Varaha Purana

किंत्वाषाढे शुक्लपक्षे या नारी सह भर्त्तृणा । उपोष्यति मनुष्येषु तस्या गर्भे भवाम्यहम् ।। ४६.

But in the bright fortnight of Āṣāḍha, whichever woman, together with her husband, observes a fast among humans, in her womb I shall be born.

एवमुक्त्वा गतो देवः स्वयं चाहमिहागतः । उपदिष्टं तु भवतो अपुत्रस्य विशेषतः । उपोष्य लभते पुत्रं सहभार्यो न संशयः ।। ४६.

Having spoken thus, the god departed, and I myself have come here; what has been instructed to you, especially for one without a son—by fasting, a man obtains a son together with his wife, without doubt.

एतां च द्वादशीं कृत्वा वसुदेवस्तथाप्तवान् । महतीं च श्रियं प्राप्तः पुत्रपौत्रसमन्वितः ।। ४६.

And Vasudeva, having performed this Dvādaśī, likewise obtained a great fortune, blessed with sons and grandsons.

भुक्त्वा राज्यश्रियं सोऽथ गतः परमिकां गतिम् । एष ते विधिरुद्दिष्ट आषाढे मासि वै मुने ।। ४६.

Having enjoyed royal prosperity, he then attained the highest state; this is the rite prescribed for you in the month of Āṣāḍha, O sage.

दुर्वासा उवाच । श्रावणस्य तु मासस्य शुक्लपक्षे तु द्वादशी । अर्चयेत् परमं देवं गन्धपुष्पैर्जनार्नम् ।। ४७.

Durvāsā said: In the bright fortnight of the month of Śrāvaṇa, one should worship the supreme god Janārnana with fragrance and flowers.

दामोदराय पादौ तु हृषीकेशाय वै कटिम् । सनातनेति जठरमुरः श्रीवत्सधारिणे ।। ४७.

To Dāmodara, the feet; to Hṛṣīkeśa, the hips; to Sanātana, the abdomen; and to the bearer of the Śrīvatsa, the chest.

चक्रपाणयेति भुजौ कण्ठं च हरये तथा । मुञ्जकेशाय च शिरो भद्रायेति शिखां तथा ।। ४७.

To the wielder of the discus, the arms; to Hari, the neck; to Muñjakeśa, the head; and to Bhadra, the crest.

एवं संपूज्य संस्थाप्य कुम्भं पूर्ववदेव तु । विन्यस्य वस्त्रयुग्मं तु तस्योपरि ततो न्यसेत् ।। ४७.

Thus, having worshipped and established the pot just as before, one should place a pair of cloths upon it, and then set them above.

काञ्चनं देवदेवं तु दामोदरसनामकम् । तमभ्यर्च्य विधानेन गन्धपुष्पादिभिः क्रमात् ।। ४७.

A golden image of the Lord of gods, called Damodara, should be worshipped according to the prescribed method, with sandal, flowers, and so forth, in due order.

प्राग्वत् तं ब्राह्मणे दद्याद् वेदवेदाङ्गपारगे । एवं नियमयुक्तस्य प्रभावं तच्छृणुष्व मे ।। ४७.

As before, that image should be given to a Brahmin who is learned in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas; now hear from me the power of this observance.

एष ते विधिरुद्दिष्टः श्रावणे मासि वै विभो । एतस्याश्च प्रभावं यत् श्रृणु पापप्रणाशनम् ।। ४७.

O mighty one, this rite has been prescribed for you in the month of Śrāvaṇa; listen to the power of this, which destroys sin.

पुरा कृतयुगे राजा नृगो नाम महाबलः । बभ्राम स वनं घोरं मृगयासक्तमानसः ।। ४७.

Long ago, in the Kṛta Yuga, there was a king named Nṛga, of great might, who wandered in a terrible forest, his mind absorbed in hunting.

स कदाचित् तुरङ्गेण हृतो दूरं महद्वनम् । व्याघ्रसिंहगजाकीर्णं दस्युसर्पनिषेवितम् ।। ४७.

Once, carried far away on his horse, he entered a vast forest filled with tigers, lions, and elephants, frequented by bandits and serpents.

एकाकी तत्र राजा तु अश्वं मुच्य तरोरधः । स्वयं कुशमथास्तीर्य सुप्तो दुःखसमन्वितः ।। ४७.

There, the king, alone, released his horse beneath a tree, spread out some kuśa grass himself, and, afflicted by hardship, fell asleep.

तावत् तत्रैव लुब्धानां सहस्त्राणि चतुर्दश । आगतानि मृगान् हन्तुं रात्रौ राज्ञः समन्ततः ।। ४७.

Meanwhile, fourteen thousand hunters arrived there at night, surrounding the king on all sides, intent on killing animals.

तत्रापश्यन्त ते सुप्तं हेमरत्नविभूषितम् । नृगं राजानमत्युग्रं श्रिया परमया युतम् ।। ४७.

There they saw him sleeping, adorned with gold and jewels—King Nṛga, exceedingly formidable, endowed with supreme splendor.

ते गत्वा त्वरितं व्याधाः स्वभर्त्रे संन्यवेदयन् । सोऽपि रत्नसुवर्णार्थं राजानं हन्तुमुद्यतः ।। ४७.

The hunters quickly went and reported to their leader; he, desiring the jewels and gold, prepared to kill the king.

तुरगस्य च हेतोस्तु निस्त्रिंशा वनचारिणः । राजानं सुप्तमासाद्य निगृहीतुं प्रचक्रमुः ।। ४७.

Because of the horse, the forest-dwellers, armed with swords, approached the sleeping king, intent on capturing him.

तावद् राज्ञः शरीरात् तु श्वेताभरणभूषिता । नारी काचित् समुत्तस्थौ स्त्रक्चन्दनविभूषिता । उत्थाय चक्रमादाय ते म्लेच्छा विनिपातिताः ।। ४७.

Then, from the king’s body, a woman adorned with white ornaments, garlands, and sandal paste arose; taking up a discus, she struck down those barbarians.

दस्यून् निहत्य सा देवी तस्य राज्ञस्तनुं पुनः । प्रविशन्त्याशु राजाऽपि प्रतिबुद्धोऽथ दृष्टवान् । म्लेच्छांस्तु निहतान् दृष्ट्वा सा स्वमूर्त्तिलयं गता ।। ४७.

Having slain the bandits, that goddess swiftly re-entered the king’s body; the king awoke and saw the slain barbarians, and she vanished into her own form.

अश्वमारुह्य स पुनर्वामदेवाश्रमं ययौ । तत्रापृच्छद् ऋषिं भक्त्या का स्त्री के ते निपातिताः । एतत् कार्यमृषे मह्यं कथयस्व प्रसीद मे ।। ४७.

Mounting his horse, he went to the hermitage of Vāmadeva; there, with devotion, he asked the sage, 'Who was that woman? Who were those who were struck down? O sage, please tell me the meaning of this event.'

वामदेव उवाच । त्वमासीच्छूद्रजातीय अन्यजन्मनि पार्थिव । तत्र त्वया ब्राह्मणस्य प्रेषणं कुर्वता श्रुता । श्रावणस्य तु मासस्य शुक्लपक्षे तु द्वादशी ।। ४७.

Vāmadeva said: 'O king, in a previous birth you were of the Śūdra caste; there, while serving a Brahmin, you heard about the twelfth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Śrāvaṇa.'

सविधानात् त्वया राजन् भक्त्या वै समुपोषिता । उपोषितायां तस्यां तु राज्यं लब्धं त्वयाऽनघ ।। ४७.

'O king, by observing that day with proper rites and devotion, you attained a kingdom when it was completed.'

सर्वापत्सु च सा देवी भवन्तं परिरक्षति । यया विनिहताः क्रूरा म्लेच्छाः पापसमन्विताः । भवांश्च रक्षितो राजन् श्रावणद्वादशी तु सा ।। ४७.

'In all dangers, that goddess protects you; by her, the cruel, sinful barbarians were slain, and you, O king, were saved—she is that Śrāvaṇa Dvādaśī.'

एकैव पाति चापत्सु राज्यमेकैव यच्छति । किं पुनर्द्वादशैतास्तु येनैन्द्रं न ददुः पदम् ।। ४७.

'She alone protects in calamities, she alone grants a kingdom; what then of these twelve Dvādaśīs, by which even Indra did not attain his station?'

दुर्वासा उवाच । तद्वद् भाद्रपदे मासि शुक्लपक्षे तु द्वादशीम् । संकल्प्य विधिना देवमर्च्चयेत् परमेश्वरम् ।। ४८.

Durvasa said: In the month of Bhadrapada, on the twelfth day of the bright fortnight, one should make a resolve and worship the Supreme Lord according to the prescribed rite.

नमोऽस्तु कल्किने पादौ हृषीकेशाय वै कटिम् । म्लेच्छविध्वंसनायेति जगन्मूर्त्ते तथोदरम् ।। ४८.

Salutations to Kalki—his feet; to Hrishikesha—his waist; to the destroyer of the mlecchas—his abdomen, O form of the universe, thus.

शितिकण्ठाय कण्ठं तु खड्गपाणेति वै भुजौ । चतुर्भुजायेति हस्तौ विश्वमूर्त्ते तथा शिरः ।। ४८.

To Shitikantha—his throat; to the wielder of the sword—his arms; to the four-armed one—his hands; to the universal form—his head, thus.

एवमभ्यर्च्य मेधावी प्राग्वत् तस्याग्रतो घटम् । विन्यसेत् कल्किनं देवं सौवर्णं तत्र कारयेत् ।। ४८.

Having worshipped in this way, the wise person should, as before, place a pot in front of him and have an image of Kalki made of gold there.