Adhyaya 54: Nārada’s Teaching on a Viṣṇu-Vrata for Securing a Husband (Narrative of the Apsarases)

Verse 1

भद्राश्व उवाच । विज्ञानोत्पत्तिकामस्य क आराध्यो भवेद् द्विज । कथं चाराध्यतेऽसौ हि एतदाख्याहि मे द्विज ॥ ५४.१ ॥

Bhadrāśva said: “O twice-born one, for a person who desires the arising of discriminative knowledge (vijñāna), who should be worshipped? And how indeed is that one to be worshipped? Tell me this, O twice-born.”

Verse 2

अगस्त्य उवाच । विष्णुरेव सदाराध्यः सर्वदेवैरपि प्रभुः । तस्योपायं प्रवक्ष्यामि येनासौ वरदो भवेत् ॥ ५४.२ ॥

Agastya said: “Viṣṇu alone is to be continually worshipped; he is the Lord even for all the gods. I shall explain the means concerning him, by which he may become a bestower of boons.”

Verse 3

रहस्यं सर्वदेवानां मुनीनां मनुजांस्तथा । नारायणः परो देवस्तं प्रणम्य न सीदति ॥ ५४.३ ॥

This is the esoteric principle for all the gods, for the sages (munis), and likewise for human beings: Nārāyaṇa is the supreme Deity; having bowed to Him, one does not fall into dejection.

Verse 4

श्रूयते च पुरा राजन् नारदेन महात्मना । कथितं तुष्टिदं विष्णोर्व्रतमप्सरसां तथा ॥ ५४.४ ॥

It is also heard, O King, that in ancient times the great-souled Nārada related a Viṣṇu-observance (vrata) that bestows satisfaction (tuṣṭi), and likewise an observance concerning the Apsarases.

Verse 5

नारदस्तु पुरा कल्पे गतवान् मानसंसारः । स्नानार्थं तत्र चाजापश्यत् सर्वमप्सरसां गणम् ॥ ५४.५ ॥

Nārada, in a former cosmic cycle, went to the Mānasa lake; and there, intending to bathe, he saw the entire host of the Apsarases.

Verse 6

तास्तं दृष्ट्वा विलासिन्यो जटामुकुटधारिणम् । अस्थिचर्मावशेषं तु छत्रदण्डकपालिनम् ॥ ५४.६ ॥

Seeing him, those playful women beheld one who wore a crown of matted locks (jaṭā)—one bearing remnants of bone and skin, and carrying a parasol-staff and a skull-bowl.

Verse 7

देवासुरमनुष्याणां दिदृक्षुं कलहप्रियम् । ब्रह्मपुत्रं तपोयुक्तं पप्रच्छुस्ता वराङ्गनाः ॥ ५४.७ ॥

Wishing to see the conflict-loving one among gods, asuras, and humans, those noble ladies questioned the son of Brahmā, who was endowed with ascetic discipline (tapas).

Verse 8

अप्सरस ऊचुः । भगवन् ब्रह्मतनय भर्तृकामाः वयं द्विज । नारायणश्च भर्ता नो यथा स्यात् तत् प्रचक्ष्व नः ॥ ५४.८ ॥

The Apsarases said: “O venerable one, son of Brahmā, O twice-born— we desire a husband. Tell us how Nārāyaṇa might become our husband.”

Verse 9

नारद उवाच । प्रणामपूर्वकः प्रश्नः सर्वत्र विहितः शुभः । स च मे न कृतो गर्वाद् युष्माभिर्यौवनस्मयात् ॥ ५४.९ ॥

Nārada said: “A question preceded by respectful salutation is everywhere regarded as auspicious and proper. Yet that was not done—by me, out of pride, and by you, out of the conceit of youth.”

Verse 10

तथापि देवदेवस्य विष्णोर्यन्नामकीर्तितम् । भवतीभिस्तथा भर्त्ता भवत्विति हरिः कृतः । तन्नामोच्चारणादेव कृतं सर्वं न संशयः ॥ ५४.१० ॥

“Nevertheless, since you have recited the name of Viṣṇu—the God of gods—Hari is thereby regarded as your Lord. Indeed, by the mere utterance of that name, everything is accomplished; of this there is no doubt.”

Verse 11

इदानीं कथयाम्याशु व्रतं येन हरिः स्वयम् । वरदत्वमवाप्नोति भर्तृत्वं च नियच्छति ॥ ५४.११ ॥

“Now I shall quickly describe the observance (vrata) by which Hari himself attains the state of being a giver of boons, and by which he also grants the role of protector and support.”

Verse 12

नारद उवाच । वसन्ते शुक्लपक्षस्य द्वादशी या भवेत्शुभा । तस्यामुपोष्य विधिवन्निशायां हरिमर्च्चयेत् ॥ ५४.१२ ॥

Nārada said: “In the spring season, on the auspicious twelfth lunar day of the bright fortnight—having fasted on it according to proper procedure—one should worship Hari at night.”

Verse 13

पर्यङ्कास्तरणं कृत्वा नानाचित्रसमन्वितम् । तत्र लक्ष्म्या युतं रौप्यं हरिं कृत्वा निवेशयेत् ॥ ५४.१३ ॥

Having prepared a couch and its covering, adorned with various decorative designs, one should then place there a silver image of Hari, accompanied by Lakṣmī.

Verse 14

तस्योपरि ततः पुष्पैर्मण्डपं कारयेद् बुधः । नृत्यवादित्रगेयैश्च जागरं तत्र कारयेत् ॥ ५४.१४ ॥

Above that, then, the wise person should have a pavilion (maṇḍapa) constructed with flowers; and there, with dance, musical instruments, and song, he should have a night-vigil (jāgara) performed.

Verse 15

मनॊभवायेति शिर अनङ्गायेति वै कटिम् । कामाय बाहुमूले तु सुशास्त्रायेति चोदरम् ॥ ५४.१५ ॥

“[One should assign the formula] ‘to Manobhava’ to the head; ‘to Anaṅga’ indeed to the waist; ‘to Kāma’ to the roots of the arms; and ‘to Suśāstra’ to the abdomen.”

Verse 16

मन्मथायेति पादौ तु हरयेति च सर्वतः । पुष्पैः सम्पूज्य देवेशं मल्लिकाजातिभिस्तथा ॥ ५४.१६ ॥

Then, worshipping the feet with the utterance “To Manmatha,” and (worshipping) on all sides with the utterance “To Hari,” one should duly honor the Lord of the gods with flowers as well—such as jasmine (mallikā) and jātī blossoms.

Verse 17

पश्चाच्चतुर आदाय इक्षुदण्डान् सुशोभनान् । चतुर्दिक्षु न्यसेत् तस्य देवस्य प्रणतो नृप ॥ ५४.१७ ॥

Afterwards, O king, having taken four splendid sugarcane-stalks, one should place them in the four directions, bowing down to that deity.

Verse 18

एवं कृत्वा प्रभाते तु प्रदद्याद् ब्राह्मणाय वै । वेदवेदाङ्गयुक्ताय सम्पूर्णाङ्गाय धीमते ॥ ५४.१८ ॥

Having done so, then at daybreak one should indeed give the offering/gift to a brāhmaṇa—one endowed with the Veda and the Vedāṅgas, complete in bodily limbs, and possessed of discerning intellect.

Verse 19

ब्राह्मणांश्च तथा पूज्य व्रतमेतत् समापयेत् । एवं कृते तथा विष्णुर्भर्त्ता वो भविता ध्रुवम् ॥ ५४.१९ ॥

And, having likewise honored the brāhmaṇas, one should conclude this vow. When it is done in this manner, Viṣṇu will certainly become your protector and support.

Verse 20

अकृत्वा मत्प्रणामं तु पृष्टो गर्वेण शोभनाः । अवमानस्य तस्यायं विपाको वो भविष्यति ॥ ५४.२० ॥

“But you—though addressed—failed to offer obeisance to me and spoke with pride, O illustrious ones. Therefore, this will be the consequence (vipāka) of that act of disrespect for you.”

Verse 21

एतस्मिन्नेव सरसि अष्टावक्रो महामुनिः । तस्योपहासं कृत्वा तु शापं लप्स्यथ शोभनाः ॥ ५४.२१ ॥

In this very lake is the great sage Aṣṭāvakra. If you mock him, O fair ones, you will incur a curse.

Verse 22

व्रतेनानेन देवेशं पतिं लब्ध्वाभिमानतः । अवमानेऽपहरणं गोपालैर्वो भविष्यति । पुरा हर्त्ता च कन्यानां देवो भर्त्ता भविष्यति ॥ ५४.२२ ॥

“By means of this observance, having obtained the Lord of the gods as husband, through pride—when humiliation comes—there will be an abduction of you by cowherds (gopālas). Formerly a taker-away of maidens, that very god will become (their) husband.”

Verse 23

अगस्त्य उवाच । एवमुक्त्वा स देवर्षिः प्रययौ नारदः क्षणात् । ता अप्येतद् व्रतं चक्रुस् तुष्टश्चासां स्वयं हरिः ॥ ५४.२३ ॥

Agastya said: Having spoken thus, the divine seer Nārada departed at once. They too performed this vow, and Hari himself was pleased with them.