122 - The Vratas to be observed on Trayodashi (thirteenth day of the lunar fortnight)

Sanatana said:

1. Henceforth, therefore, I shall relate to you comprehensively the Vratas to be observed on Trayodashi days (i.e., thirteenth day of lunar fortnights). On observing these Vratas with devotion, the man becomes elegant and highly blessed in the world.

2-3a. On the thirteenth day in the bright half of the month of Chaitra, an image of Madana is made with sandal paste. After worshipping it assiduously, the devotee should waft it with a fan. Kama excited thereby causes the multiplication of sons and grandsons.

3b-4. The worship of Ananga too is to be celebrated on this day. O leading sage, understand it. The devotee should draw the figure of Anangas on a wooden plank with saffron, turmeric and red powder. He should be depicted as endowed with the love of Rati, smart and elegant and holding the flowery arrows and bow.

5. At midday, he should worship Kamadeva, Vasanta (presiding deity of the spring), Vajivaktra (the horse-faced Lord Vishnu) and the bull-bannered Lord Shiva with devotion, by means of scents, garlands, ornaments and silken garments.

6-8. He should propitiate them with various kinds of foodstuffs. O Narada, in the meantime he repeats this Mantra “Obeisance to Mara, Kama, the deity of Kamadeva, the exciter of the minds of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Indra.” Then in front of him, he should worship Anganapati (the husband of a woman) with devotion, garments, garlands, ornaments and other things. He should regard that he (the Brahmana so worshipped) is Kama himself. He should then worship a Brahmana couple with scents, garments and ornaments.

9. O Brahmana, he who performs the great festival thus, every year, becomes always delighted and well-nourished at the advent of the spring.

10-12a. Or he should worship the following (twelve forms of Kama month by month till the year comes to a close: Madana, Hrudbhava, Kama, Manmatha, Ratipriya, Ananga, Kandarpa, (the god with the epithet) Makaradhvaja, Kusumayudha, Manobhava, Vishameshu and Malatipriya. O Brahmana he should worship these twelve forms of Kamadeva.

12b-13. The charitable gift of a she-goat is also recommended. After taking a holy dip in the river in accordance with the injunctions, the devotee should give milch goat to an indigent householder. Thanks to this charitable gift, he is not reborn in this world.

14. If this Trayodashi coincides with Saturday, it is remembered as Mahavaruni. If the devotee is able to get an opportunity to take bath in the Ganga, it is more efficacious than a crore such baths at the juncture of solar eclipses.

15. This is an auspicious combination in regard to the worship of Kama, viz: the constellation of Shatabhishak, Saturday and the bright half of the month of Chaitra. It is famous by the name of Mahamaha.1 It yields salvation to a crore of the members of his family.

1. The complete name of the Vrata is Mahamaha Varuni vide HD V. i. 405-406.

16-18a. On the thirteenth day in the bright half of the month of Vaishakha, the holy rite of Kamadevavrata is to be observed. The devotee should observe fast and worship Kama with scents etc. Thereafter, every month, on the thirteenth day in the bright halves, he should perform the holy rite in the same manner. At the end of the year, in order to achieve the Sangatva (the status of having the complete fulfilment of the Vrata) of the holy rite, he should give a cow bedecked with ornaments to a Brahmana after duly honouring him.

18b-22a. The holy rite of a Daurbhagya-Shamana-Vrata2 (i.e., the holy rite for quelling misfortunes) is to be observed on the thirteenth day in the bright half of the month of Jyeshtha. The devotee should take the holy dip in the river water and worship the following three plants growing in clean spots: the white Mandara, the white Arka, (the sun-plant) and the red Karavira (the oleander). Gazing at the sun in the sky, he should utter this mantra and pray: “O Mandara, O Arka, O Karavira, you are all born in the family of the sun. Worshipped by me, quell my misfortune; obeisance be to you all.” If anyone devotedly worships the three plants thus every year, his misfortune is quelled. No doubt need be entertained in this regard.

2. This Vrata shows how the cult of ‘tree-worship’ of Pre-Aryans in India was observed in Hinduism. A number of trees e.g. The Pippala (Ashvattha), Vata Bilva, Tulasi-Ashoka (vide VV. 41-45 below) and others have been firmly established as 'deities' in Puranic Hinduism.”

22b-28a. On the thirteenth day in the bright half of the month of Ashadha, the devotee should take in only one meal a day. According to his ability, he should get the image of Uma and Maheshvara made in gold, silver or clay. The goddess and the Lord of the universe are represented as seated respectively on a lion and on a bull. O Narada, the images are installed and consecrated m a temple or in a cowpen or in the house of a Brahmana, by the divine Mantras. Then the worship is continued for five days and the Vrata (vow) of taking a single meal is kept up. On the Trutiya (third) day, the devotee takes his bath in the morning and worships the deities once again. The images are to be given to a Brahma^ who is a master of the Vedas and the Vedangas (ancillaries of Vedas). This Vrata is continued from year to year for full five years. At its end, he should give those images (to a Brahmana) along with a pair of cows. If the devotee, whether a man or a woman, performs this auspicious Vrata thus, he never experiences a break in the conjugal love in the course of seven births.

28b-32. The auspicious, holy rite of Ratikama-vrata is to be observed on the thirteenth day in the bright half of the month of Shravana. It prevents widowhood of ladies. It is conducive to the increase in the number of children, O excellent Brahmana, the virgin or the woman devotee observes fast. The images of Rati and Kama are made of copper, clay, gold or silver and placed in a similar vessel. She should then properly (according to injunctions) worship them with scents etc. Then she invites a Brahmana couple for the following Chaturdashi day. After honouring them and feeding them, she should give them images along with monetary gifts. This excellent Vrata is continued for fourteen years. For completing the Vrata, the images are to be given along with a pair of cows.

33-40. The holy rite of go-tri-ratra1 is to be observed on the thirteenth day in the bright half of the month of Bhadrapada. The image of Lakşhminarayana is made of gold or silver. On an auspicious Mandala (mystic diagram) of a lotus of eight petals, the image is to be placed on a pedestal covered with a cloth, after bathing the image with Pañchāmruta. He should duly worship the deity with scents and other things. After the rite of waving the light, (Aratrika) he should make a gift of a pot of water and cooked rice. This rite is performed for three days. At the conclusion of the Vrata, he should worship the deity for a month. O Narada, after gathering enough wealth, he should offer it as gift along with this Mantra: — “When the great ocean was being churned; five cows were born. Nanda is in the middle of them. Repeated Obeisance to that cow.” After circumambulating the cow, he should give it to a Brahmana with this Mantra: — “May cows be in front of me. May cows be behind me. May cows be on my sides. I stay in the midst of the cows.” Thereafter, he should duly honour a Brahmana couple and feed them. After honouring them suitably, the devotee should give them an image of Lakşhminarayana. One shall obtain from the holy rite of Gotriratravrata, the same benefit as one obtains by performing thousands of horse- sacrifices and hundreds of Rajasuyas.

1. Kane records three varieties of Go-tri-ratra out of which this is the second and is described by Hemadri (Vrata II. 293-303). It is a synthesis of Vishnu-worship and cow-worship.

41-45. The holy rite of Tri-ratashoka-Vrata1 is to be observed on the thirteenth day in the bright half of the month of Ashvina. The replica of the Ashoka tree is made in gold. The woman devotee observes fast. After worshipping the image in accordance with the injunctions, she should circumambulate it for a hundred and eight times every day. O Brahmana, she should repeat this mantra with respect— “O Ashoka, formerly you have been created by Hara, the merciful deity! You are the cause of rendering help to the whole world. O favourite one of Shiva, be gracious unto me.” On the third day thereafter, she should worship the bull emblemed deity on that tree, in accordance with the injunctions. A Brahmana should be fed and given this as a gift. The woman who observed the holy rite thus, is never visited by widowhood. She will be blessed with sons, grandsons, etc. She will also be the great beloved of her husband.

1. This is an amalgamation of the ancient cult of tree-worship and Shaivism. This blesses one with Saubhagya (life on one’s husband) and progeny. Kane records a number of Saubhagya Vratas (HD. V. i. 455-57) but this is not included therein.

46-47. The devotee should take only one meal on the thirteenth day in the dark half of the month of Karttika, and with great concentration, he should light an oil lamp and assiduously worship it. Thereafter, he should keep it outside his front door saying “May Yama be pleased with me”. O leading Brahmana, if this is done, one is not afflicted by Yama.

48-51 O excellent Brahmana, the devotee should take a single meal on the thirteenth day in the bright half of the month of Karttika. At sunset, he should take bath again and observing silence, light a thousand, a hundred or a row of thirty-two lamps for Shiva. O Brahmana, he should do so with great concentration. He should light the lamp with ghee. With scents and other things, he should worship Shiva. O Narada, he should propitiate the Lord with fruits of various kinds and other items of Naivedya. Then, he should eulogise Shiva, the Lord of the Devas, with the following hundred names.1 Those names, the bestowers of all desired benefits, are being detailed (as follows):

1. This ‘Century of Rudra’s names’ bears a strong influence of the Fifth Prapathaka in the IV Kanda of the Taittiriya Samhita popularly known as Rudradhyaya. The so called Namakas beginning with namas to Rudra manyave etc. have subsequently strongly influenced the ‘century of names’ and ‘Thousand of names’ of Rudra or god Shiva first, then Vishnu down to a river like the Ganga.

It is significant that the author of the NP is not a fanatic Vaishnava like his later descendants in the south. He treats fairly both the deities, as they are but two names of the Supreme Deity, Para Brahman.

52. Obeisance to Rudra, the terrible, to the blue necked God, to the Creator, to one with matted hair, to the Lord of the Devas, bow to Vyomakesha (one whose tresses constitute the firmament.)

53. Hail to the bull-emblemed one, to Soma (God accompanied by Uma), obeisance to Somanatha. Obeisance to Digambara (i.e., one with the quarters for garments i.e., Naked); Obeisance to Bhrunga; Obeisance to the deity who causes plentitude.

54. Bow to the deity full of penance (Tapas). Obeisance to the pervaded one. Obeisance to Shipivishta (pervaded by rays) Salutations to one fond of serpents. Obeisance to Vyala. and to the Lord of serpents (Vyala).

55. Hail to the supporter of the Earth, obeisance to (the god of the form of) Vyoma (ether), to the Lord of Pashus and to the lion that destroyed the three Puras (cities) (of asuras). Obeisance to Shardula (Tiger), Obeisance to Rushabha (the bull, the chief).

56. Obeisance to Mita (the measured one), to Mitanatha (to the Lord of the measured ones); to Siddha (one who has realised the soul), to Parameshthin (one stationed in the highest being), Obeisance to one who is sung about by the Vedas; to one who is concealed in the Vedas; Obeisance to one who is worthy of being kept as a secret in the Vedas.

57. Hail to the long one, to one of a long form, to one of large objects; to the greater one (than all); obeisance to the deity in whom the universe is installed; obeisance to one of the form of the sky.

58. Obeisance to one who causes welfare; obeisance to one of special nature; obeisance to Shishta (the disciplined one); to Paramatman (the reatest soul), to one who wears the elephant’s hide and to one who split the demon Andhaka.

59. Obeisance to one who is blue, red and white (in complexion), to one who is the favourite of Ganda and Munda; to the Lord fond of devotion, to the destroyer of the Yajna, to the unchanging one.

60. Hail to you, O Mahadeva, to Mahesha; to Hara, to the three-eyed one; obeisance to Triveda (one described in three Vedas). Repeated obeisance to one who is the embodiment of the Vedas.

61. Obeisance to the Artha (wealth), to one whose form is Artha, to one who is in the highest reality; obeisance to one whose form is the Universe, to the Universe itself, to one who is verily the Lord of the Universe.

62. Obeisance to Shankara, to Kala, to one of the form of the units of Kala, obeisance to Arupa (one without form), to Virupa (the deformed), to the subtlest of the subtle.

63. Obeisance to you the resident of the cremation ground, to the wearer of the hide garment; to one with the moon for crest jewel, obeisance to one who has resorted to Rudrabhumi (i.e., cremation ground).

64-66. Obeisance to Durga (very difficult to know), to Durgapara (one who is on the other side of Samsara), to the "witness of the limbs of Durga, obeisance to one of the form of Linga, to Linga and to the Lord of Lingas, obeisance to one of the form of Prowess; Obeisance to one whose object is prowess. Repeated salutes to the cause of causes, to you, the conqueror of Death, to one of the form of the self-born; obeisance to the three-eyed one; to the blue necked, obeisance to one full of splendour; to one united to Gauri and the cause of auspiciousness.

67. O Brahmana, this is the century of names glorifying the attributes of the Pinaka-bearing Lord. The devotee should recite this, make circumambulation and go back to his own abode.

68. O Brahmana, by performing this holy rite, the devotee enjoys all worldly pleasures here, thanks to the grace of Mahadeva. In the end he shall attain the region of Shiva.

69-71. On the thirteenth day in the bright half of the month of Margashirsha, the devotee should duly worship Ananga who had become so, due to his contact with Shiva. He should worship him thrice or once per day. After worshipping with scents and other Upacharas in accordance with the injunctions, he should feed a Brahmana couple in a pot or on an auspicious cloth. Then, he should give them Dakshina and take only a single meal. If this vrata is duly performed, O prominent Brahmana, the devotee becomes the object of blessedness on Earth, thanks to the grace of Mahadeva.

72. The devotee shall worship Hari—Achyuta on the thirteenth day in the bright half of the month of Pausha. For the achievement of everything, he should give a pot of ghee to a leading Brahmana.

73-73a. O Brahmana, the holy rite of Magha snana is to be observed for three days beginning with the thirteenth day in the bright half of the month of Magha. It is conducive to the attainment of many desired benefits. On this earth even with a thousand horse-sacrifices, that benefit cannot be attained, which one gets on taking the holy dip in Prayaga for these three days in the month of Magha. The holy dip, Japa, Homa and charitable gifts on this day yields endless benefits.

75b-84. On the thirteenth day in the bright half of the month of Phalguna, the devotee observes fast. After bowing to the Lord of the Universe at the outset, he performs the holy rite of Dhanada Vrata.1 The picture of the great king, the Lord of the Yakshas, is painted in colours on a cloth. The devotee worships the Lord with scents and other Upacharas with noble emotions of devotion in the mind. O excellent Brahmana, in this same manner, he should worship the deity every month on the thirteenth day in the bright half, after observing fast or taking a single meal. At the end of the Vrata he gets the image of the Lord of wealth made along with the image of the lord of Nidhis (Treasure) made in gold. O excellent Brahmana, with all the sixteen Upacharas, with the ablutions with Pañchāmruta etc. and with different kinds of Naivedyas, he should with great concentration and devotion worship the deity. O Brahmana, thereafter, he adorns a cow with its calf by means of cloths, garlands, scents and ornaments. He then gifts it away to a knower of the Vedas. He feeds twelve or thirteen Brahmanas with sweet cooked rice. The preceptor is propitiated with clothes and other things and the gold image (Kubera) is given to him. According to his ability, he should give Dakshina to the Brahmanas, bow to them and bid farewell to them. The intelligent devotee, thereafter, takes his food along with friends and kinsmen. O Brahmana, if the Vrata is performed thus, the indigent devotee attains great wealth. He rejoices in the world. He becomes well-known on the Earth as another Rajaraja (King of Kings or Kubera).

1. This is Dhana Vrata given in the Vishnu-dharmottara III. 184. 1-3 and quoted by Hemadri as Nanda-Vrata. What Hemadri calls Dhanada Vrata (Vrata I. 1161-62), begins on the 11th of Margashirsha Shu though both have Kubera as the deity to be propitiated.