Kārttikamāsa-māhātmya · Chapter 32
Source।। वालखिल्या ऊचुः ।। ।। कार्तिकस्याऽमले पक्षे स्नात्वा सम्यग्यतव्रतः ।। एकादश्यां तु गृह्णीयाद्व्रतं पंचदिनात्मकम् ।। १ ।। शरपंजरसुप्तेन भीष्मेण तु महात्मना ।। राजधर्मा मोक्षधर्मा दानधर्मास्ततः परम् ।। कथिता पांडुदायादैः कृष्णेनाऽपि श्रुतास्तदा ।। २ ।। ततः प्रीतेन मनसा वासुदेवेन भाषितम् ।। धन्यधन्योऽसि भीष्म त्वं धर्माः संश्रावितास्त्वया ।। ३ ।। एकादश्यां कार्तिकस्य याचितं च जलं त्वया ।। अर्जुनेन समानीतं गांगं बाणस्य वेगतः ।। ४ ।। तुष्टानि तव गात्राणि तस्मादद्यदिनावधि ।। पूर्णांतं सर्वलोकास्त्वां तर्पयंत्वर्घ्यदानतः ।। ५ ।। तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन मम संतुष्टिकारकम् ।। एतद्व्रतं प्रकुर्वंतु भीष्मपंचकसंज्ञितम् ।। ६ ।। कार्तिकस्य व्रतं कृत्वा न कुर्याद्भीष्मपंचकम् ।। समग्रं कार्तिकव्रतं वृथा तस्य भविष्यति ।। ७ ।। अशक्तश्चेन्नरो भूयादसमर्थश्च कार्तिके ।। भीष्मस्य पंचकं कृत्वा कार्तिकस्य फलं लभेत् ।। ८ ।। सत्यव्रताय शुचये गांगेयाय महात्मने ।। भीष्मायैतद्ददाम्यर्घ्यमाजन्मब्रह्मचारिणे ।। ।। ९ ।। सव्येनाऽनेन मंत्रेण तर्पणं सार्ववर्णिकम् ।। 2.4.32.१० ।। व्रतांगत्वात्पूर्णिमायां प्रदेयः पापपूरुषः ।। अपुत्रेण प्रकर्तव्यं सर्वथा भीष्मपञ्चकम् ।। ११ ।। यः पुत्रार्थं व्रतं कुर्यात्सस्त्रीको भीष्मपञ्चकम् ।। प्रदत्त्वा पापपुरुषं वर्षमध्ये सुतं लभेत् ।। १२ ।। अवश्यमेव कर्तव्यं तस्माद्भीष्मस्य पंचकम् ।। विष्णुप्रीतिकरं प्रोक्तं मया भीष्मस्य पञ्चकम् ।। १३ ।। ।। सूत उवाच ।। ।। शृण्वंतु ऋषयः सर्वे विशेषो भीष्मपञ्चके ।। कार्तिकेयाय रुद्रेण पुरा प्रोक्तः सविस्तरात् ।। १४ ।। ।। ईश्वर उवाच ।। ।। प्रवक्ष्यामि महापुण्यं व्रतं व्रतवतां वर ।। भीष्मेणैतद्यतः प्राप्तं व्रतं पञ्चदिनात्मकम् ।। १५ ।। सकाशाद्वासुदेवस्य तेनोक्तं भीष्मपञ्चकम् ।। व्रतस्याऽस्य गुणान्वक्तुं कः शक्तः केशवादृते ।। ।। १६ ।। कार्तिके शुक्लपक्षे तु शृणु धर्मं पुरातनम् ।। वसिष्ठभृगुगर्गाद्यैश्चीर्णं कृतयुगादिषु ।। १७ ।। अम्बरीषेण भोगाद्यैश्चीर्णं त्रेतायुगादिषु ।। ब्राह्मणैर्ब्रह्मचर्येण जपहोमक्रियादिभिः ।। १८ ।। क्षत्रियैश्च तथा वैश्यैः सत्यशौचपरायणैः ।। दुष्करं सत्यहीनानामशक्यं बालचेतसाम् ।।१९।। दुष्करं भीष्ममित्याहुर्न शक्यं प्राकृतैर्नरैः ।। यस्मात्करोति विप्रेंद्र तेन सर्वं कृतं भवेत् ।। 2.4.32.२० ।। व्रतं चैतन्महापुण्यं महापातकनाशनम् ।। अतो नरैः प्रयत्नेन कर्तव्यं भीष्मपञ्चकम् ।। २१ ।। कार्तिकस्याऽमले पक्षे स्नात्वा सम्यग्विधानतः ।। एकादश्यां तु गृह्णीयाद्व्रतं पंचदिनात्मकम् ।। २२ ।। प्रातः स्नात्वा विशेषेण मध्याह्ने च तथा व्रती ।। नद्यां निर्झरतोये वा समालभ्य च गोमयम् ।। २३ ।। यवव्रीहितिलैः सम्यक्पितॄन्संतर्पयेत्क्रमात् ।। स्नात्वा मौनं नरः कृत्वा धौतवासा दृढव्रतः ।। २४ ।। भीष्मायोदकदानं च अर्घ्यं चैव प्रयत्नतः ।। पूजा भीष्मस्य कर्तव्या दानं दद्यात्प्रयत्नतः ।। २५ ।। पंचरत्नं विशेषेण दत्त्वा विप्राय यत्नतः ।। वासुदेवोऽपि संपूज्यो लक्ष्मीयुक्तः सदा प्रभुः ।। २६ ।। पञ्चके पूजयित्वा तु कोटिजन्मानि तुष्यति ।। २७ ।। यत्किंचिद्ददते मर्त्यः पंचधातुप्रकल्पितम् ।। संवत्सरव्रतानां स लभते सकलं फलम् ।। ।। २८ ।। कृत्वा तूदकदानं तु तथाऽर्घ्यस्य च दापनम् ।। मन्त्रेणानेन यः कुर्यान्मुक्तिभागी भवेन्नरः ।। २९ ।। वैयाघ्रपादगोत्राय सांकृत्य प्रवराय च ।। अनपत्याय भीष्माय उदकं भीष्मवर्मणे ।। 2.4.32.३० ।। वसूनामवताराय शंतनोरात्मजाय च ।। अर्घ्यं ददामि भीष्माय आजन्मब्रह्मचारिणे ।। ३१ ।। ।। इत्यर्घ्यमंत्रः ।। ।। अनेन विधिना यस्तु पंचकं तु समापयेत् ।। अश्वमेधसमं पुण्यं प्राप्नोत्यत्र न संशयः ।। ३२ ।। पंचाऽहमपि कर्तव्यं नियमं च प्रयत्नतः ।। नियमेन विना यत्र न भाव्यं वरवर्णिना।। ३३ ।। उत्तरायणहीनाय भीष्माय प्रददौ हरिः ।। उत्तरायणहीनेऽपि शुद्धलग्नं सुतोषितः ।। ३४ ।। ततः संपूजयेद्देवं सर्वपापहरं हरिम्।। अनंतरं प्रयत्नेन कर्तव्यं भीष्मपंचकम् ।। ३५ ।। स्नापयेत जलैर्भक्त्या मधुक्षीरघृतेन च ।। तथैव पंचगव्येन गन्धचंदनवारिणा ।। ३६ ।। चन्दनेन सुगन्धेन कुमकुमेनाऽथ केशवम्।। कर्पूरोशीरमिश्रेण लेपयेद्गरुडध्वजम् ।। ३७ ।। अर्चयेद्रुचिरैः पुष्पैर्गंधधूपसमन्वितैः ।। गुग्गुलुं घृतसंयुक्तं ददेत्कृष्णाय भक्तिमान् ।। ३८ ।। दीपकं तु दिवा रात्रौ दद्यात्पंच दिनानि तु ।। नैवेद्यं देवदेवस्य परमान्नं निवेदयेत्।। ३९ ।। एवमभ्यर्चयेद्देवं संस्मृत्य च प्रणम्य च ।। ॐ नमो वासुदेवायेति जपेदष्टोत्तरं शतम् ।। 2.4.32.४० ।। जुहुयाच्च घृताभ्यक्तैस्तिलव्रीहियवादिभिः ।। षडक्षरेण मन्त्रेण स्वाहाकाराऽन्वितेन च ।। ४१ ।। उपास्य पश्चिमां संध्यां प्रणम्य गरुडध्वजम् ।। जपित्वा पूर्ववन्मन्त्रं क्षितिशायी भवेत्सदा ।।४२।। सर्वमेतद्विधानं तु कार्यं पञ्च दिनानि तु ।। विशेषोऽत्र व्रते ह्यस्मिन्यदन्यूनं शृणुष्व तत् ।। ४३ ।। प्रथमेऽह्नि हरेः पादौ पूजयेत्कमलैर्व्रती ।। द्वितीये बिल्वपत्रेण जानुदेशं समर्चयेत् ।।४४।। ततोऽनुपूजयेच्छीर्षं मालत्या चक्रपाणिनः ।। कार्तिक्यां देवदेवस्य भक्त्या तद्गतमानसः ।। ४५ ।। अर्चित्वा तं हृषीकेशमेकादश्यां समासतः ।। निःप्राश्य गोमयं सम्यगेकादश्यामुपावसेत् ।। ४६ ।। गोमूत्रं मन्त्रवद्भूमौ द्वादश्यां प्राशयेद्व्रती ।। क्षीरं चैव त्रयोदश्यां चतुर्दश्यां तथा दधि ।। ४७ ।। संप्राश्य कायशुद्ध्यर्थं लंघयित्वा चतुर्दिनम् ।। पंचमे दिवसे स्नात्वा विधिवत्पूज्य केशवम् ।। भोजयेद्ब्राह्मणान्भक्त्या तेभ्यो दद्याच्च दक्षिणाम्।। ४८ ।। पापबुद्धिं परित्यज्य ब्रह्मचर्येण धीमता ।। मद्यं मांसं परित्याज्यं मैथुनं पापकारणम् ।। ४९ ।। शाकाहारेण मुन्यन्नैः कृष्णार्चनपरो नरः ।। ततो नक्तं समश्नीयात्पंचगव्यपुरःसरम् ।। 2.4.32.५० ।। एवं सम्यक्समाप्यं स्याद्यथोक्तं फलमाप्नुयात् ।। ५१ ।। मद्यपो यः पिबेन्मद्यं जन्मनो मरणांऽतिकम् ।। एतद्भीष्मव्रतं कृत्वा प्राप्नोति परमं पदम् ।। ५२ ।। स्त्रीभिर्वा भर्तृवाक्येन कर्तव्यं धर्मवर्धनम् ।। विधवाभिश्च कर्तव्यं मोक्षसौख्याऽतिवृद्धये ।। ५३ ।। अयोध्यायां पुरा कश्चिदतिथिर्नाम वै नृपः ।। वसिष्ठवचनात्कृत्वा व्रतमेतत्सुदुर्लभम् ।। भुक्त्वेह निखिलान्भोगानंते विष्णुपुरं ययौ ।। ५४ ।। इत्थं कुर्याद्व्रतं नित्यं पञ्चकं भीष्मसंज्ञितम् ।। नियमेनोपवासेन पञ्चगव्येन वा पुनः ।। पयोमूलफलाऽऽहारैर्हविष्यैर्व्रततत्परः ।। ५५ ।। पौर्णमासीदिने प्राप्ते पूजां कृत्वा तु पूर्ववत् ।। ब्राह्मणान्भोजयेद्भक्त्या गां च दद्यात्सवत्सकाम् ।। ५६ ।। यद्भीष्मपञ्चकमिति प्रथितं पृथिव्यामेकादशीप्रभृति पंचदशीनिरुद्धम् ।। उक्तं न भोजनपरस्य तदा निषेधस्तस्मिन्व्रते शुभफलं प्रददाति विष्णुः ।। ५७ ।। इति श्रीस्कान्दे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे कार्तिकमासमाहात्म्ये भीष्म पञ्चकव्रतमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम द्वात्रिंशोऽध्यायः ।। ३२ ।।
|| vālakhilyā ūcuḥ || || kārtikasyā'male pakṣe snātvā samyagyatavrataḥ || ekādaśyāṃ tu gṛhṇīyādvrataṃ paṃcadinātmakam || 1 || śarapaṃjarasuptena bhīṣmeṇa tu mahātmanā || rājadharmā mokṣadharmā dānadharmāstataḥ param || kathitā pāṃḍudāyādaiḥ kṛṣṇenā'pi śrutāstadā || 2 || tataḥ prītena manasā vāsudevena bhāṣitam || dhanyadhanyo'si bhīṣma tvaṃ dharmāḥ saṃśrāvitāstvayā || 3 || ekādaśyāṃ kārtikasya yācitaṃ ca jalaṃ tvayā || arjunena samānītaṃ gāṃgaṃ bāṇasya vegataḥ || 4 || tuṣṭāni tava gātrāṇi tasmādadyadināvadhi || pūrṇāṃtaṃ sarvalokāstvāṃ tarpayaṃtvarghyadānataḥ || 5 || tasmātsarvaprayatnena mama saṃtuṣṭikārakam || etadvrataṃ prakurvaṃtu bhīṣmapaṃcakasaṃjñitam || 6 || kārtikasya vrataṃ kṛtvā na kuryādbhīṣmapaṃcakam || samagraṃ kārtikavrataṃ vṛthā tasya bhaviṣyati || 7 || aśaktaścennaro bhūyādasamarthaśca kārtike || bhīṣmasya paṃcakaṃ kṛtvā kārtikasya phalaṃ labhet || 8 || satyavratāya śucaye gāṃgeyāya mahātmane || bhīṣmāyaitaddadāmyarghyamājanmabrahmacāriṇe || || 9 || savyenā'nena maṃtreṇa tarpaṇaṃ sārvavarṇikam || 2.4.32.10 || vratāṃgatvātpūrṇimāyāṃ pradeyaḥ pāpapūruṣaḥ || aputreṇa prakartavyaṃ sarvathā bhīṣmapañcakam || 11 || yaḥ putrārthaṃ vrataṃ kuryātsastrīko bhīṣmapañcakam || pradattvā pāpapuruṣaṃ varṣamadhye sutaṃ labhet || 12 || avaśyameva kartavyaṃ tasmādbhīṣmasya paṃcakam || viṣṇuprītikaraṃ proktaṃ mayā bhīṣmasya pañcakam || 13 || || sūta uvāca || || śṛṇvaṃtu ṛṣayaḥ sarve viśeṣo bhīṣmapañcake || kārtikeyāya rudreṇa purā proktaḥ savistarāt || 14 || || īśvara uvāca || || pravakṣyāmi mahāpuṇyaṃ vrataṃ vratavatāṃ vara || bhīṣmeṇaitadyataḥ prāptaṃ vrataṃ pañcadinātmakam || 15 || sakāśādvāsudevasya tenoktaṃ bhīṣmapañcakam || vratasyā'sya guṇānvaktuṃ kaḥ śaktaḥ keśavādṛte || || 16 || kārtike śuklapakṣe tu śṛṇu dharmaṃ purātanam || vasiṣṭhabhṛgugargādyaiścīrṇaṃ kṛtayugādiṣu || 17 || ambarīṣeṇa bhogādyaiścīrṇaṃ tretāyugādiṣu || brāhmaṇairbrahmacaryeṇa japahomakriyādibhiḥ || 18 || kṣatriyaiśca tathā vaiśyaiḥ satyaśaucaparāyaṇaiḥ || duṣkaraṃ satyahīnānāmaśakyaṃ bālacetasām ||19|| duṣkaraṃ bhīṣmamityāhurna śakyaṃ prākṛtairnaraiḥ || yasmātkaroti vipreṃdra tena sarvaṃ kṛtaṃ bhavet || 2.4.32.20 || vrataṃ caitanmahāpuṇyaṃ mahāpātakanāśanam || ato naraiḥ prayatnena kartavyaṃ bhīṣmapañcakam || 21 || kārtikasyā'male pakṣe snātvā samyagvidhānataḥ || ekādaśyāṃ tu gṛhṇīyādvrataṃ paṃcadinātmakam || 22 || prātaḥ snātvā viśeṣeṇa madhyāhne ca tathā vratī || nadyāṃ nirjharatoye vā samālabhya ca gomayam || 23 || yavavrīhitilaiḥ samyakpitṝnsaṃtarpayetkramāt || snātvā maunaṃ naraḥ kṛtvā dhautavāsā dṛḍhavrataḥ || 24 || bhīṣmāyodakadānaṃ ca arghyaṃ caiva prayatnataḥ || pūjā bhīṣmasya kartavyā dānaṃ dadyātprayatnataḥ || 25 || paṃcaratnaṃ viśeṣeṇa dattvā viprāya yatnataḥ || vāsudevo'pi saṃpūjyo lakṣmīyuktaḥ sadā prabhuḥ || 26 || pañcake pūjayitvā tu koṭijanmāni tuṣyati || 27 || yatkiṃciddadate martyaḥ paṃcadhātuprakalpitam || saṃvatsaravratānāṃ sa labhate sakalaṃ phalam || || 28 || kṛtvā tūdakadānaṃ tu tathā'rghyasya ca dāpanam || mantreṇānena yaḥ kuryānmuktibhāgī bhavennaraḥ || 29 || vaiyāghrapādagotrāya sāṃkṛtya pravarāya ca || anapatyāya bhīṣmāya udakaṃ bhīṣmavarmaṇe || 2.4.32.30 || vasūnāmavatārāya śaṃtanorātmajāya ca || arghyaṃ dadāmi bhīṣmāya ājanmabrahmacāriṇe || 31 || || ityarghyamaṃtraḥ || || anena vidhinā yastu paṃcakaṃ tu samāpayet || aśvamedhasamaṃ puṇyaṃ prāpnotyatra na saṃśayaḥ || 32 || paṃcā'hamapi kartavyaṃ niyamaṃ ca prayatnataḥ || niyamena vinā yatra na bhāvyaṃ varavarṇinā|| 33 || uttarāyaṇahīnāya bhīṣmāya pradadau hariḥ || uttarāyaṇahīne'pi śuddhalagnaṃ sutoṣitaḥ || 34 || tataḥ saṃpūjayeddevaṃ sarvapāpaharaṃ harim|| anaṃtaraṃ prayatnena kartavyaṃ bhīṣmapaṃcakam || 35 || snāpayeta jalairbhaktyā madhukṣīraghṛtena ca || tathaiva paṃcagavyena gandhacaṃdanavāriṇā || 36 || candanena sugandhena kumakumenā'tha keśavam|| karpūrośīramiśreṇa lepayedgaruḍadhvajam || 37 || arcayedruciraiḥ puṣpairgaṃdhadhūpasamanvitaiḥ || gugguluṃ ghṛtasaṃyuktaṃ dadetkṛṣṇāya bhaktimān || 38 || dīpakaṃ tu divā rātrau dadyātpaṃca dināni tu || naivedyaṃ devadevasya paramānnaṃ nivedayet|| 39 || evamabhyarcayeddevaṃ saṃsmṛtya ca praṇamya ca || oṃ namo vāsudevāyeti japedaṣṭottaraṃ śatam || 2.4.32.40 || juhuyācca ghṛtābhyaktaistilavrīhiyavādibhiḥ || ṣaḍakṣareṇa mantreṇa svāhākārā'nvitena ca || 41 || upāsya paścimāṃ saṃdhyāṃ praṇamya garuḍadhvajam || japitvā pūrvavanmantraṃ kṣitiśāyī bhavetsadā ||42|| sarvametadvidhānaṃ tu kāryaṃ pañca dināni tu || viśeṣo'tra vrate hyasminyadanyūnaṃ śṛṇuṣva tat || 43 || prathame'hni hareḥ pādau pūjayetkamalairvratī || dvitīye bilvapatreṇa jānudeśaṃ samarcayet ||44|| tato'nupūjayecchīrṣaṃ mālatyā cakrapāṇinaḥ || kārtikyāṃ devadevasya bhaktyā tadgatamānasaḥ || 45 || arcitvā taṃ hṛṣīkeśamekādaśyāṃ samāsataḥ || niḥprāśya gomayaṃ samyagekādaśyāmupāvaset || 46 || gomūtraṃ mantravadbhūmau dvādaśyāṃ prāśayedvratī || kṣīraṃ caiva trayodaśyāṃ caturdaśyāṃ tathā dadhi || 47 || saṃprāśya kāyaśuddhyarthaṃ laṃghayitvā caturdinam || paṃcame divase snātvā vidhivatpūjya keśavam || bhojayedbrāhmaṇānbhaktyā tebhyo dadyācca dakṣiṇām|| 48 || pāpabuddhiṃ parityajya brahmacaryeṇa dhīmatā || madyaṃ māṃsaṃ parityājyaṃ maithunaṃ pāpakāraṇam || 49 || śākāhāreṇa munyannaiḥ kṛṣṇārcanaparo naraḥ || tato naktaṃ samaśnīyātpaṃcagavyapuraḥsaram || 2.4.32.50 || evaṃ samyaksamāpyaṃ syādyathoktaṃ phalamāpnuyāt || 51 || madyapo yaḥ pibenmadyaṃ janmano maraṇāṃ'tikam || etadbhīṣmavrataṃ kṛtvā prāpnoti paramaṃ padam || 52 || strībhirvā bhartṛvākyena kartavyaṃ dharmavardhanam || vidhavābhiśca kartavyaṃ mokṣasaukhyā'tivṛddhaye || 53 || ayodhyāyāṃ purā kaścidatithirnāma vai nṛpaḥ || vasiṣṭhavacanātkṛtvā vratametatsudurlabham || bhuktveha nikhilānbhogānaṃte viṣṇupuraṃ yayau || 54 || itthaṃ kuryādvrataṃ nityaṃ pañcakaṃ bhīṣmasaṃjñitam || niyamenopavāsena pañcagavyena vā punaḥ || payomūlaphalā''hārairhaviṣyairvratatatparaḥ || 55 || paurṇamāsīdine prāpte pūjāṃ kṛtvā tu pūrvavat || brāhmaṇānbhojayedbhaktyā gāṃ ca dadyātsavatsakām || 56 || yadbhīṣmapañcakamiti prathitaṃ pṛthivyāmekādaśīprabhṛti paṃcadaśīniruddham || uktaṃ na bhojanaparasya tadā niṣedhastasminvrate śubhaphalaṃ pradadāti viṣṇuḥ || 57 || iti śrīskānde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe kārtikamāsamāhātmye bhīṣma pañcakavratamāhātmyavarṇanaṃnāma dvātriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ || 32 ||
English translation
Vālakhilyas said :
1. On the eleventh day in the bright half of the month of Kārttika , one should take one’s early morning bath and take up this Vrata which lasts for five days. He shall have proper restraint (on his senses).
2. The duties pertaining to a king, those conducive to salvation and those concerning charitable gifts were recounted by Bhīṣma , the noble soul, who had been lying on a bed of arrows. The Pāṇḍavas and Kṛṣṇa listened to them.
3. Then the delighted Lord Vāsudeva spoke: “Extremely blessed are you, O Bhīṣma. The pious and virtuous duties and rites have been recounted by you.
4. On the eleventh day in the month of Kārttika, you requested for water. With the speed of an arrow the water of Gaṅgā was brought by Arjuna .
5. Your body was rendered contented. Hence let all the people offer libations to you and propitiate you beginning from today and ending on the full-moon day.
6. Hence let them perform this Vrata named Bhīṣma Pañcaka with full exertion, which will give me satisfaction.
7. After performing the Kārttika Vrata, one should not perform the Bhīṣmapañcaka Vrata. His entire Kārttika Vrata may become futile.
8. If a man is incapable of performing or he has no means to perform the Kārttika Vrata, he can perform Bhīṣmapañcaka and obtain the merit of Kārttika Vrata.
9-10. Persons of all castes are eligible to offer libation with the sacred thread in the usual position. They will offer the same with this Mantra : ‘I offer this Arghya (handful of water) to the noble-souled Bhīṣma who was the son of Gaṅgā, was steadfast in his vow of truthfulness and was a celibate throughout his life.’
11. The gift of Pāpapuruṣa [1] (i.e. idol representing his sins) should be made, because it is an essential part of the Vrata. It is to be given on the full-moon day. At any cost, this Vrata should be performed by a person who has no son.
12. One who performs this Vrata, Bhīṣmapañcaka, for the sake of a son, shall do so along with his wife. After giving away the Pāpapuruṣa , he will get a son within a year.
13. Hence the Bhīṣmapañcaka Vrata should necessarily be performed. This Bhīṣmapañcaka has been mentioned by me as causing delight unto Viṣṇu .”
Sūta said :
14. May all the sages listen to the special feature of Bhīṣmapañcaka. Formerly it was related to Kārttikeya in detail by Rudra .
Īśvara said :
15-16. O most excellent one among those who undertake Vratas , I shall explain a highly meritorious Vrata. This Vrata, lasting for five days, was received by Bhīṣma from Vāsudeva. Therefore, it is called Bhīṣmapañcaka [2] by him. Who except Keśava is capable of recounting the good qualities of this Vrata?
17-21. Listen. This ancient pious rite was performed in the bright half of the month of Kārttika by Vasiṣṭha , Bhṛgu , Garga and others in the earlier days of Kṛtayuga . With offerings etc. (to the Lord), this was performed in the earlier years of Tretāyuga by Aṃbarīṣa . This was performed by Brāhmaṇas observing the vow of celibacy, through Japas , Homas , holy rites etc., by Kṣatriyas and Vaiśyas who were devoted to truthfulness and cleanliness. It is very difficult to perform for those who are devoid of truthfulness. It is impossible for men of puerile minds. Since it is difficult to be performed they call it Bhīṣma (terrible). It cannot be performed by ordinary people. If a person (successfully) performs it, O great Brāhmaṇa (?), everything is achieved by him.
This Vrata is highly meritorious. It is destructive of great sins. Hence Bhīṣmapañcaka should be performed by men with great effort.
22. On the eleventh day in the bright half of Kārttika, one should take bath and take up this Vrata of five days’ duration perfectly in accordance with the injunctions. [3]
23. The person who undertakes the Vrata should (at the outset) take an early morning bath. At midday he should smear himself with cowdung and then take bath in a river or in the waters of a stream.
24. He should duly offer libations to the Pitṛs successively with barley, rice-grains and gingelly seeds. After the bath, the man, steadfast in his Vrata, should wear a washed cloth silently.
25. He should offer libations and Arghya to Bhīṣma carefully. Worship of Bhīṣma should be performed and gifts should be made scrupulously.
26. Especially five precious stones should be given carefully. Lord Vāsudeva accompanied by Lakṣmī should always be worshipped.
27-28. By performing the worship in the course of the five (days), the devotee shall become contented for a crore of births.
If a man makes a gift of anything made of five metals, he gets the entire benefit of all the Vratas spread over a period of a year.
29-31. After offering libations, the man should offer Arghya with the following Mantra. He deserves to be liberated.
“I offer libations to issueless Bhīṣma whose Gotra was that of Vaiyāghrapāda, whose Pravara was Sāṅkṛtya , who was an incarnation of a Vasu , who was the son of Śantanu , to Bhīṣmavarman (a Kṣatriya named Bhīṣma) who was celibate throughout his life. I offer him Arghya ”.
This is the Mantra for Arghya .
32. He who concludes the Pañcaka (period of five days) in this manner, shall certainly attain merit equal to that of a horse-sacrifice.
33. The holy observances and restraints should be maintained on all the five days. A person of superior caste should never be without the restraints.
34. Bhīṣma was without Uttarāyaṇa (no span of life extending to Uttarāyaṇa?). But Hari gave it to him. He was highly pleased and so gave him a pure Lagna (auspicious hour) despite his not having Uttarāyaṇa.
35. Then the devotee should worship Lord Hari, the destroyer of all sins. Thereafter, the Bhīṣmapañcaka Vrata should be carefully performed.
36-37. He should bathe very devoutly Keśava with water, then with honey, milk and ghee . Similarly he shall bathe with Pañcagavya and then with scented sandal water. The Garuḍa -emblemed Lord should be anointed with sweet-smelling sandal-paste, saffron and camphor mixed with Uśīra (a fragrant herbal root of Andropogon muricatus ).
38. The devout man should worship the Lord with beautiful flowers along with sweet scents and incense. He should devoutly offer aromatic resin mixed with ghee.
39. There should be a lamp burning day and night on all those five days. The Naivedya to the Lord of Devas is Paramānna (rice boiled in milk and sugar).
40. He should worship the Lord thus meditating upon him and bowing down to him. Then he shall perform the Japa “Oṃ. Obeisance to Vāsudeva” one hundred and eight times.
41. He should perform Homa with gingelly seeds, rice-grains, barley etc. soaked in ghee while reciting the six-syllabled Mantra accompanied by the utterance of Svāhā . (Thus the Homa-mantra is: oṃ namo viṣṇave svāhā .)
42. After saying the evening prayers, the devotee should bow down to the Garuḍa-emblemed Lord. After reciting the Mantra as before he should always lie down on bare ground.
43. All these rites should be performed on all the five days. There is a special feature in this Vrata which should not be omitted. Listen to it.
44. On the first day the devotee who has undertaken the Vrata shall worship Hari’s feet with lotuses. On the second day he should worship the knees with Bilva leaves.
45-46. Thereafter, he should worship the head of the Discus-bearing Lord with Mālatī (Jasmine) flowers.
On the eleventh day in the month of Kārttika he should worship Hṛṣīkeśa , the Lord of Devas, with great devotion with the mind fully centred on the Lord. Succinctly speaking, after taking in cowdung he should fast on the eleventh day.
47. On the twelfth day the devotee sitting on the ground and reciting the Mantra, should drink cow’s urine, drink milk on the thirteenth day and curds on the fourteenth day.
48. He should eat or drink these things for the purpose of purifying the body. Apart from these, he should abstain completely from food for the (first) four days. On the fifth day he should take bath, duly worship Keśava and feed Brāhmaṇas with devotion. He should give them monetary gifts too.
49. He should eschew sinful thoughts and inclinations. He should take to celibacy. The intelligent devotee should abstain from liquor, meat and sexual intercourse—all causes of sin.
50-51. Only vegetables should be taken along with the cooked rice of sages. He should be devoted to the worship of Kṛṣṇa. Then he should take his meal at night beginning with Pañcagavya . Thus it should be concluded well. He should (thereby) attain the benefit as mentioned (before).
52. Even a drink-addict who has been drinking liquor from birth till death, shall attain the highest region by performing this Bhīṣmavrata.
53. This Vrata can be performed by women at the instance of their husbands. It should increase virtue and piety. This Vrata should be performed by widows for increasing the happiness of salvation.
54. Formerly in Ayodhyā there was a king named Atithi . At the suggestion of Vasiṣṭha he performed this rare Vrata. After enjoying all worldly pleasures here he went to the city of Viṣṇu in the end.
55. Thus one should always perform the Vrata called Bhīṣmapañcaka. He shall observe fast along with the restraints. Only Pañcagavya , milk, fruit and Haviṣya food shall be consumed by the person devoted to the Vrata.
56. On the full-moon day he should perform the worship as before, feed Brāhmaṇas with devotion and make the gift of a cow along with its calf.
57. The Vrata which is famous (on the earth) as Bhīṣmapañcaka has been described. It should be observed from Ekāḍaśī (eleventh day) till the full-moon day. It is not intended for one who is eager to take food. Taking food is prohibited in this Vrata. Viṣṇu grants auspicious fruit (reward) (to the observer of this Vrata).
[1]: [1] : Pāpapuruṣa-dāna : The idol has iron fangs, is sword-handed and terribly dressed. It is to be placed on gingelly seeds and covered with a black cloth. After offering red flowers and reciting the names of Dharmarāja the idol is to be given to a Brāhmaṇa.
[2]: [2] : The etymology of the Vrata: (i) Vrata taken up by Bhīṣma; (ii) A Vrata which is terrible i.e. difficult for performance, VV 17-21 mention the important persons who performed this in ancient times.
[3]: [3] : VV 22ff describe the detailed procedure of this Vrata . It is called Pañcaka as its duration is of five days.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 23011, revision 335864 (2022-04-15T20:25:55Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc371674.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.