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

Verse 1

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

Durvāsā said: “Just so, O sage: in the month of Caitra, having undertaken the vow for Dvādāśī, one should fast and thereafter worship Janārdana, the God of gods.”

Verse 2

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

One should worship the feet with the formula “(unto) Vāmana,” and worship the waist with “(unto) Viṣṇu”; with “(unto) Vāsudeva,” one should worship the belly, the chest, and also the entire body as a whole.

Verse 3

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

One should venerate the throat as (the form called) Viśvakṛt; indeed, the head should be venerated as (the form) Vyomarūpin. The arms should be venerated as (the form) Viśvajit; and the conch and discus are to be revered by their own names.

Verse 4

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

Having worshipped the eternal God of gods according to this procedure, one should place in front a water-pot (kumbha) oriented as before—toward the north of the eastern direction—together with its pair.

Verse 5

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

Having installed the golden image of Vāmana in the vessel previously described, the wise practitioner should fashion it, according to one’s capacity, as a small (dwarf-form) figure, wearing a white sacrificial cord.

Verse 6

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

One should place a water-vessel (kuṇḍikā) at the side, and likewise a small parasol and a pair of sandals; having also set down a rosary (akṣamālā), one should place the vṛṣikā especially as a distinct item.

Verse 7

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

In the morning, having been furnished with these requisites, he should have it given to a twice-born (brāhmaṇa); and he should utter, “May Viṣṇu—of subtle, minute form—be pleased.”

Verse 8

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

This rite of manifestation (prādurbhāva), when conjoined with the name of the month, is proclaimed everywhere with the formula, “May (the deity) be pleased”—such is the prescribed procedure.

Verse 9

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

It is also heard that in ancient times there was a king, Haryaśva, lord of the earth. Being without a son, he practiced austerity, desiring a son—one whose wealth would be ascetic merit.

Verse 10

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

While he was performing that observance for the sake of obtaining a son, O best of sages, Hari previously arrived, having assumed the form of a brāhmaṇa.

Verse 11

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

He said: “O King, through austerity—what is your resolve, O lord?” The king replied: “It is for the sake of a son.” And the brāhmaṇa answered him accordingly.

Verse 12

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

“Do precisely this prescribed procedure, O king,” he said. Having spoken thus to the king, the Lord vanished from sight in an instant.

Verse 13

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

The king, too, promptly did so, appointing him as a priest endowed with proper mantras for the twice-born. Likewise, he granted support to a poor man—to the wise Jyotir Gārga.

Verse 14

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

Just as for Aditi—though without a son—sonhood came about of itself, O Blessed One, by that truth may there likewise be for me an excellent son.

Verse 15

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

O sage, when the gift was given according to this prescribed procedure, a son was born to him—renowned as Kuvalāśva, a mighty universal sovereign (cakravartin).

Verse 16

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

One who is without a son obtains a son; one who is poor obtains wealth. One who has lost his kingdom may regain sovereignty; and one who dies attains Viṣṇu’s abode.

Verse 17

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

Having long performed acts of praise and commemoration there, and then having come here to the human condition, one becomes a wise universal sovereign (cakravartin), like Yayāti, the son of Nāhuṣa.