Chapter 35 - Vaikuntha Caturdaśī Vrata

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Brahmā said:

1. I shall relate succinctly the greatness of the Vrata called Vaikuṇṭha Caturdaśī.^[1] It has been formerly described by Vālakhilyas. Listen to it.

Vālakhilyas said:

2. On the fourteenth day in the bright half of the month of Kārttika in Kṛtayuga the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha came to Vārāṇasī.

3-5. When the night still remained in the fourth quarter, he took his bath in Maṇikarṇikā (name of a bathing place on Gaṅgā). Taking a thousand golden lotuses with him, he went with great devotion to worship Śiva accompanied by Śivā.

After performing the worship of Viśveśa he (wanted to) worship (Śiva) with lotuses. He (counted) a thousand lotuses (to be placed on Śiva), one for one of Śiva’s names. Afterwards, the actual worship was begun by him. Śiva (wanted to) test his devotion.

6. From among the lotuses, one lotus was secretly taken away by Hara. Then Viṣṇu began his worship. There was shortage of the lotuses by one.

7. He looked for it here and there, but there was no lotus anywhere. He thought within himself thus for a moment, 'Have I erred in counting the lotuses or reciting the names?’

8-10. Then he thought thus: ‘There has been no mistake in reciting the names. The mistake is in counting the lotuses.’

Again he thought thus: ‘I resolved at the outset for a worship with a thousand lotuses. How shall Mahādeva be worshipped when lotuses are short by one. If I go to fetch one, I will have to break the rule of continuous sitting. Now what should be done?’ Thus Hari was worried with that thought then.

11-13. O great sages, a way out occurred to his mind: ‘Great sages call me Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Lotus-eyed). My eye is similar to a lotus. I shall offer it in the place of the (missing lotus).’ Mentally resolving thus, he dislodged the eye with his index finger. With that Mahādeva was worshipped by him. Then Maheśvara became pleased and spoke these words:

Mahādeva said:

14. In all the three worlds consisting of mobile and immobile beings, there is no one else so devoted to me like you. The entire kingdom of the three worlds is granted to you. Be the protector of the worlds.

15. Choose another boon whatever may be desired by you in your mind. Welfare unto you. Certainly I shall grant it. There is no doubt about it.

16. Those men who have recourse to my devotion but who hate Janārdana are inimical to me, O Viṣṇu. They shall certainly fall into hell.

Viṣṇu said:

17. O Maheśvara, the duty of protecting the three worlds has been assigned to me. Daityas are very haughty. They have enormous strength. How can they be killed by me?

Śiva said:

18-19. This discus Sudarśana is capable of cutting down the great Daityas. It is given to you by me. O Lord Viṣṇu, accept this. Work a havoc among Daityas with this, O Lord.

Thus he gave the discus to Hari and spoke these words:

Śiva said:

20-22. In the year named Hemalamba, on the fourteenth day in the bright half of the glorious month of Kārttika at the time of dawn, on the Tithi pertaining to Mahādeva (i.e. the fourteenth one) in the Brāhma Muhūrta (i.e. 48 mts. before sunrise) you took your bath in Maṇikarṇikā after coming here from Vaikuṇṭha. Then the Liṅga of Viśveśvara was worshipped with a thousand lotuses. Hence it will become a favourite of mine. It shall be famous in all the worlds as Vaikuṇṭha Caturdaśī.

23-24. Listen, O Viṣṇu, I shall grant you another boon. Listen to my words: In the earlier part of the nights your worship should be performed by persons of all castes. They shall observe fast during the day and perform your worship in the evening. Afterwards my worship is to be performed. Otherwise it (my worship) shall be futile.

25. For the purpose of the worship of Hari, the Caturdaśī extending to the night should be taken. The devotee shall worship Śiva at the time of dawn.

26. Those men by whom Viṣṇu is worshipped at the outset with a thousand lotuses and then Śiva is worshipped afterwards are indeed living-liberated souls.

27-31. After taking the bath in the evening in Pañcanada, the devotee should worship Bindumādhava. He who takes his bath in Viṣṇukāñcī shall worship Anantasena. Thereafter he shall take his bath in Rudrakāñcī and worship Praṇaveśa.

First the devotee should take bath in Vahnitīrtha and then worship Nārāyaṇa. Thereafter he should take bath in Retodaka and worship Kedāreśa.

At the outset the devotee should take bath in Yamunā and worship Veṇīmādhava. Then he should take bath in Gaṅgā and worship Saṅgameśa. All riches and prosperity shall be under his control. O Viṣṇu, the truth is spoken by me.

After granting him boons thus Śiva vanished. Hence both Hari and Hara are to be worshipped with all efforts.

32. In Kaliyuga Viṣṇu abandons the earth for (after?) ten thousand years, the waters of Gaṅgā for half that period and the rural deities for half of the latter.

33. On the full-moon day in the month of Kārttika Traipura^[2] festival is to be celebrated. In the evening lamps must be lighted in a Śiva temple.

34. A prominent Daitya named Tripura performed a penance at Prayāga. Pleased with his penance, Brahmā granted him a great boon.

35-36. “Your death will not be at the hands of Devas, Asuras or human beings.” This was the boon that the Daitya got. He got into the aerial chariot named Tripura, made by Viśvakarmā. When he harassed the three worlds riding in it, Hara was eulogized by the Devas.

37. The slayer of enemies killed Tripura with a single arrow on the full-moon day in the month of Kārttika. All the Devas eulogized him.

38. On that day lamps were offered to Hara by all the Devas. By all means, lamps should be offered for propitiating Śiva.

39. One who offers a lamp with seven hundred and twenty lighted wicks on the full-moon day, shall be liberated from all sins.

40-43. The Tripura festival is to be celebrated at dusk on the full-moon day. Reciting this (following) Mantra, lamps should be lighted in the temple:

“May worms, locusts, mosquitoes, trees and the living beings that move about in water or on land, all cease to have re-birth on seeing the lamp. Let Cāṇḍālas become Brāhmaṇas.”

Therefore, the great festival of Tripura should be celebrated on the full-moon day.

He who sees the Lord on the full-moon day in conjunction with Kṛttikā constellation, shall for seven births be a Brāhmaṇa very rich and master of the Veda.

On this day if one performs the rite of Vṛṣotsarga (setting a bull free to roam about freely) at night, shall go to the city of Śiva.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

The episode how Viṣṇu plucked out one of his eyes as a substitute for the 1000th lotus to be offered to Lord Śiva on this day is indicative of the synthetic spirit of the day. The great Kārttika Vrata so dear to Viṣṇu is concluded by showing how that god Viṣṇu is a devotee of Śiva. We are required to worship Viṣṇu and Śiva both on that day (vv 26-31).

[2]:

Illumination on the full-moon day of Kārttika is done to celebrate of the killing of demon Tripura by Śiva. It is called Trīpurī Pūrṇimā and all important places are illuminated with hundreds of lamps. The writer follows Pūrṇimānta calendar in which a month ends with the full-moon day. The Kārttika Vrata ends with Kārttika Pūrnimā.

Other Purana Concepts:

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Discover the significance of concepts within the article: ‘Vaikuntha Caturdasi Vrata’. Further sources in the context of Purana might help you critically compare this page with similair documents:

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