Varaha Purana - Adhyaya 43
Varaha PuranaAdhyaya 4317 Shlokas

Adhyaya 43: The Caitra Dvādaśī Observance and the Ritual Procedure for Worship of Vāmana

Caitra-dvādaśī-vrataḥ Vāmana-pūjā-vidhiḥ

Ritual-Manual (Vrata and Dāna) with Exemplary Royal Narrative

Im Lehrrahmen von Varāha und Pṛthivī legt dieses Adhyāya eine vrata-vidhi für die Dvādaśī des Monats Caitra fest: Fasten und eine gegliederte aṅga-pūjā an Janārdana/Viṣṇu, wobei bestimmte Epitheta den Körperteilen zugeordnet werden. Danach sollen ein nach Norden ausgerichtetes Paar kumbha aufgestellt und ein goldenes Bild Vāmanas (kleine Gestalt, weißes yajñopavīta) eingesetzt werden. Genannt werden rituelle Beigaben—kuṇḍikā, Schirm, Sandalen, Rosenkranz und Sitz—und es wird geboten, diese mit formelhaften Anrufungen einem Brāhmaṇa zu schenken. Es folgt ein erzählerisches Beispiel: König Haryaśva, der einen Sohn begehrt, wird von Hari in der Gestalt eines Brāhmaṇa zur Ausführung dieses Ritus angeleitet; daraufhin wird Kuvalāśva geboren. Abschließend werden die Wirkungen aufgezählt: Nachkommenschaft, Reichtum, Wiedererlangung der Königsherrschaft und nach dem Tod das Erreichen der Viṣṇu-Welt—als dharmische Ordnung, die die Stabilität der Erde trägt.

Speakers

VarāhaPṛthivīDurvāsā

Key Concepts

Caitra Dvādaśī vrataUpavāsa (ritual fasting)Aṅga-pūjā (body-part worship) with Viṣṇu epithetsVāmana iconography (hrasva-rūpa) and ritual donationKumbha-sthāpana with directional orientation (uttara)Royal exemplum (Haryaśva → Kuvalāśva) as validation of ritual efficacyDāna to a brāhmaṇa and merit economyTerrestrial order (Pṛthivī) maintained through regulated dharma
Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana Adhyaya 43

Shlokas in Adhyaya 43

Verse 1

दुर्वासा उवाच । एवमेव मुने मासि चैत्रे संकल्प्य द्वादशीम् । उपोष्याराधयेत् पश्चात् देवदेवं जनार्दनम् ॥ ४३.१ ॥

Durvāsā sprach: „So ist es, o Weiser: Im Monat Caitra, nachdem man das Gelübde für die Dvādaśī gefasst hat, soll man fasten und danach Janārdana, den Gott der Götter, verehren.“

Verse 2

वामनायेति पादौ तु विष्णवे कटिमर्चयेत् । वासुदेवेत्य जठरमुरः सम्पूर्णकाय च ॥ ४३.२ ॥

Man verehre die Füße mit der Formel „(zu) Vāmana“ und die Hüfte mit „(zu) Viṣṇu“; mit „(zu) Vāsudeva“ verehre man den Bauch, die Brust und ebenso den ganzen Leib in seiner Gesamtheit.

Verse 3

कण्ठं विश्वकृते पूज्य शिरो वै व्योमरूपिणे । बाहू विश्वजिते पूज्य स्वनाम्ना शङ्खचक्रकौ ॥ ४३.३ ॥

Man verehre den Hals als (Gestalt) Viśvakṛt; und das Haupt wahrlich als (Gestalt) Vyomarūpin. Die Arme verehre man als (Gestalt) Viśvajit; und Muschel und Diskus seien unter ihren eigenen Namen ehrfürchtig zu verehren.

Verse 4

अनेन विधिनाभ्यर्च्य देवदेवं सनातनम् । प्राग्वदेवोत्तरं कुम्भं सयुग्मं पुरतो न्यसेत् ॥ ४३.४ ॥

Nachdem man nach dieser Vorschrift den ewigen Gott der Götter verehrt hat, soll man vorn einen Wasserkrug (kumbha) wie zuvor ausrichten—nach Norden von Osten—und ihn zusammen mit seinem Gegenstück hinstellen.

Verse 5

प्रागुक्तपात्रे संस्थाप्य वामनं काञ्चनं बुधः । यथाशक्त्या कृतं ह्रस्वं सितयज्ञोपवीतिनम् ॥ ४३.५ ॥

Nachdem der Weise das goldene Bild Vāmanas in dem zuvor genannten Gefäß eingesetzt hat, soll er es nach Kräften als kleine Gestalt (Zwergenform) anfertigen, mit weißer Opferkordel (yajñopavīta).

Verse 6

कुण्डिकां स्थापयेत् पार्श्वे छत्रिकां पादुके तथा । अक्षामालां च संस्थाप्य वृषिकां च विशेषतः ॥ ४३.६ ॥

Man soll seitlich eine kuṇḍikā (Wassergefäß) aufstellen, ebenso einen kleinen Sonnenschirm und ein Paar Sandalen; nachdem auch eine Gebetskette (akṣamālā) niedergelegt ist, soll besonders die vṛṣikā als eigener Gegenstand platziert werden.

Verse 7

एतैरुपस्कारैर्युक्तं प्रभाते स द्विजातये । दापयेत् प्रीयतां विष्णुर्ह्रस्वरूपीति उदीरयेत् ॥ ४३.७ ॥

Am Morgen, mit diesen Erfordernissen versehen, soll er es einem Zweimalgeborenen (Brāhmaṇa) geben lassen und sprechen: „Möge Viṣṇu, in feiner, kleiner Gestalt, zufrieden sein.“

Verse 8

मासनाम्ना तु संयुक्तं प्रादुर्भावविधानकम् । प्रीयतामिति सर्वत्र विधिरेष प्रकीर्तितः ॥ ४३.८ ॥

Dieses Manifestationsritual (prādurbhāva) wird, wenn es mit dem Monatsnamen verbunden ist, überall mit der Formel „Möge (die Gottheit) zufrieden sein“ verkündet; so lautet die vorgeschriebene Vorschrift.

Verse 9

श्रूयते च पुरा राजा हर्यश्वः पृथिवीपतिः । अपुत्रः स तपस्तेपे पुत्रमिच्छंस्तपोधनम् ॥ ४३.९ ॥

Man hört auch, dass es einst einen König gab, Haryaśva, den Herrn der Erde. Da er ohne Sohn war, übte er Askese, im Verlangen nach einem Sohn—dessen Reichtum das Verdienst der Entsagung wäre.

Verse 10

तस्यैव कुर्वतो व्युष्टिं पुत्रार्थे मुनिसत्तम । अजगाम हरिः पूर्वं द्विजरूपं समाश्रितः ॥ ४३.१० ॥

O Bester der Weisen, während er jene Observanz um eines Sohnes willen vollzog, kam Hari zuvor, indem er die Gestalt eines Brahmanen annahm.

Verse 11

उवाच तपसा राजन् किं ते व्यवसितं प्रभो । पुत्रार्थमिति प्रोवाच तं विप्रः प्रत्युवाच ह ॥ ४३.११ ॥

Er sprach: „O König, was ist dein Entschluss durch diese Askese, o Herr?“ Der König sagte: „Um eines Sohnes willen.“ Darauf erwiderte der Brahmane ihm so.

Verse 12

इदमेव विधानं तु कुरु राजन्नुवाच ह । एवमुक्त्वा तु राजानं क्षणादन्तर्हितः प्रभुः ॥ ४३.१२ ॥

Er sagte: „O König, vollziehe genau dieses vorgeschriebene Verfahren.“ Nachdem er so zum König gesprochen hatte, verschwand der Herr augenblicklich aus dem Blickfeld.

Verse 13

राजाऽपि तं चकाराशु मन्त्रवन्तं द्विजातये । दरिद्राय तथा प्रादात् ज्योतिर्गार्गाय धीमते ॥ ४३.१३ ॥

Auch der König tat es sogleich und bestellte ihn zum Priester, der mit den rechten Mantras für die Zweimalgeborenen versehen war. Ebenso gewährte er einem Armen Unterstützung—dem weisen Jyotir Gārga.

Verse 14

यथादितेरपुत्रायाः स्वयं पुत्रत्वमागतः । भगवंस्तेन सत्येन ममाप्यस्तु सुतो वरः ॥ ४३.१४ ॥

So wie bei Aditi—obwohl sie ohne Sohn war—von selbst die Sohnschaft entstand, o Erhabener; durch diese Wahrheit möge auch mir ein vortrefflicher Sohn zuteilwerden.

Verse 15

अनेन विधिना दत्ते तस्य पुत्रोऽभवन्मुने । कुवलाश्व इति ख्यातश्चक्रवर्ती महाबलः ॥ ४३.१५ ॥

O Weiser, als die Gabe nach der vorgeschriebenen Ordnung dargebracht wurde, wurde ihm ein Sohn geboren—berühmt als Kuvalāśva, ein mächtiger Cakravartin, Weltenherrscher.

Verse 16

अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रमधनो लभते धनम् । भ्रष्टराज्यो लभेद् राज्यं मृतो विष्णुपुरं व्रजेत् ॥ ४३.१६ ॥

Wer ohne Sohn ist, erlangt einen Sohn; wer arm ist, erlangt Reichtum. Wer sein Reich verloren hat, kann die Herrschaft wiedergewinnen; und wer stirbt, gelangt zur Wohnstatt Vishnus.

Verse 17

कीर्त्तित्वा सुचिरं तत्र इह मर्त्यमुपागतः । चक्रवर्ती भवेद्धीमान् ययातिरिव नाहुषः ॥ ४३.१७ ॥

Nachdem man dort lange Zeit Lobpreis und Gedenken vollzogen hat und dann hier in den menschlichen Stand gelangt, wird man ein weiser Cakravartin, wie Yayāti, der Sohn des Nāhuṣa.

Inside Adhyaya 43

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī dialogue, the adhyāya shifts into a vrata-manual mode: Durvāsā’s prescriptive instruction is introduced for a time-bound observance on Caitra śukla Dvādaśī, emphasizing upavāsa, orderly worship, and dāna as dharma that sustains worldly stability.

  2. Central event

    A detailed Caitra Dvādaśī vrata-vidhi is laid out: aṅga-pūjā of Janārdana/Viṣṇu with body-part-wise epithets, north-oriented paired kumbha placement, installation/worship of a golden Vāmana (hrasva-rūpa) with white yajñopavīta, and the preparation of specific ritual accessories to be donated with mantric formulas.

  3. Climax resolution

    The rite’s efficacy is validated through an exemplary royal narrative: King Haryaśva, longing for a son, is instructed by Hari appearing as a brāhmaṇa to perform the observance; by completing it, he gains the desired progeny—Kuvalāśva—who is portrayed as an imperial stabilizer (cakravartin-type) in the lineage-comparison register (Yayāti/Nāhuṣa).

  4. Closing phalashruti

    The chapter concludes with an explicit merit catalogue: the observance yields offspring, wealth, recovery/continuance of kingship, and after death attainment of Viṣṇu’s world (Viṣṇupura/Viṣṇuloka), presenting regulated ritual-dāna as a mechanism of social and terrestrial order.

Geographical context

No explicit toponyms (cities/rivers) are named in this excerpt. The setting is a royal-ascetic context (a king performing tapas), with cosmological destination language (Viṣṇupura) rather than terrestrial geography.

Tirtha focus

  • Pilgrimage MeritNo specific tīrtha is named; merit is framed as vrata-phala (putra, śrī, rājya, Viṣṇuloka) rather than place-based pilgrimage reward.

Ritual instructions

  • Primary RitualCaitra śukla Dvādaśī vrata with Vāmana/Janārdana aṅga-pūjā, kumbha-sthāpana, and brāhmaṇa-dāna.
  • BenefitPutra-prāpti (offspring), dhana/śrī (wealth and prosperity), rājya-prāpti or rājya-pratiṣṭhā (restored/secured kingship), and post-mortem Viṣṇuloka/Viṣṇupura attainment; additionally, the rite is presented as reinforcing dharmic-social stability.

The narrative frame

  • Varāha (with Durvāsā’s instruction embedded as authoritative ritual voice)Pṛthivī · Didactic and procedural (vrata-vidhi) with a validating exemplum; authoritative, dharma-normative, and merit-economy oriented.

The emotional journey

  • Dominant RasaŚānta (devotional-ritual serenity) with a strong undercurrent of Vīra/Āśā (royal resolve and hope for progeny).
  • Emotional ProgressionAnxiety/deficiency (a king without a son) → disciplined restraint (fasting and ordered worship) → assurance through divine instruction (Hari as brāhmaṇa) → fulfillment and stability (birth of heir, prosperity, kingship, and salvific horizon).

Planning a pilgrimage

  • Visit FeasibilityNot site-specific in this adhyāya; practice is home/temple-feasible wherever Viṣṇu/Vāmana worship is established and a qualified brāhmaṇa recipient is available for dāna.
  • Best SeasonCaitra (March–April) aligned to the lunar Dvādaśī; choose local morning hours for the dāna conclusion.
  • Related FestivalCaitra śukla Dvādaśī (Viṣṇu Dvādaśī observance); thematically adjacent to Vāmana/Viṣṇu temple Dvādaśī fasts (regional naming varies).

Frequently Asked Questions

The text frames regulated dharma—fasting, disciplined worship, and structured giving (dāna)—as a stabilizing social mechanism that yields prosperity and continuity (e.g., offspring and kingship). Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī horizon, such rule-bound conduct is implied to support terrestrial order by aligning human action with a normative cosmic-ritual structure.

The rite is specified for the month of Caitra and the lunar day Dvādaśī. The procedure includes upavāsa (fasting) and morning-time gifting (prabhāte), indicating a timed ritual sequence.

Environmental ethics are not explicit as landscape management in this excerpt; instead, the chapter presents an indirect model where dharmic restraint (upavāsa), ordered ritual space (directional kumbha placement), and redistribution through dāna maintain societal coherence. In Purāṇic logic, this coherence is a component of Pṛthivī’s stability—human discipline functioning as an early idiom of ‘terrestrial balance’ through norm-governed living.

The narrative references King Haryaśva (a ruler without a son), the sage Durvāsā as the instructing voice in the ritual section, Hari/Viṣṇu appearing in brāhmaṇa form, and the resulting son Kuvalāśva described as a cakravartin. Yayāti and Nāhuṣa are invoked as comparative exemplars of imperial status.

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