Agni Purāṇa
192 - Vows to be observed on the fourteenth day
Agni said:
1-10. Ishall describe the vow (to be practised) on the fourteenth (lunar) day that would confer enjoyment and emancipation. Oneshould fast on the fourteenth day in (the month of) kärttika (November-December) and worship (lord) Śiva. One who performs (the worship of) Siva (on) the fourteenth day would get all pleasures through the year, wealth and long life. Oneshould take the vow of an ascetic on the eighth or third or twelfth or fourteenth day in the bright (fortnight) in (the month of) märgasirsa (December-January), eat fruit (only) and worship the lord. Then oneshould leave (taking fruits) and give fruits as gifts practising the vow of Phalacaturdasi. Oneshould worship (lord) Sambhu (Siva) on the eighth and four teenth days in both the dark and bright fortnights without eating. (One who practises the vow) on both the fortnights would reach heaven. One who eats food only in the night on the eighth and fourteenth days of the dark (fortnight) would get all pleasures in this world and good position in the other (world). One who bathes on the fourteenth day in the dark (fortnight) in (the month of) kārttika (November December) (would be) happy, when he worships Mahendra in flagstaffs in the form of the banner. Oneshould worship Ananta (endless), (a form of) Hari on fourteenth day of the bright (fortnight). After having made a water-vessel out of darbha, oneshould prepare cakes from the flour of a prastha (a measure) of rice. Heshould give one half (of that) to a brahmin and enjoy the other half himself. (This vow)should be done near the river and after the narration of the anecdotes of (lord) Hari. "O (lord) Vasudeva! Lift us drowned in the great ocean of endless mundane existence and put in the limitless form. Obeisance to you of the limitless form”. After having worshipped with these (words) and bound the consecrated thread on his own hand or the neck, the performer of the Anantavrata becomes happy.
Summary of chapter 192 of the Agni Purāṇa is as follows:
Vratas on the fourteenth tithi, associated with Śiva and Viṣṇu's Ananta form, are described. The Kārtika-caturdaśī vrata involves Śiva-pūjā with one year of fasting for the attainment of bhoga, dhana, and āyus. The Phala-caturdaśī on Mārgaśīrṣa-śukla prescribes a fruit-only diet throughout. The Ubhaya-caturdaśī observance of both-pakṣa eighth and fourteenth tithis leads to svarga. On Kārtika-kṛṣṇa-caturdaśī, Indra is worshipped on a bamboo pole with specific decorations. The Ananta-vrata performed on any śukla-caturdaśī involves tying a fourteen-knot Ananta-sūtra on the right wrist with Viṣṇu worshipped in the form of a kūrca, and half of the eight handfuls of rice is given to a brāhmaṇa at the conclusion.
esc