Архитектура Аудит Военная наука Иностранные языки Медицина Металлургия Метрология
Образование Политология Производство Психология Стандартизация Технологии


The Importance of Caturmasya



Narada said:

1-2. О great god, I desire to hear about the restraints to be observed during the four months that are well-known on the earth. (Please) tell them. О lord, tell me what should be done during the four months (from the Ekadashi in the bright half of Asadha to the Ekadashi in the bright half of Kartika) when Vishnu, Janardana has gone to sleep? (Tell me) the fruit (obtained) on giving up the six flavours and keeping (i.e. not cutting) hair and nails, and (the fruit obtained) through other restraints.

Suta said:

3-7. Hearing these words, the god with his eyes dilated, laughed, and said to Narada, the best brahmana and treasure of penance:

Mahadeva said:

Now, О divine sage, listen. I am telling in detail. A man should observe a fast on the Ekadashi in the bright half of Ashadha. He should devoutly observe the Caturmasya-vows. When Visflu is asleep, the wan should lie on the bare ground and should pass the four months till Klrtiki (Ekadashi) would come. No installation (of an image) or rites like sacrifices take place. So also marriages, thread ceremonies, other auspicious ceremonies, royal journeys and processions do not take place (in Caturmasya).

8-15. Listen to the fruit of the vow of him (i.e. that he gets) who would observe vows (and practise) rites when the Garu^abannered, Acyuta, Jagannatha is asleep. A man would obtain that fruit by observing the vows in Caturmasya which he would obtain by means of thousands of horse-sacrifices. He should make Visflu sleep when the Sun is in Gemini; and should awaken Vishiju, when the Sun is in Libra. When the inter­calary month comes, the order of the rite is like this: He should install Vi^ui’s image holding a conch, a disc, andt a mace. О Narada, he should place the auspicious (image) wearing a yellow garment on a bed covered with a white (piece of) cloth and a pillow. And the Vishiju devotee, knowing (accounts in) history and Puranas, should bathe it with curd, milk, honey, fried grains and ghee. О brahmana, he should smear it with auspicious sandal, incense and lovely flowers, and should worship it with white flowers with (the accompaniment of) this sacred prayer: “О Jagannatha, when you are asleep, this world would be asleep. When you are awake, the world with the mobile and the immobile would be awake.”

16-29. Thus (i.e. with this prayer), О Narada, having installed that image of Vishnu, he should, in front of it, take up the vow: The person (taking up the vow) maybe a male or a female devotee of him, according to the division between righte­ousness and unrighteousness. For four months, till the awake­ning of the god, he should take up these restraints preceded by brushing the teeth. Then he should observe a fast. When it is the bright morning, he, having conquered his self, should do his daily acts. I shall separately tell the fruits of the doers of the acts: A man, by avoiding jaggery, would secure sweetness. A man would obtain a long(-lived) progeny by avoiding oil. О brahmana, a man becomes handsome-bodied by avoiding ghee. He would secure his enemy’s destruction by avoiding bitter oil. He would secure matchless good fortune by avoiding fragrant oil. He who avoids enjoying flowers, would be a vidyadhara in heaven. A man who practises abstract meditation, would obtain Brahma’s position. He who would avoid the six flavours, viz. acrid, sour, sweet, saline, pungent, and astringent, would avoid deformity and a bad smell. By avoiding tambiila he becomes an enjoyer and has his throat red. By avoiding ghee he (secures) handsomeness and his body would always be glossy. О best brahmana, by giving up fruits he gets many sons. By eating from apalasa-leaf he would be handsome and would get pleasures. One who illuminates would become bright and actually the lord of wealth. He who avoids curd and milk, obtains Goloka.1 The order of him who observes the vow of silence, is never futile.

By avoiding a dish of barley or rice boiled in milk he secures Indra’s seat. He, abiding in religious practices and taking delight in them, would, after muttering the hundred-fold fruitful (prayer) ‘Salutation to Narayajia', be the only lord of vidyadharas in heaven.

1. Goloka: ‘Cow-world’, a part of heaven, or (in later mythology) Krspa’s heaven.

30-41. He who always enjoys the fruit of a bath in Gaiiga by merely bathing at Puskara would be the lord of the earth. О wise one, he who would anoint and bathe Vishshu in his house would live for a kalpa in Vaikuntha. There is no doubt about this. That man who goes round (the image) keeping it to his right, goes with (i.e. in) a divine aeroplane to which swans are yoked. He who sings and plays upon musical instruments would go to the world of gandharvas. О wise one, one who eats the five products of a cow, would obtain the fruit of the Candrayajia(-vow). He who would amuse people every day with recitations from sacred texts, gets the form of Vyasa before Vishshu, and then would obtain Visjiu’s position. By worshipping (him with) the Tulasileaf he would go to Vishnu’s city. Having done sprinkling, he would obtain the divine place of the celestial nymphs. By bath­ing with cold water in his house he would obtain a spotless, body. By avoiding a bath with hot water he would get the fruit of a bath at Pushkara. A man who eats from leaves would obtain the fruit (of a bath) at Kurukshetra. He who everyday sleeps on a slab of stone gets the merit due to (a bath at) Prayaga. By avoiding (drinking) water for three days he is not overcome by diseases. He who eats from copper vessels would obtain the fruit of (a bath at) Naimisha. Avoiding bell-metal he should use the remaining vessels. If no (other) vessels are available, he should use an earthen pot or vessels made by him of palasa leaves or taken from others. The wise man who for one year keeps the sacred fire and the wise one who eats from the vessels — both these are said to be equal.

42-49. The eating from the vessels made of lotus-leaves is said to be equal to the Candrayapa-vow. О brahma^a, each of the meals taken from the lotus-leaves is said to to equal to (the vow of) three nights. The fruit which is said (to accrue) from the Ekadashi-fast is (the same as) the fruit of giving everything. He would get the fruit of (visiting) all holy places. He would not see hell on eating from lotus-leaves. А ЬгаЬтаца goes to Vaikuijtha. The others would obtain heaven. This great divine tree is sin-destroying and gives all desired objects. О best king, a shudra should avoid the (use of) the middle leaf. If he eats from that he would get (i.e. live in) hell for a period of fourteen Indras. He should avoid the middle leaf and eat from others. О brahmana, that shudra who eats his meal from the middle leaf, would be purified by giving a tawny cow to a brahmana, not otherwise. A shudra who would get a cow milked in his house, and would drink (that milk), would be born as an insect in the feces (and remain like that) for ten thousand years. And being freed from the insect-stock, he would get the beast-stock (i.e. will be born as a beast).

50-63. That man (belonging to the) siidra (caste), who would drive a tawny bull, is, О Narada, roasted in the Kumbhipaka (hell) for as many years as are the hair (on his body). There is no doubt about it. If especially the shudra has a shegoat in his house, he, drinking her milk goes to Raurava (hell). That Shudra who deals with a brahmana, is said to be belonging to a noble family, and the brahmana would be cast out (of the fold of) the Vedas. A brahmana who, prompted to doing trade, obeys a shudra, becomes the resident of hell for as many years as he walks the steps. If a brahmana is sent by a shudra for getting water to his house, he would go to hell by drinking that water which is like liquor. A shudra should always give gifts to a brahmana. He should especially be devoted to him (i.e. a brahmana). Enjoying pleasures here, he goes to the next world. This (world) fashioned with the five elements is said to be useless. Therefore, he should give (gifts) to his preceptor. By that he would obtain inexhaustible fruit. О best brahmana, in this fearful Kali-age, full of sinful conduct, the wicked ones censure men of meritorious deeds. Due to censure (of others) a man becomes unhappy till the universal deluge. О wise one, there are many practices in the Kali-age. The religious practice giving merit, fulfilling desires and giving salvation is rare. A man who sleeps on the bare ground on the earth, is not troubled by dis­eases for ten thousand years. The man endowed with many sons and wealth, becomes free from leprosy. A man who eats (only) at night, would obtain the fruit of a pilgrimage. Without asking he gets the fruit of constructing wells and tanks. So also he who, averse to taking (someone’s) life, would avoid treachery. It is told in the Vedas that non-violence is a great virtue.

64-80.I have heard that everywhere giving gifts, kindness and restraint (are great virtues). Therefore, even by the great these should be done with a great effort. He who gives his body, sons and grandsons to his preceptor, would by the efficacy of the gift, become dear to Vishnu. He who is initiated by a shudra, and the shudra who initiates him — both are said to be sinners till the universal deluge. That most sinful shudra who would advise harm, drops twentyone (members of) his family into hell. О brahmana, in the Kali-age many siidras who are heretics are seen. Even for conversing with them hell is (visited by a man). By merely seeing the siidras who are engaged in (getting) sacred knowledge and who mutter the Gayatri (hymn), (the sin of) the murder of a brahmana comes (to him who sees them). The brahmanas having (marks of) conches and discs and accepted in the Vaishnava sects, and always engaged in duties enjoined by the Vedas, purify (even) the respectable brahmanas. This should always be done in the Caturmasya. What is the use of telling others things again and again, О brahmana? Those men who are Vispu’s devotees are blessed on the earth. Their family is most blessed, and their caste is said to be most blessed. The sin of him who would eat honey when Vishnu is asleep, would be great. Listen to what happens on avoiding it. He would obtain that fruit which he would get by all various sacrifices. He should avoid pomegranates, citrons and coconuts. Becoming a deity and moving in an aeroplane, he would go to Vishnu’s position. The fortunate one, being rich, is born in an affluent family. That man who would pass the four months by eating once only, is honoured in Vispu’s world for as many thousand years as the mulmrtas after the sun have passed. That man who would avoid rice, barley and wheat (in the Caturmasya), would get that fruit which is declared by the sages to be the fruit of a horse-sacrifice duly performed with gifts. He possesses wealth and grains and has many sons. The fruit of offering with Tulasi(-leaves), Sheshamum-seeds and darbhas, is especially crore-fold in Catur­masya, when he would do it with the three articles (like Tulasileaves) when Vispu is asleep.

81-94. They too rejoice near Vishgu for crores of yugas. Those who sing a line or half a line, half a fk or jks in front of Vishflu, are undoubtedly released. He who avoids sexual union when god (Vishou is asleep, i.e. during the Caturmasya) is honoured in Vishou’s world for the period of a Manu. By avoid­ing curd, milk, so also butter milk, jaggery and vegetables, a man gets release. There is no doubt about it. О sage, those men who, day after day, bathe (with water mixed) with amalaka, obtain great religious merit, (for) the wise say that the dhatri (i.e. amalaka)-fruit destroys sins. (Dhatri) was formerly created by Brahma for the emancipation of the three worlds. He who practises sandhya and silence for the four months, rejoices in Vaikuntha for the periods of four Manus. A man who cooks for himself and eats the food (cooked by himself) for four months is honoured in Indra’s world for ten thousand years. A man should resort to silence during the four months of the rainy season. He would go to Vishflu’s world, and after that to Brahma’s (world). A man who observes silence while eating, never perishes. The demons observing silence while eating, went to heaven. A man would be impure (due to) food with (i.e con­taining) worms and insects. Such food should be known as equal to cow-flesh, О best brahmaiia. That food should be known to be impure. If a man eats that, that is said to be the food which is always dear to the demons. Formerly Brahma was pleased. That magnanimous one gave it. (Men) having eaten silently, have undoubtedly gone to heaven. Tf a man eats food while talking, then by that it would become impure. He just eats sin. Therefore, he should observe silence. О Narada, eating silently should be known to be like (observing) a fast.

1. Pragfthuti: Oblations offered to the five vital breaths, viz. Ргййа, Apana, Vyftna, Udflna and Samana.

95-110. There is no doubt that the five (great) sins of him who, the best man, eats after giving the five oblations to the five breaths1, are destroyed. О ЬгаЬтаца, a garment that has joints should be worn at the time of a rite (in honour of) the manes. That garment remaining on an impure body would be impure. A man who, with a garment put around his waist on his back, passes excrement or urinates, or has sexual union, should avoid that garment (while doing holy rites). О ЬгаЬтада, the rite especially in honour of the manes should be avoided (when such a garment is put on). О sage, at all times the worship of god (Vishnu), the disc-holder, should especially be done by those who have controlled their senses. When Vishriu is asleep, grassy vege­tables and safflower (should be avoided). So also garments having joints should be carefully avoided. He who avoids these in Caturmasya, when Vishshu is asleep, would not go to hell till the universal deluge. One should not (drink) liquor, should not eat flesh of a rabbit or a pig. That man also, on being engaged in harmlessness, when, especially in Caturmasya, god Vishshu is asleep, obtains godhead. О best brahmana, he who has given up uselessly getting angry or harsh, so also sexual union on the parvan days, would obtain the fruit of a horse-sacrifice. On celibacy (being observed) the progeny grows, so also life. He should avoid flowers, leaves, fruits, a couch, rubbing his body with unctuous substances and anointing (it), so also (taking) milk for no reason, flesh and liquor. Whatever is given up in Catur­masya when Vishgu is asleep, should first be given to a brahmana. There is no doubt about this. That wealth which is given to a brahmana, is, О wise one, inexhaustible. О brahmana, thereby he gets crorefold merit. There is no doubt about this. О best brahmana, with whatever vow Vishjiu is worshipped, he gives Vishflu’s abode. No doubt should be raised in this matter. He who, in the Caturmasya when Vishi? u is asleep, does not have a vow, goes to hell, (and) his life has passed in vain. That man who everyday observes the excellent vow as told by a brahmana, so also the restraints that have been told, goes to the highest position. The gift given without the three things (viz. Tulasi, Sheshamum-seeds and darbhas) becomes useless.

111-112. Therefore, the best man, should according to his capacity and with all efforts please with vows and gifts Vishnu, the god of gods. All that gift (that is given) and that honouring of the brahma^as done without bathing are useless till the regimes of fourteen Indras last.

Narada said:

113. О lord, О master of the universe, tell me what kind of celibacy is that, having practised which human beings would pleased Vishgu.

Mahadeva said:

114-121. He who is devoted to his wife is said to be a celibate by the wise. О wise one, he who would forsake his wife, is inferior to a cabala. Approaching the wife during her menses is said to be celibacy. The man who abandons his devoted, fault­less wife, is a sinner in the world, and would obtain the (sin of) causing an abortion. Thousands of horse-sacrifices and hundreds of Vajapeya sacrifices are not equal even to a sixteenth part of the Ekadashi-fast. All (such things as) bathing, (giving) gifts, muttering (hymns), sacrifices, self-study and worship of deities done in the Caturmasya are inexhaustible. He who listens to the Purafla one time or two times, gets free from all sins and goes to Vishflu’s world. О best brahmana, he who, when Vishflu is asleep, recites or mutters his name, gets a crorefold fruit of it. A brahmana devoted to Vishnu, who worships (Vishnu), he alone, the soul of the entire religion, is worthy of respect. There is no doubt. On hearing this auspicious, pure, sin-destroying (account of) Caturmasya, a man obtains religious merit, and would obtain the fruit of a bath in Gaiiga.

 

CHAPTER SIXTYFIVE


Поделиться:



Последнее изменение этой страницы: 2019-05-04; Просмотров: 284; Нарушение авторского права страницы


lektsia.com 2007 - 2024 год. Все материалы представленные на сайте исключительно с целью ознакомления читателями и не преследуют коммерческих целей или нарушение авторских прав! (0.022 с.)
Главная | Случайная страница | Обратная связь