Anaghāshṭamī
Anaghāshṭamī · anagha-ashṭamī, “the eighth day of the sinless one”
Anaghāshṭamī is the vrata of the ashṭamī of the dark fortnight of Mārgaśīrsha, kept for Anagha (Dattātreya) and Anaghā (Lakshmī). Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa teaches it to Mahārāja Yudhishṭhira in the Uttara Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa. King Kārtavīryārjuna, who received his varas from Bhagavān Anagha, made it current on earth.
Datta and Nadī
Atri, son of Brahmā, and his wife Anasūyā had a son Datta, a great yogī born of an aṃśa of Vishṇu. His other name was Anagha. His wife was Nadī, and Datta was in the form of Vishṇu and Nadī the form of Lakshmī. They had eight sons, endowed with all the qualities of brāhmaṇas.
The devatās, defeated by the daitya Jambha, came to his āśrama on the Vindhya mountain and took refuge in him. Dattātreya kept them there by his yoga-power. The daityas reached the āśrama, lifted his wife, set her on their heads and went off. As soon as they lifted Lakshmī onto their heads they lost their śrī. Under the glance of Datta they began to flee and perish, and Indra and the devatās defeated them.
Kārtavīryārjuna’s varas
Dattātreya stayed in dhyāna-samādhi for three thousand years. Kārtavīryārjuna, king of Māhishmatī and adhipati of the Haihayas, came and served him night and day. Datta, greatly pleased with his service, granted him four varas at his asking: a thousand arms; to rule the earth by dharma, protecting it from adharma; to be defeated by no one on the battlefield; and that his death be at the hands of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Kārtavīryārjuna ruled the earth without a break for eighty-five thousand years.
The name
Having received his varas, Kārtavīryārjuna made this vrata current on earth. Agha is pāpa, and it is of three kinds: of the body, of speech and of the mind. This ashṭamī destroys the threefold pāpa, so it is called Anaghā. By its power, gaining the eightfold aiśvarya is as if mere play: aṇimā, mahimā, prāpti, prākāmya, laghimā, īśitva, vaśitva and sarvakāmāvasāyitā.
The vidhi
- On the ashṭamī of the kṛshṇa paksha of Mārgaśīrsha, make figures of a woman and a man of kuśa grass and set them on the ground.
- In one contemplate Anagha (Dattātreya), gentle and peaceful in form; in the other, Anaghā (Lakshmī).
- Worship with the Vishṇu-sūkta of the Ṛgveda.
- Use fruits, roots, articles of adornment, jujube, various grains and various flowers.
- Light a lamp.
- Feed brāhmaṇas and kin.
The phala
One who worships thus is freed from all pāpas, gains Lakshmī, and Bhagavān Vishṇu is pleased with him.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 58
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 58, 208