Story of Jayaśarman

A Brāhmaṇa who became wealthy by taking the vow of Kamalā (Kamalāvrata). Kamalā is the eleventh day of 'Adhimāsa'.

It is believed that this day is better than other days. If a man fasts on that day Goddess Kamalā will be pleased with him.

The devotee should awake in the Brāhma muhūrta (fortyeight minutes before sunrise) and take bath thinking of Puruṣottama and begin the fast. If the prayer and meditation is conducted at the house he will get double the fruits. If it is at a river it will yield four times the fruits. If it is at a cow-shed the fruits will be thousandfold and if it is conducted at a fireshed or Śaivite temple, at a holy bath or in the presence of God the fruits will be a thousand and one hundredfold and if it is near a tulasī (holy basil) the fruits will be a lakhfold and if it is done in the presence of Viṣṇu the fruits obtained will be unlimited.

This Jayaśarman who took the fast was the son of a noble Brāhmaṇa named Śivaśarman of Avantī. He was the youngest of five sons. He became a wicked man. So he was avoided by his relatives. Being driven away from home, he went to a distant forest and lived there. Once, by luck, he happened to reach the holy place of Triveṇī Mahātīrtha. He was very tired of hunger and thirst. So he bathed in the tīrtha and searched for some hermitage. By chance he saw the hermitage of Harimitra As it was the month of Puruṣottama many people had gathered there. Brāhmaṇas were telling stories of mitigation of sins. He heard the story of the vow called Kamalāvrata and its fruits. So Jayaśarman stayed in that hermitage with them and took the vow of Kamalāvrata. That night Devī appeared before him and said: "I have come from Vaikuṇṭha, because I am greatly pleased with you. Since you have taken the vow of Kamalāvrata on the eleventh day of the dark lunar fortnight called Kamalā of the month of Puruṣottama I will grant you boons. Because you have taken the vow at Triveṇī, I am immensely pleased with you. The noble Brāhmaṇas of your future generations also will be blessed by me". Saying these words the Devī gave him boons and disappeared. From that day onwards Jayaśarmā became a great wealthy man and he returned to his father’s house (Padma Purāṇa, Chapter 64).