Varaha Purana

तस्मात्त्वमपि राजेन्द्र तं देवं शरणं व्रज । येन भूयः पुनः शोच्यपदवीं नो प्रयास्यसि ।। ५५.

Therefore, O king of kings, you too should seek refuge in that Lord, by whom you will not again proceed to the path of sorrow.

य इदं श्रृणुयान्नित्यं प्रातरुत्थाय मानवः । पठेद् यश्चरितं ताभ्यां मोक्षधर्मार्थदो भवेत् ।। ५५.

Whoever, rising in the morning, listens to or recites the deeds of those two, will obtain the rewards of liberation, righteousness, and wealth.

शुभव्रतमिदं पुण्यं यश्च कुर्याज्जनेश्वर । स सर्वसम्पदं चेह भुक्त्वेते तल्लयं व्रजेत् ।। ५५.

Whoever, O lord of people, performs this auspicious and virtuous vow, will enjoy all prosperity here and, having enjoyed it, will attain dissolution.

अगस्त्य उवाच । अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि धन्यव्रतमनुत्तमम् । येन सद्यो भवेद् धन्य अधन्योऽपि हि यो भवेत् ।। ५६.

Agastya said: Next, I will declare the supreme vow of fortune, by which even one who is unfortunate becomes fortunate at once.

मार्गशीर्षे सिते पक्षे प्रतिपद् या तिथिर्भवेत् । तस्यां नक्तं प्रकुर्वीत विष्णुमग्निं प्रपूजयेत् ।। ५६.

On the bright fortnight of Mārgashīrsha, on the day of the first lunar tithi, one should fast at night and worship Vishnu and Agni.

वैश्वानराय पादौ तु अग्नयेत्युदरं तथा । हविर्भुंजाय च उरो द्रविणोदेति वै भुजो ।। ५६.

To Vaiśvānara, offer the feet; to Agni, the abdomen; to Havirbhuj, the chest; to Dravinoda, the arms.

संवर्त्तायेति च शिरो ज्वलनायेति सर्वतः । अभ्यर्च्यैवं विधानेन देवदेवं जनार्दनम् ।। ५६.

To Samvartta, the head; to Jvalana, all around; thus, worship the Lord of Lords, Janardana, according to this method.

तस्यैव पुरतः कुण्डं कारयित्वा विघानतः । होमं तत्र प्रकुर्वीत एभिर्मन्त्रैर्विचक्षणः ।। ५६.

In front of him, construct a fire pit with care; there, perform the fire offering with these mantras, O wise one.

ततः संयावकं चान्नं भुञ्जीयाद् घृतसंयुतम् । कृष्णपक्षेऽप्येवमेव चातुर्मास्यं तु यावतः ।। ५६.

Afterwards, one should eat food made of barley mixed with ghee; in the dark fortnight, likewise, this is to be done for four months.

चैत्रादिषु च भुञ्जीत पायसं सघृतं बुधः । श्रावणादिषु सक्तूंश्च ततश्चैतत् समाप्यते ।। ५६.

During the months beginning with Chaitra, the wise one should eat rice pudding with ghee; during the months beginning with Shrāvaṇa, saktu flour; then, this is concluded.

समाप्ते तु व्रते वह्निं काञ्चनं कारयेद् बुधः । रक्तवस्त्रयुगच्छन्नं रक्तपुष्पानुलेपनम् ।। ५६.

When the vow is completed, the wise one should make a fire out of gold, covered with a pair of red garments and adorned with red flowers.

कुङ्कुमेन तथा लिप्य ब्राह्मणं देवदेव च । सर्वावयवसंपूर्णं ब्राह्मणं प्रियदर्शनम् ।। ५६.

He should anoint it with saffron, and also a Brahmin and the Lord of Lords, making the Brahmin pleasing in appearance and complete in all limbs.

पूजयित्वा विधानेन रक्तवस्त्रयुगेन च । पश्चात् तं दापयेत् तस्य मन्त्रेणानेन बुद्धिमान् ।। ५६.

Having worshipped them according to the prescribed method with a pair of red garments, afterwards, the intelligent one should give it to him with this mantra.

धन्योऽस्मि धन्यकर्माऽस्मि धन्यचेष्टोऽस्मि धन्यवान् । धन्येनानेन चीर्णेन व्रतेन स्यां सदा सुखी ।। ५६.

I am fortunate, my actions are fortunate, my deeds are fortunate, I am fortunate; by this vow performed, may I always be happy.

एवमुच्चार्य तं विप्रे न्यस्य कोशं महात्मनः । सद्यो धन्यत्वमाप्नोति योऽपि स्याद् भाग्यवर्जितः ।। ५६.

Having spoken thus, placing the treasure before the noble Brahmin, one immediately attains fortune, even if previously deprived of luck.

इह जन्मनि सौभाग्यं धनं धान्यं च पुष्कलम् । अनेन कृतमात्रेण जायते नात्र संशयः ।। ५६.

In this life, abundant good fortune, wealth, and grain arise from performing this; there is no doubt about it.

प्राग्जन्मजनितं पापमग्निर्दहति तस्य ह । दग्धे पापे विमुक्तात्मा इह जन्मन्यसौ भवेत् ।। ५६.

The fire burns up the sin accumulated from previous births; when the sin is burned, the soul is freed and becomes so in this very life.

योऽपीदं श्रृणुयान्नित्यं यश्च भक्त्या पठेद् द्विजः । उभौ ताविह लोके तु धन्यौ सद्यो भविष्यतः ।। ५६.

Whoever listens to this daily, and the twice-born who recites it with devotion—both of them, in this very world, will immediately become blessed.

श्रूयते च व्रतं चैतच्चीर्णमासीन्महात्मना । धनदेन पुरा कल्पे शूद्रयोनौ स्थितेन तु ।। ५६.

It is heard that this vow was performed in ancient times by the great-souled Kubera, who was then situated in a śūdra birth, in a previous age.

अगस्त्य उवाच । अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि कान्तिव्रतमनुत्तमम् । यत्कृत्वा तु पुरा सोमः कान्तिमानभवत् पुनः ।। ५७.

Agastya said: Now I shall declare the supreme Kānti vow, by performing which, Soma once regained his radiance.

यक्ष्मणा दक्षशापेन पुराक्रान्तो निशाकरः । एतच्चीर्त्वा व्रतं सद्यः कान्तिमानभवत् किल ।। ५७.

Long ago, the moon was afflicted by consumption due to Dakṣa's curse; by performing this vow, he immediately regained his radiance.

द्वितीयायां तु राजेन्द्र कार्त्तिकस्य सिते दिने । नक्तं कुर्वीत यत्नेन अर्चयन् बलकेशवम् ।। ५७.

On the bright second day of Kārttika, O king, one should observe a fast at night with effort, worshipping Balakeśava.

बलदेवाय पादौ तु केशवाय शिरोऽर्चयेत् । एवमभ्यर्च्य मेधावी वैष्णवं रूपमुत्तमम् ।। ५७.

One should worship the feet of Baladeva and the head of Keśava; thus, having worshipped in this way, the wise one honors the supreme Vaiṣṇava form.

परस्वरूपं सोमाख्यं द्विकलं तद्दिने हि यत् । तस्यार्घं दापयेद् धीमान् मन्त्रेण परमेष्ठिनः ।। ५७.

On that day, the wise one should offer arghya to the supreme lord with the mantra, to the twofold form called Soma, which is the supreme form.

नमोऽस्त्वमृतरूपाय सर्वौषधिनृपाय च । यज्ञलोकाधिपतये सोमाय परमात्मने ।। ५७.

"Obeisance to you, who are of the form of nectar, lord of all herbs, ruler of the world of sacrifice, Soma, the supreme self."

अनेनैव च मार्गेण दत्त्वार्घ्यं परमेष्ठिनः । रात्रौ सविप्रो भुञ्जीत यवान्नं सघृतं नरः ।। ५७.

Having offered arghya to the supreme lord in this very manner, at night, the man, together with a brāhmaṇa, should eat barley food with ghee.

फाल्गुनादिचतुष्के तु पायसं भोजयेच्छुचिः । शालिहोमं तु कुर्वीत कार्त्तिके तु यवैस्तथा ।। ५७.

In the four months beginning with Phālguna, the pure one should serve rice pudding; in Kārttika, one should perform a rice offering with barley as well.

आषाढादिचतुष्के तु तिलहोमं तु कारयेत् । तद्वत् तिलान्नं भुञ्जीत एष एव विधिक्रमः ।। ५७.

In the four months beginning with Āṣāḍha, one should perform a sesame offering; likewise, one should eat sesame food—this is the prescribed procedure.

ततः संवत्सरे पूर्णे शशिनं कृतराजतम् । सितवस्त्रयुगच्छन्नं सितपुष्पानुलेपनम् । एवमेव द्विजं पूज्य ततस्तं प्रतिपादयेत् ।। ५७.

Then, at the completion of a year, one should worship the moon made of silver, covered with a pair of white garments and anointed with white flowers, and then give it to a brāhmaṇa.