129 - Sacred Rites (Vratas)

Brahma said: 

1. I shall mention the Vratas for Pratipad and other days, O Vyasa. This is called Shikhivrata. He should take one meal on the first day. At the close, he should make a gift of a brown cow. He would attain Vaishvanara region. 

2. This can be performed in the beginning of Chaitra too with due worship of Brahma, due offerings of fragrant flowers, garlands and homas into the fire. The devotee shall attain all desires. 

3. A person desirous of beauty shall perform the Vrata on the eighth day of the bright half of the Karttika month wearing flower garlands and offering flowers, etc. He shall be endowed with beauty. 

4-6. Lord Shridhara with Shri shall be worshipped on the third day in the dark half of Shravana. Bed, clothes and fruits shall be gifted to Brahmins. When giving bed he shall pray "Obeisance to Shridhara and Shri. In the beginning of Chaitra on the third day the devotee shall worship Uma, Shiva and fire god. The naivedya offered shall be Havishya (cooked rice soaked in butter) along with Madanaka. He shall reap the fruit as mentioned by Uma to me. 

7.8. A three days abstention from salt from the first to the third day in the beginning of Phalguna is a bliss yielding excellent Vrata and the devotee shall attain Gauriloka. At the end of the Vrata he shall-duly worships a brahmin couple and make a gift of a bed and a house with all requisites, saying, "O Bhavani (Goddess Parvati) be pleased". 

9-10. The twelve manifestations of the goddess, viz: -- Gauri, Kali, Uma, Bhadra, Durga, Kanti, Sarasvati, Mangala, Vaishnavi, Lakshmi, Shiva and Narayani shall be worshipped either on twelve successive days from the third day of Margashirsha month or in twelve successive months from the said day (taking the third day in every month for the Vrata). He shall never suffer from separation from his beloved. 

11. The devotee shall observe fast on the fourth day in the bright half of the month of Magha and take up the Vrata. He shall gift away gingelly seeds to a brahmin and shall drink only gingelly water. The Vrata is concluded in two years. He will not be hindered by obstacles in his life. 

12-14. The Mulamantra is "Om Gah Svaha". The Nyasa mantra for the heart is Glaum Glam. The nyasa mantras for head and tuft are "Gam Gim Gum and Hrum Hrim Hrim" the nyasa for Varman is "Gum" "Gom" and for the eye "Gaum" and "Gom". Hence Avahana, etc. The oblation and Visarjana (mystical dismissal) are with the mantras "Agaccholkaya Gandholkah Pushpolko Dhupakolkakah Dipolkaya Maholkaya". The Nyasa on the thumb etc. is with "Gayatri".

15. The Gayatri mantra runs thus: -"Om, we realise the huge-cared deity, we meditate upon the deity with bent trunk. May the deity with the tusk goad us on our path)". 

16. Gingelly seeds shall be consigned to the sacrificial fire in the Homa. All his attendant Ganas shall be worshipped: "Svaha unto the Gana and to the lord of Ganas. Obeisance to Kushmandaka. 

17. Obeisance to Amogholka, obeisance to Ekadanta and obeisance to Tripurantakarupin". Om obeisance to the deity with dark tusks and terrific face, the lord of battles. 

18. Svaha unto Padmadamshtra. The usual Mudras (mystical signs) are shown. The devotee then dances, laughs and claps his hands. The fruit of this Vrata is Saubhagya (good fortune). 

19. Beginning with the fourth day in the bright half of Margashirsha this worship of Ganas shall be continued for a year. The devotee shall be blessed with good learning, wealth, fame, longevity and sons. 

20. On a Monday when the fourth phase of the moon is also present, Ganas can be worshipped after due fast with the usual japas and homas. The devotee shall attain heaven without obstacles. 

21. God Vighneshvara shall be worshipped on the fourth day in the bright half of any month with sugar candies, Laddukas sweet balls of fried flour dough) and sweet meats. He shall attain everything he desires and good fortune. 

22. If the worship is done with Madana flowers he will be blessed with sons. The Chaturthi is also called "Madana Chaturthi". With the mantras "Om obeisance to Ganapati," 

23-24. All the Ganas shall be worshipped in any month with homas and japas. He shall attain everything he desires. All obstacles will be destroyed. He who worships Vinayaka in his idol with these names attains the goal of the good, heaven, happiness and final salvation, 

25-26. The names are twelve: -Ganapujya (worthy of the worship of the group), Ekadantin (single-tusked), Vakratunda (Bent Trunk), Tryambaka (Three-eyed), Nilagriva (blue-necked), Lambodara (large-bellied), Vikata (the terrific), Vighnarajaka the remover of obstacles), Dhumravarna (smoke-coloured) Balachandra (pleasing as the crescent moon) Vinayaka, Ganapati and Hastimukha (Elephant-faced). The devotee shall attain everything he desires. 

27-29. The serpent gods Vasuki, Takshaka, Kaliya, Manibhadraka, Airavata, Dhstarashțra, Karkotaka and Dhananjaya shall be worshipped after bathing the idols in Ghee on the fifth day in any of the months Shravana, Ashvina, Bhadra and Karttika. The devotee shall be blessed with longevity, health and heavenly bliss.

30-31. The serpents Ananta, Vasuki, Shankha, Padma, Kambala, Karkotaka, Naga, Dhrutarashtra, Shankhaka, Kaliya, Takshaka and Pingala shall be worshipped in order in the different months. Or in the bright half of Bhadra the eight serpents mentioned before shall be worshipped. He will attain salvation and heavenly bliss. 

32. On the fifth day in the bright half of Shravana the pictures of the serpents shall be painted on either side of the main door of the house. They shall be worshipped. Milk and butter constitute the Naivedya. This rite removes all poisons. The serpents shall bestow freedom from fear. This is called Dashtoddharanapanchami.