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

Dalam bingkai ajaran Varāha–Pṛthivī, bab ini memaparkan tata cara vrata Dvādaśī terang bulan Vaiśākha serta buahnya melalui teladan raja. Setelah mandi suci dan mengambil kaul, pelaku pergi ke kuil dan memuja Hari dengan rangkaian pemanggilan pada anggota tubuh (pāda, udara, kaṭi, bāhu, kaṇṭha, śiras). Ia menegakkan kendi tertutup (ghaṭa) dan menempatkan Hari dalam bejana khusus (vaiṇava-pātra), membayangkan wujud-Nya memegang paraśu di tangan kanan, lalu mempersembahkan wewangian dan bunga. Dilanjutkan berjaga semalam (jāgara) dan saat fajar memberi persembahan/dana kepada brāhmaṇa. Kisahnya menuturkan Raja Vīrasena yang tanpa keturunan, nasihat Yājñavalkya bahwa Dvādaśī ini menganugerahkan putra dengan sedikit kesukaran, hingga lahir Nala; juga ganjaran sesudah wafat—tinggal di Brahmaloka, ditemani apsaras—serta kembalinya kedaulatan, menegaskan disiplin ritual dan dana sebagai penopang tatanan sosial dan kelestarian bumi.

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 ॥

Durvāsā bersabda: “Pada bulan Vaiśākha juga, seseorang hendaknya menetapkan sankalpa demikian menurut tata cara. Setelah melakukan mandi suci dan laku terkait, ia pergi ke bait suci.”

Verse 2

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

Di sana, pemuja yang arif hendaknya menyembah Hari dengan bhakti melalui mantra-mantra ini: untuk kaki “Jāmadagnyāya”; untuk perut “Sarvadhāriṇe”; dan untuk pinggang serta dada “Madhusūdanāya”, kepada Dia pemangku Śrīvatsa.

Verse 3

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

Ia menyerahkan kedua lengan kepada Kṣatrāntaka, perhiasan leher kepada Maṇikaṇṭha; serta sangkha dan cakra menurut nama masing-masing; dan kepala kepada pemangku brahmāṇḍa.

Verse 4

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

Setelah memuja demikian, orang bijaksana hendaknya, seperti sebelumnya, menempatkan sebuah kendi suci (ghaṭa) di hadapannya; lalu menutupinya dan membungkusnya dengan sepasang kain.

Verse 5

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

Kemudian, dengan bejana Vaiṣṇava, hendaknya ia menegakkan (memasang) Hari di dalamnya—Hari yang termasyhur dengan nama “Jāmadagnya”, nama yang dikatakan melenyapkan segala kleśa.

Verse 6

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

Pada tangan kanan dewa itu hendaknya dibuatkan sebuah paraśu (kapak); lalu setelah memuja dengan segala macam wewangian, hendaknya ia memuja pula dengan beraneka bunga yang suci dan mujur.

Verse 7

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

Kemudian, seorang yang berbhakti hendaknya berjaga (jāgaraṇa) di hadapannya. Pada pagi hari, ketika matahari terbit dengan jernih, hendaknya ia mempersembahkan (persembahan itu) kepada seorang brāhmaṇa. Ketahuilah dariku buah yang diperoleh oleh orang yang menegakkan disiplin demikian.

Verse 8

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

Pada masa lampau ada raja bernama Vīrasena, yang sangat beruntung dan amat perkasa. Dahulu ia tanpa putra, maka dengan daya rohani yang besar ia menjalani tapa yang berat.

Verse 9

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

Ketika Mahāmuni Yājñavalkya tengah tekun menjalani tapa yang dahsyat itu, seorang mahāyogi datang; melihatnya dari jarak yang tidak jauh, ia pun mendekat.

Verse 10

तमायान्तमथो दृष्ट्वा ऋषिं परमवर्चसम् । कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा राजाभ्युत्थानमाकरॊत् ॥ ४४.१० ॥

Kemudian, melihat sang resi yang bercahaya luhur itu datang, raja merangkapkan tangan dengan hormat, bangkit berdiri, dan menyambutnya dengan penuh penghormatan.

Verse 11

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

Setelah dihormati dengan semestinya, sang muni berkata: “Untuk tujuan apakah tapa ini dijalankan? Wahai raja, wahai yang mengetahui dharma, katakanlah—urusan apa yang hendak engkau nyatakan?”

Verse 12

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

Raja berkata: “Wahai yang mulia, aku tanpa putra; tiada bagiku keturunan putra. Karena itu, dengan menempuh tapa, wahai dvija, tubuhku menjadi semakin kurus.”

Verse 13

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

Yājñavalkya berkata: “Wahai raja, cukuplah tapa yang penuh penderitaan besar ini. Dengan usaha yang ringan saja, seorang putra akan lahir bagimu—tanpa keraguan.”

Verse 14

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

Sang raja berkata: “Wahai brahmana, bagaimana mungkin bagiku lahir seorang putra dengan usaha yang sedikit? Wahai Bhagavan, berkenanlah dan jelaskan ini kepadaku yang bersujud.”

Verse 15

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

Durvāsā berkata: Setelah disapa demikian oleh raja yang termasyhur itu, sang resi menjelaskan tata laku Dvādaśī ini, yang jatuh pada paruh terang bulan Vaiśākha.

Verse 16

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

Raja itu, terutama karena menginginkan putra, menjalankan tata cara yang ditetapkan dan berpuasa; lalu memperoleh putra bernama Nala, yang amat saleh. Ia hingga kini dipuji di dunia sebagai insan utama, termasyhur oleh kemuliaan suci.

Verse 17

प्रासङ्गिकं फलं ह्येतद्गतस्यास्य महामुने । सुपुत्रो जायते वित्तविद्यावान्कान्तिरुत्तमा ॥ ४४.१७ ॥

Wahai maharsi, inilah buah sampingan bagi orang yang menempuh laku ini: lahir putra yang baik; diperoleh kekayaan dan pengetahuan; serta muncul sinar/keelokan yang utama.

Verse 18

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

Apa yang mengagumkan dalam kelahiran ini? Dengarkan dariku tentang alam sesudahnya: setelah tinggal satu kalpa di Brahmaloka, ia hidup bersama rombongan para apsara.

Verse 19

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

Pada akhir zaman, ketika penciptaan muncul kembali, ia bermain dan pasti menjadi cakravartin (raja universal). Ia hidup tiga puluh ribu tahun—tanpa keraguan.

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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