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.
कान्तिमानपि लोकेऽस्मिन् सर्वज्ञः प्रियदर्शनः । त्वत्प्रसादात् सोमरूपिन् नारायण नमोऽस्तु ते ।। ५७.
He becomes radiant, all-knowing, and pleasing to behold in this world. By your grace, O Nārāyaṇa in the form of Soma, obeisance to you.
अनेन किल मन्त्रेण दत्त्वा विप्राय वाग्यतः । दत्तमात्रे ततस्तस्मिन् कान्तिमान् जायते नरः ।। ५७.
By giving this, with self-control, to a brāhmaṇa, with this very mantra, as soon as it is given, the man becomes radiant.
आत्रेयेणापि सोमेन कृतमेतत् पुरा नृप । तस्य व्रतान्ते संतुष्टः स्वयमेव जनार्दनः । यक्ष्माणमपनीयाशु अमृताख्यां कलां ददौ ।। ५७.
This was also performed in ancient times by Soma, son of Atri, O king. At the end of the vow, Janārdana himself, being pleased, quickly removed consumption and granted him the portion called nectar.
तां कलां सोमराजाऽसौ तपसा लब्धवानिति । सोमत्वं चागमत् सोऽस्य ओषधीनां पतिर्बभौ ।। ५७.
That portion was obtained by King Soma through austerity; thus he attained the state of Soma and became the lord of herbs.
द्वितीयामश्विनौ सोमभुजौ कीर्त्येते तद्दिने नृप । तौ शेषविष्णू विख्यातौ मुख्यपक्षौ न संशयः ।। ५७.
On the second day, the Aśvins, who partake of Soma, are celebrated on that day, O king; those two are renowned as Śeṣa and Viṣṇu, the chief wings, without doubt.
न विष्णोर्व्यतिरिक्तं स्याद् दैवतं नृपसत्तम । नामभेदेन सर्वत्र संस्थितः परमेश्वरः ।। ५७.
There is no deity apart from Viṣṇu, O best of kings; the supreme lord exists everywhere under different names.
अगस्त्य उवाच । अतः परं महाराज सौभाग्यकरणं व्रतम् । श्रृणु येनाशु सौभाग्यं स्त्रीपुंसामुपजायते ।। ५८.
Agastya said: Now, O King, listen to the vow that brings good fortune, by which prosperity quickly arises for both women and men.
फाल्गुनस्य तु मासस्य तृतीया शुक्लपक्षतः । उपासितव्या नक्तेन शुचिना सत्यवादिना ।। ५८.
On the third day of the bright fortnight in the month of Phalguna, one should observe this, fasting at night, with purity and truthfulness.
सश्रीकं च हरिं पूज्य रुद्रं वा चोमया सह । या श्रीः सा गिरिजा प्रोक्ता यो हरिः स त्रिलोचनः ।। ५८.
Having worshipped Hari with Lakshmi, or Rudra together with Uma—she who is called Shri is Girija, and he who is Hari is the three-eyed one.
एवं सर्वेषु शास्त्रेषु पुराणेषु च पठ्यते । एतस्मादन्यथा यस्तु ब्रूते शास्त्रं पृथक्तया ।। ५८.
Thus it is taught in all the scriptures and Puranas; whoever explains the scripture differently, separating them, speaks wrongly.