Chapter 83 - The holy rites of Śiva (śivavrata)

The Sages said:

1. The meritorious vyapohana hymn has been attentively heard by us. Now mention to us the vratas pertaining to the Liṅgas.

Sūta said:

2. O excellent sages, I shall mention, to you the auspicious vratas that were narrated by Nandin to the son of Brahmā.

3-4. I shall mention them to you as I have heard them from Vyāsa. On the eighth and fourteenth days of both the fortnights, the devotee shall eat only once, at night, and continue this rite for one year and worship Śiva. He acquires the benefit of all sacrifices and attains the greatest goal.

5-6. By performing this rite for one day and one night on Parvan days and by making the earth the vessel, the devotee attains the benefit of three nights on Parvan days. By performing the Kṣīradhārāvrata,^[1] the devotee obtains the benefit of horse-sacrifice. He shall perform this holy rite on the two Pratipads (first day) and two Pañcamīs (fifth day) in the month.

7. The devotee shall take food only once a day at night, between the eighth and the fourteenth day in the dark half of the month. He attains all worldly pleasures and goes to the world of Brahmā.

8-9. The devotee shall perform this holy rite for a year in the night of all Parvan days. He shall be celibate, conquer anger and be devoted to meditation on Śiva. At the end of a year he shall duly feed leading brahmins. He then attains the world of Śiva. No doubt need be entertained in this respect.

10. Greater than the observance of fast is the partaking of alms and greater still is food acquired without begging. Taking food only at night is greater than Ayācita (the food acquired without begging). Hence one shall duly pursue Nakta^[2].

11-13a. Food is taken in the forenoon by Devas; in the midday by sages; in the afternoon by pitṛs and at dusk by Guhyakas,^[3] and others. Passing over all these times, partaking of the food at night is the best thing. The devotee who regularly takes food at night shall practice taking in only Haviṣya, bathing, truthfulness, light food, rites in the fire, and sleeping on the bare ground.

13b-14a. I shall mention the excellent vratas of Śiva for each month. These vratas function for the atonement of sins and for the acquisition of virtue, love, wealth and salvation.

14b-19. The Vrata for the month of Pauṣa.

The devotee shall worship the lord and take food only at night. He shall speak truth and conquer anger. His food shall consist of Śāli rice, wheat and milk products. He shall assiduously observe fast on the Aṣṭamī (eighth) day in both the fortnights. He shall sleep on the bare ground. At the end, on the full moon day he shall bathe Rudra, Mahādeva by means of ghee and other material. O brahmins, after worshipping the lord duly the devotee shall feed good brahmins serving them barley cooked with milk and ghee. He shall perform the japa of Śānti mantras in particular. He shall dedicate a tawny-coloured cow and a bull to Bhava the lord of Devas, to Śiva Parameṣṭhin. O leading sages, he goes to the excellent world of the fire-god. After enjoying extensive pleasures he is liberated there itself.

20-22. The Vrata for the month of Māgha.

In the month of Māgha the devotee shall worship the lord and take food only at night. He shall partake of Kṛśara along with ghee. He shall restrain the sense-organs. He shall observe fast on the fourteenth day in both the fortnights. On the full moon day he shall offer Rudra a black cow and a black bull along with ghee and a blanket. He shall worship Śiva and feed brahmins in accordance with his means. He then attains the world of Yama and rejoices there.

23-26. The Vrata for the month of Phālguna.

In the month of Phālguna the devotee shall take food at night with cooked rice of Śyāmāka, ghee and milk. He shall conquer anger and the sense-organs. He shall observe fast on the eighth and the fourteenth day. On the full moon day he shall bathe and worship Siva the great lord and dedicate to the trident-armed lord, a cow and a bull having the colour of copper. After feeding the brahmins he shall pray to Parameśvara. He then attains identity with the moon. No doubt need be entertained in this respect.

27-29a. The Vrata for the Caitra month.

In the month of Caitra also the devotee shall worship Rudra and have night food according to his pleasure, consisting of Śāli rice cooked with milk and ghee. O excellent sages, he shall be down in the cowpen on the bare ground at night. He shall then remember Bhava. On the full moon day he shall bathe Śiva and dedicate to him a cow and a bull, white in colour. He shall feed the brahmins. The devotee then attains the abode of Nirṛti.

29b-30. The Vrata for the month of Vaiśākha.

In the month of Vaiśākha the devotee shall take food at night. On the full moon day he shall bathe Bhava by means of Pañcagavya,^[4] ghee, etc., and dedicate a cow and a bull white in colour. He then attains the benefit of a horse-sacrifice.^[5]

31-34. The Vrata for the month of Jyeṣṭha,

In the month of Jyesṭha, the devotee shall, with faith and devotion, worship Śarva the lord of Devas, Bhava the consort of Umā. He shall take food only at night consisting of red Śāli rice purified by means of honey, water, ghee, etc. For half the night he shall be engaged in serving cows. He shall sit in the Vīrāsana.^[6] On the full moon day he shall worship the lord of Devas, the consort of Umā after bathing the deity. He shall offer Caru duly to the trident-bearing lord. After feeding the brahmins according to his means the devotee shall give a cow and a bull smoke-like in colour. He shall then be honoured in the world of Vāyu (wind-god).

35-37a. The Vrata for the month of Āṣāḍha.

In the month of Āṣāḍha the devotee shall be engaged in taking food at night consisting of fried grain flour mixed with ghee, sugar candy and milk products. On the full moon day he shall bathe the deity with ghee, etc. and worship him duly. After feeding learned brahmins who have mastered the Vedas he shall give a white cow and a white bull. He shall then attain the world of Varuṇa.

37b-40a. The Vrata for the month of Śrāvaṇa.

O brahmins, in the month of Śrāvaṇa the devotee shall take food at night consisting of Ṣaṣṭika rice cooked with milk, after worshipping the bull-bannered deity. On the full moon day he shall bathe the deity with ghee, etc., and worship him duly. He shall then feed the brahmins who have sound learning and who have mastered the Vedas. He shall offer sugarcane^[7] and a cow and a bull with white toes (above hoofs). The devotee then attains identity with Vāyu and becomes all-pervasive like Vāyu.

40b-43a. The Vrata for the month of Bhādrapada.

O leading brahmins, the devotee shall take food at night consisting of what is left over after Homa. During day time he shall resort to the root of trees. On the full moon day he shall bathe and worship Śiva, the lord of Devas. He shall dedicate with devotion a cow and a bull with blue shoulders. After feeding the brahmins who have mastered the Vedas and the Vedāṅgas he will attain the world of Yakṣas^[8] and be their king.

44b-45. The Vrata for the month of Āśvayuja.

In the month of Āśvayuja the devotee shall take food at night consisting of ghee. As before, on the full moon days he shall worship Siva and feed the ever pure brahmins, the devotees of Śiva. By giving a blue-coloured bull with lifted chest and a cow he will attain the world of Īśāna.

46-48. The Vrata for the month of Kārttika.

In the month of Kārttika the devotee shall take food at night consisting of rice cooked with milk and ghee after worshipping lord Bhava. On the full moon day the devotee shall bathe the deity and offer Caru as Naivedya. He shall feed the brahmins according to his means. As before, O brahmins, a cow and a bull of tawny-colour shall be dedicated to the deity. He then attains identity with the sun. No doubt need be entertained in this regard.

49-51.The Vrata for the month of Mārgaśīrṣa.

In the month of Mārgaśīrṣa the devotee shall take food at night consisting of barley cooked with ghee, milk, etc. On the full moon day he shall do towards Śarva, Śambhu, what has been mentioned before. After feeding the poor brahmins who are masters of the Vedas he shall duly make a gift of a cow and a bull of yellowish white colour. The devotee then attains the world of the moon^[9] and rejoices with the moon.

52-54. The following shall be practised throughout: non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy, forgiveness, mercifulness, three times ablution, Agnihotra, sleeping on the bare ground, food at night only, observance of fast on eighth and fourteenth days in both the fortnights. Thus the Śivavrata for each month has been fully recounted. O brahmins, the devotee shall observe this Vrata for a year in the order mentioned or in the reverse order. He then attains identity with Siva and obtains the path of perfect knowledge.^[10]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Kṣīradhārāvrata [kṣīradhārāvratam]—the observer of this vow lives only on the milk-fluid.

[2]:

nakta [naktam]—A kind of ritual explained in v-12ff.

[3]:

guhyaka—a class of demi-gods who like the yakṣas, kinnaras etc. are the attendants of Kubera and guardians of his treasures.

[4]:

pañcagavya—It consists of the five products of the cow, viz. milk, curd, butter, the liquid and solid excreta.

[5]:

aśvamedha—a sacrifice performed by kings for the achievement of universal supremacy. A horse was turned loose to wander at will for a year, attended by a guardian; when the horse entered a foreign, country, the ruler was bound either to submit or to fight. In this way, the horse returned at the end of a year, the guardian obtaining or enforcing the submission of princes whom he brought in his train. After the successful return of the horse, the horse was sacrificed amidst great rejoicings.

[6]:

Vīrāsana—a particular posture practised by ascetics in meditation, sitting on the hams. It is the same as paryañka.

[7]:

pauṇḍrara—citra [citram] Śivatoṣiṇī. wonderful. Śivatoṣiṇī. quotes Viśvā kośa in support of this meaning.

[8]:

yakṣa-loka—Śiva’s world or the region of Kubera with Alakā as the capital.

[9]:

Somaloka [somalokam]—Śivaloka [śivalokam] Śivatoṣiṇī.

[10]:

jñāna-yoga: yoga of knowledge. Knowledge has been defined in Kūrma thus:—[yayā sadevo bhagavān vidyuyā vedyate paraḥ | sākṣāddevo mahādevastajjñānamiti kīrtitam ||]—cited in Śivatoṣiṇī.