Prayer to Bhadrā

Bhadrā Prārthanā · bhadrā-prārthanā, “the prayer to Bhadrā”

The prayer to Bhadrā is the prayer said at the end of the pūjā in the Bhadrā vrata. Bhadrā, also called Vishṭi, is the daughter of Bhagavān Sūrya and Chāyā and the sister of Śanaiścara. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa tells Yudhishṭhira of her and of her vrata in the Uttara Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa.

Bhadrā

Bhadrā was black, with long hair and large teeth, fearsome to see. As soon as she was born she rushed to devour the world, obstructing yajñas, festivals and journeys. No deva or asura would marry her, and she tore down the maṇḍapa built for her wedding. Brahmā came to Bhagavān Sūrya and then gave Vishṭi her place at the end of the karaṇas Bava, Bālava, Kaulava and the rest, to obstruct the works begun in her time and to be worshipped by devas and asuras. So she is avoided in auspicious works.

Her twelve names

Dhanyā, Dadhimukhī, Bhadrā, Mahāmārī, Kharānanā, Kālarātri, Mahārudrā, Vishṭi, Kulaputrikā, Bhairavī, Mahākālī and Asurakshayakarī. Whoever remembers these twelve names on rising has no fear of disease, the sick are freed, all the grahas become favourable, no obstacle comes to his works, and he wins in battle and at the royal court.

The vrata and the prayer

On a day of Bhadrā the vratī fasts, bathes with fragrant āmalaka and sarvaushadhi, offers tarpaṇa, makes an image of Bhadrā of kuśa grass and worships it, offers homa 108 times with her twelve names, feeds a brāhmaṇa with sesame and pāyasa, and eats kṛśarānna with sesame in silence. At the end of the pūjā the vratī prays: “Devī, daughter of Chāyā and Sūrya, Vishṭi, giver of things wished for, you have been worshipped as my means allow; Bhadrā, be the giver of good.” Seventeen such vratas are kept, and then the udyāpana, with the image on an iron seat and dressed in black cloth.

Sources

• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 117