पूजयेत्तत्र देवेशं शंखचक्रगदाधरम् । कौशेयपीतवसनं युक्तं जलधिकन्यया
There, one should worship the Lord of gods, bearing the conch, discus, and mace, dressed in yellow silk, together with the daughter of the ocean.
इंद्रादिलोकपालांश्च पूजयेन्मंडले व्रती । द्वादश्यां प्रतिबुद्धः स त्रयोदश्यां यतः सुरैः
The observer of the vow should also worship the guardians of the worlds, beginning with Indra, in a circle; on the twelfth day, awakened by the gods, he...
दृष्टोऽर्चितश्चतुर्दश्यां तस्मात्पूज्यस्तथाधिकम् । तस्यामुपवसेद्भक्त्या शांतः प्रयतमानसः
He who is seen and worshipped on the fourteenth day should therefore be honored even more; on that day, one should fast with devotion, being peaceful and with concentrated mind.
पूजयेद्देवदेवेशं सौवर्णं गुर्वनुज्ञया । उपचारैः षोडशभिर्नानाभक्ष्यसमन्वितैः
With the guru’s permission, one should worship the Lord of gods, made of gold, with sixteen offerings accompanied by various kinds of food.
रात्रौ जागरणं कुर्याद्गीतवाद्यादि मंगलैः । गीतं कुर्वंति ये भक्त्या जागरे चक्रपाणिनः
At night, one should keep vigil with auspicious singing and instrumental music; those who sing with devotion during the vigil for the wielder of the discus—
जन्मांतरशतोद्भूतैस्ते मुक्ताः पापसंचयैः । जागरे वासरे विष्णोर्गीतं नृत्यं च कुर्वताम्
Are freed from the heaps of sins accumulated over hundreds of births; for those who sing and dance for Viṣṇu during the night vigil—
गोसहस्रं च ददतां तत्फलं समुदाहृतम् । गीतनृत्यादिकं कुर्वन्दर्शयेत्कौतुकानि च
The reward is said to be equal to giving a thousand cows; performing singing, dancing, and other such acts, one should also display festive amusements.
पुरतो वासुदेवस्य रात्रौ यो हरिजागरे । पठन्विष्णुचरित्राणि यो रंजयति वैष्णवान्
Whoever, in front of Vāsudeva, during the night of Hari’s vigil, recites the stories of Viṣṇu and delights the Vaiṣṇavas—
मुखेन कुरुते वाद्यं स्वेच्छालापांश्च दर्शयन् । भावैरेतैर्नरो यस्तु कुरुते हरिजागरम्
Who plays instruments with his mouth and shows spontaneous speech—whichever man performs the night vigil for Hari with these feelings—
दिनेदिने तस्य पुण्यं तीर्थकोटिसमं स्मृतम् । ततस्तु पौर्णिमास्यां वै सपत्नीकान्द्विजोत्तमान्
His merit each day is considered equal to that of ten million pilgrimages; then, on the full moon day, together with his wife, he should invite excellent Brāhmaṇas.
त्रिंशन्मिताननेकान्वा स्वशक्त्या वा निमंत्रयेत् । वरान्दत्त्वा यतो विष्णुर्मत्स्यरूपी अभूत्तदा
He should invite thirty or more, or as many as he is able; for it was then, after granting boons, that Viṣṇu became the Fish-incarnation.
तस्यां दत्तं हुतं जप्तं तदक्षयफलं स्मृतम् । अतस्तान्भोजयेद्विप्रान्पायसान्नादिना व्रती
Whatever is given, offered into the fire, or recited on that day is said to yield imperishable results; therefore, the vow-observer should feed the Brāhmaṇas with milk-rice and other foods.
अतो देवा इति द्वाभ्यां जुहुयात्तिलपायसम् । प्रीत्यर्थं देवदेवस्य देवानां च पृथक्पृथक्
Then, with two ladles, he should offer sesame-milk-rice for the pleasure of the Lord of gods, and separately for the other gods.
दक्षिणां च यथाशक्ति प्रदद्यात्प्रणमेच्च तान् । पुनर्देवं समभ्यर्च्य देवांश्च तुलसीं तथा
He should give gifts according to his ability and bow to them; then, having worshipped the Lord again, the gods, and also the tulasī plant—
ततो गां कपिलां तत्र पूजयेद्विधिवद्व्रती । गुरुं व्रतोपदेष्टारं वस्त्रालंकरणादिभिः
After that, the vow-observer should properly worship a tawny cow there, as well as the guru who has instructed him in the vow, with garments, ornaments, and the like.
सपत्नीकं समभ्यर्च्य गां च तस्मै प्रदापयेत् । युष्मत्प्रसादाद्देवेशः प्रसन्नो मे भवेत्तदा
Having worshipped him together with his wife, he should give him the cow; ‘By your favor, O Lord of gods, may the Lord be pleased with me then.’
व्रतादस्माच्च यत्पापं सप्तजन्मकृतं मया । तत्सर्वं नाशमायातु स्थिरा मे चास्तु संततिः
‘Whatever sin I have committed in seven births by this vow, may all that be destroyed, and may my lineage be stable.’
मनोरथाश्च सफलाः संतु नित्यं ममार्चनात् । देहांते वैष्णवं स्थानं प्राप्नुयामतिदुर्लभम्
‘May my wishes always be fulfilled through my worship; at the end of my body, may I attain the exceedingly rare abode of Viṣṇu.’
इति क्षमाप्यतान्विप्रान्प्रसाद्य च विसर्जयेत् । तामर्चां गुरवे दद्याद्रत्नयुक्तां तदा व्रती
Having thus honored and satisfied the Brāhmaṇas, he should dismiss them; then the vow-observer should give that worship, adorned with jewels, to the guru.
तदा सुहृद्गुरुयुतः स्वयं भुंजति भक्तिमान् । कार्त्तिके वाथ तपसि विधिरेवंविधः स्मृतः
Then, accompanied by friends and the guru, the devotee himself partakes of the food; such is the prescribed procedure in Kārttika or during austerities.
एवं यः कुरुते सम्यक्कार्तिकस्य व्रतं नरः । विपाप्मा स विनिर्मुक्तो विष्णुसान्निध्यगो भवेत्
Thus, whoever properly observes the vow of Kārtika, that man becomes freed from all sin and attains the presence of Viṣṇu.
सर्वव्रतैः सर्वतीर्थैःस र्वदानैश्च यत्फलम् । तत्कोटिगुणितं ज्ञेयं सम्यगस्य विधानतः
The fruit gained from all vows, all sacred bathing places, and all gifts—know that, when performed properly, this vow yields a result multiplied by ten million times.
ते धन्यास्ते महापुण्यास्तेषां सर्वफलोदयः । विष्णुभक्तिरता ये स्युः कार्तिके व्रतकारिणः
Blessed and greatly meritorious are those whose every desire is fulfilled—those devoted to Viṣṇu who observe the vow in Kārtika.
देहस्थितानि पापानि वितर्कं यांति तद्भयात् । क्व यास्यामो वदंत्येवं यद्ययं व्रतकृन्नरः
The sins residing in the body, out of fear, begin to wonder, 'Where shall we go?' when a man undertakes this vow.
इत्यूर्जव्रतनियमान्शृणोति भक्ता ये चैतत्कथयंति चैव वैष्णवाग्रे । ते सम्यग्व्रतकरणात्फलं लभेरन्तत्सर्वं कलुषविनाशनं लभंते
Those devotees who listen to or recite these regulations of the Urja vow before Vaiṣṇavas, by properly performing the vow, obtain all its fruits and gain the destruction of all impurity.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायामुत्तरखंडे कार्तिकमाहात्म्ये श्रीकृष्णसत्यभामासंवादे उद्यापनवर्णनोनाम पंचनवतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the ninety-fifth chapter, entitled 'Description of the Completion Ceremony,' in the section on the greatness of Kārtika, in the dialogue between Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Satyabhāmā, in the Uttara-khaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, comprising fifty-five thousand verses.
पृथुरुवाच- यत्त्वया कथितं ब्रह्मन्व्रतमूर्जस्य विस्तरात् । तत्र या तुलसीमूले विष्णोः पूजा त्वयोदिता
Pṛthu said: O Brāhmaṇa, the vow of Urja which you have described in detail—especially the worship of Viṣṇu at the base of the Tulasī plant as you instructed—
तेनाहं प्रष्टुमिच्छामि माहात्म्यं तुलसीभवम् । कथं सातिप्रिया विष्णोर्देवदेवस्य शार्ङ्गिणः
Therefore, I wish to ask you about the greatness and origin of Tulasī. How is she so dear to Viṣṇu, the god of gods, the wielder of Śārṅga?
कथमेषा समुत्पन्ना कस्मिंस्थाने च नारद । एतद्ब्रूहि समासेन सर्वज्ञोऽसि मतो हि मे
How did she arise, and in what place, O Nārada? Tell me this in brief, for I consider you to be all-knowing.
नारदउवाच- पुरा रुद्रेण दैत्येंद्रे सिंधुसूनौ निपातिते । प्रणम्य शिरसा रुद्रं देवा ब्रह्मादयोऽब्रुवन् । शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि माहात्म्यं तुलसीभवम्
Nārada said: Long ago, when Rudra slew the lord of the demons, the son of the ocean, the gods led by Brahmā bowed their heads to Rudra and spoke. Listen, O King, as I recount the greatness and origin of Tulasī.