Adhyaya 40: Ritual Procedure for the Kūrma Dvādaśī Observance

Verse 1

दुर्वासा उवाच । तथैव पौषमासे तु अमृतं मथितं सुरैः । तत्र कूर्मो भवेद्देवः स्वयमेव जनार्दनः ॥ ४०.१ ॥

Durvāsā said: “Likewise, in the month of Pauṣa, the nectar (amṛta) was churned by the gods. There, the deity becomes the Tortoise (Kūrma)—Janārdana himself, in person.”

Verse 2

तस्येयं तिथिरुद्दिष्टा हरेर्वै कूर्मरूपिणः । पुष्यमासस्य या शुद्धा द्वादशी शुक्लपक्षतः ॥ ४०.२ ॥

This is the calendrical date specified for Hari in his Kūrma (tortoise) form: the pure Dvādaśī (twelfth lunar day) in the bright fortnight (śukla-pakṣa) during the month of Puṣya.

Verse 3

तस्यां प्रागेव संकल्प्य प्राग्वत् स्नान्नादिकाः क्रियाः । निर्वर्त्याराधयेद् रात्र्यामेकादश्यां जनार्दनम् । पृथङ्मन्त्रैर्मुनिश्रेष्ठ देवदेवं जनार्दनम् ॥ ४०.३ ॥

There, having first made the formal intention (saṅkalpa), and having performed the customary rites such as bathing and related observances as before, one should, on the night of Ekādaśī—O best of sages—worship Janārdana, the God of gods, with distinct mantras.

Verse 4

ॐकूर्माय पादौ प्रथमं प्रपूज्य नारायणेत्य् हरेः कटिं च । संकर्षणायेत्युदरं विशोकेत्युरोभवायेत्य् तथैव कण्ठम् । सुबाहवेतेव भुजौ शिरश्च नमो विशालाय रथाङ्गसारम् ॥ ४०.४ ॥

First reverencing the feet with the formula “Oṃ, to Kūrma,” and then the waist of Hari with “(to) Nārāyaṇa,” one should likewise assign “(to) Saṅkarṣaṇa” to the abdomen, “(to) Viśoka” to the chest, and “(to) Urobhava” to the throat; and “(to) Subāhu” to the arms and the head. Homage to the Vast One, whose essence is the discus (rathāṅga).

Verse 5

स्वनाममन्त्रेण सुगन्धपुष्पैर् नानानिवेद्यैर्विविधैः फलैश्च | अभ्यर्च्य देवं कलशं तदग्रे संस्थाप्य माल्यैः सितकण्ठदाम || ४०.५ ||

Having worshipped the deity with the mantra consisting of the deity’s own name—using fragrant flowers, various food-offerings, and diverse fruits—one should then place a kalaśa (water-pot) before Him, adorning it with garlands and a white-throated, necklace-like ornament.

Verse 6

तं रत्नगर्भं तु पुरेव कृत्वा स्वशक्तितो हेममयं तु देवम् । समन्दरं कूर्मरूपेण कृत्वा संस्थाप्य ताम्रे घृतपूर्णपात्रे । पूर्णघटस्योपरि संनिवेश्य श्वो ब्राह्मणायैवमेवं तु दद्यात् ॥ ४०.६ ॥

Having first prepared a ‘Ratnagarbha’ (a jewel-filled offering) and, according to one’s capacity, a deity-image made of gold, and having fashioned a representation of the ocean in the form of Kūrma (the Tortoise), one should place it in a copper vessel filled with ghee. Setting it upon a full kalaśa, on the following day one should give it in this very manner to a brāhmaṇa.

Verse 7

श्वो ब्राह्मणान् भोज्य सदक्षिणांश्च यथाशक्त्या प्रीणयेद् देवदेवम् । नारायणं कूर्मरूपेण पश्चाद् तथा स्वयं भुञ्जीत सभृत्यवर्गः ॥ ४०.७ ॥

On the following day, having fed brāhmaṇas and given them suitable dakṣiṇā according to one’s capacity, one thereby gratifies the God of gods. Thereafter, contemplating Nārāyaṇa in the form of Kūrma (the Tortoise), one should then eat oneself together with one’s attendants and household.

Verse 8

एवं कृते विप्र समस्तपापं विनश्यते नात्र कुर्याद्विचारम् । संसारचक्रं तु विहाय शुद्धं प्राप्नोति लोकं च हरेः पुराणम् । प्रयान्ति पापानि विनाशमाशु श्रीमांस्तथा जायते सत्यधर्मः ॥ ४०.८ ॥

When this is performed, O brāhmaṇa, all sin is destroyed—one should not entertain doubt about it. Casting aside the cycle of saṃsāra, the purified person attains the ancient realm of Hari. Sins quickly go to destruction, one becomes endowed with prosperity, and dharma grounded in truth likewise arises.

Verse 9

अनेकजन्मान्तरसंचितानि नश्यन्ति पापानि नरस्य भक्त्या । प्रागुक्तरूपं तु फलं भवेत नारायणस्तुष्टिमायाति सद्यः ॥ ४०.९ ॥

Through a man’s bhakti (devotion), sins accumulated across many births are destroyed. The result previously stated indeed comes to pass, and Nārāyaṇa is satisfied immediately.