7 - The Procedure for performing vrata by Parvati and the stotra of Sri Krishna 

Narayana said - Lord Shiva bowed at the command of the lord and all the welfare ceremony was explained by him to Parvati. 

Parvati accepting the command of lord Shiva, felt delighted and started the playing of welfare music, starting the vrata for prosperity. 

Parvati, having beautiful teeth, took a bath purifying herself, clad herself in beautiful garments and consecrated the pitcher of gems filled with water on the fried paddy which contained mango leaves, fruits, unbroken rice, sandal-paste, aguru, kasturi and vermilion.

Parvati who was born in Himalaya in a bed of gems and jewels, adorning herself with gems, took her seat on the gem-studded seat; thereafter all the sages were made to sit on the gem studded lion-thrones and were adored. The priest was also seated on the gem-studded lion-throne and offered sandal-paste, aguru, kasturi, gem studded ornaments and was offered adoration. The dikpalas were then consecrated on the gem studded throne with devotion and all the gods, the humans and the Nagas were gracefully adored. 

Thereafter with devotion Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, offered sandal-paste, aguru, kasturi and vermilion. 

O sage, thus the purified garments having the lustre of fire, the gem-studded ornaments and several types of articles for worship were offered; thereafter for establishing the vrata, the Svastivachana was recited. Lord Krishna was invoked in the pitcher with the mind filled with devotion. Sixteen types of offering were made, while adoring the god. Whatever articles were required to be given in the adoration, were made available in abundance. 

The chaste Parvati made all the valuable presents available in the three worlds and offered them with devotion to all of them. All the articles were given away in charity; thereafter Parvati at the reciting of the Vedic hymns poured the offerings of sea-same and ghee which counted three lakhs in number. During the performing of the noble vrata, the chaste Parvati offered food to the Brahmanas and other guests after adoring them; thus, she continued the vrata for a complete one year. 

At the end of puja, the priest said to her, "O chaste lady, you give me your husband as dakshina as a result of my performing the vrata." 

Listening to these words of the priest, Parvati started wailing; thereafter Parvati who is the great illusion by herself, got infatuated with the illusion and fainted. 

О Narada, finding her fainted there, the chief of the sages and Vishnu and Shiva smilingly sent Brahma to him. 

At that point of time all the people started persuading Shiva to bring Parvati back to her senses. Thereafter Shiva the best of the narrators, tried to convince Parvati.

Mahadeva said - "О noble one, you get up, you will surely meet with prosperity. You revive your consciousness and listen to my words." 

After thus speaking Shiva lifted up Parvati whose throat, lips and palate had dried up, embraced her and tried to revive her consciousness. 

He started speaking beneficial, truthful, short but pleasant and glorious words to Parvati. 

He said: "O goddess I am speaking to you the words that have been told to me in this connection by Dharma in the assembly, which are acceptable to all and which are according to Dharma; you please listen to them." 

О goddess, dakshina is the essence of all the ceremonies and it bestows noble results for all the deeds. 

О dear one, all the deeds performed by the gods and the manes without the offering of dakshina become infructuous and because of that, the performer is thrown into the kalasutra hell and thereafter he is tortured by his enemies in miserable conditions. Therefore, in case the Brahmana is not given the dakshina, then after the expiry of the muhurta, the amount of dakshina is sure to be doubled. After the expiry of a day, it is escalated to four times and with the expiry of a fortnight it gets multiplied to a hundred times; with the expiry of a fortnight, it multiplies to five hundred times. After expiry of six months, it further multiplies to four times and after expiry of a year, the whole performance becomes of no consequence and the devotees fall into to the hell wherein he remains for a hundred years and because of that sin, he is deprived of sons, grandsons and wealth. His dharma is destroyed because of his performance without dharmas. 

Vishnu said - О religious lady, in this religious performance you save your dharma because by following one’s own dharma everyone is protected. 

Brahma said - О religious-minded lady, the one who does not follow his dharma due to any reason, such a performer gets destroyed together with his dharma. 

Dharma said - О chaste lady, you protect me by offering your husband in dakshina. О great lady everything will be well done when I am there. 

The gods said- О great religious lady, protect the dharma and complete your vrata. With the successful completion of your vrata we shall all feel successful. 

The sages said- О chaste lady, after completing the yajna you give away dakshina to Brahmana. How can you meet with a misery on the earth when we are there? 

Sanathkumara said - О Shiva, you entrust lord Shiva to me otherwise be prepared to lose the merits of all the good deeds performed by you since long. 

О religious lady, in case the yajna remains without dakshina, it becomes infructuous and the good result of the performing of the yajna will be available to me and not to you. 

Parvati said - О lord of the gods, О sage, what do I care for karma or dharma. What shall I do with the son and dharma when my husband is going out of my hands in dakshina. 

In case the earth is not worshipped, what is the use of worshipping a tree; when the cause is not there how can you expect the result. 

If the life departs willingly then what is the use of the body. After losing the eyesight, what is the use of the eyes? 

О gods, for a chaste lady, the husband is better than a hundred sons. In case the husband is given away in vrata then what is the use of vrata and the son? 

A son happens to be a part of the husband who happens to be the cause of the same when the principal money is lost then the entire business is of no consequence. 

Vishnu said - No doubt the husband is more important then the son but dharma is above husband but when the dharma is lodged what is the use of the husband and the son. 

Brahma said - О chaste lady, dharma is above the husband and truthfulness is above dharma, you had started this vrata based on truthfulness and therefore don’t desecrate it. 

Parvati said - О lord of the gods, you listen to my words. The words Sva is used to stand for riches in the Vedas and as such the one who possesses the same becomes the lord; therefore, the one who gives away riches in charity is always called a Swamy, but the lordship cannot be earned with the riches. Therefore, I am afraid of your discussion which is beyond the provisions of the Vedas though you are all well-versed in the Vedic literature. I feel really surprised at the same. 

Dharma said - О chaste lady, a woman is unable to give away her husband in preference to the riches because both husband and wife are considered to be one, therefore both are equal in charity. 

Parvati said - О sages well-versed in the scriptures, a father gives away in charity to his son-in-law and he accepts his daughter; nothing has been heard in the Vedas against the same. 

The gods said - О Durga, О well-versed in the Vedas, you are the form of intelligence, and we are intelligent because of you; therefore, who can be competent enough to defeat you in the discussion on the Vedas? Therefore, whatever has been provided in the Vedas is dharma and whatever is against it is adharma. 

Parvati said - Who can decide on the basis of the Vedas, because the worldly practices have greater application than the Vedas; therefore, who is competent enough to discard them? In the Vedas Purusha has been considered to be superior when compared to Prakruti and Purusha, О learned gods, you listen to what a girl like me has to speak? 

Bruhaspati said - О chaste lady, there can be no creation without Purusha or Prakruti. Lord Krishna happens to be the creator of both Purusha and Prakruti which are equal to him. 

Parvati said - Lord Krishna who happens to be the creator of all becomes Purusha by one of his rays. Therefore, Purusha is considered to be better then Prakruti and similarly Prakruti cannot be better than Purusha. 

In the meantime, the gods and the sages spotted a gem-studded chariot in the sky in which the dark-complexioned lord Vishnu wearing a garland of forest flowers and gem studded ornaments having four arms was surrounded by courtiers. Narayana descended from that chariot and delightfully reached the court.

All the gods started offering prayers to the lord of Vaikuntha who was holding s'hamkha, chakra and gada in his four hands. He was the lord of all having four arms and the husband of Lakshmi and Sarasvati, peaceful in nature, quite pleasant, pleasant to look at, who could not be seen by the sinners in crores of births, more beautiful than the crores of gods of love, having the lustre of crores of moons adorned with beautiful ornaments, served by Brahma and other gods and for whom the attendants were offering prayers. 

His lustre pervaded everywhere. Thereafter Brahma, s'hakti and Shiva made him occupy the gem-studded lion-throne, who bowed before him in reverence at the same time. All were feeling emotional with their eyes wet with tears. Thereafter, the lord speaking sweet words asked about those who were present there. After coming to know of the facts, the lord started speaking. 

Narayana said - It is not proper for the intelligent people to enter into a discussion with Parvati, who herself is the form of intelligence because all the people in the universe are alike or possessed prowess by her grace; that is why everything from Brahma to the straw is considered to be perishable; this is the truth and the total truth that I have lighted s'hakti without Purusha. 

In the universe she has appeared with my desire and from me and after the dissolution of the universe she merges in me. 

Prakruti, because of the creation, is also considered to be the mother of all, my illusion; therefore, it is like me and that is why she is called Narayani. 

By adoring me Shiva performs tapas for a long time. As a result of the tapas, I entrusted her care to him. 

The supunyaka-vrata was properly finished by her and there was no selfish motive in the same because the reward of the vratas of all the three worlds is given by her alone. 

All of you have been influenced by illusion, otherwise, what is the form of her real vrata? In each and every kalpa she receives the reward of the same vrata. 

О Brahma, the lord of the gods, both Shakti and Shiva happen to be my rays; and the gods and other creatures are all small parts of my rays. 

As the potter is unable to make a pot without the clay and the goldsmith is unable to make ornament or kundalas without the gold, similarly without Shakti, I am unable to resort to creation. s'hakti is predominant in the universe; this is the opinion of all the scriptures. 

I am the soul pervading in all the creatures of the universe but am unattached and invisible, all the bodies comprise of nature and lustre of the sun. I am the base of everyone in the universe, I am the soul of all. 

I am the soul, Brahma is my mind, Shiva is my intelligence and Vishnu represents the five pranas. The Isvarl, Prakruti is the form of intelligence. Besides sleep and intelligence are the rays of Prakruti. The same Prakruti happens to be the daughter of Himalaya. This has been ordained in the Vedas. 

I am the lord of Goloka and Vaikuntha. I am eternal and getting surrounded by the cowherds and cowherdesses, I appear with two arms. With my four arms, I represent the lord of the gods and Lakshmi, surrounded by my courtiers. 

My abode is in Goloka which is situated fifty crores of yajnas above Vaikuntha. I conduct myself there as the lord of the cowherdesses, a great god of the vratas with two arms and bestow the reward of the vratas, the one who remembers me in many forms, I bestow a similar reward to him. 

Therefore, О Shiva, by giving away Shiva in dakshina, you complete your vrata and after buying him in return with a suitable price you can get him back. 

Because О beautiful one, as the cows are the body of Vishnu, similarly Shiva happens to the body of Vishnu. Therefore, paying a suitable price you can get back your husband. 

As the performer is unable to give away dakshina, similarly she is unable to give away to the lord in charity; this has been ordained in the Vedas. 

Thus speaking, lord Vishnu disappeared from the court. All the gods felt delighted at the words of Vishnu; Parvati felt extremely satisfied and got herself ready for giving away dakshina. 

In the court of the gods, Parvati after making the final offerings, gave away Shiva in daksina. and kumara accepted him uttering svasti. 

At that point of time her throat, lips and palate dried up and she felt extremely grieved at heart and expressing her grief she said. 

Parvati said - О Brahmana, the price of a cow is equivalent to that of my husband, this has been ordained in the Vedas; therefore I am giving you in return a lakh of cows and you kindly give me back my husband. 

Thereafter, I shall give away various types of riches in charity to the Brahmanas, otherwise a body without a soul is unable to perform. 

Sanathkumara said - О goddess, I am not in need of a lakh cows, the invaluable gem given in charity cannot be returned in the form of cows. 

In all the three worlds the people give away their own wealth in charity and the people who do so, do not achieve merit at the instance of others. 

I shall roam about in the entire world placing lord Shiva without robes, a head of me. All the children will jeer at him. 

О sage, the illustrious Sanathkumara the son of Brahma made Shiva to sit beside him after uttering these words. 

Parvati on the other hand holding Shiva, looking at Kumara resolved to her life. Her throat, lips and palate dried up. 

The chaste lady thought in her mind as to how difficult this vrata had been. She could neither meet lord Krishna nor could she achieve the reward for the same. 

In the meantime, she spotted a ball of lustre in the sky together with the gods. It was emitting the lustre of crores of suns and illumining in all the directions. It had all the gods in it and stood opposite to mount Kailasa. I was the refuge of everyone, infatuated with the ganas, quite vast and circular in shape. Witnessing the form of the lord, the gods started offering prayers. 

Vishnu said - The one in whose hair-pits the globes reside, the same Mahavirat is the sixteenth part of your body; how can we calculate about it. 

Brahma said - О lord, the visible scene which is described in the Vedas is difficult to be defined and the one who is beyond the same how can prayers be offered to him. 

Mahadeva said- I am the lord of intelligence but the one who is beyond intelligence, beyond description, the one who moves at will can hardly be described. 

Dharma said - The invisible one, who can be seen by everyone after his incarnation on earth, the same form of lustre can hardly be eulogised who takes to definite form for the sake of the devotees. 

The gods said - The one who is beyond the prayer of Vedas and Sarasvati; we can hardly be competent enough to eulogise him. 

The sages said - The one who is the cause of the Vedas, is beyond description and even Sarasvati is unable to pray him; how can we eulogise him, simply by reciting of the Vedas. 

Sarasvati said - Though the people well-versed in the Vedas describe me as the supreme goddess of speech, yet still I am unable to offer any prayer to you, because you are beyond the mind and the speech. 

Savitri said - О lord, no doubt I am the creator of the Vedas but I was created by your ray in the earlier times, but having the nature of a female, how can I eulogise you who happens to be the cause of all the causes. 

Laksmi said - I have been born out of your own rays and I am beloved of lord Vishnu. I preserve the entire universe but I was born out of your own rays, therefore, to eulogise you is beyond me, because you are the cause of the seed of the universe. 

Himalaya said - О lord, the sages laugh at me because of my being stationary; I am the degraded one. I am ready to eulogise but find myself unable to do so. 

О sage, when all the gods and goddesses kept quiet after eulogising, Parvati got up to offer prayers who was clad in the sanctified garments of the vratas. She was holding the locks of hair on the head which were quite sanctified. She was about to offer her prayer to lord Krishna who was considered to be the great lord Shiva himself. She was the form of burning flames and lustre. She was the chaste lady and the one who bestowed the reward of all the good deeds besides being the mother of the universe. 

Parvati said - О lord Krishna you know me well but I am unable to understand you; even those well-versed in the Vedas are not aware of your true form. 

When you are unknown to your own race how can anyone else know about you; you are well aware of the tattvas but can others also know about them? 

You are smaller than the smallest, invisible, greater than the greatest, you are the universe and the form of the universe, seed of the universe and eternal. 

You are the form of action, the cause of the action, cause of the causes, illustrious, the lord, spotless, without refuge, unattached, invisible, witness, cause of Virat and the form of Virat; you create the universe with the help of Prakruti. You are Prakruti yourself and also the Purusa because there is nothing else beyond you; you are the life, witness of all the actions, reflection of your own soul, you are action as well as the seed of action and the one who provides reward of one’s action, all the yogis meditate upon the lustre of your body; some people meditate upon the four armed Vishnu who is peaceful, the lord of Lakshmi and quite pleasant to look at, the Vaishnavas conceived him as visible, charming, fine, holding a shamkha, chakra, gada and padma in his four hands and clad in yellow lower garments; they adore such a lord. 

The devotees also adore the lord having two arms, who is quite beautiful, of tender age, having a dark complexion, quite peaceful, the lord of the cowherdesses, adorned with gemstudded ornaments. The yogis on the other hand meditate upon the same lord who is illustrious.

О god, you hold the same lustre and appeared at the prayer of Brahma in earlier times for the killing of the demons. О beautiful one, I am eternal as well as the form of lustre; I appeared there as a beautiful damsel. 

Thereafter the one, who happens to be your illusion influenced the demons with my illusion and then went back to Himalaya.          The gods getting terrified from Tarakasura eulogised you; thereafter I became the daughter of Daksha and then became the wife of Shiva. 

I am Shiva therefore, hearing the denouncement of Shiva in the yajna of Daksha I ended my life and took birth from the womb of Mena when Himalaya the lord of the mountains became my father. 

In this birth also Shiva in the form of a Brahmana performed many tapas at the instance of Brahma; he accepted my hand and I became his wife. 

But О lord, getting deprived of his illusion I could not receive his semen. Therefore, getting pained at heart I eulogised you. 

In this vrata I intended to achieve a son like you. And the gods took away my husband in the form of dakshina. 

Therefore, О ocean of mercy, you kindly be merciful towards me hearing the tale of my sufferings." О Narada, after thus speaking Parvati kept quiet. 

The one who listens with devotion to this stotra of Parvati, will beget a son as powerful as Vishnu himself. 

After consuming the food leftover after the yajna and adoring lord Shiva with devotion, a person surely gets the reward of the Punyakavrata. There is no doubt about it. 

О Brahmana, this stotra of Krishna increases all the riches, besides bestowing pleasure and moksha, the form of essence, increases the fortune of the husband, the cause of all the beauties, increases the glory and devotion to Hari, the best of intelligence and pleasures.