Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 6 · Chapter 19
श्रीराजोवाच व्रतं पुंसवनं ब्रह्मन् भवता यदुदीरितम् । तस्य वेदितुमिच्छामि येन विष्णु: प्रसीदति ॥ १ ॥
sri-rajovaca vratam pumsavanam brahman bhavata yad udiritam tasya veditum icchami yena visnuh prasidati
Maharaja Pariksit said: My dear lord, you have already spoken about the pumsavana vow. Now I want to hear about it in detail, for I understand that by observing this vow one can please the Supreme Lord, Visnu.
श्रीशुक उवाच शुक्ले मार्गशिरे पक्षे योषिद्भर्तुरनुज्ञया । आरभेत व्रतमिदं सार्वकामिकमादित: ॥ २ ॥ निशम्य मरुतां जन्म ब्राह्मणाननुमन्त्र्य च । स्नात्वा शुक्लदती शुक्ले वसीतालङ्कृताम्बरे । पूजयेत्प्रातराशात्प्राग्भगवन्तं श्रिया सह ॥ ३ ॥
sri-suka uvaca sukle margasire pakse yosid bhartur anujnaya arabheta vratam idam sarva-kamikam aditah nisamya marutam janma brahmanan anumantrya ca snatva sukla-dati sukle vasitalankrtambare pujayet pratarasat prag bhagavantam sriya saha
Sukadeva Gosvami said: On the first day of the bright fortnight of the month of Agrahayana [November-December], following the instructions of her husband, a woman should begin this regulative devotional service with a vow of penance, for it can fulfill all one’s desires. Before beginning the worship of Lord Visnu, the woman should hear the story of how the Maruts were born. Under the instructions of qualified brahmanas, in the morning she should wash her teeth, bathe, and dress herself with white cloth and ornaments, and before taking breakfast she should worship Lord Visnu and Laksmi.
अलं ते निरपेक्षाय पूर्णकाम नमोऽस्तु ते । महाविभूतिपतये नम: सकलसिद्धये ॥ ४ ॥
alam te nirapeksaya purna-kama namo ’stu te mahavibhuti-pataye namah sakala-siddhaye
(She should then pray to the Lord as follows.) My dear Lord, You are full in all opulences, but I do not beg You for opulence. I simply offer my respectful obeisances unto You. You are the husband and master of Laksmidevi, the goddess of fortune, who has all opulences. Therefore You are the master of all mystic yoga. I simply offer my obeisances unto You.
यथा त्वं कृपया भूत्या तेजसा महिमौजसा । जुष्ट ईश गुणै: सर्वैस्ततोऽसि भगवान् प्रभु: ॥ ५ ॥
yatha tvam krpaya bhutya tejasa mahimaujasa justa isa gunaih sarvais tato ’si bhagavan prabhuh
O my Lord, because You are endowed with causeless mercy, all opulences, all prowess and all glories, strength and transcendental qualities, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of everyone.
विष्णुपत्नि महामाये महापुरुषलक्षणे । प्रीयेथा मे महाभागे लोकमातर्नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ६ ॥
visnu-patni maha-maye mahapurusa-laksane priyetha me maha-bhage loka-matar namo ’stu te
(After profusely offering obeisances unto Lord Visnu, the devotee should offer respectful obeisances unto mother Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, and pray as follows.) O wife of Lord Visnu, O internal energy of Lord Visnu, you are as good as Lord Visnu Himself, for you have all of His qualities and opulences. O goddess of fortune, please be kind to me. O mother of the entire world, I offer my respectful obeisances unto you.
ॐ नमो भगवते महापुरुषाय महानुभावाय महाविभूतिपतये सह महाविभूतिभिर्बलिमुपहरामीति । अनेनाहरहर्मन्त्रेण विष्णोरावाहनार्घ्यपाद्योपस्पर्शनस्नानवासउपवीतविभूषणगन्धपुष्पधूप दीपोपहाराद्युपचारान् सुसमाहितोपाहरेत् ॥ ७ ॥
om namo bhagavate maha-purusaya mahanubhavaya mahavibhuti-pataye saha maha-vibhutibhir balim upaharamiti; anenahar-ahar mantrena visnor avahanarghya-padyopasparsana-snana-vasa-upavita-vibhusana-gandha-puspa-dhupa-dipopaharady-upacaran susama-hitopaharet.
My Lord Visnu, full in six opulences, You are the best of all enjoyers and the most powerful. O husband of mother Laksmi, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are accompanied by many associates, such as Visvaksena. I offer all the paraphernalia for worshiping You One should chant this mantra every day with great attention while worshiping Lord Visnu with all paraphernalia, such as water for washing His feet, hands and mouth and water for His bath. One must offer Him various presentations for His worship, such as garments, a sacred thread, ornaments, scents, flowers, incense and lamps.
हवि:शेषं च जुहुयादनले द्वादशाहुती: । ॐ नमो भगवते महापुरुषाय महाविभूतिपतये स्वाहेति ॥ ८ ॥
om namo bhagavate maha-purusaya mahavibhuti-pataye svaheti
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: After worshiping the Lord with all the paraphernalia mentioned above, one should chant the following mantra while offering twelve oblations of ghee on the sacred fire: om namo bhagavate maha-purusaya mahavibhuti-pataye svaha.
श्रियं विष्णुं च वरदावाशिषां प्रभवावुभौ । भक्त्या सम्पूजयेन्नित्यं यदीच्छेत्सर्वसम्पद: ॥ ९ ॥
sriyam visnum ca varadav asisam prabhavav ubhau bhaktya sampujayen nityam yadicchet sarva-sampadah
If one desires all opulences, his duty is to daily worship Lord Visnu with His wife, Laksmi. With great devotion one should worship Him according to the above-mentioned process. Lord Visnu and the goddess of fortune are an immensely powerful combination. They are the bestowers of all benedictions and the sources of all good fortune. Therefore the duty of everyone is to worship Laksmi-Narayana.
प्रणमेद्दण्डवद्भूमौ भक्तिप्रह्वेण चेतसा । दशवारं जपेन्मन्त्रं तत: स्तोत्रमुदीरयेत् ॥ १० ॥
pranamed dandavad bhumau bhakti-prahvena cetasa dasa-varam japen mantram tatah stotram udirayet
One should offer obeisances unto the Lord with a mind humbled through devotion. While offering dandavats by falling on the ground like a rod, one should chant the above mantra ten times. Then one should chant the following prayer.
युवां तु विश्वस्य विभू जगत: कारणं परम् । इयं हि प्रकृति: सूक्ष्मा मायाशक्तिर्दुरत्यया ॥ ११ ॥
yuvam tu visvasya vibhu jagatah karanam param iyam hi prakrtih suksma maya-saktir duratyaya
My Lord Visnu and mother Laksmi, goddess of fortune, you are the proprietors of the entire creation. Indeed, you are the cause of the creation. Mother Laksmi is extremely difficult to understand because she is so powerful that the jurisdiction of her power is difficult to overcome. Mother Laksmi is represented in the material world as the external energy, but actually she is always the internal energy of the Lord.
तस्या अधीश्वर: साक्षात्त्वमेव पुरुष: पर: । त्वं सर्वयज्ञ इज्येयं क्रियेयं फलभुग्भवान् ॥ १२ ॥
tasya adhisvarah saksat tvam eva purusah parah tvam sarva-yajna ijyeyam kriyeyam phala-bhug bhavan
My Lord, You are the master of energy, and therefore You are the Supreme Person. You are sacrifice (yajna) personified. Laksmi, the embodiment of spiritual activities, is the original form of worship offered unto You, whereas You are the enjoyer of all sacrifices.
गुणव्यक्तिरियं देवी व्यञ्जको गुणभुग्भवान् । त्वं हि सर्वशरीर्यात्मा श्री: शरीरेन्द्रियाशया: । नामरूपे भगवती प्रत्ययस्त्वमपाश्रय: ॥ १३ ॥
guna-vyaktir iyam devi vyanjako guna-bhug bhavan tvam hi sarva-sariry atma srih sarirendriyasayah nama-rupe bhagavati pratyayas tvam apasrayah
Mother Laksmi, who is here, is the reservoir of all spiritual qualities, whereas You manifest and enjoy all these qualities. Indeed, You are actually the enjoyer of everything. You live as the Supersoul of all living entities, aid the goddess of fortune is the form of their bodies, senses and minds. She also has a holy name and form, whereas You are the support of all such names and forms and the cause for their manifestation.
यथा युवां त्रिलोकस्य वरदौ परमेष्ठिनौ । तथा म उत्तमश्लोक सन्तु सत्या महाशिष: ॥ १४ ॥
yatha yuvam tri-lokasya varadau paramesthinau tatha ma uttamasloka santu satya mahasisah
You are both the supreme rulers and benedictors of the three worlds. Therefore, my Lord, Uttamasloka, may my ambitions be fulfilled by Your grace.
इत्यभिष्टूय वरदं श्रीनिवासं श्रिया सह । तन्नि:सार्योपहरणं दत्त्वाचमनमर्चयेत् ॥ १५ ॥
ity abhistuya varadam srinivasam sriya saha tan nihsaryopaharanam dattvacamanam arcayet
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Thus one should worship Lord Visnu, who is known as Srinivasa, along with mother Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, by offering prayers according to the process mentioned above. After removing all the paraphernalia of worship, one should offer them water to wash their hands and mouths, and then one should worship them again.
तत: स्तुवीत स्तोत्रेण भक्तिप्रह्वेण चेतसा । यज्ञोच्छिष्टमवघ्राय पुनरभ्यर्चयेद्धरिम् ॥ १६ ॥
tatah stuvita stotrena bhakti-prahvena cetasa yajnocchistam avaghraya punar abhyarcayed dharim
Thereafter, with devotion and humility, one should offer prayers to the Lord and mother Laksmi. Then one should smell the remnants of the food offered and then again worship the Lord and Laksmiji.
पतिं च परया भक्त्या महापुरुषचेतसा । प्रियैस्तैस्तैरुपनमेत् प्रेमशील: स्वयं पति: । बिभृयात् सर्वकर्माणि पत्न्या उच्चावचानि च ॥ १७ ॥
patim ca paraya bhaktya mahapurusa-cetasa priyais tais tair upanamet prema-silah svayam patih bibhryat sarva-karmani patnya uccavacani ca
Accepting her husband as the representative of the Supreme Person, a wife should worship him with unalloyed devotion by offering him prasada. The husband, being very pleased with his wife, should engage himself in the affairs of his family.
कृतमेकतरेणापि दम्पत्योरुभयोरपि । पत्न्यां कुर्यादनर्हायां पतिरेतत् समाहित: ॥ १८ ॥
krtam ekatarenapi dam-patyor ubhayor api patnyam kuryad anarhayam patir etat samahitah
Between the husband and wife, one person is sufficient to execute this devotional service. Because of their good relationship, both of them will enjoy the result. Therefore if the wife is unable to execute this process, the husband should carefully do so, and the faithful wife will share the result.
विष्णोर्व्रतमिदं बिभ्रन्न विहन्यात्कथञ्चन । विप्रान् स्त्रियो वीरवती: स्रग्गन्धबलिमण्डनै: । अर्चेदहरहर्भक्त्या देवं नियममास्थिता ॥ १९ ॥ उद्वास्य देवं स्वे धाम्नि तन्निवेदितमग्रत: । अद्यादात्मविशुद्ध्यर्थं सर्वकामसमृद्धये ॥ २० ॥
visnor vratam idam bibhran na vihanyat kathancana vipran striyo viravatih srag-gandha-bali-mandanaih arced ahar-ahar bhaktya devam niyamam asthita udvasya devam sve dhamni tan-niveditam agratah adyad atma-visuddhy-artham sarva-kama-samrddhaye
One should accept this visnu-vrata, which is a vow in devotional service, and should not deviate from its execution to engage in anything else. By offering the remnants of prasada, flower garlands, sandalwood pulp and ornaments, one should daily worship the brahmanas and worship women who peacefully live with their husbands and children. Every day the wife must continue following the regulative principles to worship Lord Visnu with great devotion. Thereafter, Lord Visnu should be laid in His bed, and then one should take prasada. In this way, husband and wife will be purified and will have all their desires fulfilled.
एतेन पूजाविधिना मासान् द्वादश हायनम् । नीत्वाथोपरमेत्साध्वी कार्तिके चरमेऽहनि ॥ २१ ॥
etena puja-vidhina masan dvadasa hayanam nitvathoparamet sadhvi kartike carame ’hani
The chaste wife must perform such devotional service continuously for one year. After one year passes, she should fast on the full-moon day in the month of Karttika (October–November).
श्वोभूतेऽप उपस्पृश्य कृष्णमभ्यर्च्य पूर्ववत् । पय:शृतेन जुहुयाच्चरुणा सह सर्पिषा । पाकयज्ञविधानेन द्वादशैवाहुती: पति: ॥ २२ ॥
svo-bhute ’pa upasprsya krsnam abhyarcya purvavat payah-srtena juhuyac caruna saha sarpisa paka-yajna-vidhanena dvadasaivahutih patih
On the morning of the next day, one should wash oneself, and after worshiping Lord Krsna as before, one should cook as one cooks for festivals as stated in the Grhya-sutras. Sweet rice should be cooked with ghee, and with this preparation the husband should offer oblations to the fire twelve times.
आशिष: शिरसादाय द्विजै: प्रीतै: समीरिता: । प्रणम्य शिरसा भक्त्या भुञ्जीत तदनुज्ञया ॥ २३ ॥
asisah sirasadaya dvijaih pritaih samiritah pranamya sirasa bhaktya bhunjita tad-anujnaya
Thereafter, he should satisfy the brahmanas. When the satisfied brahmanas bestow their blessings, he should devotedly offer them respectful obeisances with his head, and with their permission he should take prasada.
आचार्यमग्रत: कृत्वा वाग्यत: सह बन्धुभि: । दद्यात्पत्न्यै चरो: शेषं सुप्रजास्त्वं सुसौभगम् ॥ २४ ॥
acaryam agratah krtva vag-yatah saha bandhubhih dadyat patnyai caroh sesam suprajastvam susaubhagam
Before taking his meal, the husband must first seat the acarya comfortably, and, along with his relatives and friends, should control his speech and offer prasada to the guru. Then the wife should eat the remnants of the oblation of sweet rice cooked with ghee. Eating the remnants insures a learned, devoted son and all good fortune.
एतच्चरित्वा विधिवद्व्रतं विभो रभीप्सितार्थं लभते पुमानिह । स्त्री चैतदास्थाय लभेत सौभगं श्रियं प्रजां जीवपतिं यशो गृहम् ॥ २५ ॥
etac caritva vidhivad vratam vibhor abhipsitartham labhate puman iha stri caitad asthaya labheta saubhagam sriyam prajam jiva-patim yaso grham
If this vow or ritualistic ceremony is observed according to the description of sastra, even in this life a man will be able to achieve all the benedictions he desires from the Lord. A wife who performs this ritualistic ceremony will surely receive good fortune, opulence, sons, a long-living husband, a good reputation and a good home.
कन्या च विन्देत समग्रलक्षणं पतिं त्ववीरा हतकिल्बिषां गतिम् । मृतप्रजा जीवसुता धनेश्वरी सुदुर्भगा सुभगा रूपमग्र्यम् ॥ २६ ॥ विन्देद्विरूपा विरुजा विमुच्यते य आमयावीन्द्रियकल्यदेहम् । एतत्पठन्नभ्युदये च कर्म- ण्यनन्ततृप्ति: पितृदेवतानाम् ॥ २७ ॥ तुष्टा: प्रयच्छन्ति समस्तकामान् होमावसाने हुतभुक् श्रीहरिश्च । राजन् महन्मरुतां जन्म पुण्यं दितेर्व्रतं चाभिहितं महत्ते ॥ २८ ॥ नैवोद्विजे पर दुरत्ययवैतरण्या- स्त्वद्वीर्यगायनमहामृतमग्नचित्त: । शोचे ततो विमुखचेतस इन्द्रियार्थ- मायासुखाय भरमुद्वहतो विमूढान् ॥ ४३ ॥
kanya ca vindeta samagra-laksanam patim tv avira hata-kilbisam gatim mrta-praja jiva-suta dhanesvari sudurbhaga subhaga rupam agryam vinded virupa viruja vimucyate ya amayavindriya-kalya-deham etat pathann abhyudaye ca karmany ananta-trptih pitr-devatanam tustah prayacchanti samasta-kaman homavasane huta-bhuk sri-haris ca rajan mahan marutam janma punyam diter vratam cabhihitam mahat te
If an unmarried girl observes this vrata, she will be able to get a very good husband. If a woman who is avira — who has no husband or son — executes this ritualistic ceremony, she can be promoted to the spiritual world. A woman whose children have died after birth can get a child with a long duration of life and also become very fortunate in possessing wealth. If a woman is unfortunate she will become fortunate, and if ugly she will become beautiful. By observing this vrata, a diseased man can gain relief from his disease and have an able body with which to work. If one recites this narration while offering oblations to the pitas and demigods, especially during the sraddha ceremony, the demigods and inhabitants of Pitrloka will be extremely pleased with him and bestow upon him the fulfillment of all desires. After one performs this ritualistic ceremony, Lord Visnu and His wife, mother Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, are very pleased with him. O King Pariksit, now I have completely described how Diti performed this ceremony and had good children — the Maruts — and a happy life. I have tried to explain this to you as elaborately as possible.
