The Exposition of Holy Vratas to be performed on Pahcami days (fifth days of Lunar fortnight)

1. О Brahmana, I shall recount to you the Vratas to be performed on Paftcamis1 (fifth days in the halves of Lunar months). On observing these rites with devotion, one shall attain all cherished desires.

2. The PaficamI (fifth day) in the bright half of the month of Chaitra is called Matsya jayanii. On this day, the worship of the incarnation of the Lord as (Divine) Fish is to be performed with great festivities, by devotees.

3-4a. This is called Srlpanchami1 also. On this day, the worship of Shri is to be performed by the articles of worship such as scents etc., and the Naivedyas of milk pudding etc., Lakshmi never forsakes a person who worships Lakshmi here (on this day).

4b-5a. Prthvlvrata, Candravrata and Hayagrivavrata are also to be performed by those who wish to attain different Siddhis, in accordance with the respective injunctions.

5b-6a. On the PaficamI day in the month of Vaisakha, the man shall worship Sesa, endowed with the attributes of serpents. He shall attain the desired benefit.

6b-7a. The intelligent devottee shall worship the Pitrs (Manes) on the PaficamI day in the month of Jyestha. He shall have the acquisition of all desired benefits through feeding the Brahmanas.

7b-1 la. О sage, Vayu who is present everywhere is to be worshipped on the PaficamI day in the month of Asadha. He should go out of the village and climb up to the ridge of a mountain. To a bamboo pole he should tie a banner of five colours. It should be succintly high. He should fix the pole in the middle of the mystic diagram of a lotus. О Narada, at its root in all the quarters, he should worship the guardians of the quarters and test the direction of the blow of the wind. Beginning with the first Yama, (period of three hours), he shall duly worship the Lord of that quarter in which the wind blows.

1. Just as Caturtht Vratas are mainly concerned with god Garcia, Vratas on the 5th days of lunar fortnights are auspicious for the worship of serpents (NP. verse 61 below), though worship of Sages (Rsi-pciflcaml) in VV. 34b-48, and of goddess Lalita (Lalitd PaficamI VV. 49-53) is also given importance in the NP.

1. There are a number of days (e.g. Margasirsha Su. 5, Magha Su. 5) on which a Shri PaficamI Vrata is prescribed. The Shri Vrata described in the NP. is mentioned in the Smrti Kaustubha. 92. VRJ. is silent about it. On this day (Chaitra Su, 5) Vratas called Prthvi, Candra and Hayagriva are also observed.

12. He should then return home in the evening. He should partake light food. With concentration of mind and after bowing down to the guardians of the world, he should lie down on bare yet clean ground and go to sleep.

13. The dream that comes to him in the fourth Yama (quarter) on that night shall come true. So says Shiva.

14. If anything inauspicious happens in the dream, the devotee should be engaged in the worship of Shiva and observe fast for all the eight subsequent Yamas (i.e. 24 hours) or for the day alone (i.e. 12 hours).

15-16a. He should then feed eight Brahmanas. Thereby he shall attain auspicious benefits. This holy rite is called “Subha- subha-Nidar^ana”1 (The test for auspicious and inauspicious results). It causes blessedness to men in this world as well as in other world.

16b. The auspicious rite called Anna-samrddhi-da1 2 (the bestower of plentitude of food) is to be observed on the Paft- cami day in the dark half of the month of Sravana.

17-19. О Narada, on the previous Caturthi day when there is yet some part of the day, the intelligent devotee shall put all cooked food in different vessels and pour water therein. Then he should put it in another vessel after draining off all water. The next day, after sunrise, he should worship the Pitrs, the sages and the Devas after due ablution. He should then offer Nai- vedya to the Devas. With delighted mind, he shall give cooked food to beggars.

1. W. 7b-16a describe a peculiar Vrata leading to veridical or prognosticating dreams or omens by worshipping the wind-god. No primitive Meteorology should be read in the presci iption of setting up a flag on a hill-top and notice the direction of the wind per three-hour period and worship the wind-god according to its direction of blowing.

2. W. I6b-26b deal wtth a Vrata giving abundance of food in every birth and aptly called Anna-samxddhi-Vrata or briefly as Anna. The NP. prescribes this Saiva Vrata as goddess Annapurna is Parvati, the spouse of Shiva. Kane (HD.V. i) does not mention it. It is probably an original contribution of the NP. to Vratas.

20. He shall spend the whole of the day in this activity. At sunset he shall go to Shiva’s temple and worship the Lord Isvara in the form of Linga.

21. After duly worshipping Mahesvara with scents, fragrant flowers, etc he shall repeat the five-syllabled Mantra (Om Shivaya Namah) a hundred or thousand times.

22-23a. After dedicating the benefit of Japa to Lord Shiva, the embodiment of the universe, he should eulogise the Lord with all Vedic and Pauranic hymns. Without agitation or perturbation, he should pray to Lord Isana for the sake of perpetual acquisition of cooked food.

23b-24a. “In all my births may I be richly blessed with all those foodgrains whether harvested during the autumn or during the spring.”

24b-26. After praying thus to the Lord of the Devas, he should come back to his own house. He should give cooked food to the Brahmanas and eat it himself silently. О Brahmana, this Annavrata (Holy rite of cooked food), if observed duly by men, is conducive to the production of all fobd and wealth in this world, and yields salvation in the other world.

27-29. This rite (in propitiation of serpents) is performed on the fifth day in the bright half of the month of Sravana, by men firm in their belief in the Vedas. On either side of the door-way, figures of poisonous serpents should be drawn in cowdung. He should worship them with scents, etc. Thereafter he should worship Indranl with gold, silver, etc, curds, raw rice-grains, water from Kusha grass, scents, fragrant flowers, incense, lights and hoards of Naivedyas. After circumambulating and bowing down, he should pray with great devotion. He should give the articles of worship to leading Brahmanas.

30. “In all my births, may these gold, silver, etc. that have been given to Brahmanas be productive of endless benefit.”

31. О Narada, he who gifts away along with this utterance, the articles with great devotion, will delight Kubera, the presiding deity of wealth, who bestows affluence like gold, upon his devotees.

32. After observing the holy rite, the man should feed Brahmanas with devotion. Thereafter, he should partake of his food surrounded by his wife, children and friends.

33-34a. The devotee should propitiate serpents with milk on the fifth day in the dark half of the month of Bhadra- pada, (thereby) the entire family upto the seventh generation shall be free from the fear of serpents.

34b. One should worship the excellent sages1 on the fifth day in the bright half of the month of Bhadrapada.

35.37a. In the morning, he should take his bath in the river etc. and perform Nitya rites, Sandhya prayers etc. He should then return home and make a platform with clay. He should smear and clean it with cowdung and decorate it with flowers. О Brahmana, he should then strew Kusa grass thereon and worship the seven sages, by means of scents, different flowers, incense and splendid lights.

37b-39. The sages are Kasyaj a, Atri, Bharadvaja, Vish- vamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni and Vasistha. Arghya should be duly offered to these. The intelligent devotee should cook

1. This is the well-known fci-paflcami Vrata. The NP. records an early stage when this Vrata was performed both by men and women. Later on it came to be regarded as efficacious in warding off sin in polluting things with their touch by women in their menses, as monthly course or menstruation came to be regarded as part of the sin of Brahma^a-slaughter (Brakmahatyd) committed by Indra in killing Vftra. Naturally women (especially in Maharashtra) begin to perform it after attaining puberty. VRJ. (pp. 91-96) records a story from the Bhavifyottara P. how the sin of Brahmana-slaughter perpetrated by Indra (in killing Vftra) came to be equally distributed in Fire, rivers, mountains and women (viz. the menstruation of women) to expiate which women should observe this Vrata.

VRJ-also quotes CC-Vrato I. 568-572 which records the account of this Vrata according to the Brahmdvja P. There are some differences in the details of the worship as given in the NP. and other works (for example non-inclusion of Arundhati in seven sages in the NP.), prescription of this Vrata even to men. Vratdrka and VRJ. specifically assert that this Vrata is to be observed by women only to ward off the sin of polluting’ things by their touch during their monthly course.

The prescription to eat food that is naturally grown without ploughing the field in this Vrata shows that it belongs to the period of food-gathering economy. This explains why men and women were eligible for this Vrata in the older stage. Syamaka and other grains that have not been cultivated, as Naivedya. After the food offerings, he should ritualistically bid farewell to them and cat the same cooked grains himself.

40-41. In this manner, he should perform this ^holy rite every year, for seven years. At the conclusion of the Vrata, he should choose seven Vedic scholars as his Acaryas (preceptors). He should make seven images in gold, according to his capacity. They must have matted hair, rosary and water pot.

42. These images should be placed in copper vessels or clay pots and the rite of ablution is performed severally with Paficamrta.

43-44. With sixteen types of services and articles of worship, they are worshipped with devotion. Arghya is offered then, and the homa is performed with gingelly seeds, grains, or barley grains etc. The Rk. ‘Sahastoma (RV X.130.7) should be used while performing homa or the names of the sages shall themselves be the Mantras. Or with other holy mantras also the homa can be performed. Then the Purnahuti is offered.

45-46. He should then give seven cows as gifts, fully bedecked in ornaments and clothes. He should worship his preceptor also with clothes, ornaments, etc. With the permission of the preceptor, he should thereafter dedicate the images unto the Brahmanas. After feeding them with devotion, he should bow down to them and bid them farewell.

47. Thereafter, the food left over by the Brahmanas consisting of articles of six different tastes should be taken by him along with kinsmen.

48. After performing this holy rite with its ancillaries he shall enjoy all desired worldly pleasures, thanks to the grace of seven sages. He shall go hence in an excellent aerial car.

49-52. On the fifth day in the bright half of the month of Alvina, the holy rite ofUpanga-Lalita-Vrata1 is to be observed.

О Narada, the image of the goddess should be made in gold in accordance with one’s ability. The devotee should worship her in accordance with the injunctions, with all the sixteen types of services. In order to make the Vrata perfect and complete, cooked rice alongwith fruits, ghee and monetary gifts should be given to an excellent Brahmana — “The boon-granting deity accompanied by Shakti has been worshipped by me alongwith her vehicle. О Mother, you may be pleased to go to your own abode after blessing me” (The foregoing is the final prayer).

53. О excellent Brahmana, the holy rite of the excellent Jaya vrata is to be observed on the fifth day in the bright half of the month of Karttika with good faith, for the destruction of sins.

54-55. О Brahmana, the devotee should, with great concentration, worship Jaya according to injunction. Clean (in body and mind) and bedecked in ornaments, he should worship her with sixteen types of services. He should feed a single Brahmana and give him monetary gifts. Then he should bid farewell to him and himself partake of his food silently.

56. If any one takes his holy dip on the day of Jaya, with great devotion, all his sins perish like dear attacked by a lion.

57. О Brahmana, the fruit that has been glorified as the result of the Avabhrtha (concluding) bath in a horse sacrifice, is attained by bath on the day of Jaya.

58. One devoid of sons gets a son, a barren woman becomes pregnant, a sick man is freed from ailments and a prisoner is released from bondage.

59. By worshipping serpents duly on the fifth day in the bright half of the month of Margaftrsa one attains fearlessness from serpents and rejoices alongwith the kinsmen.

60. In the month of Pau?a too, on the fifth day in the bright half, one attains all cherished desires by worshipping Madhusudana. No doubt need be entertained in this matter.

1. W. 49-52 briefly describe UpMga-Lalitd-Vrata popularly known in Maharashtra as Lalitd Paflcomt. The detailed procedure of this Vrata as observed in the Deccan is given in VRJ. (pp. 97-103) and the story about its importance is quoted from the SK. P. It is probably a later development.

61. О Narada, the worship of the Pitrs and the serpents on the fifth day in the bright or dark half of any month is recommended in every respect.

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