Varaha Purana

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.'

राजोवाच । पुत्रं मे देहि देवेश वेदमन्त्रविशारदम् । याजकं यजनासक्तं कीर्त्या युक्तं चिरायुषम् । असंख्यातगुणं चैव ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम् ।। ५५.

The king said: 'O Lord of gods, grant me a son skilled in Vedic mantras, devoted to sacrifice, endowed with fame, long-lived, possessing countless virtues, pure, and Brahman-like.'

एवमुक्त्वा ततो राजा पुनर्वचनमब्रवीत् । ममाप्यन्ते शुभं स्थानं प्रयच्छ परमेश्वर । यत्तन्मुनिपदं नाम यत्र गत्वा न शोचति ।। ५५.

Having said this, the king spoke again: 'O Supreme Lord, grant me at the end a blessed place, that which is called the sage's abode, where, having reached, one does not grieve.'

एवमस्त्विति तं देवः प्रोक्त्वा चादर्शनं गतः । तस्यापि राज्ञः पुत्रोऽभूद् वत्सप्रीर्नाम नामतः ।। ५५.

The god replied, 'So be it,' and became invisible; the king's son was born, named Vatsapri by name.

वेदवेदाङ्गसंपन्नो यज्ञयाजी बहुश्रुतः । तस्य कीर्त्तिर्महाराज विस्तृता धरणीतले ।। ५५.

He was accomplished in the Vedas and their branches, a performer of sacrifices, learned in many scriptures; his fame, O great king, spread across the earth.

राजाऽपि तं सुतं लब्ध्वा विष्णुदत्तं प्रतापिनम् । जगाम तपसे युक्तः सर्वद्वन्द्वान् प्रहाय सः ।। ५५.

The king, having obtained such a son, Viṣṇudatta, radiant in glory, renounced all dualities and devoted himself to austerity.

आराधयामास हरिं निराहारो जितेन्द्रियः । हिमवत्पर्वते रम्ये स्तुतिं कुर्वंस्तदा नृपः ।। ५५.

He worshipped Hari, fasting and mastering his senses, on the beautiful mountain Himavat, composing hymns at that time.

भद्राश्व उवाच । कीदृशी सा स्तुतिर्ब्रह्मन् यां चकार स पार्थिवः । किं च तस्याभवद् देवं स्तुवतः पुरुषोत्तमम् ।। ५५.

Bhadrāśva said: 'O Brahman, what kind of hymn did that king compose? And what happened to him as he praised the supreme Lord?'

दुर्वासा उवाच । हिमवन्तं समाश्रित्य राजा तद्गतमानसः । स्तुतिं चकार देवाय विष्णवे प्रभविष्णवे ।। ५५.

Durvāsā said: 'Relying on Himavat, the king, his mind absorbed there, composed a hymn to the powerful god Vishnu.'

राजोवाच । क्षराक्षरं क्षीरसमुद्रशायिनं क्षितीधरं मूर्तिमतां परं पदम् । अतीन्द्रियं विश्वभुजां पुरः कृतं निराकृतं स्तौमि जनार्दनं प्रभुम् ।। ५५.

The king said: 'I praise Janārdana, the Lord, who is both perishable and imperishable, who reclines upon the ocean of milk, who supports the earth, who is the supreme goal among embodied beings, who is beyond the senses, whose arms encompass the universe, who is manifest and unmanifest.'

त्वमादिदेवः परमार्थरूपी विभुः पुराणः पुरुषोत्तमश्च । अतीन्द्रियो वेदविदां प्रधानः प्रपाहि मां शङ्खगदास्त्रपाणे ।। ५५.

You are the primeval god, the embodiment of ultimate reality, the all-pervading, ancient, supreme person; beyond the senses, foremost among those who know the Vedas; protect me, O wielder of conch, mace, and weapon.