Kāñcanapurī Vrata

Kāñcanapurī Vrata · kāñcana-purī vrata, “the vow of the golden city”

The Kāñcanapurī Vrata is the vrata of the golden city, which Bhagavān Vishṇu declares the best of all vratas. It may be kept in any month, in either paksha, on a Tṛtīyā, Ekādaśī, Pūrṇimā, Saṅkrānti, Amāvāsyā or Ashṭamī, with an upavāsa (fast). On that day the vratī has a Kāñcanapurī, a city of gold, made and gives it in dāna. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa tells of it in the Uttara Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa (Chapter 147), recounting how Bhagavān Vishṇu taught it to Jaganmātā Lakshmī in Śvetadvīpa.

Bhagavān Vishṇu names those who kept it: Bhagavatī Pārvatī with Bhagavān Śaṅkara, Sītā with Bhagavān Śrī Rāma, King Nala, the Pāṇḍavas with Draupadī, and many devīs and excellent women. He closes by telling Devī Lakshmī that she too kept it, and by that puṇya gained him as her husband. Bhagavān Janārdana and Lakshmī are installed on a vedī, and the golden city is set on a kalaśa imagined as the Kshīrasāgara. It is brought covered before the vratī, whose eyes are covered too, and he has its darśana at the ācārya’s word. The vrata gives svarga and moksha, and it frees even those who have committed mahāpātakas.

Devī Lakshmī’s question in Śvetadvīpa

Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa spoke to the Mahārāja of what took place in Śvetadvīpa. Once Bhagavān Vishṇu, the cause of the creation, sustaining and dissolution of the world, the Akshara Purushottama, was sitting at ease there. Jaganmātā Lakshmī bowed at his feet and asked: “Bhagavān Vishṇu, you have compassion for your bhaktas. Mahābhāga, in your kindness to me too, tell me some supreme vrata that gives beauty and saubhāgya (good fortune), by whose practice the fruit of all puṇya works such as tīrthas is gained.”

Bhagavān Vishṇu answered: “Devi, as among āśramas the gṛhasthāśrama, among varṇas the brāhmaṇa, among rivers the Gaṅgā, among waters the ocean, among devatās Vishṇu and among women you, Lakshmī, are the best, so among vratas the Kāñcanapurī Vrata is the best.”

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 147

Those who kept the vrata

Bhagavān Vishṇu named those who had kept it:

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 147

What the vrata removes

“Bhadre, this vrata gives svarga and moksha,” said Bhagavān Vishṇu. It destroys all sorrow, increases love, and is the best among vratas. By keeping it these are without doubt freed from pāpa (sin):

  • those who commit mahāpātakas such as brahmahatyā (killing a brāhmaṇa);
  • those who give short weight and measure;
  • those who sell a daughter, and those who sell a cow;
  • those given to agamyāgamana (forbidden union);
  • those who eat meat;
  • those who eat at the home of a jāraja son;
  • those who seize land;
  • and other doers of pāpa.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 147

When it is kept

It may be kept in any month, in the śukla or kṛshṇa paksha, on Tṛtīyā, Ekādaśī, Pūrṇimā, Saṅkrānti, Amāvāsyā or Ashṭamī, with an upavāsa.

The vidhi

The bath and the śaṅkha water

In the forenoon the vratī bathes in the pure clear water of a river or the like. First he takes holy earth with a mantra and applies it to the body, then he dips in the water. Thus bathed and pure in mind he comes home, and on that day he does not speak with any pākhaṇḍī (false ascetic), vidharmī (one who goes against dharma), dhūrta (cheat), śaṭha (crooked person) and the like.

He washes his hands and feet, becomes pure and does ācamana. He takes a fine śaṅkha with gold in it, filled with water, and consecrates that water with the Dvādaśākshara mantra. He does japa of the mantra “Hari” and drinks the water.

The vedī and the golden city

A vedī (raised altar) of four hastas is made with four pillars of śamī wood. It is scented and adorned with garlands, a canopy, divine dhūpa and the like. In the middle of the vedī a padma is made, and in the middle of the maṇḍala a beautiful Bhadrapīṭha. On the Bhadrapīṭha, on a fine seat, he installs Bhagavān Janārdana with Lakshmī.

At the front of the maṇḍala he sets a kalaśa full of water and imagines in it the Kshīrasāgara, the ocean of milk. On the kalaśa he sets a golden pratimā of the Kāñcanapurī of four palas, two palas or one pala. In front of it he sets plantain pillars and a toraṇa (festive arch), and has the brāhmaṇas perform its pratishṭhā (consecration). In the middle of the city he places golden mūrtis of Lakshmī with Vishṇu.

The pūjā

He bathes Deveśa Nārāyaṇa and Lakshmī with pañcāmṛta (the five nectars) and offers their pūjā with mantras and upacāras such as sandal and flowers. He offers pūjā in order to the Lokapālas beginning with Indra. To remove vighnas (obstacles) he offers pūjā to Gaṇapati and the Navagrahas and offers homa.

He offers naivedya of pāyasa (sweet milk rice), sohāla, phenī, modaka and the like, and fruits of the place and season. In the ten directions he lights ten lamps filled with ghee. He offers garlands, sandal and the like, and recites the Vishṇu-stavarāja, the Purusha-sūkta and the like.

The sixteen couples and the gifts

He offers pūjā to sixteen brāhmaṇas with their wives, regarding them as Lakshmī and Vishṇu. At the end he offers them all the things used in the pūjā and prays: “Brāhmaṇa devatā, may Bhagavān Vishṇu be pleased with me.” He also gives a śayyā-dāna (gift of a bed) and a go-dāna (gift of a cow).

The covered darśana

The pratimā of the Kāñcanapurī that has received pūjā must not be seen by the vratī. So it is covered with cloth, the vratī’s eyes are covered with cloth, and it is brought into the maṇḍapa with a lamp. The ācārya says: “Behold this lovely Kāñcanapurī, giver of all desires and remover of sorrow and misfortune.” The vratī takes the cloth from his eyes, gives a pushpāñjali (offering of flowers in joined palms) before the guru, and has darśana of the auspicious city.

The two arghyas

In a vessel of silver or copper, or in a śaṅkha, he prepares arghya (a respectful offering) of pañcaratna (the five gems), Gaṅgā water, fruit, mustard, akshata, rocanā and curd. He offers it to Bhagavān Vishṇu and prays: “Bhagavān Lakshmīnārāyaṇa, fulfiller of all desires, by the giving of this golden city fulfil the fruit my mind desires. Nārāyaṇa, Lakshmīkānta, Jagannātha, accept this arghya; namaskāra to you.”

He gives arghya with bhakti to Devī Lakshmī and says: “Devi, you receive pūjā from Brahmā, Vishṇu, Śaṅkara, Pārvatī and Bhagavān Kārtikeya. With the wish for dharma I too offer you pūjā. Grant me saubhāgya, a son, wealth and a grandson. Devi, accept this arghya given by me and grant me happiness.”

The night and the morning

Having completed the vrata, he holds a great utsava (festival) and keeps jāgaraṇa (a night of waking). Keeping awake without sleep gives the fruit of a hundred yajñas.

In the morning he bathes in clear water and offers pūjā to the Pitṛs and the devatās. He gives cloth to the brāhmaṇas and their wives, feeds them, gives dakshiṇā as he is able, and asks forgiveness. He satisfies the poor, the blind, the deaf, the lame and all others. Then comes the pāraṇā (the breaking of the fast), and he eats with friends and relatives dishes with sweet pāyasa.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 147

The phala

The vratī reaches Brahmaloka and lives in bliss with Brahmā; then he reaches Rudraloka; then Vishṇuloka.

And Bhagavān Vishṇu said to Devī Lakshmī: “Devi, this vrata named Kāñcanapurī you too kept in former time, and by the power of that puṇya you gained me, whom the three worlds revere, as your husband.”

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 147

Sources

  • Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 147