Budhāṣṭamī / Mahārudra Vrata: Procedure, Mantra, and the Story of Kauśika and Vijayā
(इति कृष्णाष्टमीव्रतम्) / ना मैकत्रिंशदुत्तरशततमो ऽध्यायः ब्रह्मोवाच / नक्ताशी त्वष्टमीं यावद्वर्षान्ते चैव धेनुदः / पौरन्दरपदं याति सद्गतिव्रतमुच्यते !
(iti kṛṣṇāṣṭamīvratam) / nā maikatriṃśaduttaraśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ brahmovāca / naktāśī tvaṣṭamīṃ yāvadvarṣānte caiva dhenudaḥ / paurandarapadaṃ yāti sadgativratamucyate !
Así concluye el voto de Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī. Dijo Brahmā: Quien observa el octavo día lunar comiendo solo de noche y, al final del año, dona una vaca, alcanza el estado de Purandara (Indra). Esto se llama el voto que conduce a una buena destinación (sadgati).
Brahma
Afterlife Stage: Svarga
Concept: Vrata (Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī) with niyama (night-only eating) and dāna (cow-gift at year’s end) yields heavenly attainment; disciplined action shapes destiny.
Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa efficacy: puṇya accrues through vrata and dāna; ‘sadgati’ as fruit within saṃsāra (not final mokṣa).
Application: Observe periodic fasting/regulated diet with devotional intent; practice meaningful charity (supporting sustenance and dharmic livelihoods); keep vows sustainable and ethically sourced.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: celestial abode/position
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: vrata-kathā and phalaśruti sections describing aṣṭamī observances and dāna leading to svarga/sadgati (general motif)
This verse defines Sadgati-vrata as a disciplined Aṣṭamī observance with night-only eating and concludes it with go-dāna, promising an elevated post-mortem destiny.
It links ethical-ritual discipline (vrata) and charitable giving (cow donation) to karmic results after death, described here as reaching Indra’s realm/status (paurandara-pada).
Practice periodic self-restraint (fasting/regulated diet) with sincere charity; the teaching emphasizes that disciplined living plus giving produces uplifting karmic outcomes.