The Agni Purana
by N. Gangadharan | 1954 | 360,691 words | ISBN-10: 8120803590 | ISBN-13: 9788120803596
This page describes Vows relating to different seasons (ritu-vrata) which is chapter 199 of the English translation of the Agni Purana, one of the eighteen major puranas dealing with all topics concerning ancient Indian culture, tradition and sciences. Containing roughly 15,000 Sanskrit metrical verses, subjects contained in the Agni-Purana include cosmology, philosophy, architecture, iconography, economics, diplomacy, pilgrimage guides, ancient geography, gemology, ayurveda, etc.
Chapter 199 - Vows relating to different seasons (ṛtu-vrata)
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Fire-god said:
1-3. I shall describe the vows relating to the seasons [i.e., ṛtu-vrata] that would bestow enjoyment and emancipation. A brahmin who gives away fuel in the four seasons beginning with the rainy season and gives ghee and cow at the end would become agnivratī. Maintaining silence at the twilight and giving a pitcher with ghee at the end of the month as well as sesamum, bell and clothes one would be happy. (He is known to be) the performer of Sārasvatavrata. One who bathes with the five sweet things for a year and gives away a cow would become a king.
4-5. Eating only in the night on the eleventh day in caitra food should be offered to (lord Viṣṇu). That person who practises the Viṣṇu-madvrata [Viṣṇusadvrata?] would reach the golden feet of lord ViṣṇU at the end of the month. One who eats sweet gruel and offers a pair of cows as a gift would get fortune. He would be (known as) the performer of Devīvrata. One who offers to the pitṛdevas (the dead ancestors) and eats (the food) would become a king.
6-8. I have described the Varṣavratas (the vows relating to rainy season). I shall describe the vows relating to the movement (of the Sun). A person who keeps awake in the night at the time of the movement (of the Sun from one constellation into another) would go to heaven. Similarly worship of Śiva in the form of the Sun at the time of the new-moon and Sun’s movement (would get the same result). Bathing (the image of) Keśava with a prastha (a kind of measure) of clarified butter of thirty-two pala measures one gets free from all sins. One who bathes (the lord) with ghee, milk etc. at the time of the equinox etc. (would get the same fruits).
9-10. The Umāvrata done on the third day and the eighth days confers fortune on women. One who worships (goddess) Gaurī and lord Maheśvara would get all fortunes. After worshipping Umāmaheśvara one gets non-separation. The main performer of the vow in the Umeśavrata is the woman. A woman who is devoted to the Sun would certainly become a male.