Pañcamī Vratas (Nārada Purāṇa)
Pañcamī Vrata, simply known as Panchami Vratas, Sanskrit: पञ्चमी व्रत, Telugu: పంచమి వ్రతాలు, Hindi: पंचमी व्रत.
Pañcamī is the fifth lunar tithi of each fortnight. In the Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Sanātana Maharshi teaches Nārada the vratas of this tithi through the twelve months. The teaching is in the Pūrvārdha, Chapter 114. The chapter gives Nāga Pañcamī (pūjā of serpents), Ṛshi Pañcamī (pūjā of the Saptarshis), the serpent drawings of Śrāvaṇa Śukla Pañcamī, Śrī Pañcamī (Lakshmī), Matsya Jayantī, the Upāṅga-Lalitā Vrata and the Jayā Vrata. The general rule is that on Pañcamī, in both the Śukla and Kṛshṇa pakshas of every month, pūjā of the Pitṛ-devatās and the nāgas is praśasta (specially good).
The vratas of each month
Caitra Śukla Pañcamī: Matsya Jayantī and Śrī Pañcamī
This day is kept as Matsya Jayantī, the birth anniversary of the Matsya Avatāra of Bhagavān Vishṇu. The devout should do the Matsyāvatāra-pūjā as a great utsava (festival).
The same Pañcamī is also called Śrī Pañcamī. On it Śrī, who is Lakshmī, receives pūjā with gandha, the upacāras and pāyasa as naivedya. Lakshmī Devī does not leave the one who offers her pūjā in this way.
The Pṛthvī-vrata, the Cāndra-vrata and the Hayagrīva-vrata are also prescribed for particular wishes (abhīshṭa).
Vaiśākha Śukla Pañcamī
Offer pūjā to Ādiśesha and gain the phala one wishes for.
Jyeshṭha Śukla Pañcamī
Offer pūjā to the Pitṛ-devatās. Feed brāhmaṇas.
Phala: all the things one wishes for.
Āshāḍha Śukla Pañcamī: the Vāyu divination vrata
On this day offer pūjā to Vāyu-deva, who is everywhere, and to the Lokapālas, in an open place outside the village. Set up a bamboo pole with a flag of five colours. In the middle make a lotus. At its base and in all directions place the Lokapālas.
Watch which way the wind blows in each yāma (watch of the day). Offer pūjā to the Dik-pati (lord of the direction) of that direction, in proportion. Stay outside without food through the four yāmas. In the evening return home and eat lightly. Prostrate to the Lokapālas, and sleep on pure ground.
The dream in the fourth watch (caturtha-yāma) of that night is declared to come true by Bhagavān Śiva himself. If the dream is auspicious, rejoice. If it is not, offer pūjā to Bhagavān Śiva for eight watches or for the whole day. Feed eight brāhmaṇas, and gain auspiciousness.
Purpose: the vrata shows the good and bad signs of the future.
Śrāvaṇa Bāhula Pañcamī: Anna-vrata
This is on the Kṛshṇa paksha, the dark fortnight. Bring many kinds of anna (food) in separate vessels and soak them. Put water in other vessels. At sunrise (sūryodaya), offer pūjā to the Pitṛ-devatās, the ṛshis and the devas. Offer the kinds of anna as naivedya. Through the day, give the anna to the poor and the hungry.
At pradosha, go to a Śivālaya (temple of Bhagavān Śiva) and offer pūjā to the Liṅga with gandha and pushpa. Say the Pañcākshari (the five-syllable mantra) one hundred or one thousand times. Offer this japa to Bhava-rūpa Bhavān. Pray to Īśvara for plenty of all kinds of anna in every birth. Return home and feed brāhmaṇas and the family.
Phala: plenty of all kinds of anna (sarva-anna-sampat) in this world, and a good end (uttama-gati) after.
Śrāvaṇa Śukla Pañcamī: Nāga Pañcamī
Draw serpents with gomaya (cow dung) on both sides of the main entrance. Offer pūjā with gandha and the upacāras. Offer pūjā to Śacī Devī. Offer gold, silver, curd (dadhi), ikshata, kuśa, ambugandha, flowers, dhūpa, dīpa, naivedya and bali. Do pradakshiṇā. Give dāna to brāhmaṇas.
Phala: Kubera, the Dhanādhyaksha (lord of wealth), is pleased and gives wealth. There is freedom from fear of serpents (sarpa-bhaya), and seven generations are protected.
Bhādrapada Kṛshṇa Pañcamī
Offer tarpaṇa to the nāgas with milk (kshīra-tarpaṇa).
Phala: in the family there is no fear of serpents for seven generations.
Bhādrapada Śukla Pañcamī: Ṛshi Pañcamī
Offer pūjā to the Saptarshis: Kaśyapa, Atri, Bharadvāja, Viśvāmitra, Gautama, Jamadagni and Vasishṭha.
Bathe in a river at dawn and do the daily rites (nityakarma). Prepare a vedi (altar) with clay and cow dung. Lay darbha grass. Offer pūjā with gandha, pushpa, dhūpa and dīpa. Offer arghya. Offer śyāmāka (wild grain, an uncultivated produce) as naivedya. Do visarjana. Then eat the same food oneself.
Keep the vrata for seven years in a row.
The udyāpana. Make golden images of the seven ṛshis, each with jaṭā (matted hair), akshasūtra (a string of beads) and kamaṇḍalu (water pot). Set them up in kalaśas. Offer pūjā with pañcāmṛta and the sixteen upacāras. Do homa with the ṛk “Sahastomasā” or with the nāma-mantras. Give seven cows with clothes and ornaments to the ācārya. Give the pratimās to brāhmaṇas. Feed the whole assembly.
Phala: all desired bhoga, and at death a divine vimāna (celestial chariot) by the grace of the Saptarshis.
Āśvayuja Śukla Pañcamī: Upāṅga-Lalitā Vrata
Make Lalitā Devī of gold. Offer pūjā with the sixteen upacāras. Prepare cooked food (pakvānna) with fruit, and ghee, with dakshiṇā, and give it to the best of brāhmaṇas (brāhmaṇottama). Pray: “O Varadā with śakti and mount, you have been worshipped by me. Give me your grace and return to your abode.”
Phala: the grace of Lalitā Devī, and all desired objects.
Kārtika Śukla Pañcamī: Jayā Vrata
Offer pūjā to Jayā Devī with all sixteen upacāras, with śraddhā and care (sāvadhanā). Stay pure. Feed one brāhmaṇa and give dakshiṇā. Eat in silence.
On Jayā’s day the pāpas of one who bathes with bhakti flee like deer before a lion. The phala of the bath at the end of an Aśvamedha-yajña is gained. One who bathes on Jayā-divasa gains sons and healthy women in the line (garbha-prāpti). The sick are freed from disease, and those who are bound are freed from bondage.
Mārgaśīra Śukla Pañcamī
Offer pūjā to the nāgas with the proper vidhāna. Gain freedom from fear of serpents (abhaya). Rejoice with relatives and friends.
Pushya Śukla Pañcamī
Offer pūjā to Madhusūdana, who is Bhagavān Vishṇu. Gain all the things one wishes for.
General rule
On all Pañcamī tithis in both the Śukla and Kṛshṇa pakshas every month, pūjā of the Pitṛ-devatās and the nāgas is declared praśasta, specially good and giving benefit.
Sources
- Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 114