Karavīra Vrata

Karavīra Vrata · karavīra vrata, “the vow of the karavīra tree”

Karavīra has other meanings too: see all meanings of Karavīra.

The Karavīra Vrata is the pūjā of the karavīra tree on the pratipadā (first tithi) of the bright fortnight of Jyeshṭha, at sunrise, for the pleasure of Bhagavān Sūrya. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa teaches it to the king in the Uttara Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa, Chapters 9–10, after the Aśoka Vrata.

The tree stands in a beautiful garden of a devatā. It is wrapped with red thread, receives pūjā, and is prayed to as the abode of visha (poison), dear to Bhānu, and the gem on the crowns of Bhagavān Vishṇu and Bhagavān Śaṅkara. Arundhatī, Sāvitrī, Sarasvatī, Gāyatrī, Gaṅgā, Damayantī, Anasūyā, Satyabhāmā and other pativratā women kept it. The one who keeps it with bhakti enjoys many kinds of happiness and at the end goes to Sūryaloka.

The vidhi

The vrata is kept in the month of Jyeshṭha, on the pratipadā of the śukla paksha (bright fortnight), at sunrise.

  1. Go to a karavīra tree planted in a beautiful garden of a devatā.
  2. Wrap the tree with red thread.
  3. Do its pūjā with gandha (fragrant paste), pushpa (flowers), dhūpa (incense), dīpa (lamp), naivedya (food offering), saptadhānya (the seven grains), nārikela (coconut), nāraṅgī (orange) and many kinds of fruit.
  4. Pray to it with the mantra of the karavīra.
  5. Likewise pray to it with the Yajurveda mantra.
  6. Give dakshiṇā (the gift to the brāhmaṇa) to a brāhmaṇa, do pradakshiṇā (going round with the right side towards it) of the tree, and go home.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 9–10

The mantras

करवीर विषावास नमस्ते भानुवल्लभ।
मौलिमण्डनसदन नमस्ते केशवेशयोः ।

karavīra vishāvāsa namaste bhānuvallabha |
maulimaṇḍanasadana namaste keśaveśayoḥ |

O Karavīra, shining as a gem on the crowns of Bhagavān Vishṇu and Bhagavān Śaṅkara, most dear to Bhagavān Sūrya, abode of visha, salutations to you again and again.

The Yajurveda mantra, Yajus 33.42:

आ कृष्णेन रजसा वर्तमानो निवेशयन्नमृतं मयं च।
हिरण्ययेन सविता रथेना देवो याति भुवनानि पश्यन् ॥

ā kṛshṇena rajasā vartamāno niveśayannamṛtaṃ mayaṃ ca |
hiraṇyayena savitā rathenā devo yāti bhuvanāni paśyan ||

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 9–10

Those who kept it

For the pleasure of Sūryadeva this vrata was kept by Arundhatī, Sāvitrī, Sarasvatī, Gāyatrī, Gaṅgā, Damayantī, Anasūyā, Satyabhāmā and other pativratā women, and by other women too.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 9–10

The phala

One who keeps this vrata with bhakti enjoys many kinds of happiness and at the end goes to Sūryaloka.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 9–10

Sources

  • Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 9–10