Varaha Purana - Adhyaya 44
Varaha PuranaAdhyaya 4419 Shlokas

Adhyaya 44: The Vaiśākha Bright-Twelfth Observance: Worship of Hari as Jāmadagnya and Its Fruits

Vaiśākha-śukla-dvādaśī-vrata (Jāmadagnya-Hari-pūjā) phala-kathana

Ritual-Manual (Vrata-vidhi) with Phalaśruti Narrative

En el marco didáctico de Varāha y Pṛthivī, el capítulo expone el rito del voto (vrata) del duodécimo día brillante de Vaiśākha y muestra su eficacia con un ejemplo real. Tras el baño y los votos preparatorios, el devoto acude al templo y adora a Hari mediante una secuencia de invocaciones a las partes del cuerpo (pāda, udara, kaṭi, bāhu, kaṇṭha, śiras). Luego instala un ghaṭa cubierto y establece a Hari en un recipiente especial (vaiṇava-pātra), modelando la deidad con un paraśu en la mano derecha y ofreciendo fragancias y flores. Sigue una vigilia nocturna (jāgara) y, al amanecer, se hacen ofrendas a un brāhmaṇa. Se narra la falta de hijos del rey Vīrasena, el consejo de Yājñavalkya de que esta dvādaśī concede un hijo con mínima dificultad, y el nacimiento de Nala, junto con recompensas póstumas (estancia en Brahmaloka, compañía de apsaras) y la renovación de la soberanía, presentando la disciplina ritual como sostén del orden social y de la Tierra mediante conducta regulada y economía del don.

Speakers

VarāhaPṛthivī

Key Concepts

Vaiśākha-śukla-dvādaśī-vrata (lunar calendrics and seasonal discipline)Hari as Jāmadagnya (iconography with paraśu; body-part nyāsa-style praise)Mandira-gamana, snāna, pūjā, jāgara (ritual sequence and vigilance)Ghaṭa-vinyāsa and vastra-veṣṭana (vessel installation and covering)Brāhmaṇa-nivedana (dāna and redistribution ethics)Putrārthitā and royal legitimacy (lineage continuity via vrata)Phalaśruti (this-worldly and other-worldly reward structure)Eco-ethical framing via regulated resource use (water, flowers, fragrances) and social reciprocity
Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana Adhyaya 44

Shlokas in Adhyaya 44

Verse 1

दुर्वासा उवाच । वैशाखेऽप्येवमेवं तु संकल्प्य विधिना नरः । तद्वत् स्नानादिकं कृत्वा ततो देवालयं व्रजेत् ॥ ४४.१ ॥

Dijo Durvāsā: «También en el mes de Vaiśākha, tras formular así el saṅkalpa conforme al rito prescrito, el hombre debe realizar el baño y las observancias afines del mismo modo; después, que vaya al templo».

Verse 2

तत्राराध्य हरिं भक्त्या एभिर्मन्त्रैर्विचक्षणः । जामदग्न्याय पादौ तु उदरं सर्वधारिणे । मधुसूदनायेति कटिमुरः श्रीवत्सधारिणे ॥ ४४.२ ॥

Allí, el practicante perspicaz debe adorar a Hari con devoción mediante estos mantras: recitando “a Jāmadagnya” para los pies; “al que todo lo sostiene” para el vientre; y “a Madhusūdana” para la cintura y el pecho—al Portador del signo de Śrīvatsa.

Verse 3

क्षत्रान्तकाय च भुजौ मणिकण्ठाय कण्ठकम् । स्वनाम्ना शङ्खचक्रौ तु शिरो ब्रह्माण्डधारिणे ॥ ४४.३ ॥

Y (así) asigna los brazos a Kṣatrāntaka, el adorno del cuello a Maṇikaṇṭha; y, por sus propios nombres, la caracola y el disco; y la cabeza al Portador del huevo cósmico (brahmāṇḍa).

Verse 4

एवमभ्यर्च्य मेधावी प्राग्वत् तस्याग्रतो घटम् । विन्यस्य स्थगितं तद्वद् वस्त्रयुग्मेन वेष्टितम् ॥ ४४.४ ॥

Habiendo realizado así la adoración, el sabio, como antes, debe colocar un cántaro de agua delante; y éste, del mismo modo, ha de quedar cubierto y envuelto con un par de paños.

Verse 5

वैणवेन तु पात्रेण तस्मिन् संस्थापयेद्धरिम् । जामदग्न्येति विख्यातं नाम्ना क्लेशविनाशनम् ॥ ४४.५ ॥

Luego, usando un recipiente vaiṣṇava, debe instalarse a Hari en él—Hari, célebre con el nombre “Jāmadagnya”, nombre que se describe como destructor de las aflicciones (kleśas).

Verse 6

दक्षिणे परशुं हस्ते तस्य देवस्य कारयेत् । सर्वगन्धैश्च सम्पूज्य पुष्पैर्नानाविधैः शुभैः ॥ ४४.६ ॥

En la mano derecha de esa deidad debe hacerse un hacha (paraśu); y, tras rendirle culto debidamente con toda clase de fragancias, (debe adorársele también) con muchas variedades de flores auspiciosas.

Verse 7

ततस्तस्याग्रतः कुर्याज्जागरं भक्तिमान्नरः । प्रभाते विमले सूर्ये ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत् । एवं नियमयुक्तस्य यत्फलं तन्निबोध मे ॥ ४४.७ ॥

Luego, el devoto debe velar en su presencia. Al amanecer, cuando el sol está claro y puro, debe ofrecer (la ofrenda) a un brāhmaṇa. Ahora aprende de mí cuál es el fruto que alcanza quien se disciplina con tales observancias.

Verse 8

आसीद् राजा महाभागो वीरसेनो महाबलः । अपुत्रः स पुरा तीव्रं तपस्तेपे महौजसा ॥ ४४.८ ॥

Hubo una vez un rey muy afortunado y de gran poder, llamado Vīrasena. Antaño, al no tener hijo, practicó una austeridad intensa con gran vigor espiritual.

Verse 9

चरस्तत्तपो घोरं याज्ञवल्क्यो महामुनिः । आजगाम महायोगी तं दृष्ट्वा नातिदूरतः ॥ ४४.९ ॥

Mientras Yājñavalkya, el gran sabio, estaba entregado a esa feroz austeridad, se acercó un gran yogui; al verlo desde no muy lejos, se aproximó.

Verse 10

तमायान्तमथो दृष्ट्वा ऋषिं परमवर्चसम् । कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा राजाभ्युत्थानमाकरॊत् ॥ ४४.१० ॥

Entonces, al ver que se acercaba el ṛṣi de resplandor supremo, el rey, con las manos juntas en reverencia, se levantó para recibirlo con honor.

Verse 11

स पूजितो मुनिः प्राह किमर्थं तप्यते तपः । राजन् कथय धर्मज्ञ किं ते कार्यं विवक्षितम् ॥ ४४.११ ॥

Habiendo sido debidamente honrado, el sabio dijo: “¿Con qué propósito se realiza esta austeridad? Oh rey, conocedor del dharma, habla: ¿qué asunto deseas exponer?”

Verse 12

राजोवाच । अपुत्रोऽहं महाभाग नास्ति मे पुत्रसन्ततिः । तेन मे तप आस्थाय क्रिष्यते स्वतनुर्द्विज ॥ ४४.१२ ॥

El rey dijo: «Oh afortunado, estoy sin hijo; no hay para mí descendencia de hijos. Por ello, al emprender austeridades, mi propio cuerpo, oh dos veces nacido, se va consumiendo».

Verse 13

याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच । अलं ते तपसाऽनेन महाक्लेशेन पार्थिव । अल्पायासेन ते पुत्रो भविष्यति न संशयः ॥ ४४.१३ ॥

Yājñavalkya dijo: «Basta ya de esta austeridad para ti, oh rey, con tan gran penuria. Con poco esfuerzo tendrás un hijo; no hay duda».

Verse 14

राजोवाच । कथं मे भविता पुत्रोऽल्पायासेन वै द्विज । एतन्मे कथय प्रीतो भगवन् प्रणतस्य ह ॥ ४४.१४ ॥

El rey dijo: «Oh dos veces nacido, ¿cómo me nacerá un hijo con poco esfuerzo? Dímelo, complacido, oh venerable señor, a mí que me he postrado en sumisión».

Verse 15

दुर्वासा उवाच । एवमुक्तो मुनिस्तेन पार्थिवेन यशस्विना । आचख्यौ द्वादशीं चेमां वैशाखे सितपक्षजाम् ॥ ४४.१५ ॥

Durvāsā dijo: Así interpelado por aquel rey ilustre, el sabio explicó esta observancia de Dvādaśī, que cae en la quincena luminosa del mes de Vaiśākha.

Verse 16

स हि राजा विधानॆन पुत्रकामो विशेषतः । उपोष्य लब्धवान् पुत्रं नलं परमधार्मिकम् । योऽद्यापि कीर्त्यते लोके पुण्यश्लोको नरोत्तमः ॥ ४४.१६ ॥

Aquel rey, deseando especialmente un hijo, observó el rito prescrito y, tras ayunar, obtuvo un hijo, Nala, supremamente justo. Aún hoy es celebrado en el mundo como el mejor de los hombres, de fama noble nacida del mérito.

Verse 17

प्रासङ्गिकं फलं ह्येतद्गतस्यास्य महामुने । सुपुत्रो जायते वित्तविद्यावान्कान्तिरुत्तमा ॥ ४४.१७ ॥

Oh gran sabio, éste es en verdad un fruto accesorio para quien ha llegado allí (o ha seguido esta práctica): nace un buen hijo; se obtiene riqueza y saber; y surge un resplandor o belleza excelente.

Verse 18

इह जन्मनि किं चित्रं परलोके शृणुष्व मे । कल्पमेकं ब्रह्मलोके वसित्वाऽप्सरसां गणैः ॥ ४४.१८ ॥

¿Qué tiene de asombroso esta vida? Escucha de mí acerca del otro mundo: tras morar un solo kalpa en Brahmaloka, (se vive) entre las compañías de las apsaras.

Verse 19

क्रीडत्यन्ते पुनः सृष्टौ चक्रवर्ती भवेद् ध्रुवम् । त्रिंशत्यब्दसहस्राणि जीवते नात्र संशयः ॥ ४४.१९ ॥

Al final (de una era), cuando la creación surja de nuevo, él llegará sin duda a ser un cakravartin (soberano universal). Vivirá treinta mil años; de ello no hay duda.

Inside Adhyaya 44

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī upadeśa frame, the chapter opens as a vrata-vidhi for Vaiśākha śukla-dvādaśī, presenting disciplined calendrical conduct (snāna, saṅkalpa, mandira-gamana) as a stabilizing dharmic technology for householders and rulers alike.

  2. Central event

    A stepwise worship of Hari in the form/epithet Jāmadagnya is taught: bodily-part invocations (pāda, udara, kaṭi, bāhu, kaṇṭha, śiras) accompany pūjā; a covered ghaṭa is installed; Hari is established in a special vaiṣṇava vessel (vaiṇava-pātra) and iconographically fashioned holding a paraśu; fragrance and flowers are offered; an all-night jāgara is observed; at sunrise, brāhmaṇa-nivedana (gift/feeding) completes the rite.

  3. Climax resolution

    The efficacy is dramatized through King Vīrasena’s crisis of childlessness and Yājñavalkya’s counsel that this dvādaśī yields a son with minimal hardship; the rite is performed and the desired heir—Nala—is born, restoring lineage continuity and royal legitimacy.

  4. Closing phalashruti

    The phalaśruti expands from immediate putra-prāpti to postmortem ascent (Brahmaloka sojourn, apsaras-company) and a return to renewed sovereignty/fortune, presenting vrata + dāna as a reciprocal economy that sustains social order and, by implication, Earth’s well-being through regulated conduct.

Geographical context

No explicit toponyms are provided in these verses. Ecological/ritual setting is implied: devālaya (temple precinct), snāna context (water-source implied), and Brahmaloka as a cosmological locale.

Tirtha focus

  • Pilgrimage MeritNo named tīrtha is specified; merit is attached to correct timing (Vaiśākha śukla-dvādaśī), temple-based worship, night-vigil, and sunrise brāhmaṇa-nivedana, yielding both worldly (putra, rājya-sthiratā) and otherworldly (Brahmaloka) fruits.

Ritual instructions

  • Primary RitualVaiśākha-śukla-dvādaśī vrata: worship of Hari as Jāmadagnya with ghaṭa-vinyāsa, vaiṣṇava-pātra-sthāpana, jāgara, and brāhmaṇa-nivedana.
  • BenefitPutra-prāpti (especially for childless couples/householders), alleviation of hardship through disciplined observance, reinforcement of royal/household stability, and elevated postmortem rewards (Brahmaloka, apsaras-company), culminating in renewed prosperity/sovereignty.

The narrative frame

  • Varāha (instructional voice; with Durvāsas referenced as a narratorial authority in the tradition of the passage)Pṛthivī (Earth) · Didactic and procedural (vrata-manual) with exemplary persuasion via royal case-study and expansive phalaśruti.

The emotional journey

  • Dominant RasaŚānta (devotional composure) with a strong undercurrent of Vīra (royal resolve) and Karuṇa shifting to Harṣa (from anxiety to joy).
  • Emotional ProgressionRitual sobriety and restraint → tension of childlessness/legitimacy crisis → confidence through sage’s prescription → intensified devotion via jāgara → sunrise release and gifting → joy of progeny and assurance of cosmic reward.

Planning a pilgrimage

  • Visit FeasibilityText does not mandate a named tīrtha; the observance is feasible at any reputable Viṣṇu temple or home shrine with proper purity, timing, and capacity for brāhmaṇa-nivedana. For travel, choose a major Vaiṣṇava kṣetra to amplify communal observance and access to learned brāhmaṇas.
  • Best SeasonVaiśākha (typically April–May) during śukla-pakṣa; plan for dvādaśī with an overnight stay to keep jāgara and complete sunrise rites.
  • Related FestivalVaiśākha śukla-dvādaśī (often aligned with regional Dvādaśī/Viṣṇu observances; local temple calendars may pair it with special Viṣṇu pūjās and night vigils).

Frequently Asked Questions

The text frames disciplined ritual practice (snāna, pūjā, jāgara, and dāna) as a structured form of ethical self-regulation that yields social goods—especially lineage continuity and stable kingship—while promoting orderly resource use and reciprocity through offerings and brāhmaṇa-nivedana.

The observance is specified for Vaiśākha during the bright fortnight (śukla-pakṣa), explicitly on dvādaśī (the twelfth lunar day). The rite culminates at prabhāta when the sun is clear (vimala sūrya), indicating a sunrise completion and gifting moment.

Although not explicit as an ecological treatise, the chapter implies Earth-oriented balance through regulated, calendrically timed conduct: bathing practices tied to seasonal cycles, restrained and formalized use of water, flowers, and fragrances, and a redistribution ethic (nivedana) that channels resources through socially recognized stewardship roles—an indirect model of sustainable ritual economy.

The narrative references Durvāsas as the narrator of the instruction, the sage Yājñavalkya as the advising authority, King Vīrasena as the exemplar, and Nala as the famed son produced through the dvādaśī observance; Hari is invoked with epithets including Jāmadagnya and Madhusūdana, and iconographically associated with the paraśu.

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