Month-Names of Sūrya in the Kamala Shashṭhī
Month-Names of Sūrya in the Kamala Shashṭhī · sūrya māsa-nāma, “the names of Sūrya for the months”
The month-names of Sūrya in the Kamala Shashṭhī are the twelve names under which Bhagavān Sūrya is worshipped, one in each month, in the Kamala Shashṭhī, also called the Phala Shashṭhī. Śrī Kṛshṇa gives them to Yudhishṭhira in the Uttara Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa.
The setting
By fasting in the Kamala Shashṭhī a person is freed of pāpa and reaches svarga. On the śukla pañcamī of Mārgaśīrsha the vratī is restrained, fasts on shashṭhī, and on the saptamī gives a brāhmaṇa a gold lotus, a gold fruit and a kalaśa of śarkarā. By the same rule he fasts on every shashṭhī of both pakshas for a year.
The twelve names
In the twelve months in order Bhagavān Sūrya is worshipped under these names, saying “Bhānur me prīyatām”, “Arko me prīyatām”, “may Bhānu be pleased with me”, and so on, at the saptamī dāna and the shashṭhī pūjā:
The close and the phala
At the end of the vrata a brāhmaṇa couple is worshipped, and the brāhmaṇa is given cloth, ornaments, a kalaśa of śarkarā, a gold lotus and a gold fruit, with this mantra:
यथा फलकरो मासस्त्वद्भक्तानां सदा रवे।
तथानन्तफलावाप्तिरस्तु जन्मनि जन्मनि ।।yathā phalakaro māsastvadbhaktānāṃ sadā rave|
tathānantaphalāvāptirastu janmani janmani ||O Sūryadeva, as this month-vrata gives fruit to your bhaktas, so may I gain endless fruits in birth after birth.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 39
Whoever keeps this Phala Shashṭhī, which gives endless fruit, is freed of all pāpas beginning with surāpāna, is honoured in Sūryaloka, and uplifts twenty-one generations before and after him. Whoever hears its māhātmya also shares in its blessing.
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 39