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

Is adhyaya mein Vaisakha mahine ki dvadashi ka vrat bataya gaya hai. Pehle snan aur sankalp le ke mandir jao. Phir Hari ki puja karo aur ek ghat sthapit karo. Uske baad ek vishesh paatra mein Hari ko sthapit karo. Ratri bhar jagran karo aur subah brahman ko dan do. Raja Virasena ko koi beta nahi tha. Yajnavalkya ne kaha ki ye vrat se beta milega. Raja ne vrat kiya aur Nala paida hua. Maut ke baad Brahmaloka milta hai aur rajya bhi wapas milta hai.

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
Recitation with translationVaraha Purana Adhyaya 44

Shlokas in Adhyaya 44

Verse 1

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

Durvasa ne kaha, Vaishakh mahine mein bhi yahi karo. Pehle sankalp lo, phir snan karo. Uske baad mandir jao.

Verse 2

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

Wahan jaake Hari ko bhakti se puja karo, in mantron se. Pairon ke liye Jamadagnya bolna. Pet ke liye Sarvadharin bolna. Kamar aur seena ke liye Madhusudan bolna. Yeh woh roop hai jahan Shrivatsa ka nishan hai.

Verse 3

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

Haathon ke liye Kshatrantak bolna. Gale ka gehna Manikanth ke liye hai. Shankh aur chakra apne-apne naam se bulane hain. Sir ke liye Brahmmanddharin bolna, jo poora brahmand dhale hue hai.

Verse 4

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

Puja karne ke baad samajhdar aadmi aage paani ka ghada rakhe. Pehle jaise kiya tha waise hi. Us ghade ko dhak dena aur do kapdon mein lapet dena.

Verse 5

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

Phir Vaishnav patra lekar usme Hari ko bithao. Uska naam Jamadagnya hai, jo pareshaniyan mitata hai. Yeh naam bahut chalta hai.

Verse 6

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

Bhagwan ke haath mein parashu, yaani kulhadi, rakhwao. Phir saari khushbu aur achche phoolon se puja karo. Alag-alag tarah ke phool lagao.

Verse 7

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

Phir bhakti wala insaan raat ko jaagta rehta hai uske paas. Subah jab sooraj saaf nikalta hai, toh brahman ko prasad dena chahiye. Ab sunno main batata hoon aise insaan ko kya milta hai jo niyam follow karta hai.

Verse 8

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

Pehle ek raja tha, Virasena naam ka. Bahut taakatwala aur khushnaseeb tha. Lekin uske koi beta nahi tha. Isliye woh bahut tapasya karne laga.

Verse 9

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

Jab woh itna tapasya kar raha tha, tab Yajnavalkya naam ka bada rishi wahan aaya. Woh bada yogi tha. Usne raja ko thodi doori se dekha aur paas aaya.

Verse 10

तमायान्तमथो दृष्ट्वा ऋषिं परमवर्चसम् । कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा राजाभ्युत्थानमाकरॊत् ॥ ४४.१० ॥

Raja ne dekha ki rishi aa raha hai. Rishi ki chamak alag thi. Raja haath jod ke khada ho gaya aur izzat se milne ke liye uttha.

Verse 11

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

Raja ne rishi ki puja ki. Tab rishi ne poocha, itni tapasya kyun kar rahe ho? Raja, tum dharam jaante ho, batao kya baat hai? Kya chahiye tumhe?

Verse 12

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

Raja ne kaha, main kismat wala hoon lekin mera koi beta nahi hai. Mera koi vansh hi nahi chal raha. Isliye main tapasya kar raha hoon, aur mera sharir patla ho raha hai.

Verse 13

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

Yajnavalkya ne kaha, Raja, itna kasht karne ki zaroorat nahi hai. Thoda sa hi karo, tumhara beta ho jayega. Isme koi shak nahi hai.

Verse 14

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

Raja ne poocha, thode se mein mera beta kaise hoga? Aap mujhe bataiye, main aapke paas jhuk kar aaaya hoon.

Verse 15

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

Durvasa ne kaha, us raja ne jab poocha toh rishi ne bataya. Vaishakh mahine mein ek vrat karna hai jab chaand badhta hai. Yeh dvadashi ka vrat hai.

Verse 16

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

Woh raja jo beta chahta tha usne yeh vrat kiya. Uska beta ho gaya jiska naam Nala tha, bahut achha insaan tha. Aaj bhi log uski baat karte hain, usne accha kaam kiya tha.

Verse 17

प्रासङ्गिकं फलं ह्येतद्गतस्यास्य महामुने । सुपुत्रो जायते वित्तविद्यावान्कान्तिरुत्तमा ॥ ४४.१७ ॥

Hey maha-muni, jo koi wahan jata hai uske liye yeh fayda hai. Usko acha beta milta hai. Paise milte hain aur padhai bhi aati hai. Chehra itna chamakta hai ki sab dekhte reh jaate hain.

Verse 18

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

Is janam mein kya badi baat hai? Main tumhe agle janam ki baat batata hoon. Ek kalpa tak Brahma ke dham mein raho. Phir apsaraon ke saath masti karo.

Verse 19

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

Jab phir se duniya banti hai toh woh pakka chakravarti banta hai. Tees hazaar saal tak jita hai. Isme koi shak nahi hai.

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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