Śravaṇikā Vrata
Śravaṇikā Vrata · śravaṇikā vrata, “the vrata of the Śrāvaṇī devīs”
The Śravaṇikā Vrata is the vrata kept to please the Śrāvaṇī devīs, whom Brahmā created and who make known to him every deed done in the world. It is kept on the caturdaśī or the ashṭamī through the twelve months from Mārgaśīrsha to Kārttika, with twelve brāhmaṇa couples and twelve water-filled kalaśas called vardhanīs. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa teaches it to Rājā Yudhishṭhira in the Uttara Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa, Chapter 95.
Its account is that of Queen Jayaśrī, wife of King Nahusha. She saw Arundhatī keeping this vrata at the āśrama near Vasishṭha Maharshi, went home and forgot it. Close to death she suffered for fifteen days, until Arundhatī came and King Nahusha arranged the vrata for her sake. Then she met death peacefully and attained Indraloka. Arundhatī calls the vrata most secret, the whole treasure of the brahmarshis. One who keeps it enjoys all pleasures, meets death peacefully and reaches an excellent loka.
Who the Śrāvaṇī devīs are
Yudhishṭhira asks Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa: “Who are the devīs known in the world by the name Śrāvaṇī, what is their dharma, and what do they do?”
Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa answers:
- Brahmā created these Śrāvaṇī devīs.
- Whatever deed a human being does in the world, auspicious or inauspicious, the Śrāvaṇī devīs swiftly make known to Brahmā, making him hear it. That is why they are called Śrāvaṇī, from śravaṇa (hearing).
- They are worthy of pūjā because they restrain and govern the beings of the world.
- They know, hear and see from afar. There is no deed unseen by them.
- They have a wondrous power that is beyond reasoning, cause and argument.
- Just as devatās, vidyādharas, siddhas, gandharvas, kimpurushas and others are worthy of pūjā and give puṇya (merit), so too the Śrāvaṇī devīs are to be saluted and are full of puṇya.
Women and men should keep a vrata to please them, and should honour them with water, candana (sandalwood), flowers, dhūpa (incense), cooked food and so on. The pāraṇā (the close of the vrata) is made by feeding women and men. One who does not keep their vrata meets suffering at death, and the torments of Yama must be borne.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 95
The account of Jayaśrī
Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa then tells Yudhishṭhira an ākhyāna (sacred account) on this.
In ancient times there was a king named Nahusha. His queen was Jayaśrī, most beautiful, virtuous and a pativratā (a wife wholly devoted to her husband).
Once, after bathing in the Gaṅgā, Jayaśrī went to the āśrama near Vasishṭha Maharshi. There she saw Mother Arundhatī serving many kinds of food to the wives of the munis. Jayaśrī bowed and asked: “Bhagavatī, what vrata are you performing?”
Arundhatī said: “Devī, I am performing the Śravaṇikā Vrata. Vasishṭha Maharshi told me of it. It is most secret and is the whole treasure of the brahmarshis. For maidens it is excellent and gives an excellent husband. Stay here; I shall give you hospitality.” And she did so.
Jayaśrī went back to her city. After some time she forgot both the vrata and Arundhatī’s meal.
When her time came and that mahāsatī lay close to death, a rattling began in her throat and her throat was blocked. Foam and saliva dripped from her mouth, and her face was fearful to look at. Fifteen days passed in this cruel suffering.
On the sixteenth day Arundhatī came to Jayaśrī’s house and saw her in that painful state. She told King Nahusha about the Śravaṇikā Vrata. As Devī Arundhatī instructed, King Nahusha at once arranged the vrata for Jayaśrī’s sake. By the power of that vrata Jayaśrī met death peacefully and attained Indraloka.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 95
The vidhi
Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa speaks again and gives the rule of the vrata.
When: in the twelve months from Mārgaśīrsha to Kārttika, on the caturdaśī or the ashṭamī tithi, with bhakti.
- In the morning bathe in a river or the like and be pure.
- Invite twelve excellent brāhmaṇa couples, or twelve couples born in one’s own gotra.
- Honour them with bhakti with gandha (fragrance), flowers, rocanā, cloth, ornaments, sindūra and so on.
- Set out, separately, before the brāhmaṇīs, twelve vardhanīs. These are water-filled kalaśas, beautiful, well-shaped and without holes, wound with thread, adorned with garlands and the like, and with gold in them.
- Lift the one vardhanī in the middle and place it on one’s own head.
- Pray to those brāhmaṇīs for the destruction of pāpas (sins) done in childhood, youth and old age, for a peaceful death, for crossing the ocean of saṃsāra, and for reaching paramapada (the supreme state).
- The brāhmaṇīs reply: “So be it.”
- Pray to the brāhmaṇas for the destruction of pāpa.
- The brāhmaṇas take the vardhanī down from the head and give their blessings.
- Give all the vardhanīs to the wives of the brāhmaṇas.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 95
The phala
Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa says: “Pārtha, one who performs this Śravaṇikā Vrata with bhakti enjoys all pleasures, meets death peacefully and reaches an excellent loka.”
For maidens, Arundhatī says, it gives an excellent husband.
The list of vratas in the Uttara Parva, Chapter 208, names a Śrāvaṇī between the Ananta Caturdaśī and the Nakta and Śiva Caturdaśī.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 95, 208
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 95, 208