Matsya Purana (critical study)
by Kushal Kalita | 2018 | 74,766 words | ISBN-13: 9788171103058
This page relates ‘Rohinicandrashayana-vrata’ of the English study on the Matsya-purana: a Sanskrit text preserving ancient Indian traditions and legends written in over 14,000 metrical verses. In this study, the background and content of the Matsyapurana is outlined against the cultural history of ancient India in terms of religion, politics, geography and architectural aspects. It shows how the encyclopedic character causes the text to deal with almost all the aspects of human civilization.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 4.2e - Rohiṇīcandraśayana-vrata
In the 57th Chapter of the Matsyapurāṇa, the Rohiṇīcandraśayanavrata has been discussed. When sage Nārada has asked lord Śiva about such a vow which can give long life, good health, kingdom in several successive lives then Śiva described about the Rohiṇīcandraśayanavrata. This vrata is regarded as one of the most sacred vratas. In this vrata the devotee worships the image of Nārāyaṇa by reciting the names of the moon. Śiva said: When the pañcadaśī or pūrṇimā day falls on Monday or Rohiṇī asterism falls on full moon day the devotee takes bath with the pañcagavya and mustard oil and after that recites the āpyāyasvamantra for hundred and eight times.
The mantra is found in the Ṛgveda thus:
ā pyāyasva sametu ve viśvataḥ soma vṛṣṇyam/ bhavā vājasya saṃgathe.[1]
This vrata is observed by śūdras also.[2] They should worship the gods Viṣṇu and Soma with the nineteen (19) mantras starting with somāya śāntāya namaḥ and ending with viśveśvarāya namaḥ.[3] After uttering these mantras, the devotee worships Madhusūdhana with fruits and flowers.[4] Then again he worships Soma and Viṣṇu with kadamba, blue lotus, jasmine, kubja, white kannair and campaka flowers. Thus the devotee observes it till the end of the year. Rohiṇī, the spouse of Moon is also worshipped in this vrata.
After observance of the above mentioned rites, the devotee gives away the golden idol of Rohiṇī and Moon to a good brāhmaṇa along with white pearls and white clothes, milk, fruits etc.[5] Then the devotee gives a white cow to the worthy brāhmaṇa and prays to the brāhmaṇa and his consort as the Soma or Moon in company with Rohiṇī for happiness, emancipation, health and prosperity. After observing fast the devotee should drink cow’s urine by reciting the mantra pāpa vināśāya namaḥ. Then he could take twenty eight (28) morsels of food without salt and flesh and mixed with ghee and milk.[6] This vrata is described in the Padmapurāṇa also in the same way as in the Matsyapurāṇa.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ṛgveda, I.91.16
[2]:
Cf., śūdroˊpi parayā bhaktyā pāṣanṇḍālāpavarjitaḥ/ somāya varadāyātha viṣṇave namaḥ// Matsyapurāṇa, 57.6
[3]:
Ibid., 57.6-15
[4]:
Ibid., 57.7
[5]:
rohiṇīcandramithunam kārayitvāˊtha kāñcanam/ candraḥ ṣaḍamgulaḥ kāryo rohiṇīcaturaṅgulā// muktāphalāṣṭakayutaṃ sitanetrapaṭāvṛtam/ kṣīrakumbhopari punaḥ kāṃsyapātrākṣatānvitam// dadyānmantreṇa pūrvāhṇe śālīkṣuphalasaṃyutam// Ibid., 57.19-20
[6]:
Ibid., 57.15