Chapter 343 - Importance of (Observing the Vow of) Kapilā-Ṣaṣṭhī

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Īśvara said:

1. Then, O great goddess, one should go to the excellent (Liṅga) Kapileśvara. It is to the east of Śaśibhūṣaṇa and to the west of Koṭi Tīrtha.

2. The Kṣetra pertaining to Kapila extends to the south of Jaradgaveśa and to the north of the sea. It is not (reached) by men devoid of merit.

3. Installing Maheśvara in front of him, an intense penance was performed there by Kapila for ten thousand years.

4. There, the great river, goddess Kapiladhārā, was invoked there. She is dearly seen today in the middle of the sea by meritorious people.

5-6. O great goddess, taking bath there especially on the Kapilā Ṣaṣṭhī day, one should gift away a tawny-coloured cow, which is equal to gifting ten million cows. This is remembered as the expiation of all sins.

After properly worshipping Kapileśvara, one gets the benefit of (giving in marriage) ten million girls.

Devī said:

7. O Lord of Devas, it appears miraculous to me. I desire to listen to the procedure beginning with Dāna (religious gifts), Mantras etc. pertaining to Kapilā Ṣaṣṭhī.

Īśvara said:

8. Even if one (Kapilā) Ṣaṣṭhī along with all its astrological associations, is obtained within the span of one’s life by men, what more (propitious) can I say?

9. The sixth lunar day in the dark half of Bhādrapada occurring on Tuesday and coinciding with Rohiṇī as the asterism and also with Vyatīpāta as Yoga is remembered as Kapilā Ṣaṣṭhī.

10-11. Then a man should take his bath in a Kṣetra or an auspicious place pertaining to the Sun-god. After performing ablution with mud, white gingelly seeds on the auspicious confluence of Kapilā, he should perform Japa. Then he should offer Arghya to the Sun-god with water mixed with red sandal-paste with Karavīra (flowers) added to it. Taking upon his head a pot containing the Arghya, he should gift it uttering this Mantra:

12. “Obeisance to you, the Lord of the three worlds, who have illuminated the three worlds. O Veda-rayed one, accept the Arghya. My obeisance to you.”

13-16. Circumasmbulating the Sun-god and having worshipped Kapileśvara, he should place an uncracked earthen pot on an auspicious place besmeared (with cow-dung) and decorated with flowers and raw rice-grains.

The pot should be filled with water mixed with sandal-paste, with five jewels placed in it. It should have in it Dūrvā grass, flowers and raw rice-grains. It should be covered with a pair of red cloths and with a copper pot placed on the chariot of gold should be drawn (obscure!).

Picture of the icon of the Sun-god should be made of a Pala of gold. The idol (of the Sun-god) should be placed on the (earthen) pot and one should worship it with fragrant flowers.

17. In the vicinity of Kapileśvara, in a panḍal sanctified by (performance of) Homa, the Sun-god should be worshipped by (reciting) his epithers [epithets?] as stated (below):

18. “O Āditya, Bhāskara, Ravi, Bhānu, Prabhākara, O maker of the day, I bow down to you; uplift me from Saṃsāra.

19. As you are the donor of enjoyment of pleasures here and liberation hereafter, give unto us peace and tranquility.

20. Obeisance, Obeisance to you, O bestower of boons, O Lord of the Ṛk, Sāman and Yajurveda. Obeisance to you, O one having the universe as your form, O receptacle of the universe.

21. O goddess (Kapilā), your milk is sanctifying, nutritious nectar here. It is through your grace that men get absolved from all sins.

22. O goddess, created by god Brahmā from sacrificial pit, O Kapilā of great refulgence, salute to you, O meritorious (goddess) bowed to by all Devas.

23. O goddess, comprising all Devas and all Tīrthas, O auspicious one, take me, yourself, your donor who worships you, to Brahma-Loka.”

24. After properly adoring the Kapilā (tawny-coloured) cow, the divine one and Sun-god who is installed on the pot, both of them should be gifted to a Brāhmaṇa, a knower of the Vedas.

25-26. They should be given to Vyāsa, the devotee of the Sun-god with (i.e. uttering) this Mantra: “O God of refulgent form, O eye of the world, O soul of the twelve, O maker of the day, accompanied with the Kapilā cow give unto me liberation (from Saṃsra).

27. O Kapilā, inasmuch as you, the meritorious one, the sanctifier of the whole world, have been gifted along with the Sun-god, be a conferor unto me of liberation.”

28. Dakṣiṇā should be offered in the form of a Pala or half or one-fourth (of a Pala gold). The cow should be gifted with some Dakṣiṇā within one’s capacity.

29. A man who follows this procedure of the Ṣaṣṭhī (the sixth lunar day) designated as Kapilā (i.e. the Yoga called Kapilā-Ṣaṣṭhī) gets the benefit of performing one thousand horse-sacrifices.

30. He who observes Kapilā Ṣaṣṭhī (by this procedure) gets entirely all the benefits that accrue from (pilgrimage to) all Tīrthas and (offering) all (kinds of) religious gifts.

31. Thousands of crores of Kapilās, hundreds of crores of Kapilās, whatever is given on this specific day of the Sun-god, the benefit of it becomes ten-million-fold.

32. O lady of excellent complexion, he who performs the Kapilā Ṣaṣṭhī observance resides in heaven for as many years as there are hairs on the body of one crore cows.

33. Sage Kapilā said that all the sins committed previously knowingly or unknowingly get annihilated (by the observance of Kapilā Ṣaṣṭhī).