Adhyaya 63: Procedure for the Son-Obtaining Vow (Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī Observance)

Verse 1

अगस्त्य उवाच । अथापरं महाराज पुत्रप्राप्तिव्रतं शुभम् । कथयामि समासेन तन्मे निगदतः शृणु ॥ ६३.१ ॥

Agastya said: “Now further, O great king, I shall recount succinctly the auspicious vow for obtaining offspring; listen to me as I set it forth.”

Verse 2

मासे भाद्रपदे या तु कृष्णपक्षे नरेश्वर । अष्टम्यामुपवासेन पुत्रप्राप्तिव्रतं हि तत् ॥ ६३.२ ॥

O lord of men, that observance which is performed in the month of Bhādrapada, in the dark fortnight—by fasting on the eighth lunar day (Aṣṭamī)—is indeed the vow for obtaining a son.

Verse 3

षष्ठ्यां चैव तु संकल्प्य सप्तम्यामर्चयेद् हरिम् । देवक्युत्सङ्गगं देवं मातृभिः परिवेष्टितम् ॥ ६३.३ ॥

Having made the formal resolve (saṅkalpa) on the sixth lunar day, one should worship Hari on the seventh—(worshipping) the deity seated in Devakī’s lap, the god surrounded by the Mothers (mātṛs).

Verse 4

प्रभाते विमलेऽष्टम्यामर्चयेत् प्रयतो हरिम् । प्राग्विधानॆन गोविन्दमर्चयित्वा विधानतः ॥ ६३.४ ॥

At the pure dawn, on the eighth lunar day (Aṣṭamī), one should, with disciplined intent, worship Hari; having worshipped Govinda according to the earlier prescribed procedure, one should then proceed in accordance with the proper injunctions.

Verse 5

ततो यवैः कृष्णतिलैः सघृतैर्होमयेद्दधि । ब्राह्मणान् भोजयेद् भक्त्या यथाशक्त्या सदक्षिणान् ॥ ६३.५ ॥

Then one should offer oblations in the homa with barley (yava) and black sesame (kṛṣṇa-tila) mixed with ghee (ghṛta), together with curd (dadhi); and, with devotion, one should feed brāhmaṇas, giving them suitable dakṣiṇā according to one’s capacity.

Verse 6

ततः स्वयं तु भुञ्जीत प्रथमं बिल्वमुत्तमम् । पश्चाद् यथेष्टं भुञ्जीत स्नेहैः सर्वरसैर्युतम् ॥ ६३.६ ॥

Then one should oneself eat first the excellent bilva fruit; afterward, one may eat as desired, accompanied by unctuous foods and endowed with all flavors.

Verse 7

प्रतिमासमानेनैव विधिनोपोष्य मानवः । कृष्णाष्टमीमपुत्रोऽपि लभेत् पुत्रं न संशयः ॥ ६३.७ ॥

A person who observes the fast according to the prescribed procedure, maintaining the same regimen each month—even if childless—would obtain a son by observing Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī; of this there is no doubt, as the text declares.

Verse 8

श्रूयते च पुरा राजा शूरसेनः प्रतापवान् । स ह्यपुत्रस्तपस्तेपे हिमवत्पर्वतोत्तमे ॥ ६३.८ ॥

It is also heard in tradition that in former times there was a valorous and mighty king named Śūrasena. Being without a son, he undertook tapas (ascetic practice) on Himavat, the foremost of mountains.

Verse 9

तस्यैवं कुर्वतो देवो व्रतमेतज्जगाद ह । सोऽप्येतत्कृतवान् राजा पुत्रं चैवोपलभ्धवान् ॥ ६३.९ ॥

As he acted in that way, the deity indeed proclaimed this observance (vrata). That king too performed it, and he likewise obtained a son.

Verse 10

वासुदेवं महाभागमनेकक्रतুযाजिनम् । तं लब्ध्वा सोऽपि राजर्षिः परं निर्वाणमापतवान् ॥ ६३.१० ॥

Having encountered Vāsudeva—the greatly fortunate one, performer of many sacrificial rites—that royal sage too, upon attaining him, reached the supreme nirvāṇa.

Verse 11

एवं कृष्णाष्टमी राजन् मया ते परिकीर्तिता । संवत्सरान्ते दातव्यं कृष्णयुग्मं द्विजातये ॥ ६३.११ ॥

Thus, O king, I have described to you the observance of Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī. At the end of the year, a pair of gifts associated with Kṛṣṇa should be given to a twice-born (dvija) recipient.

Verse 12

एतत् पुत्रव्रतं नाम मया ते परिकीर्तितम् । एतत् कृत्वा नरः पापैः सर्वैर् एव प्रमुच्यते ॥ ६३.१२ ॥

This observance, called the putra-vrata, has been explained by me to you. Having performed it, a person is released from all sins.