Mārgaśīrṣa-māhātmya · Chapter 14
Source।। श्रीभगवानुवाच ।। ।। ततः प्रभाते द्वादश्यां कार्यो मत्स्योत्सवो बुधैः ।। मार्गशीर्षे शुक्लपक्षे यथाविध्युपचारतः ।। १ ।। अथ मार्गशिरे मासे दशम्यां नियतात्मवान् ।। कृत्वा देवार्चनं धीमानग्निकार्यं यथाविधि ।। २ ।। शुचिवासाः प्रसन्नात्मा हव्यमन्नं सुसंस्कृतम् ।। पक्त्वा पंचपदे गत्वा पुनः शौचं तु पादयोः ।। ३ ।। कृत्वाऽष्टांगुलमानं तु क्षीरवृक्षे समुद्भवम् ।। भक्षयेद्दंतकाष्ठं तु ततश्चाचम्य यत्नतः ।। ४ ।। दृष्ट्वाऽऽकाशानि सर्वाणि ध्यात्वा वै मां गदाधरम् ।। शंखचक्रगदापाणिकिरीटं पीतवाससम् ।। ५ ।। प्रसन्नवदनांऽभोजं सर्वलक्षणलक्षितम् ।। ध्यात्वा पुनर्जलं हस्ते गृहीत्वा भानुमध्यगम् ।। ६ ।। ध्यात्वाऽर्घ्यं दापयेत्तत्र करतोयेन मानवः ।। एवमुच्चारयेद्वाचं तस्मिन्काले चतुर्मुख।।७।। एकादश्यां निराहारः स्थित्वाऽहनि परे ह्यहम् ।। भोक्ष्यामि पुंडरीकाक्ष शरणं मे भवाऽच्युत ।। ८ ।। एवमुक्त्वा ततो रात्रौ मम मूर्तेश्च सन्निधौ ।। जपेन्नारायणायेति स्वयं तत्र विधानतः ।। ९ ।। ततः प्रभाते विमलां नदीं गत्वा समुद्रगाम् ।। इतरां वा तडागं वा गृहे वा नियतात्मवान् ।।2.5.14.१०।। आनीय मृत्तिकां शुद्धां मंत्रेणाऽनेन मानवः।। वंदयेद्देवदेवेशं तदा शुद्धो भवेन्नरः ।। ११ ।। धारणं पोषणं त्वत्तो भूतानां देवि सर्वदा ।। तेन सत्येन मे पापं यावन्मोचय सुव्रते ।।१२।। ब्रह्मांडोदरतीर्थानि करैः स्पृष्टानि दैवतैः ।। तेनेमां मृत्तिकां स्पृष्टा माऽऽलभामि त्वयोद्धृताम् ।। १३ ।। त्वयि नित्यं रसाः सर्वे स्थिता वरुण सर्वदा ।। तेनेमां मृत्तिकां प्लाव्य पूतां कुरुष्व माचिरम् ।।१४।। एवं मृदं तथा तोयं प्रसाद्याऽऽत्मानमालभेत् ।। त्रिःकृत्वाऽशेषमृदया पिंडमालिप्य वै जले ।। १५ ।। तस्मिन्नरः सदा सम्यङ्नक्रकच्छपदूरतः ।। स्नात्वा चावश्यकं कृत्वा पुनर्मम गृहं व्रजेत् ।। १६ ।। तत्राऽऽराध्य महायोगिन्देवं नारायणं हरिम् ।। केशवाय नमः पादौ कटिं दामोदराय च ।।१७।। जानुयुग्मं नृसिंहाय उरः श्रीवत्सधारिणे ।। कंठे कौस्तुभनाभाय वक्षः श्रीपतये तथा ।। १८ ।। त्रैलोक्यविजयायेति बाहुं सर्वात्मने शिरः ।। रथांगधारिणे वक्त्रं श्रीकरायेति वारिजम् ।। १९।। गंभीरायेति च गदामंभोजं शांतमूर्तये ।। एवमभ्यर्च्य देवेशं देवं नारायणं प्रभुम् ।। 2.5.14.२० ।। पुनस्तस्याऽग्रतः कुंभांश्चतुरः स्थापयेद्बुधः ।। जलपूर्णान्समाल्यांश्च सितचंदनलेपितान् ।। २१ ।। चूतपल्लवसंयुक्तान्सितवस्त्रावगुंठितान् ।। छादितांस्ताम्रपात्रैश्च तिलपूर्णैः सकांचनैः ।।२२।। चत्वारस्तु समुद्राश्च कलशाः संप्रकीर्तिताः ।। तेषां मध्ये शुभं पीठं स्थापयेद्वस्त्रगर्भितम् ।।२३।। तस्मिन्सुवर्णं रौप्यं वा ताम्रं वा दारवं तथा ।। अलाभे सर्वपात्राणां पालाशं पात्रमिष्यते ।। २४ ।। तोयपूर्णं च तत्कृत्वा तस्मिन्पात्रे ततो न्यसेत् ।। सौवर्णं मत्स्यरूपं च कृत्वा देवं जनार्दनम् ।।२५।। देवदेवांगसंयुक्तं श्रुतिस्मृतिविभूषितम् ।। तत्राऽनेकविधैर्भक्ष्यैः फलैः पुष्पैश्च शोभितम् ।।२६।। गन्धैर्धूपैश्च वस्त्रैश्च अर्चयित्वा यथाविधि ।। रसातलगता वेदा यथादेव त्वयोद्धृताः ।। २७ ।। मत्स्यरूपेण तद्वन्मां भवादुद्धर केशव ।। एवमुच्चार्य तस्याग्रे जागरं तत्र कारयेत् ।। ।। २८ ।। यथाविभवसारेण प्रभाते विमले तथा ।। चतुर्णां ब्राह्मणानां च चतुरो दापयेद्घटान् ।। २९ ।। पूर्वं च बह्वृचे दद्याच्छांदोग्ये दक्षिणं तथा ।। यजुःशाखान्विते दद्यात्पश्चिमं घटमुत्तमम् ।। 2.5.14.३० ।। उत्तरं कामतो दद्यादेष एव विधिः स्मृतः ।। ऋग्वेदः प्रीयतां पूर्वं सामवेदस्तुदक्षिणे ।। ३१ ।। यजुर्वेदः पश्चिमतो ह्यथर्वश्चोत्तरेण तु ।। अनेन क्रमयोगेन प्रीयतामिति वाचयेत् ।। ३२ ।। मत्स्यरूपं तु सौवर्णमाचार्याय निवेदयेत् ।। गन्धधूपादि वस्त्रैस्तु संपूज्य विधिवत्क्रमात् ।। ३३ ।। यस्त्विमं सरहस्यं च मन्त्रेणैवोपपादयेत् ।। विधानं विधिवद्दत्त्वा दाता कोटिगुणोत्तरम् ।। ३४ ।। प्रतिपद्य गुरुं यस्तु मोहाद्विप्रतिपद्यते ।। स जन्मकोटिं नरके पच्यते पुरुषाधमः ।। ३५ ।। विधानस्य प्रदाता यो गुरुरित्युच्यते बुधैः ।। एवं दत्वा विधानेन द्वादश्यां मां समर्चयेत् ।। ३६ ।। विप्राणां भोजनं दद्याद्यथाशक्त्या च दक्षिणाम् ।। भूरिणा परमान्नेन ततः पश्चात्स्वयं नरः ।। ३७ ।। भुञ्जीत सहितो विप्रैर्वाग्यतः संयतेन्द्रियः ।। अनेन विधिना यस्तु कुर्यान्मत्स्योत्सवं नरः ।। ३८ ।। तस्य पुण्यफलं चाग्रे शृणु सत्यवतां वर ।। यदि वक्त्र सहस्राणां सहस्राणि भवंति हि ।। ३९ ।। आयुश्च ब्रह्मणा तुल्यं लभेद्यदि महाव्रत ।। तदा वै ह्यस्य धर्मस्य फलं कथयितुं भवेत् ।। 2.5.14.४० ।। य इमं श्रावयेद्भक्त्या द्वादशीकल्पमुत्तमम् ।। शृणोति वा स पापैस्तु सर्वैरेव विमुच्यते ।। ४१ ।। इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे ब्रह्मविष्णुसंवादे मार्गशीर्षमासमाहात्म्ये मत्स्योत्सवकथनंनाम चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः ।। १४ ।।
|| śrībhagavānuvāca || || tataḥ prabhāte dvādaśyāṃ kāryo matsyotsavo budhaiḥ || mārgaśīrṣe śuklapakṣe yathāvidhyupacārataḥ || 1 || atha mārgaśire māse daśamyāṃ niyatātmavān || kṛtvā devārcanaṃ dhīmānagnikāryaṃ yathāvidhi || 2 || śucivāsāḥ prasannātmā havyamannaṃ susaṃskṛtam || paktvā paṃcapade gatvā punaḥ śaucaṃ tu pādayoḥ || 3 || kṛtvā'ṣṭāṃgulamānaṃ tu kṣīravṛkṣe samudbhavam || bhakṣayeddaṃtakāṣṭhaṃ tu tataścācamya yatnataḥ || 4 || dṛṣṭvā''kāśāni sarvāṇi dhyātvā vai māṃ gadādharam || śaṃkhacakragadāpāṇikirīṭaṃ pītavāsasam || 5 || prasannavadanāṃ'bhojaṃ sarvalakṣaṇalakṣitam || dhyātvā punarjalaṃ haste gṛhītvā bhānumadhyagam || 6 || dhyātvā'rghyaṃ dāpayettatra karatoyena mānavaḥ || evamuccārayedvācaṃ tasminkāle caturmukha||7|| ekādaśyāṃ nirāhāraḥ sthitvā'hani pare hyaham || bhokṣyāmi puṃḍarīkākṣa śaraṇaṃ me bhavā'cyuta || 8 || evamuktvā tato rātrau mama mūrteśca sannidhau || japennārāyaṇāyeti svayaṃ tatra vidhānataḥ || 9 || tataḥ prabhāte vimalāṃ nadīṃ gatvā samudragām || itarāṃ vā taḍāgaṃ vā gṛhe vā niyatātmavān ||2.5.14.10|| ānīya mṛttikāṃ śuddhāṃ maṃtreṇā'nena mānavaḥ|| vaṃdayeddevadeveśaṃ tadā śuddho bhavennaraḥ || 11 || dhāraṇaṃ poṣaṇaṃ tvatto bhūtānāṃ devi sarvadā || tena satyena me pāpaṃ yāvanmocaya suvrate ||12|| brahmāṃḍodaratīrthāni karaiḥ spṛṣṭāni daivataiḥ || tenemāṃ mṛttikāṃ spṛṣṭā mā''labhāmi tvayoddhṛtām || 13 || tvayi nityaṃ rasāḥ sarve sthitā varuṇa sarvadā || tenemāṃ mṛttikāṃ plāvya pūtāṃ kuruṣva māciram ||14|| evaṃ mṛdaṃ tathā toyaṃ prasādyā''tmānamālabhet || triḥkṛtvā'śeṣamṛdayā piṃḍamālipya vai jale || 15 || tasminnaraḥ sadā samyaṅnakrakacchapadūrataḥ || snātvā cāvaśyakaṃ kṛtvā punarmama gṛhaṃ vrajet || 16 || tatrā''rādhya mahāyogindevaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ harim || keśavāya namaḥ pādau kaṭiṃ dāmodarāya ca ||17|| jānuyugmaṃ nṛsiṃhāya uraḥ śrīvatsadhāriṇe || kaṃṭhe kaustubhanābhāya vakṣaḥ śrīpataye tathā || 18 || trailokyavijayāyeti bāhuṃ sarvātmane śiraḥ || rathāṃgadhāriṇe vaktraṃ śrīkarāyeti vārijam || 19|| gaṃbhīrāyeti ca gadāmaṃbhojaṃ śāṃtamūrtaye || evamabhyarcya deveśaṃ devaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ prabhum || 2.5.14.20 || punastasyā'grataḥ kuṃbhāṃścaturaḥ sthāpayedbudhaḥ || jalapūrṇānsamālyāṃśca sitacaṃdanalepitān || 21 || cūtapallavasaṃyuktānsitavastrāvaguṃṭhitān || chāditāṃstāmrapātraiśca tilapūrṇaiḥ sakāṃcanaiḥ ||22|| catvārastu samudrāśca kalaśāḥ saṃprakīrtitāḥ || teṣāṃ madhye śubhaṃ pīṭhaṃ sthāpayedvastragarbhitam ||23|| tasminsuvarṇaṃ raupyaṃ vā tāmraṃ vā dāravaṃ tathā || alābhe sarvapātrāṇāṃ pālāśaṃ pātramiṣyate || 24 || toyapūrṇaṃ ca tatkṛtvā tasminpātre tato nyaset || sauvarṇaṃ matsyarūpaṃ ca kṛtvā devaṃ janārdanam ||25|| devadevāṃgasaṃyuktaṃ śrutismṛtivibhūṣitam || tatrā'nekavidhairbhakṣyaiḥ phalaiḥ puṣpaiśca śobhitam ||26|| gandhairdhūpaiśca vastraiśca arcayitvā yathāvidhi || rasātalagatā vedā yathādeva tvayoddhṛtāḥ || 27 || matsyarūpeṇa tadvanmāṃ bhavāduddhara keśava || evamuccārya tasyāgre jāgaraṃ tatra kārayet || || 28 || yathāvibhavasāreṇa prabhāte vimale tathā || caturṇāṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ ca caturo dāpayedghaṭān || 29 || pūrvaṃ ca bahvṛce dadyācchāṃdogye dakṣiṇaṃ tathā || yajuḥśākhānvite dadyātpaścimaṃ ghaṭamuttamam || 2.5.14.30 || uttaraṃ kāmato dadyādeṣa eva vidhiḥ smṛtaḥ || ṛgvedaḥ prīyatāṃ pūrvaṃ sāmavedastudakṣiṇe || 31 || yajurvedaḥ paścimato hyatharvaścottareṇa tu || anena kramayogena prīyatāmiti vācayet || 32 || matsyarūpaṃ tu sauvarṇamācāryāya nivedayet || gandhadhūpādi vastraistu saṃpūjya vidhivatkramāt || 33 || yastvimaṃ sarahasyaṃ ca mantreṇaivopapādayet || vidhānaṃ vidhivaddattvā dātā koṭiguṇottaram || 34 || pratipadya guruṃ yastu mohādvipratipadyate || sa janmakoṭiṃ narake pacyate puruṣādhamaḥ || 35 || vidhānasya pradātā yo gururityucyate budhaiḥ || evaṃ datvā vidhānena dvādaśyāṃ māṃ samarcayet || 36 || viprāṇāṃ bhojanaṃ dadyādyathāśaktyā ca dakṣiṇām || bhūriṇā paramānnena tataḥ paścātsvayaṃ naraḥ || 37 || bhuñjīta sahito viprairvāgyataḥ saṃyatendriyaḥ || anena vidhinā yastu kuryānmatsyotsavaṃ naraḥ || 38 || tasya puṇyaphalaṃ cāgre śṛṇu satyavatāṃ vara || yadi vaktra sahasrāṇāṃ sahasrāṇi bhavaṃti hi || 39 || āyuśca brahmaṇā tulyaṃ labhedyadi mahāvrata || tadā vai hyasya dharmasya phalaṃ kathayituṃ bhavet || 2.5.14.40 || ya imaṃ śrāvayedbhaktyā dvādaśīkalpamuttamam || śṛṇoti vā sa pāpaistu sarvaireva vimucyate || 41 || iti śrīskāṃde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe brahmaviṣṇusaṃvāde mārgaśīrṣamāsamāhātmye matsyotsavakathanaṃnāma caturdaśo'dhyāyaḥ || 14 ||
English translation
Note: This chapter is a part of ‘Dvādaśī Kalpa ’ in which it is laid down that a fish of gold should be worshipped with due formalities (vv 23-38) and is to be given to one’s preceptor (v 33). The ‘fish’ comes in this Kalpa as probably fish was the first incarnation of Viṣṇu .
Śrī Bhagavān said :
1. Then in the morning on Dvādaśī day, in the bright half of the month of Mārgaśīrṣa , the Matsya festival (viz., matsyotsava ) is to be celebrated by the wise, with due offerings and services in accordance with the injunctions.
2-7. On the tenth day in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, with due self-control, the devotee should perform worship of the Lord. The, intelligent devotee then should perform the sacred rites in the holy fire in accordance with the injunctions.
Clad in clean clothes, he should, with a delighted mind, cook the consecrated Havya rice and walk five steps. Then he should wash his feet. He should then take a twig eight Aṅgulas long from a Kṣīravṛkṣa (a tree that exudes milky juice) and brush his teeth. Thereafter, he should perform the Ācamana rite carefully.
He then surveys the entire sky and meditates on me, the Lord holding the iron club. He meditates on me as one who is clad in yellow robes, who wears a crown, who has the conch, the discus and the iron-club in his hands, whose lotus-like face is delighted and who is characterised with all distinctive features.
After meditating thus the man takes water in his hand, meditates on the Lord as one present in the middle of the Sun and offers the Arghya with the water in his hand. At that time, O Four-faced One, he should utter these words:
8. “O Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Lotus-eyed One), I shall remain without food on the Ekādaśī day and take food on the next day. Be my refuge, O Acyuta .”
9. After saying this, he should, on the night (of the same day) repeat the words “(obeisance) to Nārāyaṇa ” himself in accordance with the injunctions, in the presence of my idol.
10-11. Then in the morning he should go to a river that joins the sea or any other one, or a lake, or remain in the house itself and take the pure clay therefrom. The man should salute the Lord after taking the clay with the following Mantra and he shall become pure:
12-16. (The Mantra for taking the clay) “O Goddess (Earth), it is by you that all the living beings are always sustained and nourished. By that truth, O auspicious one, remove my sin.
All the Tīrthas within the Cosmic Egg have been touched with their hands by Devas . Therefore, I handle this clay touched (by them) and taken from you.
O Varuṇa , all the Rasas (liquids, juices) are perpetually present in you. Therefore, flow on this clay and sanctify it. Do not delay.”
After propitiating the clay and water thus, he should apply the same on himself three times by means of the entire lump of clay. It is then washed off in the water. The man shall always take his bath only in this water. Away from the crocodiles and tortoises, he should take his bath, perform the necessary rites, and go to my abode then.
17-22. There, O great Yogin , he should propitiate Lord Nārāyaṇa, Hari . “Obeisance to Keśava ”—(he should worship) the feet. “Obeisance to Dāmodara ”—the waist. “Obeisance to Nrsiṃha”—the pair of knees. “Obeisance to one having Śrivatsa”—the chest. “Obeisance to one having Kaustubha in the navel”—the neck. “Obeisance to Śrīpati ”—the bosom. “Obeisance to the conqueror of the three worlds ”—the arm. “Obeisance to the soul of everyone”—the head. “Obeisance to the holder of the discus”—the face. “Obeisance to Śrīkara ”—(he should worship) the conchshell. “Obeisance to Gaṃbhīra”—the iron club. “Obeisance to Śāntamūrti”—the lotus.
After worshipping Lord Nārāyaṇa, Lord of Devas, thus, the wise devotee should place four pots in front of the Lord. They should be filled with water and smeared with white unguents and sandal-paste. Flower-garlands should be put upon them. The tender leaves of a mango tree must be kept upon them. They should be wrapped in white cloth. Copper vessels with gold pieces in them and filled with gingelly seeds should be placed upon them.
23-24. The four pots are glorified as the four oceans. In the middle of those pots the devotee should keep a pedestal with a cloth in the centre. Upon it a vessel made of gold, silver, copper or wood shall be placed. If a vessel of the kind mentioned before is not available, a cup of the leaf of Palāśa ( Butea frondoza ) is recommended.
25-28. The vessel should be filled with water. A replica of Lord Janārdana in the form of a fish should be made in gold and put in that vessel. It should be fitted with all the ancillaries of the Lord of Devas. It should be adorned with Vedas and Smṛtis . There should be many kinds of foodstuffs, fruits and flowers enhancing the splendour thereof. The Lord should be duly worshipped with scents, incense and cloths: “Just as, O Lord in the form of fish, all the Vedas that had been taken to the nether worlds were lifted up by you, so also, O Keśava, redeem me up from the ocean of the worldly existence.” After uttering this he should perform the rite of Jāgaraṇa in front of it.
29-32. (The festival shall be celebrated) in conformity with one’s affluence.
When the day has dawned clear, the four pots should be given to four Brāhmaṇas .
The vessel kept in the East shall be given to a Bahvṛca (one who is conversant with Ṛgveda ); that in the South shall be given to a Chāndogya (Sāmavedin); the devotee should give the excellent vessel kept in the West to a person well-versed in Yajurveda . He should give the vessel in the North to anyone he pleases. This is the prescribed procedure.
While giving the vessels away, he should utter thus: “May Ṛgveda be pleased in the East. May Sāmaveda be pleased in the South. May Yajurveḍa be pleased in the West and may Atharvaveda be pleased in the North.”
33. The golden replica of fish should be given to the preceptor after honouring him duly and in the proper order, with scents, incense etc. and cloths.
34. The Ācārya should conduct everything including the secret (method of worship) by me?s [means?] of (the requisite) Mantras . After giving the gifts duly, the donor shall have a crore times the benefit.
35. A base man who, even after getting the preceptor, acts in contravention due to delusion, is cooked (i.e. tortured) in hell in a crore of births.
36. He who offers injunction is called Guru by the wise. After giving everything in accordance with the injunction on the Dvādaśī day, he should worship me.
37-39a. He should feed the Brāhmaṇas and present them with monetary gifts according to his capacity. There must be plenty of well-cooked, well-dressed food. Afterwards the man himself should take food along with Brāhmaṇas. He should have full restraint upon his speech and sense-organs. O most excellent one among truthful persons, listen to the benefit and merit of that man who celebrates the Matsya festival in accordance with this procedure.
39b-41. If one has one million mouths and the longevity equal to that of Brahmā , O performer of great holy rites, one can describe (adequately) the benefit of this pious activity.
He who devoutly expounds or listens to this excellent Dvādaśīkalpa shall be liberated from all sins.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 15363, revision 329309 (2022-01-02T00:59:46Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc371693.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.