Chapter 184 - Vows observed on the eighth lunar day

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Fire-god said:

1. Since (the gods) Brahmā and others worshipped the (divine) mothers one should repeat (their names) on the eighth, lunar day of the group of (divine) mothers. One would get wealth by the worship of (lord) Kṛṣṇa on the dark fortnight in the month of caitra (April-May) and for a year.

2-10. I shall describe the kṛṣṇāṣṭamī vrata (the vow practised on the eighth lunar day of the dark fortnight). It should be performed in the month of mārgaśīra (December-January). Having (fasted) in the night and becoming pure one should drink cow’s urine in the night. The doer of the vow should lie on the (bare) floor in the night and worship (lord) Śaṅkara (Śiva). (One should worship) lord Śambhu (Śiva) in (the month of) pauṣa (January-February) after taking ghee lord Maheśvara (the great lord, Śiva) in (the month of) māgha (February-March) (taking) milk and lord Mahādeva (the great god, Śiva) in (the month of) phālguna (March-April) after fasting and taking sesamum. One should worship lord Sthāṇu (firm as the pillar, Śiva) in (the month of) caitra (April-May) taking barley and lord Śiva in (the month of) vaiśākha (May-June) taking water with kuśa and lord Paśupati (lord of the flock) in (the month of) jyaiṣṭha (June-July) taking śṛṅgodaka. One (should worship) lord Ugra (the fierce, a form of Śiva) in (the month of) āṣāḍha (July-August) eating cow-dung, (lord) Sarva (a form of Śiva) in (the month of) śrāvaṇa (August-September) eating the arka (the sun-plant), lord Tryambaka (three-eyed) in (the month of) bhādrapada (September-October) eating bilva leaf in the night, lord Īśa (a form of Śiva) in (the month of) āśvayuji (October-November) eating rice and lord Rudra in (the month of) kārttika (November-December) taking curd. Oblations should be made and worship should be offered in a circle at the end of the year. Cow, clothes and gold should be given to the preceptor. After having requested the brahmins thus and after feeding them one would get enjoyment and emancipation. One should eat only in the night on the eight lunar days. One who gives a cow at the end of the year would get the place of Indra (the lord of celestials). Svargativrata (the vow that conveys one to heaven) is described. When the eight. lunar day (falls) on a Wednesday in both fortnights, then the vow should be practised. Otherwise one who eats (food) with molasses and observes discipline on that (day) would never have his fortune affected.

11-12. Eight times fist full of rice less the quantity that would. rest on two fingers should be cooked and kept on mango leaves knit together and spread on the kuśa and (the goddess) Ambikā with her retinue and benevolent attendants should be worshipped. (The food) should then be eaten while the anecdotes (relating to the goddess) are being heard. Fees should be paid according to one’s means. (One should also give) karkaṭī (a sort of cucumber) together with rice.

13-23. (The following is the anecdote related to the vow):

(There was) a brahmin (by name) Dhīra. His wife (was) Rambhā, son Kauśika and daughter Vijayā. The bestower of wealth for that Dhīra was a bull. Kauśika took that and was grazing it in the company of cowherds. When he was bathing -in the river Ganges, the bull was driven away by thieves. After bathing and not finding the bull he started searching forthat in the company of his sister Vijayā. He then found a group of divine damsels in a tank and asked them to give (him) food. The group of damsels told him “You do the vow and hence (be) our guest and eat”. (Accordingly) after performing the vow he ate (the food) and got (the position of) the guardianship of the forest. He then came to Dhīra with the bull and Vijayā. Vijayā was given by Dhīra to the God of Death and the father died (afterwards). On account of the merits of the vow Kauśika. became the king of Ayodhyā. Seeing the parents in hell Vijayā (felt) grief-stricken. She went to the God of Death (and) implored him to show them mercy). (Finding Dhīra) come for hunting (the next day) she asked him how he got freed from hell. The God of Death said that it was after getting the two vows which Kauśika had given. The two parents reached heaven as a fruit of the two eight lunar days on Wednesday. Vijayā rejoiced and practised the vow for accomplishing enjoyment and emancipation. Those who drink eight buds of aśoka in the (asterism) punarvasu in the month of caitra (April-May) on the eighth lunar day of a white (fortnight) would never get grief. (The following is the prayer made to aśoka): “O Aśoka! Dear to Lord Hara (Śiva)! One produced in the month of madhu (January-February)! Being tormented by grief I drinking you. You always make me free from grief. One who worships (divine) mothers in (the month of) caitra (April-May) on the eighth lunar day would conquer his enemies.