Varaha Purana

अभ्यर्च्य स्वगृहं प्रायाद् भवन्तौ रक्षपालकौ । स्थाप्य द्वावपि दीपानां ज्वलनार्थं महामते ।। ४९.

Having worshipped, he returned to his own house. You two, the guards, remained there, having lit two lamps for the sake of illumination, O wise one.

गते वैश्ये भवन्तौथ दीपान् प्रज्वाल्य संस्थितौ । यावत् प्रभाता रजनी निशामेकां नरोत्तम ।। ४९.

When the Vaishya had left, you two stayed there, having kindled the lamps, until the night passed and the single night was over, O best of men.

ततः काले मृतौ तौ तु उभौ द्वावपि दम्पती । तेन पुण्येन ते जन्म प्रियव्रतगृहेऽभवत् ।। ४९.

Then, in time, both of you, husband and wife, died. By that merit, you were born in the house of Priyavrata.

इयं तु पत्नी ते जाता पुरा वैश्यस्य दासिका । पारक्यस्यापि दीपस्य ज्वालितस्य हरेर्गृहे ।। ४९.

This wife of yours was formerly a maidservant of the Vaishya, and even the lamp belonging to another, which was lit in Hari's house—

यः पुनः स्वेन वित्तेन विष्णोरग्रे प्रदीपकम् । ज्वालयेत् तस्य यत् पुण्यं तत् संख्यातुं न शक्यते । तेन साधो हरे साधु इत्युक्तं वचनं मया ।। ४९.

Whoever, with his own wealth, lights a lamp before Vishnu—the merit of that act cannot be measured. Therefore, O noble one, 'Excellent, O Hari, excellent!'—this was spoken by me.

कृते संवत्सरे भक्तिं हरेः कृत्वा विचक्षणः । संवत्सरार्धं त्रेतायां सममेतन्न संशयः ।। ४९.

In the Krita age, one who worships Hari with devotion for a year attains the same result in the Treta age in half a year—of this there is no doubt.

त्रिमासे द्वापरे भक्त्या पूजयँल्लभते फलम् । नमो नारायणायेत्युक्त्वा कलौ तु लभते फलम् । तेन मुष्टं जगद् विष्णोर्भक्तिमात्रं मयेरितम् ।। ४९.

In the Dvapara age, by worshipping with devotion for three months, one attains the fruit. By simply saying 'Salutations to Narayana' in Kali, one attains the fruit. Therefore, I have said that the whole world is a handful for Vishnu, by devotion alone.

पारक्यदीपस्योत्कर्षाद् वै देवाग्रे फलमीदृशम् । प्राप्तं फलं त्वया राजन् फलमेतन् मयेरितम् । अहो मूढा न जानन्ति हरेर्दीपक्रियाफलम् ।। ४९.

Because of the greatness of a lamp belonging to another, such a result is obtained before the gods. The fruit you have attained, O king, is this fruit I have described. Ah, the ignorant do not know the result of offering a lamp to Hari.

एवं विधं द्विजा ये च राजानो ये च भक्तितः । यजन्ते विविधैर्यज्ञैस्तेन ते साधवः स्मृताः ।। ४९.

Thus, those twice-born and those kings who worship with devotion by various sacrifices—they are remembered as virtuous.

अहं तमेव मुक्त्वाऽन्यं न पश्यामि महीतले । तेन साधो अगस्त्येति मया चात्मा प्रशंसितः । हर्षेण महता राजन् व्याक्षिप्तेन मयेरितम् ।। ४९.

I see no one else on earth except him; therefore, O noble one, I praised Agastya as myself, O King, with great joy and excitement.

सा स्त्री धन्या स शूद्रस्तु तथा धन्यतरो मतः । भर्तुः सुश्रूषणं कृत्वा तत्परोक्षे हरेरिति ।। ४९.

That woman is blessed, and likewise that Śūdra is considered even more blessed, who serves her husband with devotion, thinking of Hari even when he is not present.

सा स्त्री धन्या तथा शूद्रो द्विजसुश्रूषणे रतः । तदनुज्ञया हरेर्भक्तिः स्त्री शूद्रो तेन साध्विति ।। ४९.

That woman is blessed, and likewise that Śūdra who delights in serving the twice-born; by their permission, devotion to Hari is praiseworthy in a woman or a Śūdra.

आसुरं भावमास्थाय प्रह्लादः पुरुषोत्तमम् । मुक्त्वा चान्यं न जानाति तेनासौ साधुरुच्यते ।। ४९.

Assuming an asuric disposition, Prahlāda did not recognize anyone but the Supreme Person; therefore, he is called a saint.

प्रजापतिकुले भूत्वा बाल एव वनं गतः । आराध्य विष्णुं प्राप्तं तत् स्थानं परमशोभनम् । तेन साधो ध्रुवेत्येवं मयोक्तं राजसत्तम ।। ४९.

Born in the lineage of the progenitors, Dhruva went to the forest as a child, worshipped Viṣṇu, and attained that most excellent place; therefore, O best of kings, I called him a saint.

इति राजा वचः श्रुत्वा अगस्त्यस्य महात्मनः । अल्पोपदेशराजाऽसौ पप्रच्छ मुनिपुंगवम् ।। ४९.

Hearing these words of the great-souled Agastya, the king, though a ruler with little instruction, questioned the foremost of sages.

अगस्त्यश्च महाभागः कार्तिक्यां पुष्करं व्रजन् । गतेऽगस्त्ये प्रगच्छन् वै भद्राश्वस्य निवेशनम् ।। ४९.

And the illustrious Agastya, journeying to Puṣkara in the month of Kārttika, after Agastya departed, proceeded to the abode of Bhadrāśva.

पृष्टश्च राज्ञा तामेव द्वादशीं मुनिसत्तमः । दुर्वासा उवाच । इदमेव मया तुभ्यं कथितं ते तपोधन ।। ४९.

When the king asked about that very Dvādaśī, the best of sages, Durvāsas, said: 'This alone I have told you, O possessor of austerities.'

कथयित्वा पुनर्वाक्यमगस्त्यो नृपसत्तमम् । उवाच पुष्करं यामि पुनरेष्यामि ते गृहम् । एवमुक्त्वा जगामाशु सद्योऽदर्शनतां मुनिः ।। ४९.

Having spoken thus, Agastya addressed the best of kings again: 'I am going to Puṣkara; I will return to your house.' Saying this, the sage quickly departed and at once became invisible.

राजाऽपि तेन विधिना पद्मनाभस्य द्वादशीम् ।. उपोष्य परमं काममिह जन्मनि चाप्तवान् ।। ४९.

The king, following that instruction, observed the Dvādaśī of Padmanābha and attained his highest desires in this very life.

सपत्नीको नृपवरो द्वादशीं समुपोष्य च । इह जन्मनि राजाऽसौ पुत्रपौत्रांस्तथाऽऽप्तवान् ।। ४९.

That excellent king, together with his queen, having observed the Dvādaśī fast, obtained sons and grandsons in this very life.

दुर्वासा उवाच । गत्वा तु पुष्करं तीर्थमगस्त्यो मुनिपुंगवः । कार्तिक्यामाजगामाशु पुनर्भद्राश्वमन्दिरम् ।। ५०.

Durvāsas said: Having gone to the sacred place Puṣkara, the eminent sage Agastya, in the month of Kārttika, soon returned to the house of Bhadrāśva.

तमागतं मुनिं प्रेक्ष्य राजा परमधार्मिकः । अर्घपाद्यादिभिः पूज्य कृतासनपरिग्रहम् । उवाच हर्षितो राजा तमृषिं संशितव्रतम् ।। ५०.

Seeing that sage arrive, the supremely righteous king, after honoring him with offerings of water and a seat, joyfully addressed that sage of firm vows.

राजोवाच । भगवन् कथितं पूर्वं त्वया ऋषिवरोत्तम । द्वादश्याश्वयुजे मासि विधानं तत् कृतं मया । इदानीं कार्तिके मासि यत् स्यात् पुण्यं वदस्व मे ।। ५०.

The king said: O venerable one, you previously described the observance of Dvādaśī in the month of Āśvayuja, which I have performed; now, tell me what merit may be gained in the month of Kārttika.

अगस्त्य उवाच । श्रृणु राजन् महाबाहो कार्तिके मासि द्वादशीम् । उपोष्य विधिना येन यच्चास्याः प्राप्यते फलम् ।। ५०.

Agastya said: Hear, O mighty-armed king, about the Dvādaśī in the month of Kārttika—how it is to be observed, and what fruit is obtained thereby.

प्राग्विधानेन संकल्प्य तद्वत् स्नानं तु कारयेत् । विभुमेवार्चयेद् देवं नारायणमकल्मषम् ।। ५०.

With the previous resolve, one should bathe accordingly, and worship the sinless Lord Nārāyaṇa as the all-pervading God.

नमः सहस्त्रशिरसे शिरः संपूजयेद्धरेः । पुरुषायेति च भुजौ कण्ठं वै विश्वरूपिणे । ज्ञानास्त्रायेति चास्त्राणि श्रीवत्साय तथा उरः ।। ५०.

One should bow to the thousand-headed Lord and worship his head; to the Purusha, his arms; to the all-formed one, his neck; to the wielder of the weapon of knowledge, his weapons; and to Śrīvatsa, his chest.

जगद्ग्रसिष्णवे पूज्य उदरं दिव्यमूर्त्तये । कटिं सहस्त्रपादाय पादौ देवस्य पूजयेत् ।। ५०.

To the devourer of the universe, one should worship the belly; to the divine form, the waist; to the thousand-footed God, one should worship his feet.

अनुलोमेन देवेशं पूजयित्वा विचक्षणः । नमो दामोदरायेति सर्वाङ्गं पूजयेद्धरेः ।। ५०.

Having worshipped the Lord of the gods in proper order, the wise one should then, saying 'Obeisance to Dāmodara,' worship Hari's entire body.

एवं संपूज्य विधिना तस्याग्रे चतुरो घटान् । स्थापयेद् रत्नगर्भांस्तु सितचन्दनचर्चितान् ।। ५०.

Having thus worshipped according to the rite, he should place before Him four pots, filled with gems and anointed with white sandalwood.