Chapter 24 - Brahma-sambandhi-vrata

(192) bhavisyapuranatah From Bhavisya Purana sumantuh brahmasambandhi vratam Brahma-sambandhi-vrata (The Fast related to Brahma) paurnamasyupavasam tu krtva bhaktya naradhipa ! anena vidhina yastu viracim pujayennarah | pratipadyam mahabaho sa gacched brahmanah padam ||1|| Paurnamasyupavasam tu krtva bhaktya naradhipa. Anena vidhina yastu virancim pujayennarah. Pratipadyam mahabaho sa gacched Brahmanah padari. (1) Sumantu said--Naradhipa (King) ! the man who worships Brahma by that said method with devotion on pratipada, having kept fast on full moon day, O Mahabahu! he attains Brahmahood. (1) rgbhirvisesato devi viricervastudevatah ||2|| Rgbhirvisesato devi virincervastudevatah. One should worship Virinci, who has been identified as the goddess of architecture. (2) kartike masi devasya rathayatra prakirtita | | yam krtva manavo bhaktya yati brahmasalokatam ||3|| Kartike masi devasya rathyatra prakirtita. Yam krtva manavo bhaktya yati Brahmasalokatam. Rathayatra of God Brahma in the month of Kartika has been appreciated. The devotee performing it with proper method attains the company of Brahma. (3) kartike masi rajendra paurnamasyam caturmukham | margena carmana sardham savitrya ca parantapa ||4||

(193) bhramayennagaram sarvam nanavadyaih samanvitam | sthapayed bhramayitva tu salokam nagaram nrpa ||5|| Kartike masi Rajendra paurnamasyamm caturmukham. Margena Carmana sardham savitrya ca Parantapa. (4) Bhramayennagaram sarvam nanavadyaih samanvitam. Sthapayed bhramayitva tu salokam nagaram nrpa. (5) O Emperor! Placing the idol of Brahma alongwith the idol of 'Savitri' on the deer skin on the occasion of the full moon day the chariot alongwith the various 'Vadyas' should be moved everywhere in the city. O King! Thus after moving the chariot with procession everywhere in the city, the chariot should be established on some holy place. (4-5) brahmanam bhojayitvagre samdileyam prapujya ca | aropayedrathe devam punyavaditranihsvanaih ||6|| Brahmanam bhojayitvagre Sandileyam prapujya ca. Aropayedrathe devam punyavaditranihsvanaih. (6) Further, the devotee should offer food to Brahmana after properly worshipping him. There he should make the Brahmana sit on the front portion of the chariot worshipping him properly. Previous to it he should place the idol of deva with the sound of musical instruments and songs. (6) rathagre samdiliputram pujayitva vidhanatah | brahmanan vacayitva ca krtva punyahamamgalam ||7|| devamaropayitva tu rathe kuryatprajagaram | nanavidhaih preksanakairbrahmaghosaisca puskalaih ||8|| krtva prajagaram hyevam prabhate brahmanam nrpa ! bhojayitva yathasaktya bhaksyabhojyairanekasah || 9 || Rathagre sandiliputram pujayitva vidhanatah. Brahmanan vacayitva ca krtva punyahamangalami. (7)

(194) Devamaropayitva tu Rathe kuryat prajaga: am, Nanavidhaih preksanakairbrahmaghosaisca puskalaih. (8) Krtva prajagaram hyevam prabhate Brahmanam nrpa, Bhojayitva yathasaktya Bhaksyabhojyairanekasah. (9) Having worshipped that 'Sandiliputra' methodically then after punyahavacana, placing the idol of Deva on the chariot, one should awake for the whole of night. He should spend the night awaking amidst various sorts of recitation of Vedas and auspicious functions. O King! in the morning after worshipping Brahmana he should make him satisfied with the food to the best of his capacity. (7-9) pujayitva janam vira vastrena vidhivannrpa | bijena mahabaho payasa payasena ca ||10|| Pujayitva janam vira vastrena vidhivannrpa. Bijena mahabaho payasa payasena c'. (10) O King! O Brave! then worshipping that Brahmana with cloth, the devotee should satisfy him with milk and other foods made of milk. (10) brahmanan vacayitva ca cchandena vidhina nrpa | krtva punyahasabdam ca ratham ca bhramayet pure || 11 || Brahmanan vacayitva ca cc'handena vidhina nrpa. Krtva punyahasabdam ca ratham ca bhramayet pure. (11) O King! then having done the recitation of good mantras and punyahavacana according to the method of Vedas the devotee should make the chariot move round the city. (11) caturvedavidairviprairbhramayed brahmano ratham | bahvacatharvanoccaraischandogadhvaryubhistatha || 12 || Caturvedavidairviprairbhramayed Brahmano ratham. Bahvacatharvanocc'haraischandogadhvaryubhistatha. (12) The learned Brahmanas knowing four Vedas may make the chariot of Brahma move round the city. Among them there

(195) should be all Bahvrca atharvana, Chandoga and adhvaryu. (12) bhramayeddevadevasya surajyesthasya tam ratham | pradaksinam pure sarvamargena susamena tu || 13 || Bhramayeddevadevasya surajyesthasya tam ratham. Pradaksinam pure sarvamargena susamena tu. (13) That chariot of the Seniormost deva (Brahma) should be made to move round the entire city by the levelled and smooth way by highly learned scholars and Veda-knowing Brahmanas. (13) na vodhavyo ratho vira bhrtyena subhamicchata | naruheta ratham prajno muktvaikam bhojakam nrpa || 14 || Na vodhavyo ratho vira bhrtyena subhamicc'hata Naruheta rathamm prajno muktvaikam bhojakam nrpa. (14) O Brave! a man wishing welfare should not make the servant bear the chariot of the seniormost deva. O King! similarly, no other person should be made to sit on that chariot, except that Brahmana worshipper. ( 14 ) brahmano daksine parsve savitrim sthapayennrpa | bhojakam vamaparsve tu puratah kanjajam nyaset || 15|| Brahmano daksine parsve savitrim sthapayennrpa. Bhojakarin vamaparsve tu puratah kanjajam nyaset. (15) O King! Savitri should be placed on the right side of Lord Brahma. The Brahmana worshipper should also be on the left side of the idol. Padmodbhava (Lotus-born Brahma) should be established on the front side. (15) evam turyaninadaistu samkhasabdaisca puskalaih | bhramayitva ratham rajan puram sarva pradaksinam | svasthane sthapayedbhuyah krtva nirajanam budhah || 16 || Evam turyaninadaistu sankhasabdaisca puskalaih.

(196) Bhramayitva ratham rajan puramm sarvam pradaksinam. Svasthane sthapayedbhuyah krtva nirajanam budhah. (16) The wise man should establish the chariot by sounding the bugle and sankha, after making the chariot move round the city and then he should do arati. (16) ya evam kurute yatram bhaktya yascapi pasyati | ratham cakarsate yastu sa gacched brahmanah padam ||17|| Ya evam kurute yatram bhaktya yascapi pasyati. Rathur cakarsate yastu sa gacched Brahmanah padari. ( 17 ) The man who performs such type of journey, sees function of such rathyatra with devotion, who draws that chariot, obtains the place of Brahma. (17) kartike masyamavasyam yastu dipapradipanam | salayam brahmanah kuryat sa gacched brahmanah padam || 18|| Kartike masyamavasyam yastu dipapradipanam. Salayam Brahmanah kuryat sa gacc'hed Brahmanah padarin. (18 ) The man who offers dipa (lamp) in the temple of Brahma on the date of amavasya in the month of Kartika, attains the place of Brahma. (18) pratipadi brahmanamscapi gudamisrah pradipakaih | vasobhirahataiscapi sa gacched brahmanah padam || 19 || Pratipadi Brahmananscapi gudamisraih pradipakaih. Vasobhirahtaiscapi sa gacched Brahmanah padari. (19) In the same way, one who satisfies Brahmanas on the pratipada (first day of the fortnight ) of the month of Kartika with foodgrains mixed with jaggery and new cloths alongwith the dipas (the lamps), attains the place of Brahma. (19) gandhapuspairnavairvastrairatmanam pujayecca yah | tasyam pratipadayam tu sa gacched brahmanah padam ||20||

(197) Gandhapuspairna vairvastrairatmanam pujayecc'a yah. Tasyam pratipadayam tu sa gacched Brahmanah padam. (20) The man, who worships himself on the date of the same pratipada with the scented flowers and new clothings, attains the place of Brahma. (20) mahapunya tithiriyam balirajyapravartini | brahmanah supriya nityam baleya parikirtita || 21|| Mahapunya tithiriyam Balirajyapravartini. Brahmanah supriya nityam Baleya parikirtita. (20) This date of pratipada is the giver of great punya and He is the giver of the state of Bali, this is the most favourite to Brahma. It is famous as Baleya (the giver of state to Bali ). ( 21 ) brahmanan pujayitvasyamatmanam ca visesatah | sa yati paramam sthanam visnoramitatejasah ||22|| Brahmanan pujayitvasyamatmanam ca visesatah. Sa yati paramam sthanam Visnoramitatejasah. (22) The man, who on the punya giving date, after having worshipped Brahmanas, worships himself, attains too much illuminated place of Visnu. (22) caitre masi mahabaho punya pratipada para | tasyam yah svapacam sprstva snanam kuryannarottama ||23|| na tasya duritam kincinnadhayo vyadhayo nrpa ! bhavanti kurusardula tasmat snanam pravartayet ||24|| Caitre masi mahabaho Tasyam yah svapacari sprstva snanari kuryannarottama. (23) punya pratipada para. Na tasya duritam kinc innadhayo vyadhayo nrpa. Bhavanti kurusardula tasmat snanamin pravartayet. (24) O mighty Emperor! Pratipada of the month of Caitra is perfectly a punya giving date, on that auspicious date one who having touched Candala, bathes only, gets rid of all sins, and

(198) he faces no natural calamity. O the king of Kuru! therefore one must bathe on that date. ( 23-24) divyam nirajanam taddhi sarvarogavinasanam | gomahisyadi yatkincit tatsarvam bhusayennrpa || 25 || tailasastradibhirvastraistoranadhastato nayet | brahmananam tatha bhogyam kuryat kurukulodvaha || 26 || Divyam nirajanam taddhi sarvarogavinasanam. Gomahisyadi yatkincit tatsarvam bhusayennrpa.(25) Tailasastradibhirvastraistoranadhastato nayet. Brahmananam tatha bhogyam kuryat kurukulodvaha.(26) That is perfectly divine arati, that removes all the diseases. O King! on that auspicious date the host should well decorate the cow and buffalo whatever he has, with oil and clothes etc., then he should bring them out of torana . O born in the Kurufamily! On that occasion Brahmanas must be served with food properly. (25-26) tistro hyetah parah proktastithayah kurunandana | kartike'svayuje masi caitre mase ca bharata ||27|| snanam danam satagunam kartikeya tithirnrpa ! balirajyaptisukhada pasula'subhanasini ||28|| Tisro hyetah parah proktastithayah Kurunandana. Kartikesvayuje masi caitre mase ca Bharata. (27) Snanam danam satagunam kartikeya tithirnrpa. pasula'subhanasini . (28) Balirajyaptisukhada O Kurunandana! The above three pratipada dates of Asvina, Kartika and Caitra have been accepted as the best dates but O Bharata! the pratipada date of Kartika is hundred times more fruitful for bathing and donations . That perfectly auspicious date of pratipada of Kartika is the giver of state to Bali and is comfortable, the well wisher of animals and remover of all evils. (27-28) The description of Brahmavrata pertaining to Brahma under Bhavisya purana is complete.