Varaha Purana

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.

स्त्रग्दामबद्धग्रीवांस्तु सितवस्त्रावगुण्ठितान् । स्थापितान् ताम्रपात्रैस्तु तिलपूर्णैः सकाञ्चनैः ।। ५०.

Their necks should be adorned with garlands, draped in white cloth, and set in copper vessels filled with sesame seeds and gold.

चत्वारः सागराश्चैव कल्पिता राजसत्तम । तन्मध्ये प्राग्विधानेन सौवर्णं स्थापयेद्धरिम् । योगीश्वरं योगनिद्रां चरन्तं पीतवाससम् ।। ५०.

These four represent the oceans, O best of kings; in their midst, according to the prescribed method, he should place a golden image of Hari, Lord of Yogis, abiding in yogic sleep, clad in yellow garments.

तमप्येवं तु संपूज्य जागरं तत्र कारयेत् । कुर्याच्च वैष्णवं यज्ञं यजेद् योगीश्वरं हरिम् ।। ५०.

Having worshipped Him in this way, he should keep vigil there, and perform a Vaiṣṇava sacrifice, worshipping Hari, Lord of Yogis.

षोडशारे तथा चक्रे राजभिर्बहुभिः कृते । एवं कृत्वा प्रभाते तु ब्राह्मर्णाय च दापयेत् ।। ५०.

This rite, performed by many kings on the sixteen-spoked wheel, should be completed; in the morning, it should be given to a brāhmaṇa.

चत्वारः सागरा देयाश्चतुर्णां पञ्चमस्य ह । योगीश्वरं तु संपूर्णं दापयेत् प्रयतः शुचिः ।। ५०.

The four oceans should be given to four persons, and the complete image of the Lord of Yogis should be given with devotion and purity.

वेदाढ्ये तु समं दत्तं द्विगुणं तद्विदे तथा । आचार्ये पञ्चरात्राणां सहस्त्रगुणितं भवेत् ।। ५०.

If given equally to one learned in the Vedas, the merit is doubled; to a teacher of the Pañcarātra, it becomes a thousandfold.

यस्त्विमं सरहस्यं तु समन्त्रं चोपपादयेत् । विधानं तस्य वै दत्तं कोटिकोटिगुणोत्तरम् ।। ५०.

But whoever imparts this entire secret, along with its mantras, the merit of his gift increases by millions upon millions.

गुरवे सति यस्त्वन्यमाश्रयेत् पूजयेत् कुधीः । स दुर्गतिमवाप्नोति दत्तमस्य च निष्फलम् । प्रयत्नेन गुरौ पूर्वं पश्चादन्यस्य दापयेत् ।। ५०.

If, while the teacher is present, someone of poor understanding turns to another and worships him, he attains a bad end and his gift bears no fruit; with effort, one should first give to the teacher, and only then to another.

अविद्यो वा सविद्यो वा गुरुरेव जनार्दनः । मार्गस्थो वाप्यमार्गस्थो गुरुरेव परा गतिः ।। ५०.

Whether learned or unlearned, the teacher is Janārdana Himself; whether on the path or not, the teacher alone is the supreme goal.

प्रतिपद्य गुरुं यस्तु मोहाद् विप्रतिपद्यते । स जन्मकोटि नरके पच्यते पुरुषाधमः ।। ५०.

He who, having accepted a teacher, out of delusion turns away from him, that lowest of men is tormented in hell for millions of births.