Varaha Purana

पश्चाच्चतुर आदाय इक्षुदण्डान् सुशोभनान् । चतुर्दिक्षु न्यसेत् तस्य देवस्य प्रणतो नृप ।। ५४.

Afterwards, taking four beautiful sugarcane stalks, one should place them in the four directions around the deity, bowing, O King.

एवं कृत्वा प्रभाते तु प्रदद्याद् ब्राह्मणाय वै । वेदवेदाङ्गयुक्ताय संपूर्णाङ्गाय धीमते ।। ५४.

Having done so, in the morning one should give them to a Brahmin who is learned in the Vedas and Vedangas, whose limbs are complete and who is wise.

ब्राह्मणांश्च तथा पूज्य व्रतमेतत् समापयेत् । एवं कृते तथा विष्णुर्भर्त्ता वो भविता ध्रुवम् ।। ५४.

One should also honor the Brahmins and complete this vow; by doing so, Vishnu will certainly become your husband.

अकृत्वा मत्प्रणामं तु पृष्टो गर्वेण शोभनाः । अवमानस्य तस्यायं विपाको वो भविष्यति ।। ५४.

Without offering me a respectful greeting, you asked out of pride, O beautiful ones; as a result of this disrespect, you will reap its consequence.

एतस्मिन्नेव सरसि अष्टावक्रो महामुनिः । तस्योपहासं कृत्वा तु शापं लप्स्यथ शोभनाः ।। ५४.

In this very lake, the great sage Ashtavakra, after being mocked by you, O beautiful ones, will curse you.

व्रतेनानेन देवेशं पतिं लब्ध्वाऽभिमानतः । अवमानेऽपहरणं गोपालैर्वो भविष्यति । पुरा हर्त्ता च कन्यानां देवो भर्त्ता भविष्यति ।। ५४.

By this vow, having obtained the Lord of the gods as husband, out of pride, there will be disrespect and abduction by cowherds. Previously, the god who was the thief of maidens will become their husband.

अगस्त्य उवाच । एवमुक्त्वा स देवर्षिः प्रययौ नारदः क्षणात् । ता अप्येतद् व्रतं चक्रुस्तुष्टश्चासां स्वयं हरिः ।। ५४.

Agastya said: Having spoken thus, the divine sage Narada departed at once. Those women also performed this vow, and Hari himself was pleased with them.

अगस्त्य उवाच । श्रृणु राजन् महाभाग व्रतानामुत्तमं व्रतम् । येन संप्राप्यते विष्णुः शुभेनैव न संशयः ।। ५५.

Agastya said: Listen, O fortunate king, to the supreme vow among vows, by which Vishnu is attained through auspiciousness—there is no doubt.

मार्गशीर्षेऽथ मासे तु प्रथमाह्नात् समारभेत् । एकभक्तं सिते पक्षे यावत् स्याद् दशमी तिथिः ।। ५५.

Then, in the month of Margashirsha, one should begin from the first day, taking one meal during the bright fortnight until the tenth lunar day arrives.

ततो दशम्यां मध्याह्ने स्नात्वा विष्णुं समर्च्य च । भक्त्या संकल्पयेत् प्राग्वद् द्वादशीं पक्षतो नृप ।। ५५.

Then, on the tenth day, after bathing at midday and worshipping Vishnu, one should, with devotion, resolve as before for the twelfth day of the fortnight, O king.

तामप्येवमुषित्वा च यवान् विप्राय दापयेत् । कृष्णायेति हरिर्वाच्यो दाने होमे तथार्च्चने ।। ५५.

Having observed it in this way, one should give barley to a Brahmin, saying 'for Krishna,' whether in giving, in sacrifice, or in worship.

चातुर्मास्यमथैवं तु क्षपित्वा राजसत्तम । चैत्रादिषु पुनस्तद्वदुपोष्य प्रयतः सुधीः । सक्तुपात्राणि विप्राणां सहिरण्यानि दापयेत् ।। ५५.

After thus completing the four-month period, O best of kings, again, beginning from Chaitra and onward, the wise should observe it with effort, giving bowls of flour with gold to Brahmins.

श्रावणादिषु मासेषु तद्वच्छालिं प्रदापयेत् । त्रिषु मासेषु यावच्च कार्त्तिकस्यादिरागतः ।। ५५.

In the months beginning with Shravana, likewise, one should give rice, for three months, until the beginning of Kartika arrives.

तमप्येवं क्षपित्वा तु दशम्यां प्रयतः शुचिः । अर्चयित्वा हरिं भक्त्या मासनाम्ना विचक्षणः ।। ५५.

Having thus completed it, on the tenth day, with purity and effort, after worshipping Hari with devotion, the wise should name the month.

संकल्पं पूर्ववद् भक्त्या द्वादश्यां संयतेन्द्रियः । एकादश्यां यथाशक्त्या कारयेत् पृथिवीं नृप ।। ५५.

With devotion, as before, one should resolve on the twelfth day, restraining the senses; on the eleventh day, according to ability, one should prepare the earth, O king.

काञ्चनाङ्गां च पातालकुलपर्वतसंयुताम् । भूमिन्यासविधानेन स्थापयेत् तां हरेः पुरः ।। ५५.

One should establish, by the prescribed method, an image of the earth with golden limbs, adorned with mountains and the netherworld, before Hari.

सितवस्त्रयुगच्छन्नां सर्वबीजसमन्विताम् । संपूज्य प्रियदत्तेति पञ्चरत्नैर्विचक्षणः ।। ५५.

Covered with a pair of white garments, containing all seeds, one should worship it as 'Priyadatta,' using five gems, O wise one.

जागरं तत्र कुर्वीत प्रभाते तु पुनर्द्विजान् । आमन्त्र्यं संख्यया राजंश्चतुर्विंशति यावतः ।। ५५.

One should keep vigil there, and at dawn, again, invite Brahmins by number, O king, up to twenty-four.

तेषां एकैकशो गां च अनड्वाहं च दापयेत् । एकैकं वस्त्रयुग्मं च अङ्गुलीयकमेव च ।। ५५.

To each of them, one should give a cow and a draught animal, a pair of garments, and a ring.

कटकानि च सौवर्णकर्णाभरणकानि च । एकैकं ग्राममेतेषां राजा राजन् प्रदापयेत् ।। ५५.

One should also give bracelets and golden earrings; to each, the king should give a village, O king.

तन्मध्यमं सयुग्मं तु सर्वमाद्यं प्रदापयेत् । स्वशक्त्याभरणं चैव दरिद्रस्य स्वशक्तितः ।। ५५.

The middle one, along with the pair, should be given all the foremost items; ornaments according to one's ability should be given to the poor, according to their capacity.

यथाशक्त्या महीं कृत्वा काञ्चनीं गोयुगं तथा । वस्त्रयुग्मं च दातव्यं यथाविभवशक्तितः ।। ५५.

According to one's ability, having made the earth golden, likewise a pair of cows, a pair of garments should be given according to one's wealth and capacity.

गां युग्माभरणात् सर्वं सहिरण्यं च कारयेत् । एवं कृते तथा कृष्णशुक्लद्वादश्यमेव च ।। ५५.

One should give a cow, a pair of ornaments, and everything with gold; thus, having done so, one should observe both the dark and bright twelfth days.

रौप्यां वा पृथिवीं कृत्वा यथाविभवशक्तितः । दापयेद् ब्राह्मणानां तु तथा तेषां च भोजनम् । उपानहौ यथाशक्त्या पादुके छत्रिकां तथा ।। ५५.

One should make an offering of the earth in silver, according to one's means and capacity, and give it to Brahmins, along with food for them; likewise, according to one's ability, one should offer sandals, shoes, and umbrellas.

एतान् दत्त्वा वदेदेवं कृष्णो दामोदरो मम । प्रीयतां सर्वदा देवो विश्वरूपो हरिर्मम ।। ५५.

Having given these, one should say: 'May Krishna, Damodara, always be pleased with me; may Hari, the Lord of all forms, be ever favorable to me.'

दाने च भोजने चैव कृत्वा यत् फलमाप्यते । तन्न शक्यं सहस्त्रेण वर्षाणामपि कीर्तितुम् ।। ५५.

The merit obtained from giving and feeding in this way cannot be described even in a thousand years.

तथाप्युद्देशतः किञ्चित् फलं वक्ष्यामि तेऽनघ । व्रतस्यास्य पुरा वृत्तं शुभान्यस्य श्रृणुष्व तत् ।। ५५.

Yet, O sinless one, I will tell you briefly some of the results; listen to the auspicious deeds performed in ancient times through this vow.

आसीदादियुगे राजा ब्रह्मवादी दृढव्रतः । स पुत्रकामः पप्रच्छ ब्रह्माणं परमेष्ठिनम् । तस्येदं व्रतमाचख्यौ ब्रह्मा स कृतवांस्तथा ।। ५५.

In the first age, there was a king, steadfast in vows and versed in Brahman; desiring a son, he asked Brahma, the supreme lord, and Brahma revealed this vow to him and performed it likewise.

तस्य व्रतान्ते विश्वात्मा स्वयं प्रत्यक्षतां ययौ । तुष्टश्चोवाच भो राजन् वरो मे व्रियतां वरः ।। ५५.

At the end of his vow, the Soul of the Universe appeared before him in person, and, pleased, said: 'O king, choose a boon from me.'