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Puruṣottama-kṣetra-māhātmya · Chapter 36

Chapter 36

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Puruṣottama-kṣetra-māhātmya · Chapter 36

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।। जैमिनिरुवाच ।। ।। अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि शयनोत्सवमुत्तमम् ।। आषाढीमवधिं कृत्वा हरेः स्वापस्तु कर्कटे ।। १ ।। वार्षिकांश्चतुरो मासान्यावत्स्यात्कार्त्तिकी द्विजाः ।। अयं पुण्यतमः कालो हरेराराधनं प्रति ।। २ ।। काश्यां बहुयुगं वासान्नियमव्रतसंस्थितेः ।। फलं यदुक्तं तद्विद्यात्क्षेत्रे श्रीपुरुषोत्तमे ।। ३ ।। चातुर्मास्यदिनैकेन वसतः सन्निधौ हरेः ।। वार्षिकाणां चतुर्णां तु यान्यहानि वसन्नयेत् ।। ४ ।। पुण्यक्षेत्रे जगन्नाथसन्निधौ निर्मलांतरे ।। प्रत्यक्षं वाजिमेधस्य सहस्रस्य लभेत्फलम् ।। ५ ।। स्नात्वा सिंधुजले पुण्ये दृष्ट्वा श्रीपुरुषोत्तमम् ।। चातुर्मास्यव्रते तिष्ठन्न शोचति कुतश्चन ।। ६ ।। चातुर्मास्ये निवसति क्षेत्रे श्रीपुरुषोत्तमे ।। साक्षाद्दृष्टिर्भगवतस्तद्द्वयं मुक्तिसाधनम् ।। ७ ।। तस्मात्सर्वाणि संत्यज्य श्रौतस्मार्त्तानि मानवः ।। प्रयत्नान्निवसेत्पुण्ये क्षेत्रे श्रीपुरुषोत्तमे ।। ८ ।। भोगिभोगासने सुप्तश्चातुर्मास्येषु वै प्रभुः ।। सर्व क्षेत्रेषु सान्निध्यं न करोति जगद्गुरुः ।। ९ ।। अत्र साक्षान्निवसति यथा वैकुण्ठवेश्मनि ।। द्वादशस्वपि मासेषु भगवानत्र मूर्तिमान् ।। मुक्तिदश्चक्षुषा दृष्टश्चातुर्मास्ये विशेषतः ।। 2.2.36.१० ।। अष्टमासनिवासेन दृष्ट्वा विष्णुं दिने दिने ।। यदाप्नोति फलं तद्धि चातुर्मास्यदिनैकतः ।। ११ ।। चातुर्मास्यनिवासेन क्षेत्रे श्रीपुरुषोत्तमे ।। दिनं दिनं महापुण्यं सर्वक्षत्रनिवासजम् ।। फलं ददाति भगवान्क्षेत्रे वर्षनिवासतः ।। १२ ।। सर्वपापप्रसक्तोऽपि सर्वाचारच्युतोऽपि च ।। सर्वधर्मबहिर्भूतो निवसेत्पुरुषोत्तमे ।। १३ ।। चातुर्मास्यमथेकं यः कुर्याद्वै पापकृन्नरः ।। विहाय सर्वपापानि बहिरंतश्च निर्मलः ।। १४ ।। नरसिंहप्रसादेन वैकुण्ठभवनं व्रजेत् ।। १५ ।। तस्मान्नरः सर्वभावैर्विष्णोः शयनभावितान् ।। वार्षिकांश्चतुरो मासान्निवसेत्पुरुषोत्तमे ।। १६ ।। कुर्यादन्यन्न वा कुर्याज्जन्मसाफल्यमृच्छति ।। १७ ।। आषाढशुक्लैकादश्यां कुर्यात्स्वापमहोत्सवम् ।। मण्डपं रचयेत्तत्र शयनागारमुत्तमम् ।। १८ ।। देवस्य पुरतः शय्यां रत्नपल्यंकिकोपरि ।। स्वास्तीर्य सोपधानां तु मृदुचीनोत्तरच्छदाम् ।। १९ ।। कर्पूरधूलिविक्षिप्तां साधुचंद्रातपां शुभाम् ।। सर्वतो वेष्टितां छिद्ररहितां चदनोक्षिताम् ।। 2.2.36.२० ।। साधुद्वारां समां स्निग्धां नानाचित्रोपशोभिताम्।। एकं स्वापगृहं कृत्वा निशीथे प्रतिमात्रयम् ।। २१ ।। सौवर्णं राजतं वापि रीतिजं दार्षदं तथा ।। यथाश्रद्धं प्रकुर्वीत प्रशस्तं चोत्तरोत्तरम्।। २२ ।। तत्त्रयाणां सुराणां वै पादमूले यथातथम् ।। निधाय पूजूयेद्देवांस्तच्छेषं तेषु निक्षिपेत् ।। २३ ।। पूजांते भावयेदैक्य तेषां कृष्णादिभिः सह ।। एह्येहि भगवन्देव सर्वलोकैकजीवन ।। २४ ।। स्वापार्थं चतुरो मासान्सर्वकल्याणवृद्धये ।। इति संप्रार्थ्य देवेशांस्तदंगात्तत्स्रजां त्रयम् ।। २५ ।। प्रत्यर्चासु विनिक्षिप्य मांगल्यस्तुतिगीतिभिः ।। नयेच्छय्यागृहद्द्वारं वासयेद्धटिकात्रये ।।२६।। पंचामृतैः स्नापयेत्तान्पृथक्पलशताधिकैः ।। सुगन्धचंदनैर्लिप्तान्वस्त्रालंकरणादिभिः ।। २७ ।। पूजयित्वा यथान्यायं प्रांजलिर्मंत्रमुच्चरेत् ।। जगद्वन्द्य जगन्नाथ जगत्त्राणपरायण ।।२८ ।। हिताय जगतामीश चातुर्मास्यान्घनागमान् ।। सुप्त्वा प्रशमयारिष्टाञ्छक्रेण सह पूजितः ।। २९ ।। एह्येहि शयनागारं सुखमत्र स्वप प्रभो ।। इति संप्रार्थ्य देवेशं स्वापयेत्पुरुषोत्तमम् ।। 2.2.36.३० ।। सुदृढं बन्धयेद्द्वारं विष्णोः शयनवेश्मनः ।। स्वापयित्वा जगन्नाथं लभते सुखमुत्तमम् ।। ।। ३१ ।। वार्षिकांश्चतुरो मासान्प्रसुप्ते वै जनार्दने ।। व्रतैरनेकैर्नियमैर्मासान्वै चतुरः क्षिपेत् ।। ३२ ।। कल्पस्थायी विष्णुलोके नरो भक्तो भवेद्ध्रुवम्।। नियमव्रतानि गदतः शृणुध्वं मुनयो मम ।। ३३ ।। मंचखट्वादिशयनं वर्जयेद्भक्तिमान्नरः ।। अनृतौ न व्रजेद्भार्यां मासं मधु परौदनम् ।। ।। ३४ ।। पटोलं मूलकं चैव वार्ताकं च न भक्षयेत् ।। अभक्ष्यं वर्जयेद्दूरान्मसूरं सितसर्षपम् ।। ३५ ।। राजमाषान्कुलत्थांश्च आशुधान्यं च संत्यजेत्।। शाकं दधि पयो माषाच्छ्रावणादौ क्रमादिमान् ।। ३६ ।। राजगोपयतींस्त्यक्त्वा नारोहेच्चर्मपादुके ।। वार्षिकांश्चतुरो मासानव्रतेन नयेद्यदि ।। तस्य पापस्य शांत्यर्थं कार्तिके वा व्रती भवेत् ।। ३७ ।। नमः कृष्णाय हरये केशवाय नमोनमः ।। नमोऽस्तु नारसिंहाय विष्णवे पापजिष्णवे ।। ३८ ।। सायं प्रातर्दिवामध्ये कर्मांतेषु च योजयेत् ।। ३९ ।। तस्य पापानि घोराणि चितानि बहुजन्मसु ।। निर्दहत्येव सर्वाणि तूलराशिमिवानलः ।। 2.2.36.४० ।। एकाहारो यताहारो विष्णुनिर्माल्यभोजनः ।। आषाढीमवधिं कृत्वा कार्तिक्यवधि यो भवेत् ।। नक्तभोजी भवेद्वापि स्वर्गस्तस्याल्पकं फलम्।। ४१ ।। तैलाभ्यंगं दिवास्वापं मृषावादं च वर्जयेत् ।। आषाढशुक्लैकादश्यां संक्रांतौ कर्कटस्य वा ।। ४२ ।। आषाढ्यां वा नरो भक्त्या गृह्णीयान्नियमं व्रती ।। सर्वपापहरं देवं प्रपूज्य मधुसूदनम् ।। ४३ ।। तदग्रे प्रतिसंकल्प्य व्रतार्चनजपादिकम् ।। प्रार्थयेत्परमानन्दं कृतांजलिपुटो व्रती ।। ४४ ।। चातुर्मास्यव्रतं देव गृहीतं त्वत्प्रसादतः ।। तव प्रसादान्निर्विघ्नं सिद्धिमायातु केशव ।। ४५ ।। व्रतेस्मिन्यद्यसंपूर्णे परलोकगतिर्भवेत्।। तन्मे भवतुसंपूर्णं त्वत्प्रसादादधोक्षज ।। ४६ ।। इति संप्रार्थ्य देवेशं पूर्वोक्तनियमे स्थितः ।। यापयेच्चतुरो मासान्विष्ण्वर्पित मतिर्व्रती।।४७।। पारणं प्रतिमासांते प्रीत्यै कृष्णस्य कारयेत् ।।४८।। मिष्टान्नैर्भोजयेद्विप्रान्पूजयित्वा जगत्पतिम् ।। असमर्थस्तु कार्तिक्यां पारयेद्व्रतमुत्तमम्।।४९।। तस्यां पूज्य जगन्नाथं वह्निस्थं तर्पयेत्ततः ।। द्विजाग्र्यान्पायसैर्मिष्टैर्विष्णुभक्त्या प्रपूजयेत् ।।2.2.36.५०।। यथाशक्त्या प्रदद्याद्वै कनकं वस्त्रमेव च ।। अशक्तः कार्तिके मासि व्रतं कुर्यात्पुरोदितम् ।।५१।। व्रतं च विविधं विष्णोः कृच्छ्रचांद्रायणं तथा ।।५२।। पयः पीत्वा नयेद्यस्तु शाकाहारेण वा पुनः ।। भुक्त्वात्र विपुलान्भोगान्परं निर्वाणमृच्छति।।५३।। तत्रापि चेदशक्तः स्याद्भीष्मपंचकमुत्तमम्।। प्रीतये देवदेवस्य वन्यवृत्तिर्भवेद्व्रती ।।५४।। एतद्व्रतं समाख्यातं भगवत्प्रीतिकारकम् ।। सर्वपापप्रशमनं विष्णुलोकगतिप्रदम् ।। धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं सर्वकामप्रसाधनम् ।।५५।। मुनयः प्रोक्तमेतद्वो रहस्यं शृणुतापरम् ।। एतद्व्रतानि चान्यानि व्रतानि सबहूनि च ।। ५६ ।। भगवद्भक्तिहीनानां जानीध्वं विफलानि वै ।। फलं महाक्रतूनां यत्तीर्थानां फलमुत्तमम् ।। ५७ ।। दानानां तपसां चैव सात्त्विकानां च यत्फलम् ।। एकया विष्णुभक्त्या तत्समग्रं फलमश्नुते ।। ५८ ।। ये पश्यंति महात्मानः शयनोप्सवमुत्तमम्।। मातुर्गर्भे न स्वपंति कारयंति च ये महम् ।। ५९ ।। उत्सवांते व्रतं चेदं प्रतिज्ञाय तदग्रतः ।। पर्याप्तं पारयित्वा तु ब्रह्मलोके महीयते ।। 2.2.36.६० ।। इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे पुरुषोत्तमक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये षट्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः ।। ३६ ।।

|| jaiminiruvāca || || ataḥ paraṃ pravakṣyāmi śayanotsavamuttamam || āṣāḍhīmavadhiṃ kṛtvā hareḥ svāpastu karkaṭe || 1 || vārṣikāṃścaturo māsānyāvatsyātkārttikī dvijāḥ || ayaṃ puṇyatamaḥ kālo harerārādhanaṃ prati || 2 || kāśyāṃ bahuyugaṃ vāsānniyamavratasaṃsthiteḥ || phalaṃ yaduktaṃ tadvidyātkṣetre śrīpuruṣottame || 3 || cāturmāsyadinaikena vasataḥ sannidhau hareḥ || vārṣikāṇāṃ caturṇāṃ tu yānyahāni vasannayet || 4 || puṇyakṣetre jagannāthasannidhau nirmalāṃtare || pratyakṣaṃ vājimedhasya sahasrasya labhetphalam || 5 || snātvā siṃdhujale puṇye dṛṣṭvā śrīpuruṣottamam || cāturmāsyavrate tiṣṭhanna śocati kutaścana || 6 || cāturmāsye nivasati kṣetre śrīpuruṣottame || sākṣāddṛṣṭirbhagavatastaddvayaṃ muktisādhanam || 7 || tasmātsarvāṇi saṃtyajya śrautasmārttāni mānavaḥ || prayatnānnivasetpuṇye kṣetre śrīpuruṣottame || 8 || bhogibhogāsane suptaścāturmāsyeṣu vai prabhuḥ || sarva kṣetreṣu sānnidhyaṃ na karoti jagadguruḥ || 9 || atra sākṣānnivasati yathā vaikuṇṭhaveśmani || dvādaśasvapi māseṣu bhagavānatra mūrtimān || muktidaścakṣuṣā dṛṣṭaścāturmāsye viśeṣataḥ || 2.2.36.10 || aṣṭamāsanivāsena dṛṣṭvā viṣṇuṃ dine dine || yadāpnoti phalaṃ taddhi cāturmāsyadinaikataḥ || 11 || cāturmāsyanivāsena kṣetre śrīpuruṣottame || dinaṃ dinaṃ mahāpuṇyaṃ sarvakṣatranivāsajam || phalaṃ dadāti bhagavānkṣetre varṣanivāsataḥ || 12 || sarvapāpaprasakto'pi sarvācāracyuto'pi ca || sarvadharmabahirbhūto nivasetpuruṣottame || 13 || cāturmāsyamathekaṃ yaḥ kuryādvai pāpakṛnnaraḥ || vihāya sarvapāpāni bahiraṃtaśca nirmalaḥ || 14 || narasiṃhaprasādena vaikuṇṭhabhavanaṃ vrajet || 15 || tasmānnaraḥ sarvabhāvairviṣṇoḥ śayanabhāvitān || vārṣikāṃścaturo māsānnivasetpuruṣottame || 16 || kuryādanyanna vā kuryājjanmasāphalyamṛcchati || 17 || āṣāḍhaśuklaikādaśyāṃ kuryātsvāpamahotsavam || maṇḍapaṃ racayettatra śayanāgāramuttamam || 18 || devasya purataḥ śayyāṃ ratnapalyaṃkikopari || svāstīrya sopadhānāṃ tu mṛducīnottaracchadām || 19 || karpūradhūlivikṣiptāṃ sādhucaṃdrātapāṃ śubhām || sarvato veṣṭitāṃ chidrarahitāṃ cadanokṣitām || 2.2.36.20 || sādhudvārāṃ samāṃ snigdhāṃ nānācitropaśobhitām|| ekaṃ svāpagṛhaṃ kṛtvā niśīthe pratimātrayam || 21 || sauvarṇaṃ rājataṃ vāpi rītijaṃ dārṣadaṃ tathā || yathāśraddhaṃ prakurvīta praśastaṃ cottarottaram|| 22 || tattrayāṇāṃ surāṇāṃ vai pādamūle yathātatham || nidhāya pūjūyeddevāṃstaccheṣaṃ teṣu nikṣipet || 23 || pūjāṃte bhāvayedaikya teṣāṃ kṛṣṇādibhiḥ saha || ehyehi bhagavandeva sarvalokaikajīvana || 24 || svāpārthaṃ caturo māsānsarvakalyāṇavṛddhaye || iti saṃprārthya deveśāṃstadaṃgāttatsrajāṃ trayam || 25 || pratyarcāsu vinikṣipya māṃgalyastutigītibhiḥ || nayecchayyāgṛhaddvāraṃ vāsayeddhaṭikātraye ||26|| paṃcāmṛtaiḥ snāpayettānpṛthakpalaśatādhikaiḥ || sugandhacaṃdanairliptānvastrālaṃkaraṇādibhiḥ || 27 || pūjayitvā yathānyāyaṃ prāṃjalirmaṃtramuccaret || jagadvandya jagannātha jagattrāṇaparāyaṇa ||28 || hitāya jagatāmīśa cāturmāsyānghanāgamān || suptvā praśamayāriṣṭāñchakreṇa saha pūjitaḥ || 29 || ehyehi śayanāgāraṃ sukhamatra svapa prabho || iti saṃprārthya deveśaṃ svāpayetpuruṣottamam || 2.2.36.30 || sudṛḍhaṃ bandhayeddvāraṃ viṣṇoḥ śayanaveśmanaḥ || svāpayitvā jagannāthaṃ labhate sukhamuttamam || || 31 || vārṣikāṃścaturo māsānprasupte vai janārdane || vratairanekairniyamairmāsānvai caturaḥ kṣipet || 32 || kalpasthāyī viṣṇuloke naro bhakto bhaveddhruvam|| niyamavratāni gadataḥ śṛṇudhvaṃ munayo mama || 33 || maṃcakhaṭvādiśayanaṃ varjayedbhaktimānnaraḥ || anṛtau na vrajedbhāryāṃ māsaṃ madhu paraudanam || || 34 || paṭolaṃ mūlakaṃ caiva vārtākaṃ ca na bhakṣayet || abhakṣyaṃ varjayeddūrānmasūraṃ sitasarṣapam || 35 || rājamāṣānkulatthāṃśca āśudhānyaṃ ca saṃtyajet|| śākaṃ dadhi payo māṣācchrāvaṇādau kramādimān || 36 || rājagopayatīṃstyaktvā nāroheccarmapāduke || vārṣikāṃścaturo māsānavratena nayedyadi || tasya pāpasya śāṃtyarthaṃ kārtike vā vratī bhavet || 37 || namaḥ kṛṣṇāya haraye keśavāya namonamaḥ || namo'stu nārasiṃhāya viṣṇave pāpajiṣṇave || 38 || sāyaṃ prātardivāmadhye karmāṃteṣu ca yojayet || 39 || tasya pāpāni ghorāṇi citāni bahujanmasu || nirdahatyeva sarvāṇi tūlarāśimivānalaḥ || 2.2.36.40 || ekāhāro yatāhāro viṣṇunirmālyabhojanaḥ || āṣāḍhīmavadhiṃ kṛtvā kārtikyavadhi yo bhavet || naktabhojī bhavedvāpi svargastasyālpakaṃ phalam|| 41 || tailābhyaṃgaṃ divāsvāpaṃ mṛṣāvādaṃ ca varjayet || āṣāḍhaśuklaikādaśyāṃ saṃkrāṃtau karkaṭasya vā || 42 || āṣāḍhyāṃ vā naro bhaktyā gṛhṇīyānniyamaṃ vratī || sarvapāpaharaṃ devaṃ prapūjya madhusūdanam || 43 || tadagre pratisaṃkalpya vratārcanajapādikam || prārthayetparamānandaṃ kṛtāṃjalipuṭo vratī || 44 || cāturmāsyavrataṃ deva gṛhītaṃ tvatprasādataḥ || tava prasādānnirvighnaṃ siddhimāyātu keśava || 45 || vratesminyadyasaṃpūrṇe paralokagatirbhavet|| tanme bhavatusaṃpūrṇaṃ tvatprasādādadhokṣaja || 46 || iti saṃprārthya deveśaṃ pūrvoktaniyame sthitaḥ || yāpayeccaturo māsānviṣṇvarpita matirvratī||47|| pāraṇaṃ pratimāsāṃte prītyai kṛṣṇasya kārayet ||48|| miṣṭānnairbhojayedviprānpūjayitvā jagatpatim || asamarthastu kārtikyāṃ pārayedvratamuttamam||49|| tasyāṃ pūjya jagannāthaṃ vahnisthaṃ tarpayettataḥ || dvijāgryānpāyasairmiṣṭairviṣṇubhaktyā prapūjayet ||2.2.36.50|| yathāśaktyā pradadyādvai kanakaṃ vastrameva ca || aśaktaḥ kārtike māsi vrataṃ kuryātpuroditam ||51|| vrataṃ ca vividhaṃ viṣṇoḥ kṛcchracāṃdrāyaṇaṃ tathā ||52|| payaḥ pītvā nayedyastu śākāhāreṇa vā punaḥ || bhuktvātra vipulānbhogānparaṃ nirvāṇamṛcchati||53|| tatrāpi cedaśaktaḥ syādbhīṣmapaṃcakamuttamam|| prītaye devadevasya vanyavṛttirbhavedvratī ||54|| etadvrataṃ samākhyātaṃ bhagavatprītikārakam || sarvapāpapraśamanaṃ viṣṇulokagatipradam || dhanyaṃ yaśasyamāyuṣyaṃ sarvakāmaprasādhanam ||55|| munayaḥ proktametadvo rahasyaṃ śṛṇutāparam || etadvratāni cānyāni vratāni sabahūni ca || 56 || bhagavadbhaktihīnānāṃ jānīdhvaṃ viphalāni vai || phalaṃ mahākratūnāṃ yattīrthānāṃ phalamuttamam || 57 || dānānāṃ tapasāṃ caiva sāttvikānāṃ ca yatphalam || ekayā viṣṇubhaktyā tatsamagraṃ phalamaśnute || 58 || ye paśyaṃti mahātmānaḥ śayanopsavamuttamam|| māturgarbhe na svapaṃti kārayaṃti ca ye maham || 59 || utsavāṃte vrataṃ cedaṃ pratijñāya tadagrataḥ || paryāptaṃ pārayitvā tu brahmaloke mahīyate || 2.2.36.60 || iti śrīskāṃde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe puruṣottamakṣetramāhātmye ṣaṭtriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ || 36 ||

English translation

Note: Anthropomorphism and anthropopathism are a special characteristic of Saguṇa Bhakti . The Lord is treated as a human being and he wants sleep, turns his side during sleep, suffers from colds and requires medicine—all this is sincerely done in the spirit of Saguṇa Bhakti to the Lord. This is amply illustrated in our Text.

Jaimini said :

1-2. Henceforth I shall describe the excellent festival of (the Deity’s) going to bed. [1] With Āṣāḍhī as the starting point, Hari ’s sleep covers the four months of the rainy season from Āṣāḍhī (eleventh day in the bright half of Āṣāḍha ) when the sun goes to the Zodiac of Cancer to Kārttikī (eleventh day in the bright half of Kārttika ). This is the most meritorious period for the propitiation of Hari.

3-5. If a person stays in the holy place Śrī Puruṣottama even for a single day during the period of these four moths in the presence of Hari, know that his merit is what has been mentioned for the stay in Kāśī for many Yugas performing pious observance and holy rites. If a person passes all the days of those rainy months in the meritorious holy spot in the presence of the Lord of the universe devoid of impurities within, he will directly obtain the merit of a thousand horse-sacrifices.

6. A person who bathes in the holy waters of the ocean, sees Śrī Puruṣottama and devoutly performs holy rites during the four months (of the rainy season), never has any grief from anywhere.

7. Stay in the holy place Śrī Puruṣottama during the four months, and direct view of the Lord—these two are the means of salvation.

8. Hence a man should give up all the rites ordained in the Śrutis or Smṛtis and make efforts to stay in the meritorious holy spot Śrī Puruṣottama.

9. The Lord remains asleep on the couch of the serpent’s ( Śeṣa ’s) body during these four months. The Sire of the universe is not present then in any of the other sacred places.

10. But he stays here visibly as though in his abode of Vaikuṇṭha . During all the twelve months the Lord is in his embodied form here. If he is seen with one’s eye especially during these four months, he is the bestower of salvation.

11. By seeing the Lord on a single day during these four months ( Cāturmāsya ) one obtains that merit which is acquired by seeing Viṣṇu everyday while staying here all through the other eight months.

12-17. By staying in the holy spot of Śrī Puruṣottama for the whole period of four months one acquired the merit of staying in all holy places on everyone of those days. The Lord grants (befitting) benefit for staying in the holy place for a whole year.

A man may be engaged in all kinds of evil actions. He may be fallen from all kinds of decent conduct and behaviour. He may be excluded from all pious and devout rites. But if that sinful man stays in Puruṣottama during one set of (these) four months, he dispels all the sins. He becomes free from impurities both within and without. By the favour of Narasiṃha he shall go to the abode of Vaikuṇṭha.

Hence with all his devout feelings a man should stay in Puruṣottama during those four rainy months sanctified by Viṣṇu’s sleep. He may or may not do anything else, notwithstanding that his life becomes fruitful.

18. The devotee should celebrate the great festival of (the Lord’s) sleep on the eleventh day in the bright half of the month of Āṣāḍha. A pavilion should be made and an excellent bedchamber should be built there.

19-26. In front of the Lord, the bed must be spread over a gem-set couch along with a pillow and a bedsheet of soft China silk . Camphor-powder should be scattered over the bed and splendid awning should be made. The enclosure all around should have no holes. It shall be sprinkled with sandal-paste. There must be a good doorway. The bed should be even. It should be decorated with various pictures and paintings.

There should be only one bedchamber. The devotee must have ready with him three images (of the three deities). They should be made of gold, silver, brass or stone according to one’s faith. The succeeding is better than the preceding one. During midnight the images (specially made ones) should be placed at the foot of the respective deity. They should then be worshipped. The remnants (of worship) must be deposited on them. At the the end of the worship the devotee should meditate on the identity of those images with Kṛṣṇa and others.

“Come, come, O Lord, the sole life of all the worlds, for sleep during these four months for the increase of prosperity of everyone.”

After praying thus to the deities the devotee should take the three garlands from the deities and place them on the special movable images of the three deities. To the accompaniment of auspicious prayers and songs, they should be taken to the door of the bedchamber and kept there for three Ghaṭikās .

27-33. The images should be bathed with Pañcāmṛta separately, weighing more than 100 Palas for each. They should be smeared with fragrant sandal-paste and adorned with robes, ornaments etc. After duly worshipping them, the devotee should repeat this Mantra with palms joined in reverence:

“O Lord of the universe, worthy of being saluted by all the worlds, engaged in protecting the universe! O Lord, sleep during these four months of the advent of clouds, for the sake of the welfare of the worlds. Worshipped along with Śakra , suppress all evils and calamities. Come, come to the bedchamber. O Lord sleep here comfortably.”

After praying thus to the Lord of Devas , the devotee should make Puruṣottama go to sleep. He should firmly close the door of the bedchamber of Viṣṇu. After making the Lord of the worlds sleep one obtains excellent happiness.

When Janārdana is asleep during the four rainy months, the devotee should pass those four months in performing many holy rites and pious observances. The man with devotion shall dwell in the world of Viṣṇu for the period of a Kalpa .

Even as I recount the holy rites and vows to be observed during Cāturmāsya , listen to them, O sages.

34-37. The man of devotion should give up resting on bedsteads and couches. Except in the stipulated period after the monthly menstural discharge (of his wife) he should not carnally approach even his wife. He should give up meat, liquor, food of another person, Paṭolas (a kind cucumber) [2] , Mūlaka (radish) and brinjal. He should keep away from all forbidden foodstuffs. He should avoid Masūra (a kind of pulse), white mustard, Rājamāṣa , Kulattha and Āśudhānya. In the beginning of the month of Śrāvaṇa he should gradually avoid greens, curds, milk and pulses. No one other than a king, ascetics and cowherds should put on leather footwear. If it happens that one could not perform holy rites during the four rainy months, he should perform the holy rites in the month of Kārttika for overcoming that sin.

38-44. He should repeat this prayer in the morning, midday, evening and at the conclusion of holy rites:

“Obeisance to Kṛṣna, to Hari. Repeated obeisance to Keśava . Salutation to Narasiṃha, to Viṣṇu, to the conqueror of sins.”

He will burn all his terrible sins acquired in the course of many births like fire burning a heap of cotton .

If a person observes restriction in his diet, takes food only once a day, or takes in only the remnants of the offering unto Viṣṇu, or takes in food only during the night throughout the period between Āṣāḍhī and Kārttikī, heaven is the least gain unto him.

The devotee should avoid oil-bath, midday nap and slander-mongering.

The man should undertake the Vrata (vow) on the eleventh day in the bright half of the month of Āṣāḍha, on the day of the transit of the Sun to the Zodiac Cancer or on the new-moon day in the month of Āṣāḍha.

After worshipping Lord Madhusūdana , the destroyer of all sins, and after taking the Saṅkalpa in front of him in regard to the Vrata, worship, Japa etc. the man of holy rites should pray to the Lord, the supreme Bliss, with palms joined in reverence:

45. “O Lord, the vow of the four months has been taken up (by me) by your favour. O Keśava, let it be accomplished without obstacles through your grace.

46. If I were to die when this vow is yet incomplete, O Adhokṣaja , even then let it be complete by your favour.”

47. After praying thus to the Lord of Devas the man who is observing the vow should strictly adhere to the rites mentioned before and pass the four months with his mind dedicated to Viṣṇu.

48-53. At the end of every month he should perform Pāraṇa (formal conclusion of the austerities) for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa. The devotee should feed Brāhmaṇas with sweet sumptuous food after worshipping the Lord of the universe.

If one is incapable (of doing it every month), he should conclude the excellent holy rite of Kārttikī day. On that day he should worship the Lord of the universe, abiding in the holy fire. Thereafter, he should propitiate prominent Brāhmaṇas with sweet milk-puddings and honour them with devotion as unto Viṣṇu. In accordance with his capacity he should give gold and garments.

A man not capable of the full (-timed) austerities should perform the austerities in the month of Kārttika as mentioned before.

There are various Vratas [3] (austerities) of Viṣṇu such as Kṛcchra , Cāndrāyaṇa etc. One who passes (the month) subsisting on milk only or vegetables (greens) only shall enjoy extensive worldly pleasures and then attain salvation.

54. If the vratī (vower) is incapable of even this austerity, he should observe the excellent vow of Bhīṣma - Pañcaka to propitiate the Lord of Devas. He shall sustain himself with forest products (take fruits, roots etc. naturally produced not cultivated, but no cooked food).

55. This Vrata is said to be conducive to the delight of the Lord. It supresses all sins. It yields the attainment of the world of Viṣṇu as its fruit. It is conducive to longevity, reputation and wealth. It accomplishes all desired things.

56-58. O sages, this secret has been disclosed to you. Listen to another. Know that these and many other Vratas are fruitless in the case of those devoid of devotion to the Lord.

One attains all the benefits by devotion to Viṣṇu alone—the benefit of great sacrifices, the excellent benefit of (pilgrimage to) Tīrthas , charitable gifts and all penances of the Sāttvika type.

59-60. Those noble souls who witness the excellent festival of retirement to bed (of the Lord) do not rest in the womb of any mother.

Those who sponsor the great festival, should make a promise of taking up this Vrata in front of the Lord at the conclusion of the festival. After performing the rite of Pāraṇa sufficiently well they are honoured in the world of Brahmā .

[1]: [1] : This festival of Lord’s going to sleep is one of the twelve Yātrās of Jagannātha. The eleventh day in the bright half of Āṣāḍha is called Śayanī Ekādaśī. The Lord is supposed to go to sleep on this day to be awakened on the eleventh day in the bright half of Kārttika which is called ‘Prabodhinī’ (the awakener). And the period of four months between these Ekādaśī days is called ‘Cāturmāsya’.

[2]: [2] : Known as Paḍvaḷ in Marathi.

[3]: [3] : Observances such as Kṛcchra , Cāndrāyaṇa and others. Kṛcchra is of different types (for details vide HD IV 132-133). In Cāndrāyaṇa morsels of food are to be increased and decreased as per waxing and waning of the moon. (Hence the name Cāndrāyaṇa .) In this observance one morsel of food is to be eaten on first day of the bright half, two morsels on the second day and so on till fifteen morsels are to be consumed on the full-moon day. On the first day of the dark half fourteen morsels are to be eaten reducing the quantity by one morsel everyday and ending in complete fast on the new-moon day. (For details see HD IV 135-136.)

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 15798, revision 71140 (2016-06-12T11:33:36Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc370756.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.