123 - Description of the Vratas to be observed on Chaturdashi (fourteenth day in a lunar fortnight)

Sanatana said:

1. O Narada, listen. I shall recount to you the holy rites to be observed on the Chaturdashi (fourteenth) days (of lunar fortnights). On observing these holy rites, a man shall attain his cherished desires in this world.

2-4a. On the fourteenth day in the bright half of the month of Chaitra, magnificent worship of Shiva should be performed with saffron, agallochum, sandal paste, scents, and other things, clothes and ornaments. Erecting the canopy, the banner and the umbrellas, the mothers are to be worshipped. O Brahmana, by performing the worship thus along with the observance of fast or taking a single meal on that day, the man obtains merit more than that of a horse-sacrifice, on this Earth.

4b-5a. On this very same day, the devotee should perform Damanarcha (worship by means of Damanaka leaves and fragrant flowers). When the Vrata is concluded the devotee should dedicate the fruit to Shiva of auspicious form.

5b-8a. On the fourteenth day in the dark half of the month of Vaishakha, the intelligent devotee should observe fast. At sunset he should take bath and wear clean white clothes and worship Linga with scents and other Upacharas and the leaves of a Bilva tree. After giving invitation to a prominent Brahmana, he should take food on the next day. O excellent Brahmana on all Chaturdashis in the dark halves of the months, the holy rites Shivaratra Vrata should be performed by one who wishes for wealth and progeny.

8b-13. The devotee should observe the holy Vrata of Sri-Nrusimha1 on the fourteenth day in the bright half of the month, of Vaishakha. If he is physically capable, he should observe fast. Otherwise, he should take a single meal on that day. At sunset he should worship Nrusimha, the slayer of the Daityas, with all the sixteen Upacharas and ablutions with Pañchāmruta. Then, O Narada, with the following Mantra, he should crave forgiveness of the Lord— “O Divine Lion with the mane resembling molten gold, with eyes shining like fire and with the touch of claws sharper than thunderbolt, obeisance be to you.” After praying thus to the Lord of the Devas, the observer of holy rite should lie down on the bare ground. He should subdue his sense-organs and anger and should eschew all worldly pleasures. O Brahmana, he who duly performs this excellent holy rite every year, attains all pleasures and (after death) Hari’s region.

1. VV. 8b-13 describe what is popularly known as Nrusimha Jayanti as Vishnu manifested himself on Vaishakha Shu 14 as Narasimha in the evening on Svati Nakshatra. The NP. calls this simply as Nrusimha-Vrata a confusing designation, as we have Nrusimha Vratas on 8th, 12th and the 13th Tithis of different months (vide HD. V. I, pp. 328-329).

14-15. O leading sage, the pilgrimage to Omkareshvara is also to be undertaken on this day. The worship of that deity is very difficult to be obtained. The vision of deity is destructive of sins. Of what avail is much talk? Whatever is accessible, the worship of the deity, meditation, Japa or the vision of the deity is the bestower of perfect knowledge and salvation.

16-18a. On this day, the holy rite of Linga-Vrata is to be performed. It is destructive of sins. Linga is bathed in Pañchāmruta and saffron is smeared over it. Fruits are offered as Naivedyas. Incense, lights, clothes and ornaments are offered duly. He who worships Linga made of ground flour, attains worldly pleasures and salvation, thanks to the grace of Mahadeva. This Linga is the bestower of achievements of all objects.

18b-19a. On the fourteenth day in the bright half of the month of Jyeshtha, the devotee performs austerities in the midst of five fires, during the day time, at night-fall he should make a gift of a golden cow. This is called Rudravrata1.

1. Rudra-Vrata: This is Panchagnisadhana. Kane notes another variety HD. V. i. 393-94.

19b-20a. On the fourteenth day in the bright half of the month of Ashadha, the devotee should worship Shiva by means of the flowers of the season and clime. The man who performs worship thus shall attain all riches.

20b-22. The holy rite of Pavitraropana is to be observed on the fourteenth day of the bright half of the month of Shravana. O excellent Brahmana, that has to be performed in accordance with the injunctions laid down in his own branch of the Veda. He should repeat the Mantra a hundred times and dedicate it to the Goddess. By performing the rite of Pavitraropana,1 any person, be it a man or a woman, shall attain worldly pleasures and salvation by the grace of the great Goddess (Mahadevi).

1. VV. 20b-22 mention the outline of Pavitraropana Vrata. For details vide HD V. i. 339-40. The NP does not clarify that Pavitra is the sacred thread Yajnopavita.

23-27. The excellent holy rite of Ananta Chaturdashi2 is to be performed on the fourteenth day in the bright half of the month of Bhadrapada. The devotee should take only a single meal on that day. He cooks the Prastha-measure of ground wheat flour smeared with ghee and mixed with sugar and offers it to Ananta as Naivedya after worshipping him at the outset with scents. The old thread worn round the hand is taken off and thrown into the water. A new thread of silken or cotton cord is taken and fourteen knots are tied. The woman devotee wears this on her left hand and the male devotee on his right hand. After cooking the ground flour, he should give it as gift along with Dakshina. He himself shall take in moderate (quantity of) food. The intelligent devotee should perform this excellent Vrata for twice seven years and then perform Udyapana (Valedictory) rite.

2. VV. 23-33a describe Ananta-chaturdashi Vrata. Ananta is a form of Hari. It is a very popular Vrata and is described with slight variations in the procedure in AP. 192. 7-10, the Bhavishyottara and Vratarka. Hemadri (Vrata II pp, 26-36) gives an elaborate description of this Vrata quoting the story of Kaundinya and his wife Sita Kaundinya losing everything by cutting the Ananta-thread from his wife’s hand and regaining it after propitiation of Ananta. Kane (HD. V- I. pp. 151-53) does not clarify how a thread could represent Krishna. Ananta is the name of Serpent Shesha. Is it an assimilation of the cult of serpent-worship in Brahmanism?

28-33a. The devotee draws the mystic diagram Sarvato-Bhadra by means of coloured power and grains. O sage, after making it splendid, the devotee places a copper pot over it. The auspicious golden image of Ananta is then placed over the Kalasha (vessel) of copper and covered with a yellow silken cloth. He shall then worship the image in accordance with the injunctions. He should severally worship Ganesha, Mothers, planets and the ten guardians of the worlds, quarters. He then performs Homa with Havishya (cooked rice soaked in ghee) along with the Purnahuti. O excellent Brahmana, to his preceptor the devotee gives a bed with all adjuncts, a cow and the image of Ananta. With great devotion he should feed fourteen other Brahmanas, with sweet cooked rice, and propitiate them with Dakshinas. He who thus respectfully performs the Ananta Vrata, directly enjoys worldly pleasures and attains salvation by the grace of Ananta.

33b-39a. The holy rite of Kadali vrata1 is also to be observed on this day. Listen to its rules of procedure from me. The devotee may be a man or a woman. He should take his bath and worship the plantain tree in the garden by means of scents, fragrant flowers, germinating grains as well as curds, Durva grass, raw rice-grains, lights, clothes and diverse kinds of cooked food. After the worship, the observer of the holy rite should pray with this Mantra: ‘‘O plantain tree, who are worshipped by the Apsaras, Amara (divine) virgins and the serpent virgins, O goddess, obeisance be to you. Grant me freedom from ailment in the body and also loveliness.’’ After the prayer the devotee should feed four virgins or Suvasinis (married women); they should be provided with silken cloth, saffron powder, collyrium and red lac juice. After bowing to them and concluding the observance, he or she should go back to the house. O Brahmana, if this Vrata is performed thus the devotee obtains excellent conjugal bliss in this world. After death, he shall go to the heavenly world in an aerial chariot.

1. VV 336-39a describe the Kadali Vrata — wherein the plantain tree is the beauty-giving deity. Hemadri, on the authority of Bhavishyottara details it (Vrata II. 132-33). This is another instance of assimilation of the cult of tree worship in Brahmanism.

39b-43a. On the fourteenth day in the dark half of the month of Ashvina, the Shraddha rites of the following categories of persons are performed viz. those who are killed by means of poison or weapons; those who are drowned in water^ those who are burnt by fire, those who are bitten by serpents or mauled by beasts of prey, those who are killed by thunderbolt and those who murder Brahmanas. They are performed in accordance with the rules laid down in the case of Ekoddishta Shraddhas. Brahmanas are fed with sweet cooked rice. The Tarpana rite is performed, mouthfuls of fodder are given to cows and oblations are given to dogs and crows. After performing these rites and the Achamana rite, the devotee should take his food along with his kinsmen. O Brahmana, he who performs Shraddha in this manner along with the requisite Dakshinas shall uplift the Pitrus and go to the eternal world of the Devas.

43b-45. On the fourteenth day in the bright half of the month of Ashvina O excellent Brahmana, the devotee should perfectly worship the image in gold of Dharmaraja1 with scents etc. After feeding a Brahmana, the image is given to him. O Narada, Dharmaraja protects everyone in the world. He who thus performs the excellent rite of gifting away the image of Dharmaraja enjoys all excellent pleasures here and at the behest of Dharmaraja goes to the heaven.

1. This is not recorded by Kane in HD. V. i.

46-47. On the fourteenth day in the dark half of the month of Karttika, the devotee takes oil bath at the rise of the moon. After the bath he should worship Dharma. The devotee shall attain fearlessness from hell. For the propitiation of Yama, he should light oil lamps at night fall. With great concentration the devotee should place the lamps at the cross-roads or outside the house.

46-52. In the year called Hemalambi, on the fourteenth day in the bright half of the glorious month of Karttika, against the dawn. Lord Vishveshvara took his bath in the holy waters at the Manikarnika Tirtha along with the Devas. O leading sage, with Bhasma he applied the Tripundra (three parallel marks on the forehead). He worshipped his own self and performed the Pashupata rite. Hence on that day, the devotee should perform the great worship of the Linga with scents and other things. He should offer worship with the flowers of Drona Bilva leaves, Arka flowers Ketaki flowers, fruits and different kinds of Naivedyas. If the Vrata is thus performed and only a single meal is taken on that day, it satisfies Vishvesha. O Narada, he attains all cherished desires, both here and hereafter.

53-57. On this very day the holy rite of Brahma- kurcha Vrata is to be observed by one who wishes for prosperity. Observing fast and controlling the sense-organs, the observer of the vow should drink Panchagavya at night. The Panchagavya is made thus:

The urine of a tawny-coloured cow; the dung of a black cow; the milk of a white cow; the curds of a red cow and the ghee of a cow of variegated colours. —all these are taken and mixed together. The devotee then takes his bath in the morning with the water sanctified by Kusha grass and performs the Tarpana rite to the Devas. After propitiating the Brahmanas, he should himself take his food silently. This is the Brahmakurcha Vrata1 that destroys all sins. The sin committed during the infancy, youth and old age, is dispelled instantaneously by means of the Brahma-Kurcha vrata and the fast on that day.

1. Brahma-Kurcha is treated here as a Vrata though it is really a Prayashchitta.

58-60a. The holy rite of Pashana-Vrata is also to be observed on this day. Listen to it, O Narada. The devotee observes fast during the day. He cooks ground flour in ghee, shaping it in the form of a brick. During the night, he worships Gauri with scents and other things and offers the flour-brick cooked in ghee as Naivedya. O excellent Brahmana, after performing this holy rite in the manner mentioned above, the man attains glory, happiness, conjugal bliss and beauty of form.

60b-63. On the fourteenth day in the bright half of the month of Margashirsha the devotee takes a single meal or abstains from food and performs the holy rite mentioned before. He should make a gold replica of a bull, worship it and give it to a Brahmana. On the next day, he should get up early in the morning, take his bath and worship Maheshvara accompanied by Uma, with lotus flowers, scents, fragrant garlands and unguents. He should then feed the Brahmanas with sweet cooked rice and propitiate them with Dakshina etc. O Brahmana, this is called Shiva Vrata. It is the bestower of worldly pleasures and liberation to the performers, to the instructors, to those who assist, and to those who approve.

64-66a. On the fourteenth day in the bright half of the month of Pausha, the holy rite of Virupakshavrata is to be observed. The devotee should think thus “I shall attain the presence of Kapardishvara.” Having thought thus, O Brahmana, he should worship Virupaksha Shiva with scents, fragrant garlands, incense, lights, richly prepared cooked rice and obeisances. By giving what is contained therein, the devotee rejoices in the heaven like Deva.

66b-68. On the fourteenth day in the dark half of Magha is prescribed the holy rite of Yamatapana.1 Before the sunrise the devotee must take his bath and perform the rite of Tarpana unto Yama with the fourteen names mentioned before (chap. 119 verses 59-90) for the purpose of liberation from all sins. The Tarpana rite is to be performed by means of gingelly seeds, Darbha grass and waler. Krushara and cooked rice constitute the meal of the Brahmanas. He himself should eat the same with restricted speech in silence.

1. Kane has recorded a number of Shiva Vratas (HD. V. i. pp. 426-427), but this Vrata is different from them.

69-73a. O Brahmana, the holy rite of Shivaratri2 is to be observed on the fourteenth day in the dark half of the last month (i.e., Phalguna). The devotee observes fast, even abjuring water, during the day, and worships the deity at night in the self-born Linga etc. or the Linga made of clay with deep concentration of mind. He worships the Lord with scents and other Upacharas, the leaves of the Bilva, etc., water, incense, lights, recitation of hymns, Japa etc. as well as Naivedyas duly offered. On the next day too, the deity is again worshipped with the Upacharas. After feeding Brahmanas with sweet cooked rice, he should give them the requisite Dakshinas and bid farewell to them. By performing the Vrata thus, the man obtains immortal pleasures, thanks to the grace of Mahadeva. He is well-honoured and respected by Devas.

2. This is the famous Mahashivaratri-Vrata popular all over India. The NP follows Purnimantra reckoning and thus locates it in Phalguna. This Vrata is highly extolled in Garuda P. I-124, SK. P. I-1. 33, Pd. P. VI. 240 and AP. 193. The whole Vrata is discussed in details by Kane HD. V.1-225-236. As compared with other Puranas and digests, the NP. gives a bare outline of the Vrata.

73b-74. On the fourteenth day, in the bright half of the last month, the devotee worships Durga with great devotion, offering scents and other Upacharas. Thereafter, he feeds the Brahmanas. O Brahmana, he should take only a single meal on that day. By performing the Vrata of Durga thus, he derives cherished desires, both here and hereafter, O Narada.

75-76. The devotee shall observe fast on the fourteenth day in (he dark half of the month of Chaitra. By drinking water from a rice-field on the day one derives the benefit of a horse-sacrifice.

The general procedure regarding Udyapana1 (valedictory rite of conclusion) for all these holy rites is now narrated.

1. VV. 77-79 give the general procedure of the Udyapana (concluding ceremony) of these Chaturdashi Vratas.

77-79. Fourteen pots with areca nuts, unbroken raw rice-grains and sweet-meats, may be made of copper or clay. They must be fresh and uncracked. The Dakshina and silken garments should also be placed there. Besides these the following too are to be provided as necessary viz. fourteen bamboo poles, fourteen sacred seats, fourteen vessels and fourteen sacred texts. As for the other things, they should be performed in the manner mentioned before. The devotee should not be stingy in the matter of expenses.