्सौवर्णान्दापयेद्बुधः
According to the sequence of the lunar mansions, one should fast for seven nights; on the eighth, one should give golden images of the planets, as prescribed.
अग्निकार्यं च कुर्वीत यथादृष्टं विधानतः। एवं कृते भवेद्यद्वै तन्निबोध नराधिप
One should perform the fire ritual as prescribed in the scriptures; when this is done, O king, know what result arises.
असौम्याश्च ग्रहास्सर्वे सौम्यरूपा भवंति च॥ सर्वे रोगा विनश्यन्ति तुष्टिमायान्ति देवताः
All the inauspicious planets become auspicious; all diseases are destroyed, and the deities become pleased.
न विरुन्धन्ति तं नागाः पितरस्तर्पितास्तथा। दुस्स्वप्ननाशो भवति शृण्वतां पठतां तथा
Serpents do not harm him, and the ancestors are satisfied; bad dreams are destroyed for those who listen and recite.
यदि भौमो रविसुतो भास्करो राहुणा सह। केतुश्च मूर्ध्नि तिष्ठंति रौद्राः पीडाकरा ग्रहाः
If Mars, the son of the Sun, the Sun himself, or Rahu, along with Ketu, are positioned at the head, these fierce planets cause suffering.
अनेन कृतमात्रेण ससौभाग्या भवंति हि। य एवं कुरुते राजन्सदाभक्तिसमन्वितः
By performing this alone, one attains good fortune; whoever does this always with devotion, O king,
तस्य सानुग्रहाः सर्वे शांतिं यच्छंति नान्यथा। शनैश्चरं राहुकेतू लोहपात्रेषु विन्यसेत्
All the planets become gracious to him and grant peace, not otherwise; Saturn, Rahu, and Ketu should be placed in iron vessels.
लोहेन कारयेच्चैनान्ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च दापयेत्। कृष्णं वस्त्रयुगं देयमेतेषां प्रीणनाय वै
They should be made of iron and given to Brahmins; a pair of black garments should be given to please them.
सौवर्णां गाश्च दातव्याः शांतिश्रीविजयेप्सुभिः। व्रतांते सर्व एते हि ग्रहास्सौवर्णका नृप
Golden cows should be given by those desiring peace, prosperity, and victory; at the end of the vow, all these planets should be given in gold, O king.
दातव्याः शांतिमिच्छद्भिर्व्रतांते द्विजभोजनम्। यथाशक्ति दक्षिणा च ग्रहाणां प्रीतये तथा
Those who desire peace should give food to Brahmins at the end of the vow, and as much as possible, a gift, for the satisfaction of the planets.
अल्पायासेन राजेंद्र सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात्। शंकराज्ज्ञानमन्विच्छेदारोग्यं भास्करात्तथा३२७ (ज्ञान)॥ हुताशनाद्धनमिच्छेद्गतिमिच्छेज्जनार्दनात् । (गति)॥ ब्राह्म्यं पितामहाच्चैव सर्वजन्तुप्रशांतिदम्
With little effort, O king, one may obtain all desires; from Śaṅkara, one should seek knowledge, from Bhāskara, health, from Agni, wealth, from Janārdana, liberation, and from Brahmā and Pitāmaha, peace for all beings.
भीष्म उवाच॥ यस्त्वया कथितो यज्ञो यज्वनां तु फलं महत्। तथायुषस्स्वल्पतया अन्यैः प्राप्तुं न शक्यते
Bhīṣma said: The sacrifice you have described yields great fruit for those who perform it; such a result cannot be attained by others with a short lifespan.
स्वल्यायासेन यत्पुण्यं संवत्सरमुपोषजम्। भवेत्तन्मे मुनिश्रेष्ठ कथयस्व महाफलम्
O best of sages, tell me what great merit is gained with little effort by fasting for a year.
पुलस्त्य उवाच॥ इदमर्थं महाराज श्वेतो राजा महायशाः। वसिष्ठं पृष्टवान्प्रश्नं क्षुधया पीडितो भृशम्
Pulastya said: O great king, the illustrious king Śveta, afflicted greatly by hunger, once asked this very question of Vasiṣṭha.