Kartika Best among Months and Ekadashi among Days

Satya said:

1-2. To him of the nature of time, all the parts of time are equal. Then how is Kartika the best among the months? O lord of the god of gods, how is it that to you Ekadashi among days and Kartika among months are dear? Tell (me) the reason for this. ShriKrishna said:

3-4. O Satya, you have asked well. Listen with a concentrated mind a dialogue between Vena's son Prithu and the divine sage Narada. What you have asked, O dear one, formerly Narada was also asked by Prithu. The omniscient sage told the reason for the superiority of Kartika. Narada said:

5-17. Formerly there was a demon, the son of the Ocean, named Sankha. He was able to destroy the three worlds and had great power and valour. The great demon, having vanquished the gods, drove them out of heaven. He also snatched the powers of the regents like Indra. Due to his fear gods along with the ladies in their harems and with Indra went to the cave of the Meru mountain and lived there for many years. When the gods who lived in the cave of the Meru mountain, could not be subjugated by the demon, he thought: 'Even though the gods have been vanquished and their powers snatched by me, yet they are full of power. What should I do now? Today it is known (i.e. realised) by me that the gods are endowed with the power of the Vedic hymns. I shall snatch them. Then all of them will be powerless.' Then the mighty demon thinking like this and noticing Vishnu to be asleep, quickly snatched from the Satya world the group of the Vedas. He took the Vedas. Due to his fear they moved out, and with the sacrifice and hymns they entered the water (of the ocean). Sankha also, looking for them and wandering in the interior of the ocean, did not notice them anywhere seated at one place. Then Brahma with the gods sought the shelter of Vishnu. Taking the materials of worship he went to Vishnu's house. There the gods performed acts like singing, playing upon musical instruments, and repeatedly (offered him) sandal, flowers, incense and lights. Then the lord devoutly pleased by them, got up. He, having the lustre of a thousand suns was seen there by all the gods. The gods then having worshipped him in sixteen ways fell (i.e. prostrated themselves) on the earth like a staff. Then Vishnu said to them: Vishnu said:

18-31. O groups of gods, by means of the auspicious (acts) like singing and (playing upon) the musical instruments, I (am pleased and) will grant you boons. I shall give you all objects desired by your mind. From the Ekadashi in the bright half of Asvina till the Udbodhini Ekadashi men will daily do as you did with the auspicious (acts) like singing, (playing upon) musical instruments etc. They (will) do what is dear to me, and will ever remain in my vicinity. Since what you did — (offering) water for washing the feet, respectful oblation, and (offering) water for sipping, — has had wonderful effect, it has become the cause of your happiness. O gods, all the Vedas snatched by Sankha remain in water. Having killed the Ocean's son, I shall bring them (back). May the Vedas with the basic hymns and sacrifice always rest in water from today in the month of Kartika every year. From today I (shall) also remain in water. Along with the chief sages you may also come with me. There is no doubt that those best brahmanas who during this period bathe (daily) in the morning, have well performed the ablution at the end of a sacrifice. O Indra, those men who everyday properly observe the vow in Kartika, should be always brought by you to my house on their death. And by my order they are always to be protected from dangers. O Varuna, you should give them progeny — sons and grandsons etc. O Kubera, you have to increase their wealth by my order. Those men, liberated while alive, actually have my form. Those (men) who have from birth to death observed this best vow according to the rule laid down (in the holy texts), should also be honoured by you. Since you awoke me on the day of Ekadashi, therefore, this day is always venerable and gives me joy. This couple of vows, properly observed by men, always gives Krishna's proximity. No other vow (does it). O best gods, gifts, (visits to) holy places, austerities, sacrifices, do not always give (i.e. lead to) heaven.

 

CHAPTER NINETYONE

The Greatness of Prayaga

Narada said: 1-4a.

Saying so, Vishnu taking up a form resembling a small glittering fish fell into the hollow of the hands of Kasyapa at his residence on the Vindhya (mountain). The sage kindly and quickly put him into (his) water-pot. When it could not contain itself there, he put it into a well. When it could not contain itself there, he put it into a lake. In this way it was (in the end) put into the sea. It grew there also. Then Vishnu, having the form of the fish, killed Sankha. Then taking him in his hand he came to the Badari-forest. Calling all the sages there, he ordered them (like) this. ShriKrishnasaid:

4b-6. Remove the Vedas dropped into the water. Quickly bring them with the Upanisads from the interior of the water. Till then I, with the group of deities, shall live at Prayaga. Narada said:

7-11. Then all the sages, endowed with the power of penance, lifted the Vedas with the six Vedangas and with sacrifices. Since then that sage who got a portion of them (i.e. the Vedas) became the seer of that (much portion), O king. Then all the sages together went to Prayaga. They presented the Vedas obtained by them to Vishnu with the Creator. Brahma, obtaining the Vedas with the sacrifices was delighted; and with the group of deities and sages he performed the horse-sacrifice. At the end of the sacrifice lords of gods, siddhas, serpents, yaksas fell (i.e. prostrated themselves) like a staff, and requested (Vishnu). Gods said:

12-15. O god of gods, O lord of the world, O master, listen to our request. This is time for our joy. Therefore, be a giver of a boon. O Rama's lord, the sages themselves have brought to this place the lost Vedas. Due to your favour we have received shares in the sacrifice. May this place always be, by your grace, the best one on the earth. It should increase religious merit and give pleasures and salvation. May this time also be highly meritorious, and may it purify the killers etc. of brahmanas. May it give inexhaustible (objects). Grant us this boon. ShriKrishna said:

16-28. O gods, I think in the same way as you have said. Let it be so. May this (place) be famous as Brahmaksetra. A king born in the solar dynasty will bring Ganga here. She will be here united with Yamuna, the daughter of the Sun. All of you, Brahma and others, (should) live here with me. This holy place will be well-known as Tirtha-raja ('king of holy places'). May acts like (giving) gifts, (practising) penance, (observing) vows, (offering) a sacrifice, muttering (hymns), and* worship give inexhaustible fruits. May they always give proximity with me. May sins like the murder of a brahmana committed during many existences perish the very moment at the sight of this holy place. Similarly the wise cast their bodies in my vicinity. Those men enter my body only and not a new existence. May the groups of the dead ancestors of those who come here and offer a sraddha intended for the dead ancestors, have the same world as mine. May this very auspicious period also be always fruitful to men. The sin of those who bathe (here) when the Sun has entered Capricornus, perishes. Merely on seeing those who bathe (daily) in the morning in Magha when the Sun is in Capricornus, sins go away, as darkness on (the appearance of) the Sun. As a result of the (daily) bath in Magha when the Sun is in Capricornus, I grant men the triad, viz. the same world, the same form (as mine), and proximity (with me) in this order. O best sages, listen all of you. I am the giver of boons to you. I, the omniscient one, always live in Badarivana. That fruit which you get after ten years by (practising) penance at other place, is always got here by you within a day. Those best men who see that place, are liberated while alive. Then no sin resides in them. Suta said:

29-30. Having spoken like this to the gods, the god of gods vanished there only with Brahma. All gods also lived there in portions. And those (gods), Indra and others, vanished. That best man of a pure heart who would listen to this religious verse or make others listen to it (i.e. tell it to others), would obtain the fruit which is obtained in the lord of holy places, Badarivana, and (would) also (obtain) me.

1. 'Me' here standing for Suta obviously has no relevance.

CHAPTER NINETYTWO

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