Varaha Purana - Adhyaya 43
Varaha PuranaAdhyaya 4317 Shlokas

Adhyaya 43: The Caitra Dvādaśī Observance and the Ritual Procedure for Worship of Vāmana

Caitra-dvādaśī-vrataḥ Vāmana-pūjā-vidhiḥ

Ritual-Manual (Vrata and Dāna) with Exemplary Royal Narrative

ヴァラーハとプリティヴィーの教示枠の中で、本章はチャイトラ月のドヴァーダシーに行う誓戒儀軌(vrata-vidhi)を規定する。すなわち断食を行い、ジャナールダナ/ヴィシュヌに対して、身体各部に定められた尊称を配して行う分節的礼拝(aṅga-pūjā)を修する。続いて北向きに一対のクンバ(聖水壺)を据え、黄金のヴァーマナ像(小さき姿、白い聖紐 yajñopavīta)を安置する。さらにクンディカー、傘、履物、数珠、座具などの法具を列挙し、定型の祈請句をもってブラーフマナに布施するよう命じる。物語の例として、子を望むハリヤシュヴァ王が、ブラーフマナの姿を取ったハリにこの法を勧められ、クヴァラーシュヴァが誕生することが語られる。章末は、子孫・財富・王権回復、そして死後にヴィシュヌ界へ至る功徳を示し、地上の安定を支えるダルマの秩序として結ぶ。

Speakers

VarāhaPṛthivīDurvāsā

Key Concepts

Caitra Dvādaśī vrataUpavāsa (ritual fasting)Aṅga-pūjā (body-part worship) with Viṣṇu epithetsVāmana iconography (hrasva-rūpa) and ritual donationKumbha-sthāpana with directional orientation (uttara)Royal exemplum (Haryaśva → Kuvalāśva) as validation of ritual efficacyDāna to a brāhmaṇa and merit economyTerrestrial order (Pṛthivī) maintained through regulated dharma
Recitation with translationVaraha Purana Adhyaya 43

Shlokas in Adhyaya 43

Verse 1

दुर्वासा उवाच । एवमेव मुने मासि चैत्रे संकल्प्य द्वादशीम् । उपोष्याराधयेत् पश्चात् देवदेवं जनार्दनम् ॥ ४३.१ ॥

ドゥルヴァーサは言った。「まさにそのとおりだ、聖仙よ。チャイトラ月にドヴァーダシーの誓願を立て、断食してのち、神々の神ジャナールダナを礼拝すべきである。」

Verse 2

वामनायेति पादौ तु विष्णवे कटिमर्चयेत् । वासुदेवेत्य जठरमुरः सम्पूर्णकाय च ॥ ४३.२ ॥

足は「ヴァーマナーヤ(ヴァーマナに)」の句で礼拝し、腰は「ヴィシュṇヴェ(ヴィシュヌに)」の句で礼拝する。「ヴァースデーヴァ(ヴァースデーヴァに)」の句で腹と胸、さらに全身を一体として礼拝すべきである。

Verse 3

कण्ठं विश्वकृते पूज्य शिरो वै व्योमरूपिणे । बाहू विश्वजिते पूज्य स्वनाम्ना शङ्खचक्रकौ ॥ ४३.३ ॥

喉は「ヴィシュヴァクリト」の相として礼拝し、頭はまことに「ヴィヨーマルーピン」の相として礼拝する。両腕は「ヴィシュヴァジト」の相として礼拝し、法螺貝と円盤(チャクラ)はそれぞれの名によって敬礼すべきである。

Verse 4

अनेन विधिनाभ्यर्च्य देवदेवं सनातनम् । प्राग्वदेवोत्तरं कुम्भं सयुग्मं पुरतो न्यसेत् ॥ ४३.४ ॥

この作法により永遠なる神々の神を礼拝したのち、前と同様に、東の北方へ向けた水壺(クンバ)を、その対となるものとともに前方に据えるべきである。

Verse 5

प्रागुक्तपात्रे संस्थाप्य वामनं काञ्चनं बुधः । यथाशक्त्या कृतं ह्रस्वं सितयज्ञोपवीतिनम् ॥ ४३.५ ॥

先に説かれた器に黄金のヴァーマナ像を安置したなら、賢者たる行者は力の及ぶ限り、それを小さき(矮小の)姿に作り、白き祭紐(ヤジュニョーパヴィータ)を帯びさせるべきである。

Verse 6

कुण्डिकां स्थापयेत् पार्श्वे छत्रिकां पादुके तथा । अक्षामालां च संस्थाप्य वृषिकां च विशेषतः ॥ ४३.६ ॥

脇にクンディカー(小水器)を据え、また小さな傘蓋と一足の履物を置く。さらにアクシャマーラー(数珠)を安置し、とりわけヴリシカーを別の供物として置くべきである。

Verse 7

एतैरुपस्कारैर्युक्तं प्रभाते स द्विजातये । दापयेत् प्रीयतां विष्णुर्ह्रस्वरूपीति उदीरयेत् ॥ ४३.७ ॥

朝、これらの供具を備えたうえで、それを二度生まれ(ブラーフマナ)に施し、「微細なる小形のヴィシュヌよ、満悦したまえ」と唱えるべきである。

Verse 8

मासनाम्ना तु संयुक्तं प्रादुर्भावविधानकम् । प्रीयतामिति सर्वत्र विधिरेष प्रकीर्तितः ॥ ४३.८ ॥

この顕現(プラードゥルバーヴァ)の儀は、月の名を添えて行うとき、あらゆる所で「満悦したまえ(prīyatām)」という句をもって宣示される。これが定められた作法である。

Verse 9

श्रूयते च पुरा राजा हर्यश्वः पृथिवीपतिः । अपुत्रः स तपस्तेपे पुत्रमिच्छंस्तपोधनम् ॥ ४३.९ ॥

また古のこととして、地上の主たる王ハリヤシュヴァがいたと伝えられる。子なきゆえ、彼は子を願って苦行(タパス)を修し、その子の財とは苦行の功徳であることを望んだ。

Verse 10

तस्यैव कुर्वतो व्युष्टिं पुत्रार्थे मुनिसत्तम । अजगाम हरिः पूर्वं द्विजरूपं समाश्रितः ॥ ४३.१० ॥

おお最勝の聖仙よ、彼が子を得んとしてその行を修していたとき、ハリは先に来臨し、バラモンの姿を取って現れた。

Verse 11

उवाच तपसा राजन् किं ते व्यवसितं प्रभो । पुत्रार्थमिति प्रोवाच तं विप्रः प्रत्युवाच ह ॥ ४३.११ ॥

彼は言った。「王よ、苦行によって何を成し遂げようと定めたのか、主よ。」王は「子のためである」と答え、バラモンもまたそれに応じて語った。

Verse 12

इदमेव विधानं तु कुरु राजन्नुवाच ह । एवमुक्त्वा तु राजानं क्षणादन्तर्हितः प्रभुः ॥ ४३.१२ ॥

彼は言った。「王よ、この定められた作法をそのまま行いなさい。」そう王に告げるや、主は刹那にして姿を消した。

Verse 13

राजाऽपि तं चकाराशु मन्त्रवन्तं द्विजातये । दरिद्राय तथा प्रादात् ज्योतिर्गार्गाय धीमते ॥ ४३.१३ ॥

王もまた直ちにそれを行い、正しいマントラを具えた祭官として、そのバラモンを二度生まれ(ドヴィジャ)のために任じた。さらに王は貧しき者、すなわち賢者ジョーティル・ガールガにも扶助を与えた。

Verse 14

यथादितेरपुत्रायाः स्वयं पुत्रत्वमागतः । भगवंस्तेन सत्येन ममाप्यस्तु सुतो वरः ॥ ४३.१४ ॥

アディティが—子なき身でありながら—自ずから子を得たように、ああ世尊よ、その真実の力によって、私にもまた優れた男子の子が授かりますように。

Verse 15

अनेन विधिना दत्ते तस्य पुत्रोऽभवन्मुने । कुवलाश्व इति ख्यातश्चक्रवर्ती महाबलः ॥ ४३.१५ ॥

おお牟尼よ、定められた作法に従ってその施与がなされたとき、彼には一子が生まれた—名をクヴァラーシュヴァといい、強大なる転輪王(チャクラヴァルティン)として知られた。

Verse 16

अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रमधनो लभते धनम् । भ्रष्टराज्यो लभेद् राज्यं मृतो विष्णुपुरं व्रजेत् ॥ ४३.१६ ॥

子なき者は子を得、貧しき者は財を得る。国を失った者は王権を取り戻し、死せる者はヴィシュヌの住処へ赴く。

Verse 17

कीर्त्तित्वा सुचिरं तत्र इह मर्त्यमुपागतः । चक्रवर्ती भवेद्धीमान् ययातिरिव नाहुषः ॥ ४३.१७ ॥

かの地で久しく讃嘆と追憶を行い、のちにここで人として生を受ける者は、ナーフシャの子ヤヤーティのごとく、智慧ある転輪王(チャクラヴァルティン)となる。

Inside Adhyaya 43

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī dialogue, the adhyāya shifts into a vrata-manual mode: Durvāsā’s prescriptive instruction is introduced for a time-bound observance on Caitra śukla Dvādaśī, emphasizing upavāsa, orderly worship, and dāna as dharma that sustains worldly stability.

  2. Central event

    A detailed Caitra Dvādaśī vrata-vidhi is laid out: aṅga-pūjā of Janārdana/Viṣṇu with body-part-wise epithets, north-oriented paired kumbha placement, installation/worship of a golden Vāmana (hrasva-rūpa) with white yajñopavīta, and the preparation of specific ritual accessories to be donated with mantric formulas.

  3. Climax resolution

    The rite’s efficacy is validated through an exemplary royal narrative: King Haryaśva, longing for a son, is instructed by Hari appearing as a brāhmaṇa to perform the observance; by completing it, he gains the desired progeny—Kuvalāśva—who is portrayed as an imperial stabilizer (cakravartin-type) in the lineage-comparison register (Yayāti/Nāhuṣa).

  4. Closing phalashruti

    The chapter concludes with an explicit merit catalogue: the observance yields offspring, wealth, recovery/continuance of kingship, and after death attainment of Viṣṇu’s world (Viṣṇupura/Viṣṇuloka), presenting regulated ritual-dāna as a mechanism of social and terrestrial order.

Geographical context

No explicit toponyms (cities/rivers) are named in this excerpt. The setting is a royal-ascetic context (a king performing tapas), with cosmological destination language (Viṣṇupura) rather than terrestrial geography.

Tirtha focus

  • Pilgrimage MeritNo specific tīrtha is named; merit is framed as vrata-phala (putra, śrī, rājya, Viṣṇuloka) rather than place-based pilgrimage reward.

Ritual instructions

  • Primary RitualCaitra śukla Dvādaśī vrata with Vāmana/Janārdana aṅga-pūjā, kumbha-sthāpana, and brāhmaṇa-dāna.
  • BenefitPutra-prāpti (offspring), dhana/śrī (wealth and prosperity), rājya-prāpti or rājya-pratiṣṭhā (restored/secured kingship), and post-mortem Viṣṇuloka/Viṣṇupura attainment; additionally, the rite is presented as reinforcing dharmic-social stability.

The narrative frame

  • Varāha (with Durvāsā’s instruction embedded as authoritative ritual voice)Pṛthivī · Didactic and procedural (vrata-vidhi) with a validating exemplum; authoritative, dharma-normative, and merit-economy oriented.

The emotional journey

  • Dominant RasaŚānta (devotional-ritual serenity) with a strong undercurrent of Vīra/Āśā (royal resolve and hope for progeny).
  • Emotional ProgressionAnxiety/deficiency (a king without a son) → disciplined restraint (fasting and ordered worship) → assurance through divine instruction (Hari as brāhmaṇa) → fulfillment and stability (birth of heir, prosperity, kingship, and salvific horizon).

Planning a pilgrimage

  • Visit FeasibilityNot site-specific in this adhyāya; practice is home/temple-feasible wherever Viṣṇu/Vāmana worship is established and a qualified brāhmaṇa recipient is available for dāna.
  • Best SeasonCaitra (March–April) aligned to the lunar Dvādaśī; choose local morning hours for the dāna conclusion.
  • Related FestivalCaitra śukla Dvādaśī (Viṣṇu Dvādaśī observance); thematically adjacent to Vāmana/Viṣṇu temple Dvādaśī fasts (regional naming varies).

Frequently Asked Questions

The text frames regulated dharma—fasting, disciplined worship, and structured giving (dāna)—as a stabilizing social mechanism that yields prosperity and continuity (e.g., offspring and kingship). Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī horizon, such rule-bound conduct is implied to support terrestrial order by aligning human action with a normative cosmic-ritual structure.

The rite is specified for the month of Caitra and the lunar day Dvādaśī. The procedure includes upavāsa (fasting) and morning-time gifting (prabhāte), indicating a timed ritual sequence.

Environmental ethics are not explicit as landscape management in this excerpt; instead, the chapter presents an indirect model where dharmic restraint (upavāsa), ordered ritual space (directional kumbha placement), and redistribution through dāna maintain societal coherence. In Purāṇic logic, this coherence is a component of Pṛthivī’s stability—human discipline functioning as an early idiom of ‘terrestrial balance’ through norm-governed living.

The narrative references King Haryaśva (a ruler without a son), the sage Durvāsā as the instructing voice in the ritual section, Hari/Viṣṇu appearing in brāhmaṇa form, and the resulting son Kuvalāśva described as a cakravartin. Yayāti and Nāhuṣa are invoked as comparative exemplars of imperial status.

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