इदमाचरतो राजन्नखंडव्रतता भवेत्। यथाकथंचित्कालेन द्वादशद्वादशीर्नृप
O king, by practicing this, the vow remains unbroken; somehow, over time, twelve Dvadashis should be observed.
कर्तव्या शक्तितो देव विप्रेभ्यो दक्षिणा नृप। ज्येष्ठे गावः प्रदातव्या मध्यमे भूमिरुत्तमा
According to ability, gifts should be given to the gods and Brahmins, O king; in the best case, cows should be given, in the middle, land, and in the lowest, gold.
कनिष्ठे कांचनं देयमित्येषा दक्षिणा स्मृता। प्रथमं ब्रह्मदैवत्यं द्वितीयं वैष्णवं तथा
In the least case, gold should be given—this is considered the proper gift; the first is for Brahma, the second for Vishnu.
तृतीयं रुद्रदैवत्यं त्रयो देवास्त्रिषु स्थिताः। इति कलुषविदारणं जनानां पठति च यस्तु शृणोति चापि भक्त्या
The third is for Rudra; the three gods are established in these three. Thus, whoever recites or hears this with devotion destroys the sins of people.
मतिमपि च स याति देवलोके वसति च रोमसमानि वत्सराणि। अथातः संप्रवक्ष्यामि व्रतानामुत्तमं व्रतं
He attains wisdom and dwells in the world of the gods for as many years as there are hairs on the body. Now, I shall declare the supreme vow among vows.
कथितं तेन रुद्रेण महापातकनाशनम्। नक्तमब्दं चरित्वा तु गवासार्धं कुटुंबिने
It was told by Rudra himself, the destroyer of great sins: after observing the vow of night-fasting for a year, half the merit of giving a cow accrues to a householder.
हैमं चक्रं त्रिशूलं च दद्याद्विप्राय वाससी। एवं यः कुरुते पुण्यं शिवलोके स मोदते
One should give a golden discus and trident, along with garments, to a Brahmin; whoever performs this meritorious act rejoices in the world of Shiva.
एतदेव व्रतं नाम महापातकनाशनम्। यस्वेकभक्तेन क्षिपेद्धेनुं वृषसमन्विताम्
This very vow is called the destroyer of great sins; whoever, with single-minded devotion, gives a cow accompanied by a bull.
धेनुं तिलमयीं दद्यात्स पदं याति शांकरम्। एतद्रुद्रव्रतं नाम भयशोकविनाशनम्
Whoever gives a cow made of sesame seeds attains the abode of Shiva; this is called the Rudra vow, which removes fear and sorrow.
यश्च नीलोत्पलं हैमं शर्करापात्रसंयुतम्। एकांतरितनक्ताशी समांते वृषसंयुतम्
And whoever, at the end of the year, gives a blue lotus made of gold, together with a vessel of sugar, and a bull, while observing alternate-day fasting at night—
वैष्णवं स पदं याति नीलव्रतमिदं स्मृतम्। आषाढादिचतुर्मासमभ्यंगं वर्जयेन्नरः
He attains the Vaishnava abode; this is known as the Nila vow. During the four months beginning with Ashadha, a person should avoid oil-bathing.
भोजनोपस्करं दद्यात्स याति भवनं हरेः। जनप्रीतिकरं नॄणां प्रीतिव्रतमिहोच्यते ५० 1.20.
Whoever gives dining utensils goes to the abode of Hari; this is called the vow of delight, which brings joy to people.
वर्जयित्वा मधौ यस्तु दधिक्षीरघृतैक्षवम्। दद्याद्वस्त्राणि सूक्ष्माणि रसपात्रेण संयुतम्
Whoever, avoiding curd, milk, ghee, and sugarcane in spring, gives fine garments together with a vessel for liquids—
संपूज्य विप्रमिथुनं गौरी मे प्रीयतामिति। एतद्गौरीव्रतं नाम भवानीलोकदायकम्
Having worshipped a pair of Brahmins, saying, 'May Gauri be pleased with me,' this is called the Gauri vow, which grants the world of Bhavani.
पुष्यादौ यस्त्रयोदश्यां कृत्वा नक्तमथो पुनः। अशोकं कांचनं दद्यादिक्षुयुक्तं दशांगुलम्
Whoever, at the beginning of Pushya, on the thirteenth day, having fasted at night, gives an ashoka tree of gold, ten fingers in length, with sugar—
विप्राय वस्त्रसंयुक्तं प्रद्युम्नः प्रीयतामिति। कल्पं विष्णुपुरे स्थित्वा विशोकस्स्यात्पुनर्नृप
To a Brahmin, along with garments, saying, 'May Pradyumna be pleased,' he dwells for an age in Vishnu's city and becomes free from sorrow, O king.
एतत्कामव्रतं नाम सदा शोकविनाशनम्। आषाढादि व्रते यस्तु वर्जयेद्यः फलाशनम्
This is called the Kama vow, always destroying sorrow; whoever, during the vow beginning with Ashadha, avoids eating fruits—
चातुर्मास्ये निवृत्ते तु घटं सर्पिर्गुडान्वितम्। कार्तिक्यां तत्पुनर्हैमं ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत्
When the four-month vow is completed, he should offer a pot filled with ghee and jaggery; in Kartika, he should again present gold to a Brahmin.
स रुद्रलोकमाप्नोति शिवव्रतमिदं स्मृतम्। वर्जयेद्यस्तु पुष्पाणि हेमंते शिशिरावृते
He attains the world of Rudra; this is known as the Shiva vow. Whoever avoids flowers during Hemanta and Shishira—
पुष्पत्रयं च फाल्गुन्यां कृत्वा शक्त्या च कांचनम्। दद्याद्द्विकालवेलायां प्रीयेतां शिवकेशवौ
And, in Phalguna, gives three kinds of flowers and as much gold as he is able, at the two daily junctures, may Shiva and Keshava be pleased.
दत्वा परं पदं याति सौम्यव्रतमिदं स्मृतम्। फाल्गुनादि तृतीयायां लवणं यस्तु वर्जयेत्
Having given thus, he attains the supreme abode; this is known as the Saumya vow. Whoever, from Phalguna onwards, on the third day, avoids salt—
समांते शयनं दद्याद्गृहं चोपस्करान्वितम्। संपूज्य विप्रमिथुनं भवानी प्रीयतामिति
At the end of the year, he should give a bed and a house furnished with utensils, having worshipped a pair of Brahmins, saying, 'May Bhavani be pleased.'
गौरीलोके वसेत्कल्पं सौभाग्यव्रतमुच्यते। संध्यामौनं नरः कृत्वा समांते घृतकुंभकम्
He dwells for an age in the world of Gauri; this is called the Saubhagya vow. Whoever, observing silence at twilight, at the end of the year offers a pot of ghee—
वस्त्रयुग्मं तिलान्घंटां ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत्। लोकं सारस्वतं याति पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम्
And a pair of garments, along with sesame and a bell, to a Brahmin, he attains the Sarasvata world, which is difficult to return from.
एतत्सारस्वतं नाम रूपविद्याप्रदायकम्। लक्ष्मीमभ्यर्च्य पंचम्यामुपवासी भवेन्नरः
This is called the Sarasvata rite, bestowing knowledge of forms; after worshipping Lakshmi on the fifth day, a man should fast.
समांते हेमकमलं दद्याद्धेनुसमन्वितम्। स वै विष्णुपदं याति लक्ष्मीः स्याज्जन्मजन्मनि
At the conclusion, he should give a golden lotus together with a cow; he then attains the abode of Vishnu, and Lakshmi will be with him in every birth.
एतल्लक्ष्मीव्रतं नाम दुःखशोकविनाशनम्। कृत्वोपलेपनं शंभोरग्रतः केशवस्य च
This is called the Lakshmi vow, which destroys sorrow and grief; having performed the anointing before Shambhu and also before Keshava.
यावदब्दं पुनर्देया धेनुर्जलघटस्तथा। जन्मायुतं स राजा स्यात्ततः शिवपुरं व्रजेत्
For a year, he should again give a cow and a water pot; he becomes a king for ten thousand births, and then goes to the city of Shiva.
एतदायुर्व्रतं नाम सर्वकामप्रदायकम्। अश्वत्थं भास्करं गंगां प्रणम्यैकाग्रमानसः
This is called the Ayu-vrata, the vow of longevity, which grants all desires; with focused mind, one should bow to the Ashvattha tree, the Sun, and the Ganga.
एकभक्तं नरः कुर्यादब्दमेकं विमत्सरः। व्रतांते विप्रमिथुनं पूज्यं धेनुत्रयान्वितम्
A man should eat only once a day for a year, free from envy; at the end of the vow, he should worship a pair of Brahmins together with three cows.