Chapter 25 - Description of Somavāra Vrata

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Īśvara said:

1. Desirous of propitiating Bhava, O goddess, that Gandharva asked the excellent sage about the Somavāra Vrata (vow to be performed on Monday).

The Gandharva said:

2. How is this Somavāra Vrata to be observed? What are the injunctions regarding its procedure? At what time is it to be performed? Narrate everything in detail.

Gośṛṅga said:

3. Very well! Very well! O highly intelligent one! This is what has not been mentioned to anyone else. It is conducive to help all living beings.

4. What is called Somavāra Vrata is divine. It is destructive of all ailments and it confers all Siddhis. It bestows all the desired benefits.

5. It can be observed at all times. It causes auspiciousness to all the Varṇas. Seeing good result thereof, this has to be performed always by men and women.

6. This great Vrata has been performed by Brahmā, Viṣṇu and other Devas. Further, this has been performed by Somarāja when he was overwhelmed by Dakṣa’s curse.

7. Fully devoted to the meditation on Śaṃbhu, Śaṃbhu was propitiated by him. The great Lord was pleased with the devotion of Somarāja.

8-9. He (Soma) said: “If you are pleased, be present in the installed Liṅga permanently. May my Liṅga installed along with Umā, continue to stay as long as the Sun and Moon shine and mountains stand.”

10. After praying to Maheśvara, the Liṅga was installed by him and known after his own name. Then he was rid of the ailments.

11. Thus he has got his body heated and purified and he now shines in the sky.

12. Ever since then, those men too who perform the Vrata on the earth, attain purity of body like Moon and go to his region.

13. Of what avail is much talk? I shall describe the mode of procedure thereof. It can be adopted and performed in any month on any Monday in the bright half of the month.

14. Earlier in the Brāhma Muhūrta, the devotee finishes cleansing the teeth with the toothbrush twig (of any tree) and performs the rite of ablution and all holy rites laid down in his own code of pious activities.

15. In a pleasant site on a clean level ground, one should place a polished pot. The pot is covered with mango shoots and beautified with sanḍalpaste.

16. The vessel is then embellished with all the ornaments and covered all round with a white cloth. Śiva (Liṅga) with its pedestal base is put therein.

17. There Lord Somanātha along with his Śakti and accompanied by Umā is worshipped with white flowers. In the (eight) quarters the Aṣṭamūrtis are also worshipped.

18. There shall be different kinds of foodstuffs and snacks. The fruit offered shall be Bījapūraka (pomegranate?). The rites are entirely performed with the following Mantra:

19-20. The adoration and the Homa are performed with this Mantra: “Om, obeisance to the Five-faced One with ten arms and three eyes. O Lord with half the body united with the body of Umā, O Lord riding on the bull, O Lord adorned with white ornaments, obeisance to you, the omniformed one.”

21. Having performed thus during the day, the man should go to sleep at night after viewing the Moon^[1]. He should be on a mattress of Darbha grass and meditate on Hara, Someśvara.

22. If the rite is thus performed the eighteen varieties of leprosy will be dispelled.

On the second Monday (Somavāra) the devotee shall use a twig of Karañja as toothbrush.

23. He should worship the subtle form of the Lord accompanied by Jyeṣṭhaśakti (the eldest Śakti) by means of lotuses and imbibe honey duly.

24. An orange fruit (Nāraṅga) is offered and all other rites are performed as before. If the rite is thus performed one shall attain the benefit of (gifting as Dāna) a hundred thousand cows.

25. On the third Somavāra, the tooth-brush twig is from an Apāmārga tree. After cleansing the teeth the devotee should worship Trinetra (Śiva—the three-eyed).

26. A Dāḍima fruit (pomegranate) should be offered and the deity is adored with Jāti flowers. At night the devotee eats grapes and worships God Śiva attended by Siddhis.

27. On the fourth Monday (Somavāra) the tooth-brush twig is that of Uduṃbara (Indian fig tree). The devotee should worship Gaurīśa accompanied by Sūkṣmā (the goddess in the subtle form).

28. A fruit of Nārikela (coconut) is to be offered and the adoration is performed with Damana (Artenisia indica—MW). At night the devotee eats Śarkarā (sugar granules) and keeps vigil at night.

29. On the fifth Monday the devotee worships the Lord of Gaṇas accompanied by Vibhūti (goddess of prosperity). The adoration is done with Kunda flowers.

50. The toothbrush twig is from an Aśvattha (Peepal) tree. The Arghya is offered through grapes. At night the devotee eats Mocā (Phala) (banana). One will get the benefit of a horse-sacrifice.

31. On the sixth Monday the devotee should worship the Lord named Surūpa. With great devotion he should eat camphor.

32. On the seventh Monday the toothbrush is a twig of Mallikā. The devotee should worship Sarvajña accompanied by Dīptā.

33. A Jaṃbīra fruit is offered and the adoration is done with Jāti flowers. The devotee should eat Lavaṅga (cloves). It has infinite benefit.

34. On the eighth Monday Lord Amoghāyuta is to be worshipped with Marubhaka flowers. A Kadalīphala (banana fruit) is offered as Arghya. At night the devotee takes milk. He shall obtain the benefit of Agniṣṭoma (sacrifice).

35-36. When this Vrata is performed, the benefit is a crore times more than the benefit remembered as being derived from a crore times of perfect ablution in Gaṅgā or the benefit of gifting ten thousand gold coins to a Brāhmaṇa well-versed in the Vedas at the time of a solar eclipse in Kurukṣetra.

37. If the Somavāra (Monday) Vrata is performed the benefit is a crore times more than the benefit of the gift of a hundred elephants and a hundred thousand chariots and horses.

38. If the Somavāra is performed, one gets the benefit of fumigating Guggulu crores of times.

39. He shall be endowed with all the riches. He will have the same valour as that of Śiva. He shall reside in Rudraloka till the dissolution (death) of Brahmā.

40. When the ninth Somavāra falls the devotee performs the splendid Udyāpana (conclusion) rite. O Gandharva, I shall explain to you now how it is done.

41. A circular pavilion is erected and decorated with flags and banners splendidly. A Kuṇḍa is also made. Four ornamental gates are erected.

42. The altar is to be made in the centre. It should be square in shape and very splendid. There, in the middle, the mystic figure of Padma inside a circle is to be drawn.

43. In the eight quarters, eight pots are placed with gold therein. They are placed separately. Vāmā and other Śaktis are in due order installed in the pots in east etc.

44. In the pericarp of the lotus, the highly resplendent golden image of Śrīsomeśa along with Śakti is installed.

45. The Lord occupies a golden bed and is accompanied by Manonmanī (a form of Durgā). Vessels of gold etc. are filled with honey.

46. It is covered with a golden bedstead and the deity therein is duly adored. It is duly and serially adored uttering the names beginning with Ananta and ending with Śikhaṇḍin.

47-48. There shall be sweet scents, garlands, incense, lamps and different kinds of food offerings. With Someśvara in view the following are offered to the preceptor well-versed in the Purāṇas: garments, ornaments, betel-leaves, umbrella, chowries, mirrors, lamps, bells, canopies and bedstead with cotton cushion.

49. After adorning the preceptor, the devotee should perform the rite of Homa. At the conclusion of the rite of offering oblations, the devotee keeps vigil at night there itself.

50. Then he drinks Pañcagavya (the five substances got from a cow) and meditates on Lord Someśvara in his heart. At dawn he takes his holy bath and performs the meditation in accordance with the injunctions.

51. Thereafter, O Gandharva, he should feed Brāhmaṇas devoutly with various kinds of foodstuffs made of milk, sugar-candy etc.

52. He then should offer a pair of garments and a cow and see them off.

53. In this way the devotee performs the Vrata duly and acquires everlasting merit. He becomes richly endowed with wealth and food-grain along with his sons and wife.

54. No one born in that family becomes poor and miserable. One without a son becomes blessed with sons. Even a barren woman bears sons.

55. This Vrata should be particularly performed by all these: a woman who is Kākavandhyā (one who has given birth to only one child), a woman whose child is dead, one disliked or maltreated by husband and one who gives birth to only girls.

56. After these Vratas have been duly performed, when he (or she) dies, the devotee shall go to heaven. He enjoys elaborate and unlimited pleasures for thousands and hundreds of crores of Kalpas, until the annihilation of all living beings.

57. Thus the entire procedure of Somavāra Vrata has been narrated to you in due order. O highly esteemed one, hasten to the place where Someśvara is present.

Īśvara said:

58. O lady of excellent countenance, on being told thus, the Gandharva arrived at Prabhāsa Kṣetra along with all requisite offerings and accompanied by his daughter.

59-60. There he visited Someśvara and his eyes became filled with tears of joy. In the course of his pilgrimage, he duly worshipped the Lord and performed Somavrata in the company of his daughter. Maheśvara became pleased with that highly esteemed devotee. He granted him the kingdom of Gandharvas and perfect devotion unto himself. All the ailments were dispelled and all the desires richly fulfilled.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Read candram for caivam.