Varaha Purana 57.3 — Adhyaya 57, Shloka 3
The Observance for Attaining Radiance: The Soma Kānti-Vrata
द्वितीयायां तु राजेन्द्र कार्त्तिकस्य सिते दिने । नक्तं कुर्वीत यत्नेन अर्चयन् बलकेशवम् ॥ ५७.३ ॥
dvitīyāyāṃ tu rājendra kārttikasya site dine | naktaṃ kurvīta yatnena arcayan balakeśavam || 57.3 ||
Pada tithi kedua, wahai raja, pada hari terang bulan Kārttika, hendaklah seseorang dengan bersungguh-sungguh melaksanakan laku makan malam (nakta) sambil memuja Balakeśava.
Varāha
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"Prescriptive instruction (vidhi) delivered by Varāha; no physical interaction with Bhū-devī, but guiding her (and the implied king/audience) in vrata procedure."}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"attentive/ready-to-practice (implied)","key_question":"What is the exact timing and method (tithi, month, dietary restraint, deity) for the Kānti-vrata?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"Balakeśava indicates a Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa-form worship; potential later Mathurā resonance but not explicit here."}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":true,"topic":"None","instruction_summary":"On Kārttika śukla-dvitīyā, observe nakta (single night-meal/fasting regimen) and worship Balakeśava with care.","karmic_consequence":"Correct observance supports attainment of kānti (radiance) and auspicious merit; negligence diminishes the vrata’s promised fruit (implied)."}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":true,"vrata_name":"Kānti-vrata (procedural detail begins)","tithi_month":"Kārttika, śukla pakṣa, dvitīyā","promised_fruit":"Kānti (radiance/beauty/health), as exemplified by Soma; fruit implied by the section’s framing."}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":false,"symbolic_interpretation":"None","yajna_varaha_imagery":"None","vedantic_connection":"Nakta as indriya-nigraha fostering sattva; worship of Keśava as centering consciousness on Nārāyaṇa (implicit)."}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"practice-discipline","core_concept":"Spiritual luminosity is cultivated through regulated conduct (nakta) joined to focused Viṣṇu-bhakti.","practical_application":"On Kārttika śukla-dvitīyā, keep nakta (eat once at night or maintain the prescribed restraint) and perform Balakeśava pūjā with attention."}
Subject Matter: ["Ethics","Ritual Observance","Cultural Heritage"]
Primary Rasa: Śānta
Secondary Rasa: Bhakti
Type: temporal/ritual setting
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa: subsequent verses likely detail pūjā-vidhi, dāna, and phala of Kānti-vrata (contextual)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee (addressed as ‘O king’) performs Kārttika śukla-dvitīyā nakta and worships Balakeśava at a small shrine at dusk/night.","item_prompts":["night-time shrine with lamp (dīpa)","calendar cue: Kārttika śukla dvitīyā moon","devotee/king in simple vrata attire","Balakeśava icon (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa form)","offerings: tulasī, flowers, water, incense"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: nocturnal pūjā scene with strong lamp glow, Balakeśava in stylized icon form, devotee in vrata restraint, deep blues and warm golds.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: Balakeśava as central deity with gold-leaf arch, devotee offering lamp; embossed ornaments; bright Kārttika moon in background.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined temple interior, soft chiaroscuro from lamp, detailed pūjā items, serene devotional mood.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: small hill-temple at night, devotee with lamp, moonlit sky, delicate lines and cool palette with warm lamp center."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"ritual-instructional and focused","suggested_raga":"Shuddha Saveri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"precise, steady, guiding"}
FAQs
It reflects a Purāṇic pattern of prescribing calendrical observances (vratas) tied to lunar dates, illustrating how devotional and ethical disciplines were organized within the Hindu ritual calendar in early medieval Sanskrit literature.
No specific geographic site is named in this verse; it is primarily calendrical (Kārttika, bright fortnight, second lunar day) and devotional (Balakeśava).
The verse recommends disciplined conduct—undertaking the nakta observance with care—paired with focused worship, emphasizing intentionality and restraint as cultural-ethical virtues within vrata practice.
Ask anything about this verse
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