Varāha Mahā Purana
57 - Käntivrata
Agastya said:
1. I shall now tell you about the important Käntivrata by performing which the Moon regained his lost resplendence.
2. It is well known that the Moon was attacked by consumption due to the curse of Daksha and that he regained his lustre by performing this vrata.
3. O king, on the Dvitiyä tithi in the bright half of the month of Kärttika, spend the whole night by worshipping Vishnu as Bala-Kešhava.
4. The feet should be worshipped as Baladeva and the head as Kešhava.
5. After worshipping Vishnu in this form, an image of the moon of two digits (in gold) should be worshipped with arghya etc., and with the (prescribed) mantras.
6. “I bow to the great soul Soma, the overlord of the world of sacrifice, the holder of amruta and the great ordainer”. (This should be uttered).
7. In the night should be eaten cooked barley with ghee.
8. For the four months from Phälguna milky food should be taken and in Kärttika homa with barley should be conducted.
9. During the four months from Äshadha homa with sesamum should be performed, and only sesamum food should be taken.
10. At the end of one year, the golden image of the moon covered in a pair of white clothes and decorated with white flowers should be gifted to a Brahmin.
11-12. At the end of the year, a silver image1 of the moon covered in a pair of white clothes and decorated with white flowers may also he given to a Brahmin after similarly honouring him.
1. The silver image seems to be an alternative for the golden image for those who cannot afford to give it.
13. “O Näräyana in the form of Soma, by your grace, one becomes lustrous, learned and lovely; I bow to you”: (This should then be uttered).
14. By making the gift to the Brahmin with this mantra, a man becomes resplendent.
15. In days of yore, this vrata was performed by Soma himself and was very much pleased by it.
16. And he rid him of his consumption and gave him the digit called ‘Amruta’. This digit was acquired by Soma at night.
17. He regained his full form and became the king of the stars. On the Dvitiyä day the Ašhvinidevas should be acclaimed as Soma-eaters. They are known as Shesha and Vishnu.
18. O king, there is no god other than Vishnu. All the other gods are himself in different names.
Summary of chapter 57 of the Varāha Mahā Purana is as follows:
As King Bali prepares his hundredth Ashvamedha sacrifice on the banks of the Narmadā river, subtle omens of divine intervention begin to manifest throughout his assembly hall. Sage Śukrāchārya perceives that the Supreme Divine is approaching in disguise to reclaim the three worlds and sternly admonishes King Bali to exercise extreme caution in bestowing gifts. Despite the preceptor's warnings, King Bali affirms his solemn vow that no beggar or seeker shall ever be turned away empty-handed from his sacrificial altar, choosing truthfulness over personal empire.