Varaha Purana

यथाविभवसारेण प्रभाते विमले तथा । चतुर्णां ब्राह्मणानां च चतुरो दापयेद् घटान् ।। ३९.

In the clear morning, according to one's means and resources, four pots should be given to four brāhmaṇas.

पूर्वं तु बह्वृचे दद्याच्छन्दोगे दक्षिणं तथा । यजुःशाखान्विते दद्यात् पश्चिमं घटमुत्तमम् । उत्तरं कामतो तद्यादेष एव विधिः स्मृतः ।। ३९.

First, give the eastern pot to one versed in the Bahvṛca (Ṛgveda); the southern to one of the Chāndogya (Sāmaveda); the excellent western pot to one versed in the Yajurveda; the northern as one wishes—this is the prescribed rule.

ऋग्वेदः प्रीयतां पूर्वे सामवेदस्तु दक्षिणे । यजुर्वेदः पश्चिमतो अथर्वश्चोत्तरेण तु ।। ३९.

May the Ṛgveda be pleased in the east, the Sāmaveda in the south, the Yajurveda in the west, and the Atharvaveda in the north.

अनेन क्रमयोगेन प्रीयतामिति वाचयेत् । मत्स्यरूपं च सौवर्णमाचार्याय निवेदयेत् ।। ३९.

Recite: 'May they be pleased in this order,' and present the golden fish-form to the teacher.

गन्धधूपादिवस्त्रैश्च संपूज्य विधिवत् क्रमात् । यस्त्विमं सरहस्यं च मन्त्रं चैवोपपादयेत् । विधानं तस्य वै दत्त्वा फलं कोटिगुणोत्तरम् ।। ३९.

Having worshipped it properly with fragrance, incense, and cloths in due order, whoever presents this secret mantra and the procedure, receives a reward multiplied a crore-fold.

प्रतिपद्य गुरुं यस्तु मोहाद् विप्रतिपद्यते । स जन्मकोटि नरके पच्यते पुरुषाधमः । विधानस्य प्रदाता यो गुरुरित्युच्यते बुधैः ।। ३९.

But whoever, after accepting the teacher, acts wrongly out of delusion, that lowest of men is cooked in hell for ten million births; the giver of the procedure is called 'teacher' by the wise.

एवं दत्त्वा विधानेन द्वादश्यां विष्णुमर्च्य च । विप्राणां भोजनं कुर्याद् यथाशक्त्या सदक्षिणम् ।। ३९.

Having thus given according to the procedure, and worshipped Viṣṇu on the twelfth day, one should feed the brāhmaṇas to the best of one's ability, with proper gifts.

ताम्रपात्रैश्च सतिलैः स्थगितान् कारयेद् घटान् । तत्र सज्जलपात्रस्थं ब्राह्मणाय कुटुम्बिने ।। ३९.

Prepare pots made of copper, filled with sesame seeds; among them, the pot filled with water should be given to a brāhmaṇa who is a householder.

देवं दद्यान्महाभागस्ततो विप्रांश्च भोजयेत् । भूरिणा परमान्नेन ततः पश्चात् स्वयं नरः । भुञ्जीत सहितो बालैर्वाग्यतः संयतेन्द्रियः ।। ३९.

Give the deity to him, O highly fortunate one, and then feed the brāhmaṇas with abundant and excellent food; afterwards, the person himself should eat, together with children, observing silence and self-control.

अनेन विधिना यस्तु धरणीव्रतकृन्नरः । तस्य पुण्यफलं चाग्र्यं श्रृणु बुद्धिमतां वर ।। ३९.

Whoever performs the Earth-vow according to this procedure, hear now, O best of the wise, the supreme merit and reward that comes to him.

यदि वक्त्रसहस्त्राणि भवन्ति मम सुव्रत । आयुश्च ब्रह्मणस्तुल्यं भवेद् यदि महाव्रत ।। ३९.

Even if I had a thousand mouths, O virtuous one, and a lifespan equal to Brahmā's, O great vow-keeper,

तदानीमस्य धर्मस्य फलं कथयितुं भवेत् । तथाप्युद्देशतो ब्रह्मन् कथयामि श्रृणुष्व तत् ।। ३९.

Even then, I could not fully describe the fruit of this observance; yet, O brāhmaṇa, I will tell you its outline—listen to it.

दश सप्त दश द्वे च अष्टौ चत्वार एव च । लक्षायुतानि चत्वारि एकस्थं स्याच्चतुर्युगम् ।। ३९.

Ten, seven, ten, two, eight, and four—these are the numbers; four lakhs and ten thousand make up one caturyuga.

तैरेकसप्ततियुगं भवेन्मन्वन्तरं मुने । चतुर्दशाहो ब्राह्मस्तु तावती रात्रिरिष्यते ।। ३९.

O sage, seventy-one yugas together make one Manvantara; and fourteen such periods are said to be a day of Brahmā, with a night of equal length.

एवं त्रिंशद्दिनो मासस्ते द्वादश समा स्मृता । तेषां शतं ब्रह्मणस्तु आयुर्नास्त्यत्र संशयः ।। ३९.

In this way, a month consists of thirty days, and twelve such months are considered a year; there is no doubt that a hundred such years is the lifespan of Brahmā.

यः सकृद् द्वादशीमेतामनेन विधिना क्षिपेत् । स ब्रह्मलोकमाप्नोति तत्कालं चैव तिष्ठति ।। ३९.

Whoever observes this Dvādaśī even once, according to this rule, attains Brahmaloka and remains there for that period.

ततो ब्रह्मोपसंहारे तल्लयं तिष्ठते चिरम् । पुनः सृष्टौ भवेद् देवो वैराजानां महातपाः ।। ३९.

Then, at the dissolution of Brahmā, he remains merged for a long time, and at the next creation, he is born as a god among the great ascetics called Vairājas.

ब्रह्महत्यादिपापानि इह लोककृतान्यपि । अकामे कामतो वापि तानि नश्यन्ति तत्क्षणात् ।। ३९.

Sins such as killing a Brāhmaṇa and others, even those committed in this world, whether intentionally or unintentionally, are destroyed instantly by this.

इह लोके दरिद्रो यो भ्रष्टराज्योऽथ वा नृपः । उपोष्य तां विधानेन स राजा जायते ध्रुवम् ।। ३९.

In this world, a poor man or a king who has lost his kingdom, by observing this according to the rule, certainly becomes a king.

वन्ध्या नारी भवेद् या तु अनेन विधिना शुभा । उपोष्यति भवेत् तस्याः पुत्रः परमधार्मिकः ।। ३९.

A barren woman who observes this auspicious vow according to the rule will have a son who is supremely righteous.

अगम्यागमनं येन कृतं जानाति मानवः । स इमं विधिमासाद्य तस्मात् पापाद् विमुच्यते ।। ३९.

If a person knows he has committed the sin of approaching a forbidden woman, by following this rule, he is freed from that sin.

ब्रह्मक्रियाया लोपेन बहुवर्षकृतेन च । उपोष्येमां सकृद् भक्त्या वेदसंस्कारमाप्नुयात् ।। ३९.

Even if one has neglected Brahmanical rites for many years, by observing this vow once with devotion, he attains the sanctification of the Vedas.

किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन न तदस्ति महामुने । अप्राप्यं प्राप्यते नैव पापं वा यन्न नश्यति ।। ३९.

What is the use of saying more, O great sage? There is nothing unattainable by this, nor is there any sin that does not perish.

अनेन विधिना ब्रह्मन् स्वयमेव ह्युपोषिता । धरण्या मग्नया तात नात्र कार्या विचारणा ।। ३९.

O Brahman, even the earth herself, when submerged, was restored by observing this rule; there is no need for further deliberation here, dear one.

अदीक्षिताय नो देयं विधानं नास्तिकाय च । देवब्रह्मद्विषे वाऽपि न श्राव्यं तु कदाचन । गुरुभक्ताय दातव्यं सद्यः पापप्रणाशनम् ।। ३९.

This rule should not be given to one who is uninitiated or to an atheist, nor ever told to one who hates the gods or Brahmins; it should be given to one devoted to his teacher, for it instantly destroys sin.

इह जन्मनि सौभाग्यं धनं धान्यं वरस्त्रियः । भवन्ति विविधा यस्तु उपोष्य विधिना ततः ।। ३९.

In this very life, good fortune, wealth, grain, and excellent wives of various kinds come to the one who observes this rule.

य इमं श्रावयेद् भक्त्या द्वादशीकल्पमुत्तमम् । श्रृणोति वा स पापैस्तु सर्वैरेव प्रमुच्यते ।। ३९.

Whoever devoutly recites or hears this excellent rule of Dvādaśī is freed from all sins.

दुर्वासा उवाच । तथैव पौषमासे तु अमृतं मथितं सुरैः । तत्र कूर्मो भवेद् देवः स्वयमेव जनार्दनः ।। ४०.

Durvāsā said: In the same way, in the month of Pauṣa, the nectar was churned by the gods; there, the Lord himself, Janārdana, became the tortoise.

तस्येयं तिथिरुद्दिष्टा हरेर्वै कूर्मरूपिणः । पुष्यमासस्य या शुद्धा द्वादशी शुक्लपक्षतः ।। ४०.

This day is prescribed as sacred to Hari in the form of the Tortoise, namely, the pure Dvādaśī of the bright fortnight in the month of Puṣya.