Varaha Purana

एवं ज्ञात्वा सलक्ष्मीकं हरिं संपूज्य भक्तितः । मन्त्रेणानेन राजेन्द्र ततस्तं परमेश्वरम् ।। ५८.

Knowing this, O King, one should devoutly worship Hari with Lakshmi, using this mantra, and then that Supreme Lord.

गम्भीरायेति पादौ तु सुभगायेति वै कटिम् । उदरं देवदेवेति त्रिनेत्रायेति वै मुखम् । वाचस्पतये च शिरो रुद्रायेति च सर्वतः ।। ५८.

Recite: 'To the deep one' at the feet, 'to the auspicious one' at the waist, 'to the god of gods' at the belly, 'to the three-eyed one' at the face, 'to the lord of speech' at the head, and 'to Rudra' everywhere.

एवमभ्यर्च्य मेधावी विष्णुं लक्ष्म्या समन्वितम् । हरं वा गौरिसंयुक्तं गन्धपुष्पादिभिः क्रमात् ।। ५८.

Thus, the wise should worship Vishnu with Lakshmi, or Hara with Gauri, in order, with sandal, flowers, and other offerings.

ततस्तस्याग्रतो होमं कारयेन्मधुसर्पिषा । तिलैः सह महाराज सौभाग्यपतयेति च ।। ५८.

Then, in front of them, one should perform a fire offering with honey and ghee, together with sesame seeds, O King, reciting 'for the lord of prosperity.'

ततस्त्वक्षारविरसं निस्नेहं धरणीतले । गोधूमान्नं तु भुञ्जीत कृष्णेप्येवं विधिः स्मृतः । आषाढादिद्वितीयां तु पारणं तत्र भोजनम् ।। ५८.

Afterwards, one should eat wheat food, without salt, alkaline, or oily substances, placed on the ground; the same rule applies in Krishna Paksha. On the second day from Ashadha onwards, one should break the fast and eat.

यवान्नं तु ततः पश्चात् कार्त्तिकादिषु पार्थिव । श्यामाकं तत्र भुञ्जीत त्रीन् मासान् नियतः शुचिः ।। ५८.

Then, in Karttika and the following months, O King, one should eat barley food, or shyamaka grain, for three months, with discipline and purity.

ततो माघसिते पक्षे तृतीयायां नराधिप । सौवर्णां कारयेद् गौरीं रुद्रं चैकत्र बुद्धिमान् ।। ५८.

Then, on the third day of the bright fortnight in Magha, O ruler of men, the wise should make a golden image of Gauri and Rudra together.

सलक्ष्मीकं हरिं चापि यथाशक्त्या प्रसन्नधीः । ततस्तं ब्राह्मणे दद्यात् पात्रभूते विचक्षणे ।। ५८.

And also, according to ability and with a cheerful mind, an image of Hari with Lakshmi; then, one should give it to a discerning Brahmin who is worthy.

अन्नेन हीने वेदानां पारगे साधुवर्तिनि । सदाचारेति वा दद्यादल्पवित्ते विशेषतः ।। ५८.

If lacking food, one should give it to a Brahmin learned in the Vedas, of good conduct, or to one of righteous behavior, especially if one has little wealth.

षड्भिः पात्रैरुपेतं तु ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत् । एकं मधुमयं पात्रं द्वितीयं घृतपूरितम् ।। ५८.

One should offer to the Brahmin six vessels: one filled with honey, a second filled with ghee,

तृतीयं तिलतैलस्य चतुर्थं गुडसंयुतम् । पञ्चमं लवणैः पूर्णं षष्ठं गोक्षीरसंयुतम् ।। ५८.

A third with sesame oil, a fourth with jaggery, a fifth filled with salt, and a sixth with cow's milk.

एतानि दत्त्वा पात्राणि सप्तजन्मान्तरं भवेत् । सुभगो दर्शनीयश्च नारी वा पुरुषोऽपि वा ।। ५८.

Having given these vessels, for seven lifetimes one becomes fortunate and attractive, whether woman or man.

अगस्त्य उवाच । अथाविघ्नकरं राजन् कथयामि श्रृणुष्व मे । येन सम्यक् कृतेनापि न विघ्नमुपजायते ।। ५९.

Agastya said: Now, O King, I will tell you the means to remove obstacles; listen to me. By which, even when performed properly, no hindrance arises.

चतुर्थ्यां फाल्गुने मासि ग्रहीतव्यं व्रतं त्विदम् । नक्ताहारेण राजेन्द्र तिलान्नं पारणं स्मृतम् । तदेवाग्नौ तु होतव्यं ब्राह्मणाय च तद् भवेत् ।। ५९.

O King, this vow is to be undertaken on the fourth day in the month of Phalguna. One should eat only at night, with sesame rice as the meal for breaking the fast. That same food should be offered into the fire and given to a Brahmin.

चातुर्मास्यं व्रतं चैतत् कृत्वा वै पञ्च मे तथा । सौवर्णं गजवक्त्रं तु कृत्वा विप्राय दापयेत् ।। ५९.

Having performed this four-month vow five times for me, one should have a golden image of the elephant-faced one made and give it to a Brahmin.

पायसैः पञ्चभिः पात्रैरुपेतं तु तिलैस्तथा । एवं कृत्वा व्रतं चैतत् सर्वविघ्नैर्विमुच्यते ।। ५९.

With five vessels of milk-rice and sesame seeds, having thus performed this vow, one becomes freed from all obstacles.

हयमेधस्य विघ्ने तु संजाते सगरः पुरा । एतदेव चरित्वा तु हयमेधं समाप्तवान् ।। ५९.

Formerly, when an obstacle arose during Sagara's horse sacrifice, by performing this very vow, he completed the horse sacrifice.

तथा रुद्रेण देवेन त्रिपुरं निघ्नता पुरा । एतदेव कृतं तस्मात् त्रिपुरं तेन पातितम् । मया समुद्रं पिबता एतदेव कृतं व्रतम् ।। ५९.

Likewise, when Rudra, the god, destroyed Tripura in ancient times, he performed this very vow, and thus Tripura was felled by him. When I drank the ocean, I too performed this vow.

अन्यैरपि महीपालैरेतदेव कृतं पुरा । तपोऽर्थिभिर्ज्ञानकृतैर्निर्विघ्नार्थे परंतप ।। ५९.

Other kings in ancient times, seekers of austerity and knowledge, have also performed this very vow for the removal of obstacles, O scorcher of foes.

शूराय धीराय गजाननाय लम्बोदरायैकदंष्ट्राय चैव । एवं पूज्यस्तद्दिने तत् पुनश्च होमं कुर्याद् विघ्नविनाशहेतोः ।। ५९.

On that day, one should worship the heroic, steadfast, elephant-faced, large-bellied, and single-tusked one; and again perform a fire offering for the destruction of obstacles.

अनेन कृतमात्रेण सर्वविघ्नैर्विमुच्यते । विनायकस्य कृपया कृतकृत्यो नरो भवेत् ।। ५९.

By merely performing this, one is freed from all obstacles; by the grace of Vinayaka, a person becomes accomplished.

अगस्त्य उवाच । शान्तिव्रतं प्रवक्ष्यामि तव राजन् श्रृणुष्व तत् । येन चीर्णेन शान्तिः स्यात् सर्वदा गृहमेधिनाम् ।। ६०.

Agastya said: O King, I will now explain to you the Shanti vow; listen to it, by the observance of which peace is always attained by householders.

पञ्चम्यां शुक्लपक्षस्य कार्त्तिके मासि सुव्रत । आरभेद् वर्षमेकं तु भुञ्जीयादम्लवर्जितम् ।। ६०.

O virtuous one, on the fifth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Karttika, begin this vow for one year, consuming food without sourness.

नक्तं देवं तु संपूज्य हरिं शेषोपरि स्थितम् । अनन्तायेति पादौ तु वासुकायेति वै कटिम् ।। ६०.

At night, after worshipping the god Hari who rests upon Shesha, worship his feet as Ananta and his waist as Vasuki.

तक्षकायेति जठरमुरः कर्कोटकाय च । पद्माय कण्ठं संपूज्य महापद्माय दोर्युगम् ।। ६०.

Worship his abdomen as Takshaka, his chest as Karkotaka, his neck as Padma, and his two arms as Mahapadma.

शङ्खपालाय वक्त्रं तु कुटिलायेति वै शिरः । एवं विष्णुगतं पूज्य पृथक्त्वेन च पूजयेत् ।। ६०.

Worship his face as Shankhapala and his head as Kutila; thus, having worshipped Vishnu with these forms, worship them separately as well.

क्षीरेण स्नपनं कुर्यात् तानुद्दिश्य हरेः पुनः । तदग्रे होमयेत् क्षीरं तिलैः सह विचक्षणः ।। ६०.

One should bathe these forms with milk, and again bathe Hari; then, in their presence, offer milk with sesame seeds into the fire, O wise one.

एवं संवत्सरस्यान्ते कुर्याद् ब्राह्मणभोजनम् । नागं तु काञ्चनं कुर्याद् ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत् ।। ६०.

At the end of the year, one should arrange a meal for Brahmins; one should make a golden serpent and present it to a Brahmin.

एवं यः कुरुते भक्त्या व्रतमेतन्नराधिपः । तस्य शान्तिर्भवेन्नित्यं नागानां न भयं तथा ।। ६०.

Whoever, O king, performs this vow with devotion, for him there will always be peace, and there will be no fear from serpents.