Śāntikādhyāya

Śāntikādhyāya · śāntika-adhyāya, “the chapter of śānti”

The Śāntikādhyāya is a recitation for śānti chanted, with the Vishṇu Sūkta, while the vasordhārā falls in the Bhīma Dvādaśī vrata. In the Uttara Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa, Śrī Kṛshṇa tells Yudhishṭhira how Pulastya Muni taught this vrata to King Bhīma of Vidarbha. The text names the Śāntikādhyāya and its place in the rite.

Its place in the rite

The Bhīma Dvādaśī is kept on the śukla dvādaśī of Māgha. A maṇḍapa of ten hastas is built with a vedī of five hastas, a maṇḍala of five colours and four or eight kuṇḍas. On the maṇḍala a four-armed image of Bhagavān Janārdana is installed facing west and worshipped. Before Nārāyaṇa a kalaśa of gold, silver, copper or clay, with a thousand, a hundred or one hole, filled with water, milk or ghee, is hung from a crossbeam. Offerings are made to the grahas, and Indra, Yama, Varuṇa and Kubera are worshipped in their directions. The yajamāna, in white, sits before Bhagavān Janārdana and receives on his head the stream from the kalaśa, bowing and praying.

At that time the brāhmaṇas do homa in the kuṇḍas of the four directions, and the Śāntikādhyāya and the Vishṇu Sūkta are recited; the śaṅkha is sounded, instruments are played, cries of victory are raised and auspicious stutis are recited. The yajamāna keeps the night awake, hearing the Harivaṃśa, the Sauparṇika ākhyāna and the Mahābhārata. The vasordhārā falling upon Bhagavān Janārdana gives every siddhi.

The phala

Pulastya says that by this vrata even the worst of pāpins are freed from pāpa, and it gives more fruit than hundreds of vājapeya and atirātra yāgas. Women and men who keep it gain unbroken saubhāgya, long life, health and wealth for seven births, reach Vishṇupura, Rudraloka and Brahmaloka, and return as dhārmika cakravartī kings.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 73–74

Sources

• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 73–74