Varāha Mahā Purana
44 - Jamadagnyadvadashivrata
Durvasas said:
1. In the same manner in the month of Vaishakha (Vrushabha), one should perform sankalpa (on Dvadashi day) and after bathing using mud, go to the place of worship.
2-3. There he should worship Vishnu in the following manner.
The fect should be worshipped as Jamadagnya, belly as Sarvadharin (bearing everything), waist as Madhusudana, thighs as Shrivatsadharin, hands as Ksharantaka, the beard as Shitikantha, the conch and disc by their own names (Panchajanya and Sudarshana) and head as Brahmandadharin.
4. After worshipping thus, he should place a pot in front as before and put on it a pair of clothes.
5. A golden image of Jamadagnya (Parashurama) having an axe in the right hand, should be put in a rotten vessel and then placed on it.
6. Worship should then be made with sandal and flowers of various kinds.
7. Keeping awake the whole night with devotion, it should be given to a Brahmin early in the morning the next day.
8. I shall now illustrate the result accruing from this vrata.
9. There was a mighty king by name Virasena. He had no sons and so he began to perform intensive penance.
10. When he was thus doing severe penance, the great sage Yajnavalkva came to him.
11. Seeing the effulgent sage thus come to him, the king rose up with folded hands.
12. The sage who was honoured thus, asked the king about the aim of his penance.
The king said:
13. O sage, I am now without a son, and so I perform these austerities so that this body of mine may steadily decline (leading to death).
Yajnavalkya said:
14. O king, enough of this severe penance. Surely you will get a son without difficulty.
The king said:
15. O sage, be pleased to tell me how I will beget a son without difficulty.
Durvasas said:
16. Asked by the king thus, the sage told him about this (Jamadagnya) dvadashivrata to be performed in the bright fortnight in Vaisakha.
17. By observing it with due fasting, the king got a son, the well known Nala, who even now is remembered in the world as one to be considered as with a sacred name.
18. Such is the result of this Dvadashivrata.
19. One who observes it will get good sons, learning, prosperity and resplendence in this life.
20. In the world beyond, he remains in the world of Brahma for one kalpa attended by numerous Apsarases.
21. Then he will be reborn as an emperor and live for thirty thousand kalpas.
Summary of chapter 44 of the Varāha Mahā Purana is as follows:
The text details the righteous life of King Suratha, a noble monarch of the Chaitra dynasty who was defeated in battle by rebellious ministers and forced to wander alone in the dense forest. King Suratha found refuge at the peaceful hermitage of Maharshi Medhā, where he met the merchant Samādhi and received profound teachings regarding the divine play of Goddess Mahāmāyā. Interwoven with his journey is the romantic and spiritual narrative of Chitrāṅgadā, highlighting how devotion to the Mother Divine brings restoration of kingdom, spiritual clarity, and divine grace to those who endure adversity with faith.