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Puruṣottama-kṣetra-māhātmya · Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Unit 74 of 221Puruṣottama-kṣetra-māhātmya · Chapter 34Puruṣottama-kṣetra-māhātmya · Chapter 341 source entries

Puruṣottama-kṣetra-māhātmya · Chapter 34

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।। जैमिनिरुवाच ।। ।। अश्वमेधांगसरसो नृसिंहस्य च दक्षिणे ।। तत्रासीनश्च भगवान्पुनश्चावतरन्निव ।। १ ।। बभासे दिव्यरूपोऽसौ दुर्विभाव्यः सुरासुरैः ।। तदा पूजोपहारैश्च भक्ष्यभोज्यादिकैस्तथा ।। ।। २ ।। पूजयित्वा जगन्नाथं तोषयेद्गीतनृत्यकैः ।। पुष्पोपहारैर्विविधैः सुगंधैरनुलेपनैः ।। ३ ।। कृष्णागुरुजधूपैश्च गंधतैलप्रदीपकैः ।। तोषयेज्जगतां नाथमनेकैरुपहारकैः ।। ४ ।। बिन्दुतीर्थतटे तस्मिन्सप्ताहानि जनार्दनः ।। तिष्ठेत्पुरा स्वयं राज्ञे वरमेतत्समादिशत् ।। ५ ।। त्वत्तीर्थतीरे राजेंद्र स्थास्यामि प्रतिवत्सरम् ।। सर्वतीर्थानि तस्मिंश्च स्थास्यंति मयि तिष्ठति ।। ६ ।। तत्र स्नात्वा विधानेन तीर्थे तीर्थोघपावने ।। सप्ताहं ये प्रपश्यंति गुंडिचामण्डपे स्थितम् ।। ७ ।। मां च रामं सुभद्रां च मत्सायुज्यमवाप्नुयुः ।। ततस्तस्मिन्महापुण्ये सर्वपापप्रणाशने ।। ८ ।। सर्वतीर्थैकफलदे विष्णु प्रीतिकरे शुभे ।। स्नात्वा संतर्प्य विधिवत्पितॄन्देवानतंद्रितः ।। ९ ।। तटस्थं नरसिंहं तं पूजयित्वा प्रणम्य च ।। महावेदीं नरो गत्वा कृतशौचाचमक्रियः ।। 2.2.34.१० ।। पूजयेत्पूर्ववद्विप्राः प्रणमेद्वापि भक्तितः ।। सप्ताहं यो नरो नारी न सा प्राकृतमानुषी ।। ११ ।। विष्णुसायुज्यमाप्नोति शासनान्मुरवैरिणः ।। दिवा तदृर्शनं पुण्यं रात्रौ दशगुणं भवेत् ।। १२ ।। यत्किंचित्क्रियते कर्म संनिधौ जगदीशितुः ।। स्वल्पं वाप्यथवा भूरि कोटिकोटिगुणं भवेत्।। १३ ।। तुलापुरुषदानानि महादानानि यो ददेत् ।। एके प्रदत्ते दानेपि सर्वं दत्तं भवेद्द्विजाः ।। १४ ।। सर्वं मेरुसमं दानं सर्वे व्याससमा द्विजाः ।। महावेद्यां गते कृष्णे योगोऽयं खलु दुर्लभः ।। १५ ।। अर्द्धोदयादिका योगाः स्कन्देन परिभाषिताः ।। महावेद्याख्ययोगस्य कला नार्हंति षोडशीम् ।। १६ ।। अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि पितॄणां कार्यमुत्तमम् ।। यावज्जीवं गयाश्राद्धैरलभ्यं भुवि यत्फलम् ।। १७ ।। दिविस्था नरकस्था वा तिर्यग्योनिगतास्तथा ।। तथा मनुष्यजातिस्थाः सर्वे पितृपितामहाः ।। १८ ।। शतं पुरुषविख्याता यं वांछंति सुतैः कृतम्।। तं वो विधिं प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणुध्वं मुनयो वरम् ।। १९ ।। मघा वै पितृनक्षत्रं पितॄणा प्रीतिदं परम् ।। तत्र श्राद्धं तु प्रीणाति दत्तं पुत्रैर्मुदान्वितैः ।। 2.2.34.२० ।। पंचमी च तिथिः श्रेष्ठा श्राद्धेभ्युदयकारिणी ।। उभयोर्यदि संयोगो महापुण्यतमा तिथिः ।। २१ ।। यस्यां श्राद्धे कृते पुत्रैः पितॄणामुद्धृतिर्भवेत् ।। सर्वतीर्थमये तस्मिन्संनिधौ मुरवैरिणः ।।२२।। श्राद्धं चेच्छ्रद्धया कुर्यान्नीलकण्ठनृसिंहयोः ।। मध्ये मेध्यतमे देशे योगे परमदुर्लभे ।। २३ ।। पुरुषाञ्छतमुद्धृत्य ब्रह्मलोके महीयते ।। प्रशस्यः कुतपः कालो मन्दीभूतदिवाकरः ।। २४ ।। पितॄनुद्दिश्य वा दद्यादशक्तः कनकं शुचिः ।। तर्पयित्वा तिलैः सम्यक्पैतृकीं प्रीतिमुत्तमाम् ।। २५ ।। अथवा भोजयैद्विप्रान्भोज्यमूल्यानि वा ददेत् ।। एकस्मै वा गुणवते सहस्रं भोजनं ददेत् ।। २६ ।। गुणागुणविवेकस्तु नात्र योगे विधीयते ।। तस्मिन्सुदुर्लभे योगे सर्वे मुनिसमा द्विजाः ।। २७ ।। आषाढस्य सिते पक्षे पंचमी पितृदैवतम् ।। नक्षत्रं जगदीशस्य महावेदीसमागमः ।। २८ ।। एते यदा त्रयः स्युश्चेदिंद्रद्युम्नसरोवरे ।। चतुष्पादः स्मृतो योगः पितॄणामक्षयप्रदः ।।२९।। पितृकार्ये न सीदंति निरूप्य श्राद्धमत्र वै ।। शृणुध्वमन्यद्विप्रा वै प्रसंगाच्च ब्रवीमि वः ।। 2.2.34.३० ।। नभस्य दर्शे यः कुर्याच्चतुर्ष्वपि युगादिषु ।। श्राद्धं पितॄन्समुद्दिश्याऽश्वमेधांगसंभवे ।। ३१ ।। गयाश्राद्धसहस्रस्य श्रद्धया विहितस्य वै ।। फलं यद्धि समं त्वस्य नात्र कार्या विचारणा ।। ३२ ।। दानं होमो जपश्चापि सर्वपापापनोदनः।। दिनानि सप्त यान्यत्र कृष्णे वसति मंडपे ।। ३३ ।। एकस्मादुत्तरं श्रेयो यत्तस्मादुत्तरोत्तरम् ।। आषाढशुक्ल तृतीयायां प्रातःस्नानं समाचरेत् ।। ३४ ।। इंद्रद्युम्नतटे देशे नृसिंहक्षेत्र उत्तमे ।। व्रतमेतत्तु गृह्णीयात्संकल्प्य विधिवन्नरः ।। ३५ ।। वनजागरणं नाम भगवत्प्रीतिवर्द्धनम् ।। सर्वपापप्रशमनं सर्वव्रतफलप्रदम् ।। ३६ ।। दिनानि सप्त मौनी स्यात्कृतत्रिषवणक्रियः ।। कुंभे च पूजयेद्देवं त्रिसंध्यं भक्तिभावितः ।। ३७ ।। गोघृतेनाथ तैलेन तिलजेन प्रदीपयेत् ।। अहर्निशं हरेरग्रे रक्षेत्तं यत्नतो व्रती ।। ।। ३८ ।। दिवा दिवा वसेन्मौनी रात्रौ रात्रौ च जागृयात् ।। मंत्रं भागवतं जप्यान्नित्यकृत्यांतरे व्रती ।। ३९ ।। उपवासपरो भूत्वा सप्ताहानि नयेद्व्रती ।। अष्टमे प्रातरुत्थाय प्रतिष्ठां कारयेद्दिने ।। 2.2.34.४० ।। तस्मिन्नेव तीर्थवरे स्नात्वागत्य गृहं पुनः ।। मंडले सर्वतोभद्रे पूर्वे कुंभं निवेशयेत ।। ४१ ।। तत्रावाह्य हृषीकेशं पूजयेदुपचारकैः ।। तस्य पश्चिमदेशे च स्थंडिले विधिसंस्कृते ।। ४२ ।। अग्निं प्रणीय गृह्योक्तविधिना ब्राह्मणावृतः ।। अग्निकार्यं प्रकुर्वीत समिदाज्यचरूंस्तथा ।। ४३ ।। सहस्रं जुहुयादग्नौ प्रत्येकं वा शतं शतम् ।। गायत्री वैष्णवी या वै तया होमविधिः स्मृतः ।। ।। ४४ ।। संप्राश्य दक्षिणां दयाद्धेनुं वस्त्रं हिरण्यकम् ।। विप्रांश्च भोजयेदंते प्रीतये विश्वसाक्षिणः ।। ४५ ।। व्रतराजमिमं कृत्वा विधिनानेन भो द्विजाः ।। चतुर्वर्गानवाप्नोति यो यः कामानभीप्सति ।। ४६ ।। नारी वा श्रद्धया युक्ता कुर्याद्वेदीमहोत्सवम् ।। सापि तत्फलमाप्नोति या कुर्याद्व्रतमुत्तमम् ।। ४७ ।। यात्राकर्तुः फलं यादृग्व्रतकर्तुश्च तत्फलम् ।। भवते वै द्विजश्रेष्ठाः कथितं वो मुदान्विताः ।। ४८ ।। इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे पुरुषोत्तमक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये जैमिनिऋषिसंवादे चतुस्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः ।। ३४ ।।

|| jaiminiruvāca || || aśvamedhāṃgasaraso nṛsiṃhasya ca dakṣiṇe || tatrāsīnaśca bhagavānpunaścāvataranniva || 1 || babhāse divyarūpo'sau durvibhāvyaḥ surāsuraiḥ || tadā pūjopahāraiśca bhakṣyabhojyādikaistathā || || 2 || pūjayitvā jagannāthaṃ toṣayedgītanṛtyakaiḥ || puṣpopahārairvividhaiḥ sugaṃdhairanulepanaiḥ || 3 || kṛṣṇāgurujadhūpaiśca gaṃdhatailapradīpakaiḥ || toṣayejjagatāṃ nāthamanekairupahārakaiḥ || 4 || bindutīrthataṭe tasminsaptāhāni janārdanaḥ || tiṣṭhetpurā svayaṃ rājñe varametatsamādiśat || 5 || tvattīrthatīre rājeṃdra sthāsyāmi prativatsaram || sarvatīrthāni tasmiṃśca sthāsyaṃti mayi tiṣṭhati || 6 || tatra snātvā vidhānena tīrthe tīrthoghapāvane || saptāhaṃ ye prapaśyaṃti guṃḍicāmaṇḍape sthitam || 7 || māṃ ca rāmaṃ subhadrāṃ ca matsāyujyamavāpnuyuḥ || tatastasminmahāpuṇye sarvapāpapraṇāśane || 8 || sarvatīrthaikaphalade viṣṇu prītikare śubhe || snātvā saṃtarpya vidhivatpitṝndevānataṃdritaḥ || 9 || taṭasthaṃ narasiṃhaṃ taṃ pūjayitvā praṇamya ca || mahāvedīṃ naro gatvā kṛtaśaucācamakriyaḥ || 2.2.34.10 || pūjayetpūrvavadviprāḥ praṇamedvāpi bhaktitaḥ || saptāhaṃ yo naro nārī na sā prākṛtamānuṣī || 11 || viṣṇusāyujyamāpnoti śāsanānmuravairiṇaḥ || divā tadṛrśanaṃ puṇyaṃ rātrau daśaguṇaṃ bhavet || 12 || yatkiṃcitkriyate karma saṃnidhau jagadīśituḥ || svalpaṃ vāpyathavā bhūri koṭikoṭiguṇaṃ bhavet|| 13 || tulāpuruṣadānāni mahādānāni yo dadet || eke pradatte dānepi sarvaṃ dattaṃ bhaveddvijāḥ || 14 || sarvaṃ merusamaṃ dānaṃ sarve vyāsasamā dvijāḥ || mahāvedyāṃ gate kṛṣṇe yogo'yaṃ khalu durlabhaḥ || 15 || arddhodayādikā yogāḥ skandena paribhāṣitāḥ || mahāvedyākhyayogasya kalā nārhaṃti ṣoḍaśīm || 16 || ataḥ paraṃ pravakṣyāmi pitṝṇāṃ kāryamuttamam || yāvajjīvaṃ gayāśrāddhairalabhyaṃ bhuvi yatphalam || 17 || divisthā narakasthā vā tiryagyonigatāstathā || tathā manuṣyajātisthāḥ sarve pitṛpitāmahāḥ || 18 || śataṃ puruṣavikhyātā yaṃ vāṃchaṃti sutaiḥ kṛtam|| taṃ vo vidhiṃ pravakṣyāmi śṛṇudhvaṃ munayo varam || 19 || maghā vai pitṛnakṣatraṃ pitṝṇā prītidaṃ param || tatra śrāddhaṃ tu prīṇāti dattaṃ putrairmudānvitaiḥ || 2.2.34.20 || paṃcamī ca tithiḥ śreṣṭhā śrāddhebhyudayakāriṇī || ubhayoryadi saṃyogo mahāpuṇyatamā tithiḥ || 21 || yasyāṃ śrāddhe kṛte putraiḥ pitṝṇāmuddhṛtirbhavet || sarvatīrthamaye tasminsaṃnidhau muravairiṇaḥ ||22|| śrāddhaṃ cecchraddhayā kuryānnīlakaṇṭhanṛsiṃhayoḥ || madhye medhyatame deśe yoge paramadurlabhe || 23 || puruṣāñchatamuddhṛtya brahmaloke mahīyate || praśasyaḥ kutapaḥ kālo mandībhūtadivākaraḥ || 24 || pitṝnuddiśya vā dadyādaśaktaḥ kanakaṃ śuciḥ || tarpayitvā tilaiḥ samyakpaitṛkīṃ prītimuttamām || 25 || athavā bhojayaidviprānbhojyamūlyāni vā dadet || ekasmai vā guṇavate sahasraṃ bhojanaṃ dadet || 26 || guṇāguṇavivekastu nātra yoge vidhīyate || tasminsudurlabhe yoge sarve munisamā dvijāḥ || 27 || āṣāḍhasya site pakṣe paṃcamī pitṛdaivatam || nakṣatraṃ jagadīśasya mahāvedīsamāgamaḥ || 28 || ete yadā trayaḥ syuścediṃdradyumnasarovare || catuṣpādaḥ smṛto yogaḥ pitṝṇāmakṣayapradaḥ ||29|| pitṛkārye na sīdaṃti nirūpya śrāddhamatra vai || śṛṇudhvamanyadviprā vai prasaṃgācca bravīmi vaḥ || 2.2.34.30 || nabhasya darśe yaḥ kuryāccaturṣvapi yugādiṣu || śrāddhaṃ pitṝnsamuddiśyā'śvamedhāṃgasaṃbhave || 31 || gayāśrāddhasahasrasya śraddhayā vihitasya vai || phalaṃ yaddhi samaṃ tvasya nātra kāryā vicāraṇā || 32 || dānaṃ homo japaścāpi sarvapāpāpanodanaḥ|| dināni sapta yānyatra kṛṣṇe vasati maṃḍape || 33 || ekasmāduttaraṃ śreyo yattasmāduttarottaram || āṣāḍhaśukla tṛtīyāyāṃ prātaḥsnānaṃ samācaret || 34 || iṃdradyumnataṭe deśe nṛsiṃhakṣetra uttame || vratametattu gṛhṇīyātsaṃkalpya vidhivannaraḥ || 35 || vanajāgaraṇaṃ nāma bhagavatprītivarddhanam || sarvapāpapraśamanaṃ sarvavrataphalapradam || 36 || dināni sapta maunī syātkṛtatriṣavaṇakriyaḥ || kuṃbhe ca pūjayeddevaṃ trisaṃdhyaṃ bhaktibhāvitaḥ || 37 || goghṛtenātha tailena tilajena pradīpayet || aharniśaṃ hareragre rakṣettaṃ yatnato vratī || || 38 || divā divā vasenmaunī rātrau rātrau ca jāgṛyāt || maṃtraṃ bhāgavataṃ japyānnityakṛtyāṃtare vratī || 39 || upavāsaparo bhūtvā saptāhāni nayedvratī || aṣṭame prātarutthāya pratiṣṭhāṃ kārayeddine || 2.2.34.40 || tasminneva tīrthavare snātvāgatya gṛhaṃ punaḥ || maṃḍale sarvatobhadre pūrve kuṃbhaṃ niveśayeta || 41 || tatrāvāhya hṛṣīkeśaṃ pūjayedupacārakaiḥ || tasya paścimadeśe ca sthaṃḍile vidhisaṃskṛte || 42 || agniṃ praṇīya gṛhyoktavidhinā brāhmaṇāvṛtaḥ || agnikāryaṃ prakurvīta samidājyacarūṃstathā || 43 || sahasraṃ juhuyādagnau pratyekaṃ vā śataṃ śatam || gāyatrī vaiṣṇavī yā vai tayā homavidhiḥ smṛtaḥ || || 44 || saṃprāśya dakṣiṇāṃ dayāddhenuṃ vastraṃ hiraṇyakam || viprāṃśca bhojayedaṃte prītaye viśvasākṣiṇaḥ || 45 || vratarājamimaṃ kṛtvā vidhinānena bho dvijāḥ || caturvargānavāpnoti yo yaḥ kāmānabhīpsati || 46 || nārī vā śraddhayā yuktā kuryādvedīmahotsavam || sāpi tatphalamāpnoti yā kuryādvratamuttamam || 47 || yātrākartuḥ phalaṃ yādṛgvratakartuśca tatphalam || bhavate vai dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ kathitaṃ vo mudānvitāḥ || 48 || iti śrīskāṃde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe puruṣottamakṣetramāhātmye jaiminiṛṣisaṃvāde catustriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ || 34 ||

English translation

Jaimini said :

1-4. The Lord is seated to the south of the lake that formed part of the horse-sacrifices as well as to that of Nṛsiṃha . It appears as if the Lord incarnates once again. He shines in his divine form. He is too dazzling to be gazed at by Suras and Asuras . At that time the Lord of the universe should be worshipped by means of various offerings and pleased with songs and dances. One should propitiate the Lord by offering different kinds of flowers, sweet scents and unguents, fumigation of black Agallochum and lamps with scented oil. Thus the devotee should please the Lord of the worlds by means of many offerings and services.

5. Janārdana shall stay on the shore of the Bindutīrtha [1] for seven days. Formerly the Lord himself had granted this boon to the king:

6. “Every year I shall stay on the shore of your Tīrtha , O great king. While I stay there, all the Tīrthas will be present therein too.

7-11. Devotees should take their holy bath in accordance with the injunctions in that Tīrtha which sanctifies all the groups of Tīrthas. He who (then) sees me along with Rāma and Subhadrā for seven days while I am housed in the Guṇḍicā pavilion, shall attain Sāyujya (absorption) with me.”

Therefore the devotee, whether a man or a woman, should take the holy bath in the auspicious and extremely meritorious Tīrtha which is destructive of all the sins. It, (the Tīrtha) is the sole bestower of the benefits of all the Tīrthas and causes delight unto Viṣṇu .

After the bath he should offer libations to Pitṭs and Devas carefully in accordance with the injunctions. Then he should worship and bow down to Narasiṃha installed on the shore. After completing the rites of purification and Ācamana he should go to the Great Altar, worship as before or bow down with great devotion. The devotee who does this for seven days is not an ordinary man or woman (but becomes superhuman).

12. At the bidding of the Enemy of Mura ( Kṛṣṇa ) he attains Sāyujya with Viṣṇu. Seeing him during day is meritorious (but doing so) at night will give ten times the merit.

13. Whatever holy rite is performed in the presence of the Lord of the universe on a modest or large scale, shall become (multiplied) crores and crores of times more.

14. The devotees may give charitable gifts of Tulāpuruṣa [2] or other great gifts. But even if one (thing) is given, O Brāhmaṇas , it is as good as the gift of everything.

15. When Kṛṣṇa goes to the Great Altar, all charitable gifts are on a par with Meru ; all people are equal to Vyāsa , O Brāhmaṇas. This Yoga is rare indeed ( Yoga = an astronomical combination).

16. Ardhodaya and other Yogas expounded by Skanda do not deserve even a sixteenth part of the Yoga called Mahāvedī .

17. Henceforth I shall describe the excellent holy ( Śrāddha ) rite of Pitṛs . Even if one performs Gayāśrāddha throughout one’s life, one shall not get a benefit (as from this).

18-19. All the Manes, all the grandfathers whether stationed in heaven or in hell or re-born as animals or human beings, about one hundred famous members (of the family) desire that their scions should perform this. That procedure I shall recount to you. Listen to that excellent one, O sages.

20-26. Maghā is the constellation (specially favourite) of the Pitṛs. It is highly pleasant and delightful (to them). If the Śrāddha is offered by the sons joyously in this constellation, it delights (Pitṛs). The fifth lunar day is also excellent. (If available) in Śrāddha, it is conducive to prosperity. If both of these coincide, the day is extremely meritorious. If the Śrāddha rite is performed on that day by the sons, the Pitṛs will be uplifted.

If at the Tīrtha inclusive of (i.e. comprising) all Tīrthas the Śrāddha is devoutly performed in the presence of the Enemy of Mura, in the most sacred area between Nīlakaṇṭha and Nṛsiṃha and on the extremely rare Yoga (specific astrological time), he redeems a hundred men (ancestors) of his family and is honoured in the world of Brahmā .

The period of Kutapa [3] (early afternoon), when the sun is gentle, is extremely praiseworthy. One should offer a gold piece keeping the Manes in view. If he cannot afford it, he should remain pure and duly perform the rites of libation with gingelly seeds. Thereby he gives excellent satisfaction to Pitṛs.

Or he should feed Brāhmaṇas or give them the cost of the foodstuffs. Or he should feed one meritorious person and give him a thousand (cost of the foodstuffs of a thousand Brāhmaṇas?).

27. At this particular Yoga no discrimination regarding merit (eligibility) and non-merit (ineligibility of the Brāhmaṇa to be invited to Śrāddha) be made. O Brāhmaṇas, on that extremely rare Yoga, all Brāhmaṇas are on a par with sages.

28-30. The fifth day in the bright half of the month of Āṣāḍha , the constellation Maghā and the contact (installation) of the Lord of the universe with the Great Altar—when all these three come together and at the excellent lake of Indradyumna —this Yoga is known as Catuṣpāda (four-footed). It bestows everlasting benefit unto the Pitṛs.

By performing a Śrāddha then no one gets despondent in regard to the holy rites of Pitṛs.

Listen to another thing, O Brāhmaṇas. I tell it to you on this occasion.

31-32. On the new-moon day in the month of Nabhasya [4] (or Bhādrapada i.e. August-September) or on the four Yugādi (i.e. anniversary of the beginning of the Yugas ) days, the devotee should perform Śrāddha of the Pitṛs at the lake formed as part of the horse-sacrifice (i.e. Indradyumna Lake). It will then have the same benefit as that of a thousand Gayā Śrāddhas faithfully performed. In this matter there need be no doubt at all.

33-36. A charitable gift offered and Homa and Japa performed during the seven days when Kṛṣṇa stays here in the Pavilion is destructive of all sins. The subsequent day is superior to the previous one.

The third ḍay in the bright half of Āṣāḍha is the most excellent day. On that day the devotee should take the holy bath early in the morning, on the bank of Indradyumna Lake, in the excellent holy spot of Nṛsiṃha. After the due performance of the rite of Saṃkalpa , the man should take up this Vrata called Vanajāgaraṇa . It increases the pleasure of the Lord. It suppresses all the sins and yields the benefit of all Vratas .

37-39. On all these seven days, the devotee should take three baths per day. He should light lamps fed with cow’s ghee or sesamum oil. He should observe the vow of silence. He should place these lamps in front of Hari and keep them lighted day and night. During the day time he should observe silence and during the nights he should keep a vigil. He should repeat the Mantra of the Lord at intervals between the daily routine of duties while observing this Vrata .

40. He should observe fast also during the seven days. After the seven days have passed, on the eighth day he should get up early in the morning and perform the installation.

41. After taking the holy bath in the same excellent Tīrtha, he should return home. In the previous mystic diagram of Sarvatobhadra he should place the pot.

42-44. He should invoke Hṛṣīkeśa there and worship by means of the offerings. To the west of it, on the ground duly consecrated, he should kindle the sacred fire in accordance with the injunctions mentioned in the Gṛhyasūtras .

He, surrounded by Brāhmaṇas, should perform the rites of fire-worship. He should offer sacrificial twigs, ghee and the Caru into the fire a thousand times by way of Homa or each of them a hundred times. It is laid down that the Homa should be performed with the Vaiṣṇava Gāyatrī .

45. After feeding (the Ācārya ), he should offer monetary gifts and give a cow, garments and gold (to him). At the end he should feed the Brāhmaṇas for the satisfaction of the Witness of the universe.

46. By performing this important Vrata in accordance with these injunctions, O Brāhmaṇas, he obtains all the four aims of life. Whatever one desires shall be obtained.

47. If a woman possessing sincere faith performs this rite of the great festival of the Altar, she will also obtain the benefit thereof.

48. The merit acquired by a person observing the vow is the same as that of the person who participates in the festival of the chariot-procession.

O excellent Brāhmaṇas, everything has been said to you. Be happy.

[1]: [1] : The same as Indradyumna Lake.

[2]: [2] : The donor is to be weighed in a balance with gold or other valuable articles in the other pan and the articles equal in weight with the donor are to be given to Brahmins. This is called Tulāpuruṣa .

[3]: [3] : This is the eighth Muhūrta of the day (MtP 22.84). Kutapa and the following four Muhūrtas form the proper period for Śrāddha.

[4]: [4] : The text reads nabhasyadarśe i.e. the new-moon day of Nabhasya (Bhādrapada). The new-moon day of Bhādrapada is specially meant for offering Śrāddha to Pitṛs and is hence called ‘ Sarvapitrī amāvāsyā ’.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 22955, revision 71138 (2016-06-12T11:32:07Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc370754.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.