Varaha Purana

एवं ते जल्पता पापमिदं देवेन दर्शितम् । इदानीमिममेव त्वमाराधय महामते ।। ६२.

Thus, as you speak, this sin has been revealed by the god; now, O wise one, worship him alone.

अगस्त्य उवाच । एवमुक्त्वा वसिष्ठस्तु इममेव व्रतं तदा । आदित्याराधनं दिव्यमारोग्याख्यं जगाद ह ।। ६२.

Agastya said: Having spoken thus, Vasiṣṭha then described this very vow, the divine worship of the sun, known as the vow for health.

सोऽपि राजाऽकरोच्चेमं व्रतं भक्तिसमन्वितः । सिद्धिं च परमां प्राप्तो विरोगश्चाभवत् क्षणात् ।। ६२.

The king too performed this vow with devotion, attained the highest success, and became free from disease in an instant.

अगस्त्य उवाच । अथापरं महाराज पुत्रप्राप्तिव्रतं शुभम् । कथयामि समासेन तन्मे निगदतः श्रृणु ।। ६३.

Agastya said: Now, O great king, I shall briefly tell you the auspicious vow for obtaining a son; listen as I declare it.

मासे भाद्रपदे या तु कृष्णपक्षे नरेश्वर । अष्टम्यामुपवासेन पुत्रप्राप्तिव्रतं हि तत् ।। ६३.

In the month of Bhādrapada, during the dark fortnight, on the eighth day, O king, by fasting, this is indeed the vow for obtaining a son.

षष्ठ्यां चैव तु संकल्प्य सप्तम्यामर्चयेद् हरिम् । देवक्युत्सङ्गगं देवं मातृभिः परिवेष्टितम् ।। ६३.

On the sixth day, one should resolve, and on the seventh day worship Hari, the god resting in Devakī’s lap, surrounded by mothers.

प्रभाते विमलेऽष्टम्यामर्चयेत् प्रयतो हरिम् । प्राग्विधानेन गोविन्दमर्चयित्वा विधानतः ।। ६३.

In the pure morning of the eighth day, one should worship Hari with devotion; after worshipping Govinda according to the prescribed method, as directed.

ततो यवैः कृष्णतिलैः सघृतैर्होमयेद् दधि । ब्राह्मणान् भोजयेद् भक्त्या यथाशक्त्या सदक्षिणान् ।। ६३.

Then, with barley and black sesame mixed with ghee, one should offer oblations with curd; feed the brāhmaṇas with devotion, according to one's ability, always with gifts.

ततः स्वयं तु भुञ्जीत प्रथमं बिल्वमुत्तमम् । पश्चाद् यथेष्टं भुञ्जीत स्नेहैः सर्वरसैर्युतम् ।। ६३.

Then, one should eat first the finest bilva fruit, and afterwards eat as desired, with all kinds of flavors and oils.

प्रतिमासमनेनैव विधिनोपोष्य मानवः । कृष्णाष्टमीमपुत्रोऽपि लभेत् पुत्रं न संशयः ।। ६३.

By observing this procedure every month, even a sonless man, fasting on the Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī, will surely obtain a son, without doubt.

श्रूयते च पुरा राजा शूरसेनः प्रतापवान् । स ह्यपुत्रस्तपस्तेपे हिमवत्पर्वतोत्तमे ।। ६३.

It is heard that once, King Śūrasena, mighty and sonless, performed austerities on the excellent Himavat mountain.

तस्यैवं कुर्वतो देवो व्रतमेतज्जगाद ह । सोऽप्येतत् कृतवान् राजा पुत्रं चैवोपलब्धवान् ।। ६३.

As he was performing thus, the god revealed this vow; the king too performed it and obtained a son.

वसुदेवं महाभागमनेकक्रतुयाजिनम् । तं लब्ध्वा सोऽपि राजर्षिः परं निर्वाणमापत्वान् ।। ६३.

He obtained Vasudeva, greatly fortunate and a performer of many sacrifices; and that royal sage attained supreme liberation.

एवं कृष्णाष्टमी राजन् मया ते परिकीर्तिता । संवत्सरान्ते दातव्यं कृष्णयुग्मं द्विजातये ।। ६३.

Thus, O king, I have described to you the Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī; at the end of the year, a pair of black cows should be given to a twice-born.

एतत् पुत्रव्रतं नाम मया ते परिकीर्तितम् । एतत् कृत्वा नरः पापैः सर्वैरेव प्रमुच्यते ।। ६३.

This vow for a son has been described to you by me; by performing this, a man is freed from all sins.

अगस्त्य उवाच । अथापरं प्रवक्ष्यामि शौर्यव्रतमनुत्तमम् । येन भीरोरपि महच्छौर्यं भवति तत्क्षणात् ।। ६४.

Agastya said: Now I shall declare the supreme vow of valor, by which even a fearful person instantly attains great courage.

मासि चाश्वयुजे शुद्धां नवमीं समुपोषयेत् । सप्तम्यां कृतसंकल्पः स्थित्वाऽष्टम्यां निरोदनः ।। ६४.

In the month of Ashvayuja, one should observe a fast on the pure ninth day; having resolved on the seventh, one should remain steadfast and restrain oneself on the eighth.

नवम्यां पारयेत् पिष्टं प्रथमं भक्तितो नृप । ब्राह्मणान् भोजयेद् भक्त्या देवीं चैव तु पूजयेत् । दुर्गां देवीं महाभागां महामायां महाप्रभाम् ।। ६४.

On the ninth, the king should offer flour as the first act with devotion; he should feed Brahmins with reverence and worship the goddess, Durga, the blessed, the great illusion, the mighty one.

एवं संवत्सरं यावदुपोष्येति विधानतः । व्रतान्ते भोजयेद् धीमान् यथाशक्त्या कुमारिकाः ।। ६४.

In this manner, one should observe the vow for a full year according to the prescribed method; at the conclusion of the vow, the wise should feed maidens according to their ability.

हेमवस्त्रादिभिस्तास्तु भूषयित्वा तु शक्तितः । पश्चात् क्षमापयेत् तास्तु देवी मे प्रीयतामिति ।। ६४.

After adorning them with gold, garments, and other ornaments as able, one should then seek their forgiveness, saying: 'May the goddess be pleased with me.'

एवं कृते भ्रष्टराज्यो लभेद् राज्यं न संशयः । अविद्यो लभते विद्यां भीतः शौर्यं च विदन्ति ।। ६४.

By performing thus, one who has lost his kingdom will surely regain it; the unlearned attains knowledge, and the fearful become known for their valor.

अगस्त्य उवाच । सार्वभौमव्रतं चान्यत् कथयामि समासतः । येन सम्यक्कृतेनाशु सार्वभौमो नृपो भवेत् ।। ६५.

Agastya said: I shall briefly describe another universal vow, by which, when properly performed, a king swiftly becomes sovereign over all.

कार्तिकस्य तु मासस्य दशमी शुक्लपक्षिका । तस्यां नक्ताशनो नित्यं दिक्षु शुद्धबलिं हरेत् ।। ६५.

On the tenth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Kartika, one should eat only at night and offer pure oblations in all directions daily.

विचित्रैः कुसुमैर्भक्त्या पूजयित्वा द्विजोत्तमान् । दिशां तु प्रार्थनां कुर्यान् मन्त्रेणानेन सुव्रतः । सर्वा भवन्त्यः सिद्ध्यन्तु मम जन्मनि जन्मनि ।। ६५.

With various flowers and devotion, one should worship the foremost Brahmins; then, with this mantra, the virtuous should pray to the directions: 'May all the goddesses grant success to me in every birth.'

एवमुक्त्वा बलिं तासु दत्त्वा शुद्धेन चेतसा । ततो रात्रौ तु भुञ्जीत दध्यन्नं तु सुसंस्कृतम् ।। ६५.

Having spoken thus and given oblations to them with a pure mind, one should then eat well-prepared rice and curds at night.

पूर्वं पश्चाद् यथेष्टं तु एवं संवत्सरं नृप । यः करोति नरो नित्यं तस्य दिग्विजयो भवेत् ।। ६५.

First and last, as desired, thus for a year, O king; whoever performs this daily will achieve conquest of the directions.

एकादश्यां तु यत्नेन नरः कुर्याद् यथाविधि । मार्गशीर्षे शुक्लपक्षादारभ्याब्दं विचक्षणः । तद् व्रत धनदस्येष्टं कृतं वित्तं प्रयच्छति ।। ६५.

On the eleventh day, one should carefully perform the rite according to the rule, beginning from the bright fortnight of Margashirsha for a year; this vow is dear to the god of wealth, and when performed, grants riches.

एकादश्यां निराहारो यो भुङ्क्ते द्वादशीदिने । शुक्ले वाऽप्यथवा कृष्णे तद् व्रतं वैष्णवं महत् ।। ६५.

Whoever fasts on the eleventh day and eats on the twelfth, whether in the bright or dark fortnight, performs the great Vaishnava vow.

एवं चीर्ण सुघोराणि हन्ति पापानि रपार्थिव । त्रयोदश्यां तु नक्तेन धर्मव्रतमथोच्यते ।। ६५.

Thus, when these fierce vows are observed, they destroy sins, O king; on the thirteenth day, the vow of righteousness is performed by eating only at night.