Adhyaya 57: The Observance for Attaining Radiance: The Soma Kānti-Vrata

Verse 1

अगस्त्य उवाच । अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि कान्तिव्रतम् अनुत्तमम् । यत्कृत्वा तु पुरा सोमः कान्तिमान् अभवत् पुनः ॥ ५७.१ ॥

Agastya said: “Next I shall explain the unsurpassed vow called the Kānti-vrata; by performing it in former times, Soma (the Moon) became radiant again.”

Verse 2

यक्ष्मणा दक्षशापेन पुराक्रान्तो निशाकरः । एतच्चीर्त्वा व्रतं सद्यः कान्तिमानभवत् किल ॥ ५७.२ ॥

Once, the Moon—the maker of night—was afflicted by yakṣman (consumption) due to Dakṣa’s curse. Having performed and proclaimed/observed this vow, he is said to have immediately regained his brilliance.

Verse 3

द्वितीयायां तु राजेन्द्र कार्त्तिकस्य सिते दिने । नक्तं कुर्वीत यत्नेन अर्चयन् बलकेशवम् ॥ ५७.३ ॥

On the second lunar day, O king, on the bright day of the month of Kārttika, one should carefully observe the night-meal vow (nakta) while worshipping Balakeśava.

Verse 4

बलदेवाय पादौ तु केशवाय शिरोऽर्चयेत् । एवमभ्यर्च्य मेधावी वैष्णवं रूपमुत्तमम् ॥ ५७.४ ॥

One should worship the feet for Baladeva, and worship the head for Keśava. Thus having worshipped, the wise person venerates the supreme Vaiṣṇava form.

Verse 5

परस्वरूपं सोमाख्यं द्विकलं तद्दिने हि यत् । तस्यार्घं दापयेद्धीमान् मन्त्रेण परमेष्ठिनः ॥ ५७.५ ॥

On that day, for what is called Soma—of the ‘other-form’ (parasvarūpa) and consisting of two parts (dvikala)—the wise person should have the arghya-offering presented, using the mantra addressed to Parameṣṭhin.

Verse 6

नमोऽस्त्वमृतरूपाय सर्वौषधिनृपाय च । यज्ञलोकाधिपतये सोमाय परमात्मने ॥ ५७.६ ॥

Homage to You whose form is immortality; homage to You, sovereign of all medicinal herbs; to the lord of the sacrificial realm—Soma—who is the supreme Self.

Verse 7

अनेनैव च मार्गेण दत्त्वार्घ्यं परमेष्ठिनः । रात्रौ सविप्रो भुञ्जीत यवान्नं सघृतं नरः ॥ ५७.७ ॥

Following this same procedure, having offered the arghya to Parameṣṭhin, a man—together with a brāhmaṇa—should eat at night a meal of barley (yava) accompanied by ghee.

Verse 8

फाल्गुनादिचतुष्के तु पायसं भोजयेच्छुचिः । शालिहोमं तु कुर्वीत कार्त्तिके तु यवैस्तथा ॥ ५७.८ ॥

In the four-month period beginning with Phālguna, a purified person should serve milk-rice as an offering of food. One should perform a homa with rice; and likewise, in Kārttika, perform it with barley.

Verse 9

आषाढादिचतुष्के तु तिलहोमं तु कारयेत् । तद्वत् तिलान्नं भुञ्जीत एष एव विधिक्रमः ॥ ५७.९ ॥

During the four-month period beginning with Āṣāḍha, one should have a sesame oblation (tila-homa) performed. Likewise, one should partake of food prepared with sesame. This alone is the prescribed order of procedure.

Verse 10

ततः संवत्सरे पूर्णे शशिनं कृतराजतं । सितवस्त्रयुगच्छन्नं सितपुष्पानुलेपनम् । एवमेव द्विजं पूज्य ततस्तं प्रतिपादयेत् ॥ ५७.१० ॥

Then, when a full year has been completed, one should prepare a moon-image fashioned of silver, covered with a pair of white garments and anointed with white flowers. In the same manner, having honored a brāhmaṇa, one should then present that moon-image to him.

Verse 11

कान्तिमानपि लोकेऽस्मिन् सर्वज्ञः प्रियदर्शनः । त्वत्प्रसादात् सोमरूपिन् नारायण नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ५७.११ ॥

In this world, through your grace, one becomes radiant, all-knowing, and pleasing to behold. O Nārāyaṇa, O you whose form is like Soma (the Moon), salutations to you.

Verse 12

अनेन किल मन्त्रेण दत्त्वा विप्राय वाग्यतः । दत्तमात्रे ततस्तस्मिन् कान्तिमान् जायते नरः ॥ ५७.१२ ॥

“Indeed, having given a gift to a brāhmaṇa with this very mantra, with speech held in disciplined restraint, the moment the gift is made, that man then becomes radiant.”

Verse 13

आत्रेयेणापि सोमेन कृतमेतत् पुरा नृप । तस्य व्रतान्ते सन्तुष्टः स्वयमेव जनार्दनः । यक्ष्माणमपनीयाशु अमृताख्यां कलां ददौ ॥ ५७.१३ ॥

O king, in former times Soma, the descendant of Atri, also performed this observance. At the close of his vow, Janārdana himself, being pleased, swiftly removed the yakṣmā (consuming disease) and granted a portion (kalā) known as “Amṛta.”

Verse 14

तां कलां सोमराजोऽसौ तपसा लब्धवानिति । सोमत्वं चागमत सोऽस्य ओषधीनां पतिर् बभौ ॥ ५७.१४ ॥

It is said that that Moon-king obtained that portion through tapas (ascetic discipline); and, having attained the state of being Soma, he became the lord of the medicinal plants.

Verse 15

द्वितीयामश्विनौ सोमभुजौ कीर्त्येते तद्दिने नृप । तौ शेषविष्णू विख्यातौ मुख्यपक्षौ न संशयः ॥ ५७.१५ ॥

O king, on the second lunar day the Aśvins are praised as the drinkers of Soma. Those two are renowned as Śeṣa and Viṣṇu, the principal “wings/sides,” without doubt.

Verse 16

न विष्णोर्व्यतिरिक्तं स्याद् दैवतं नृपसत्तम । नामभेदेन सर्वत्र संस्थितः परमेश्वरः ॥ ५७.१६ ॥

O best of kings, there is no divinity that exists apart from Viṣṇu; only through differences of name is the Supreme Lord established everywhere.