Varaha Purana - Adhyaya 61
Varaha PuranaAdhyaya 6112 Shlokas

Adhyaya 61: The Observance for the Fulfilment of Desires: Worship of Keśava in the Form of Guha (Kumāra)

Kāmavrata (Guha-rūpeṇa Keśava-pūjā) Vidhiḥ

Ritual-Manual (Vrata-vidhi) / Royal-Ethics (Kingship restoration motif)

ヴァラーハ—プリティヴィーの教示枠の中で、本章は聖仙アガスティヤが王(mahārāja/nṛpa)に説く、望みの成就(kāma-siddhi)のためのヴラタ(vrata)を示す。修行は一年にわたり、果実のみの節食(phala-āśana)、沈黙/言葉の制御(vāg-yata)、そしてパウシャ月(Pauṣa)白分のティティ(tithi)に合わせた暦の遵守から成る。儀礼の中心は火の作法(agni-kārya)と、「グハ(Guha)の姿」として観想されるケーシャヴァ(Keśava)への礼拝であり、シャṇムカ/スカンダ/カールッティケーヤ(Ṣaṇmukha/Skanda/Kārttikeya)に結びつく名号の連誦が伴う。結びに、ブラーフマナ(brāhmaṇa)への供食と金製シャṇムカ像の布施、さらに真言を伴う施与が定められる。ナラ(Nala)など追放された王の例が、このヴラタを繁栄・家系・政権安定の回復手段として示し、秩序ある行いがプリティヴィーの社会的均衡を支えることを暗示する。

Speakers

VarāhaPṛthivīAgastyaMahārāja (unnamed king)

Key Concepts

kāmavrata (desire-fulfilment observance)tithi-based ritual calendrics (ṣaṣṭhī, caturthī, saptamī)phala-āhāra (fruit-based dietary restraint)vāg-yama (speech restraint)agni-kārya (fire-rite)Keśava as Guha (syncretic/identificatory worship)dāna and brāhmaṇa-bhojana (gift and feeding as completion rites)royal restoration narrative (rājya-prāpti motif)
Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana Adhyaya 61

Shlokas in Adhyaya 61

Verse 1

अगस्त्य उवाच । कामव्रतं महाराज शृणु मे गदतोऽधुना । येन कामाः समृद्ध्यन्ते मनसा चिन्तिता अपि ॥ ६१.१ ॥

アガスティヤは言った。「大王よ、いま私の語るカーマ・ヴラタ(欲願の誓戒)を聞け。これによって、心に思い描いただけの願いでさえ、豊かに成就する。」

Verse 2

षष्ठ्यां फलाशनो यस्तु वर्षमेकं व्रतं चरेत् । पौषमाससिते पक्षे चतुर्थ्यां कृतभोजनः ॥ ६१.२ ॥

第六の月日(ṣaṣṭhī)には果実のみを食して、この誓戒を一年間修し、さらにパウシャ月(Pauṣa)の黒分(下弦期)には第四の月日(caturthī)に食事を取る者——これが定められた行法である。

Verse 3

षष्ठ्यां तु पारयेद् धीमान् प्रथमं तु फलं नृप । ततो भुञ्जीत यत्नेन वाग्यतः शुद्धमोदनम् ॥ ६१.३ ॥

第六日には、賢者はこの行を成就して終えるべし、王よ。まず果実を口にし、その後、言葉を慎みつつ注意深く、清められた炊き米を食すべし。

Verse 4

ब्राह्मणैः सह राजेन्द्र अथवा केवलैः फलैः । तमेेकं दिवसं स्थित्वा सप्तम्यां पारयेन्नृप ॥ ६१.४ ॥

王の中の王よ、婆羅門たちと共に、あるいは果実のみで。かくして一日その行を保ち、七日目(サプタミー)にこれを結願すべし、統治者よ。

Verse 5

अग्निकार्यं तु कुर्वीत गुहारूपेण केशवम् । पूजयित्वाभिधानॆन वर्षमेकं व्रतं चरेत् ॥ ६१.५ ॥

火供の作法を行い、名により「グハールーパ(洞窟の相)」と称される姿としてケーシャヴァを礼拝し、一年のあいだこのヴラタを修すべし。

Verse 6

षड्वक्त्र कार्त्तिक गुह सेनानी कृत्तिकासुत । कुमार स्कन्द इत्येवं पूज्यो विष्णुः स्वनामभिः ॥ ६१.६ ॥

「シャドヴァクトラ、カールッティカ、グハ、セーナーニー、クリッティカー・スータ、クマーラ、スカンダ」—このような尊名によって、ヴィシュヌは自らの聖なる名をもって礼拝されるべきである。

Verse 7

समाप्तौ तु व्रतस्यास्य कुर्याद् ब्राह्मणभोजनम् । षण्मुखं सर्वसौवर्णं ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत् ॥ ६१.७ ॥

このヴラタの結願にあたっては、婆羅門に食事を供し、さらに全身が純金で作られた六面(シャṇムカ)の像を婆羅門に奉納すべし。

Verse 8

सर्वे कामाः समृद्ध्यन्तां मम देव कुमारक । त्वत्प्रसादादिमं भक्त्या गृह्यतां विप्र माचिरम् ॥ ६१.८ ॥

我が願いのすべてが成就しますように、神なる若者よ。あなたの御恩寵により、婆羅門よ、これを信愛をもって速やかにお受け取りください。

Verse 9

अनेन दत्त्वा मन्त्रेण ब्राह्मणाय सयुग्मकम् । ततः कामाः समृद्ध्यन्ते सर्वे वै इह जन्मनि ॥ ६१.९ ॥

この真言によって(供物)をその対となるものと共に婆羅門に施せば、その後、望む目的はすべてこの現世において繁栄し成就すると説かれる。

Verse 10

अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रमधनो लभते धनम् । भ्रष्टराज्यो लभेद्राज्यं नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥ ६१.१० ॥

子なき者は子を得、貧しき者は財を得、国を失った者は王権を取り戻す—ここに疑いを差し挟むべきではない。

Verse 11

एतद् व्रतं पुरा चीर्णं नलेन नृपसत्तम । ऋतुपर्णस्य विषये वसता व्रतचर्यया ॥ ६१.११ ॥

王の中の最勝者よ、この誓戒は昔、ナラによって修せられた。彼がリトゥパルナの国に住み、誓戒の行を守っていた時のことである。

Verse 12

तथा राज्यच्युतैरन्यैर्बहुभिर्नृपसत्तमैः । पौराणिकं व्रतं चैव सिद्ध्यर्थं नृपसत्तम ॥ ६१.१२ ॥

同様に、王の中の最勝者よ、王権を失った多くの他の優れた王たちも、成就を求めてこの「プラーナ的」誓戒を修した。

Inside Adhyaya 61

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī teaching frame, the discourse turns to a pragmatic royal question: how a ruler (or any seeker) may regain stability, prosperity, and desired ends through disciplined observance. Agastya is introduced as the authoritative transmitter of a kāma-siddhi vrata to an unnamed mahārāja/nṛpa.

  2. Central event

    Agastya lays out a year-long vrata structured by (1) regulated diet (phala-āhāra), (2) restraint of speech (vāg-yama), and (3) tithi-governed observance in the bright fortnight of Pauṣa. The ritual core is an agni-kārya and worship of Keśava identified with Guha/Kumāra, accompanied by a litany of Ṣaṇmukha/Skanda names that function as praise and invocation.

  3. Climax resolution

    The observance culminates in a formal completion (pāraṇa/pārayet) around the specified tithis (notably ṣaṣṭhī with transitions through caturthī and saptamī), followed by brāhmaṇa-bhojana and dāna. The climactic gift is a golden Ṣaṇmukha icon, sealed by a mantraic donation—marking the transfer of merit and the social reintegration of the vow’s fruits.

  4. Closing phalashruti

    The chapter’s stated fruit is kāma-siddhi broadly construed—restoration of rājya, prosperity, lineage-continuity, and political steadiness. Exempla (Nala and other rājya-cyuta kings) serve as an implicit phalaśruti: those who were displaced regain fortune and standing through this vrata.

Geographical context

No explicit toponyms or river systems are named in the provided passage. Cultural-historical setting references include the narrative association with Nala and Ṛtuparṇa (Itihāsa-linked royal milieu), but without specified locations here.

Ritual instructions

  • Primary RitualKāma-siddhi vrata: worship of Keśava in the form of Guha (Kumāra/Ṣaṇmukha) with agni-kārya, year-long restraints, and concluding dāna/brāhmaṇa-bhojana.
  • BenefitFulfilment of desired aims (kāma-siddhi), with emphasis on royal restoration: recovery of kingdom/fortune, stabilization of rule, prosperity, and lineage/security; additionally, personal steadiness through restraint and merit through dāna.

The narrative frame

  • Varāha (in the overarching Varāha–Pṛthivī frame); within the adhyāya, Agastya functions as the instructing authority for the vrata.Pṛthivī (Earth) as principal listener; within the embedded instruction, an unnamed mahārāja/nṛpa receives Agastya’s teaching. · Didactic and procedural (vrata-manual), with a royal-ethical undertone linking personal discipline to public order.

The emotional journey

  • Dominant RasaŚānta (disciplined composure) with supportive Vīra (royal recovery/steadfastness).
  • Emotional ProgressionAnxiety of loss/instability → resolve through rule-bound practice → focused devotion in fire-rite and name-litany → relief and confidence at completion through feeding and gifting → restored equilibrium (personal and political).

Planning a pilgrimage

  • Visit FeasibilityText does not anchor the vrata to a specific tīrtha; practice is feasible as a home/temple observance with access to a fire-rite setting and a Skanda/Guha shrine or Vaiṣṇava temple accommodating the syncretic form.
  • Best SeasonPauṣa (Dec–Jan) for the highlighted śukla pakṣa tithis; generally winter is conducive for vrata discipline and fire-rites in many regions.
  • Related FestivalSkanda Ṣaṣṭhī (as a culturally resonant ṣaṣṭhī observance), and broader Pauṣa-month Vaiṣṇava/temple calendars depending on locale.

Frequently Asked Questions

The chapter frames disciplined self-regulation (dietary restraint, controlled speech, and calendrically ordered practice) as a means to stabilize personal aims and social order; it further presents dāna and feeding brāhmaṇas as completion acts that redistribute resources, supporting communal equilibrium understood as beneficial to Pṛthivī’s sustained order.

The vrata is to be observed for one year (varṣam ekaṃ). Specific tithis are named: ṣaṣṭhī (as a key fasting/fruit regimen day and also as a concluding marker), caturthī in the śukla pakṣa of Pauṣa (Pauṣamāsa-site pakṣe) with kṛta-bhojana, and saptamī as a completion/transition point (pārayet).

Although it does not explicitly discuss landscapes or ecology in the provided verses, the text implicitly links Pṛthivī’s balance to human conduct: regulated consumption (phala-āhāra), restraint (vāg-yama), and structured giving (dāna, brāhmaṇa-bhojana) are presented as practices that reduce excess, formalize resource circulation, and reinforce social stability—an indirect model of terrestrial stewardship within the Purāṇic ethic.

Agastya appears as the instructing sage. The exemplum cites King Nala (nṛpa-sattama) and mentions Ṛtuparṇa (as the ruler in whose domain Nala resided), along with a generalized reference to other kings who had lost their kingdoms (rājya-cyuta) and sought success through the vrata.

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