Chapter 17 - Narration of the Vowed Observance of Dvādaśī Day

[Full title: Narration of the Vowed Observance of Dvādaśī Day (mārgaśīrṣaśukla-dvādaśīvrata-kathana)].

[See notes regarding the dvādaśī-vrata below]

The sages said:

1. Well done O Sūta, O highly blessed one, the excellent greatness of the Gaṅgā that destroys all sins, has been related by you who have great mercy in your heart.

2. O Sūta, what did Nārada of the divine vision ask Sanaka, the excellent sage, after hearing the greatness of the Gaṅgā,

Sūta said:

3. Listen, ye all sages. 1 shall tell you what has been asked again by Nārada, the celestial sage, and what he (Sanaka) narrated.

4. After hearing the excellent greatness of the Gaṅgā that consisted of many narratives and mythological anecdotes, the son of Brahmā asked thus with great respect.

Nārada said:

5. O sage, the meritorious greatness of the Gaṅgā has been heard by me from you, the merciful. It is greatly blessed and all the topics therein have been unravelled. It is the essence of good deeds alone. It destroys sins and bestows the desired objects.

6. Those who are saintly, worship Viṣṇu well. They strive for themselves as well as for others. With different kinds of advices, they exceedingly enlighten the man of immature mind and make him delighted.

7. Therefore, narrate (in detail) the holy observances^[1] of Hari which, when performed, make Viṣṇu delighted. The merciful Lord grants devotion to those who worship him. It is known that salvation is the female slave unto it (devotion).

8. Mukunda grants salvation to those who worship and who are devoted to holy vows (pertaining to him), worship and

meditation. Pondering over the great difficulty in serving the devotees, he does not grant the paṃ of devotion to anyone.

9-O excellent sage, recount to me the holy rite that makes Hari satisfied whether it be active participation in worldly affairs or an act of renunciation. O bestower of honour, you are a devotee of Viṣṇu.”

Sanaka said:

10. “Well done, O excellent sage, well done. You are really a devotee of Puruṣottama in view of the fact that you enquire about the observances or deeds of the wielder of the Śārṅga bow (Viṣṇu) again and again.

11. I shall expound unto you the holy observances of vows that render service to the worlds and through which Hari being propitiated, grants fearlessness (i.e. Liberation from rebirth).

12. If Lord Janārdana, whose symbol is sacrifice, is pleased with anyone, he becomes happy here and hereafter and his penance flourishes.

13. Great sages say that those who are devoted to the worship of Hari, by whatever means that may be, go to the greatest abode (Vaikuṇṭha).

14. A man endowed with faith, should observe fast on the Dvādaśī (Twelfth) day in the bright half of the Mārgaśīrṣa^[2] month and worship Jalaśāyin (Lord Viṣṇu who lies in the Milk ocean) devoutly.

15-16. After duly washing the teeth, one should take one’s bath and wear clean white cloths. O excellent sage, he should be restrained in speech. With the feeling of devotion, he should worship Hari with sweet fragrant sandal paste, smelling flowers, rice grains, incense, lamps and food offerings. He should adore Viṣṇu by saying, “Obeisance to you, O Keśava.”

17. He should offer oblations of ghee and sesamum seeds into the fire one hundred and eight times. At night, he should keep awake in the vicinity of the Śālagrāma stone.

18-2la. He should perform ablution of Nārāyaṇa free from ailments, with a Prastha measure of milk. He should worship devoutly, Keśava accompanied by Mahālakṣmī three times (that day) in accompaniment of sages, musical instruments and by food offerings of various edibles and foodstuffs.

Again after getting up early in the morning and completing the accustomed daily routine, he should worship the Lord, as before controlling the sense organs and restraining the speech. He should be pure (in word and deed). Repeating the following Mantra, he should offer milk pudding mixed with ghee and accompanied by a coconut fruit to a Brāhmaṇa. He should offer the monetary gifts with devotion.

21b-24a. “May Lord Keśava, the slayer of Keśin, the bestower of all kinds of riches and prosperity, grant me what is desired, in view of this gift of excellent dish (the most exquisite cooked rice, i.e. milk pudding).” Afterwards he should feed the Brāhmaṇas according to his capacity. Absorbed in (the devotion of) Nārāyaṇa, he should also take food along with his kinsmen but with restraint in speech (i.e. in silence). He who performs the excellent worship of Keśava thus, with devotion, shall attain eight times the benefit of Puṇḍarīka sacrifice.

24b-27. On the Dvādaśī day in the bright half of the month of Pauṣa,^[3] the devotee shall observe fast. With the purity of body and mind and keeping his sense-organs in restraint, he should worship Hari saying “Obeisance to Nārāyaṇa”. He should bathe the Lord in milk and offer milk-pudding as Naivedya (offering). He should worship thrice (on that day) and keep awake during the ṃght. He should duly adore Hari by means of incense, lamps, Naivedya (offer of high dishes), scents, fragrant and charming flowers, grasses^[4][5] dances, songs and musical instruments as well as hymns. He should offer Kṛśara^[6] (a sesamum preparation) and cooked rice to a Brāhmaṇa along with ghee and monetary gifts.

28. “In view of the gift of Kṛśara and the cooked rice may Nārāyaṇa be pleased—Nārāyaṇa who is the Ātman of every one, and the Lord of all worlds, who is eternal and all-pervasive.”

29. With the above Mantra he should offer the excellent gift to a Brāhmaṇa. Thereafter, he should take food himself along with his kinsmen.

30. If a devotee worships Lord Nārāyaṇa with devotion as per above-mentioned procedure, he shall attain the benefit of eight Agniṣṭoma^[7] sacrifices in full.

31-32. On the Dvādaśī day in the bright half of the month of Māgha, he should observe fast as before, saying “Obeisance to you, Mādhava.” He should offer eight oblations with ghee. With the same measure of milk as before, he should bathe Madhava. With an attentive mind, he should worship with flowers, raw rice, grains and scents.

33. As before, endowed with great devotion, he should keep awake during the night. After finishing the morning duties, he should worship Mādhava again.

34. For the purpose of liberation from all sins, he should offer a Prastha measure of sesamum seeds to a Brāhmaṇa with due recital of the following Mantra and offer a cloth and the monetary gifts as well.

35. “May Mādhava, the Ātman of all living beings, the bestower of the benefits of all holy rites, grant all desires, in view of this great gift of sesamum seeds”.

36. Repeating this Mantra he should offer it to a Brāhmaṇa. Endowed with devotion and piety, he should feed Brāhmaṇas according to his capacity, remembering Lord Mādhava.

37. O sage, he who performs the holy observance thus and offers the gift of sesamum seeds, shall attain full benefit of a hundred Vājapeya^[8] sacrifices.

38. On the Dvādaśī day in the bright half of the month of Phālguna, the devotee should observe fast. The observer of this holy vow should say, “Obeisance to you, O Govinda.”

39. After offering to fire one hundred and eight oblations of sesamum seeds mixed with ghee, he should bathe Govinda with the aforesaid quantity of milk. He should be pure in body and in mind.

40. He should keep awake during the night and perform worship thrice on that day. After concluding the morning routine, he should worship Govinda again.

41-43a. He should offer an Āḍhaka measure of cereals to a Brāhmaṇa along with a cloth and the usual Dakṣiṇā with (the mantra) “Obeisance, O Govinda, O Lord of all, O lover of cowherdess folk, O preceptor of the universe, be delighted with this gift of grains.” After observing thus the holy

vow, he shall be absolved of all sins. The man shall attain the full merit of Gomedhamakha (cow sacrifice).

43b-46. On the Dvādaśī day in the bright half of the month of Caitra, the devotee should observe fast and worship as before, saying, “Obeisance to You, O Viṣṇu.” He should bathe Viṣṇu in milk of the same quantity as before, in accordance with his ability. O Brāhmaṇa, similarly, he should bathe the Lord in a Prastha of ghee with due respect. As before, the observer of the vow should keep awake during the ṃght and perform worship. Then he should get up early in the morning and finish the daily morning dudes. He should offer one hundred and eight oblations of a mixture of honey, ghee and sesamum seeds.

47-49a. Thereafter, he should offer an Āḍhaka measure of rice mixed with honey, ghee and sesamum seeds to a Brāhmaṇa, accompanied by the usual religious fee, uttering the Mantra—“May Janārdana be pleased with this gift of an Āḍhaka of rice grains,—Janārdana who is Mahāviṣṇu in the form of Prāṇa (vital breath), who is the bestower of Prāṇa and is the lover of everyone.” By doing thus with devotion, the man shall be freed from all sins. He shall acquire the benefit of the sacrifice Atyagniṣṭoma^[9] increased eightfold.

49b-52a. One should observe fast on the Dvādaśī day in the bright half of the month of Vaiśākha and with great devotion bathe Madhusūdana the Lord of Devas with milk measuring a Droṇa. Keeping awake during the night is obligatory, along with the worship for three times on that day. With the repetition of the mantra “Obeisance to you the slayer of Madhu”, he should perform Homa with ghee according to his capacity. After duly worshipping Madhusūdana with oblations for one hundred and eight times, he shall be freed from sins. He shall attain the benefit of eight horse-sacrifices.

52b-57. The devotee should observe fast on the Dvādaśī day in the bright half of the month of Jyeṣṭha and bathe Trivikrama in an Āḍhaka measure of milk. Endowed with devotion he should worship, saying, “Obeisance to Trivikrama”. He should offer one hundred and eight oblations with the milk pudding itself. After keeping awake during the night, he should again perform worship. Along with the usual Dakṣiṇā, he should offer twenty sweet fried cakes to Brāhmaṇas with the

mantra, “O Lord of the Universe, O Lord of Devas, O Supreme Lord, be pleased. Accepting this present, be the bestower of what is desired by me.” In accordance with his capacity, he should feed the Brāhmaṇas. He should himself take food observing restraint in speech. He who thus performs the great holy observance pertaining to Trivikrama, shall be devoid of sins and shall attain the benefit of eight Naramedhas^[10] (human sacrifices).

58. On the Dvādaśī day in the bright half of the month of Āṣāḍha, one should observe fast and keep all sense organs under control. The observer of the holy vow should bathe Vāmana in milk, of the same quantity as mentioned before.

59. He should worship by saying, “Obeisance to you, to Vāmana”. After offering hundred and eight oblations with ghee and the Dūrvā grass, he should keep awake during the night. He should worship Vāmana again.

60. With great piety, he should offer cooked rice with curds, to a Brāhmaṇa regularly worshipping Vāmana, along with the usual Dakṣiṇās and a coconut fruit.

61. “Vāmana is the bestower of intellect. He is the sacrificial priest. Vāmana is always present in the materials (of worship). Vāmana is the redeemer from this (worldly existence). Obeisance, obeisance, to Vāmana.”

62. With this Mantra, he should offer the cooked rice with curds. In accordance with his capacity, he should feed the Brāhmaṇas. By doing thus, the devotee shall attain the benefit of a hundred Agniṣṭomas.

63. On the Dvādaśī day in the bright half of the month of Śrāvaṇa, the observer of the holy vow should observe fast and bathe god Śrīdhara in milk mixed with honey.

64. He should worship him saying, “Obeisance be to Śrīdhara”, and offering scents, etc. in due order. O sage, he should offer one hundred and eight oblations of Pṛṣadājya (ghee mixed with coagulated milk).

65-67. After keeping awake at night, he should perform the worship again. Excellent milk measuring an Āḍhaka must be given to a Brāhmaṇa along with a cloth and the usual religious fee, together with two golden earrings: O leading Brāhmaṇa, in order to realize all the cherished desires, he should repeat the following Mantra: “O Lord Rāma, O Lord of Devas, reposing in the milk ocean, O Lord of the Universe, be delighted with this gift of milk. Be the bestower of all happiness.”

68. In view of its being pleasure-bestowing, the performer of the holy rite should feed the Brāhmaṇas in accordance with his capacity. By performing thus, the devotee attains the benefit of, a thousand horse sacrifices.

69. On the Dvādaśī day in the bright half of the month of Bhādrapada, the devotee should observe fast, duly bathe Hṛṣīkeśa, the preceptor of the universe, in milk measuring a droṇa.

70. The man should worship saying, “O Hṛṣīkeśa, obeisance to you.” He should perform the Homa^[11] with Caru (a preparation of boiled rice, barley and pulse) mixed with honey offering oblations one hundred and eight times.

71. After completing the rites of keeping awake, etc., he should give to a knower of the Ātman one and a half Āḍhakas of wheat with Dakṣiṇā and gold according to one’s capacity.

72. With the Mantra, “O Hṛṣīkeśa, obeisance to you, the sole cause of all worlds. Grant all happiness unto me, in view of this gift of wheat.”

73. According to his capacity he should feed the Brāhmaṇas, and should himself take food with restrained speech. He shall be absolved of all sins and shall attain the benefit of Brahmamedha.^[12]

74. On the Dvādaśī day in the bright half of the month of Āśvina, the devotee should observe fast. With great devotion and purity, he should bathe Padmanābha with milk.

75. He should perform Homa in accordance with his capacity saying, “Obeisance to you, to Padmanābha. In accordance with the injunctions, he should perform worship with sesamum seeds, cereals, barley and ghee.

76. After keeping awake during the night, he should perform worship again. He should give a Kuḍava (measure) of honey along with the usual Dakṣiṇā to a Brāhmaṇa.

77. (The mantra shall be)—“O Padmanābha, obeisance to you, O grandfather of all worlds, be delighted with the gift of honey. Be the bestower of all happiness.”

78. He who intelligently and devoutly performs the holy vow pertaining to Padmanābha certainly attains the benefit of a thousand Brahmamedhas.

79-82a. On the Dvādaśī day in the bright half of the month of Kārttika, the devotee should observe fast. He should control all his sense-orgṇns. Saying “Obeisance to Dāmodara” with devotional feelings, he should bathe Dāmodara with milk, curds or ghee measuring an Āḍhaka. He should perform a hundred and eight Āhutis with sesamum seeds soaked in honey and ghee. He should invariably observe the vow of keepṃg awake (during the night), and should be devoted to the performance of worship thrice a day. In the morning he should worship the Lord with charming lotus flowers. Again, he should perform Homa with one hundred and eight oblations of sesamum seeds and ghee.

82b-85. With great devotion he should give to a Brāhmaṇa, cooked rice along with five Bhakṣyas (side dishes of edible things). (The mantra) “O Dāmodara, O Lord of the universe, O cause of all causes, save- me compassionately. O Lord, O protector of those who seek refuge.” With this Mantra he should give the charitable gift to a Brāhmaṇa, well-versed in the Vedas but burdened with a large family. In accordance with his capacity, he must give Dakṣiṇā and feed the Brāhmaṇas. After performing the holy rites duly, the devotee should take food along with his kinsmen. He attains twice the benefit of a thousand horse-sacrifices.

86. O excellent sage, he who performs these excellent Dvādaśī-vratas for a year, attains the highest region.

87. He who devotedly performs these rites for one or two months, attains their respective benefits as well as Hari’s region.

88-90. After performing the observance of the vow for one full year, the devotee should perform the Udyāpana rite (formally concluding it), O leading sage, on the Dvādaśī day in the dark half of Mārgaśīrṣa. He should take his bath early in the morning in accordance with his prescribed course of duties, after duly cleaning the teeth. He should wear white garments and garlands with white unguents and scents. He should erect an exquisite pandal, splendid in form and square in shape. It should be fitted with bells, chowries, etc. and embellished with tinkling bells.

91-92. It must be bedecked in flowers and garlands. Canopy and banners shall add to its splendour. It should be screened with a white cloth. Rows of lamps would beautify it. In its middle a Sarvatobhadra (an auspicious design or ‘Maṇḍala’ in five colours) [See notes regarding Sarvatobhadra-Maṇḍala] should be made. It should be duly beautified. The devotee should place twelve jars filled with water on that platform.

93. Five kinds of precious stones^[13] must be put inside the jars and all of the jars with five kinds of precious stones deposited in them, should be covered with a well-washed white cloth,

94. O Brāhmaṇa, the performer of the holy rites should devoutly make the image of Lakṣmīnārāyaṇa in gold, silver or copper.

95. The devotee with good control over his sense-organs, should place the image on the jars. Or its price or gold according to his capacity may be placed (on the jars), O excellent Brāhmaṇa.

96. In all holy rites the sensible devotee should avoid dishonesty or perfidy in money. If he commits it, his span of life, wealth and riches will dwindle down.

97. At the outset, the devotee endowed with piety should bathe Lord Nārāyaṇa who, free from all ailments, is lying on (the serpent) Ananta, with Pañcāmṛta (the mixture of five sweet things, viz. milk, curds, ghee, honey and sugar).

98. The services rendered (prostration, etc.) should be based on Keśava and other names (of Viṣṇu). He should keep awake during the night, by listening to Purāṇas, etc.

99. He should bring under control slumber. Observing fasts, he should subdue his sense organs. In accordance with his capacity and wealth, he should worship the Lord, thrice in a day.

100. Getting up early in the morning and finishing the routine duties of the morning, he should, through Brāhmaṇas, get offered a thousand oblations of sesamum seed while repeating the Vyāhṛti mantras.

101. Thereafter, he should worship the Lord with scents, flowers, etc. in the prescribed order. In front of the Lord, he should listen to the Purāṇas.

102. He should give cooked rice mixed with curds, milk pudding, ten Apūpas (sweet pies or sweet round cakes) with ghee, to twelve Brāhmaṇas along with the usual dakṣiṇā.

103. “O Lord of gods, O Lord of the universe, O lord whose person is for the purpose of blessing the devotees, O Kṛṣṇa, accept the present. Be the bestower of all desired objects.”

104. With this Mantra, he should offer gifts. With palms joined in reverence, he should pray. The performer of the Vrata should kneel on the ground humbly,

105. (Prayer)—“Obeisance, obeisance to you, O king of the kings of Devas. Obeisance be to you, O Lord, O receptacle of the worlds, render the fruit of my vow complete today. Obeisance be to you, O Supreme Person.’

106. Thus, he should pray to the Brāhmaṇas and to Lord Puruṣottama. He should offer Arghya to the Lord accompanied by Mahālakṣmī.

107. “O Lord of Lakṣmī, obeisance to you, to the resident of the milk ocean. O Lord of Devas, accompanied by Lakṣmī, accept the Arghya.

108. I salute Acyuta whose remembrance and the utterance of whose name makes whatever is deficient in penance, performance of sacrifice and other rites compensated immediately and made perfect and complete.”

109. After having prayed thus to the Lord of Devas, the devotee should offer the image to the preceptor along with Dakṣiṇā.

110. Thereafter, he should feed the Brāhmaṇas according to his capacity. He should give them Dakṣiṇās also. Afterwards, restrained in speech, he should himself take food surrounded by his kinsmen.

111-113. In the company of learned men, he should listen to the story of Viṣṇu till evening. The man who thus observes the Dvādaśī vow, O Nārada, attains all desires both here and hereafter. Absolved of all sins, accompanied by twenty-one generations of his family, he goes to Viṣṇu’s abode after reaching which none feels grieved.

O Brāhmaṇa, the man who listens to this excellent Dvādaśī Vrata, or reads it, attains the benefit of Vājapeya sacrifice.

Notes regarding the dvādaśī-vrata:

Although the colophon states Mārga-śīrṣa-Śukla-Dvādaśī-Vrata-Kathana as the heading of the chapter, here what is known as Dvādaśīvrata is described. The Vrata is to start on the 12th day of the bright half of Mārgaśīrṣa and god Viṣṇu in the form of Keśava, is to be adored. The following is the list of the forms of Viṣṇu to be worshipped on the particular Dvādaśī.

Dvādaśī (Twelfth) day in the bright half of the month of:	Special Form of Viṣṇu to be worshipped.
1. Mārgaśīrṣa	Keśava
2. Pauṣa	Nārāyaṇa
3. Māgha	Mādhava
4. Phālguna	Govinda
5. Caitra	Viṣṇu
6. Vaiśākha	Madhusūdana
7. Jyeṣṭha	Trivikrama
8. Aṣāḍha	Vāmana
9. Śrāvaṇa	Śrīdhara
10. Bhādrapada	Hṛṣīkeśa
11. Āśvina	Padmanābha
12. Kārttika	Dāmodara.

All these forms are according to the serial order of the twenty four names of Viṣṇu in the Sandhyā (twilight) prayer.

The general formula of the observance of this Vrata is as follows:

Observance of fast—wearing white garments after bath—worship of Viṣṇu in Keśava form with the usual materials and offerings—observance of silence during worship—offering of one hundred and eight oblations in fire—observance of vigil at night near the Śālagrāma stone—The next day, the deity to be bathed in milk (or a milk product)—worship three times a day along with Lakṣmī—Final Naivedya-of Pāyasa (Rice-puddṃg) with a cocoa-nut and Dakṣiṇā to be offered to a Brāhmaṇa—Feeding of Brāhmaṇas—Breaking of fast along with one’s kinsmen but with control over speech.

There are minor variations with each Dvādaśī but the outline is the same. After observing this Vrata for full one year, there is its Udyāpana (concluding rite).

It is found that this Vrata is the same as given in Mahābhārata Aṃśāsana Ch. 109 and is called there [viṣṇor dvādaśakam] or twelve days dedicated to god Viṣṇu, Agni Purāṇa. Ch. 188 gives a number of Dvādaśī Vratas different from that in the Nārada Purāṇa, Out of fifty such Vratas, Kṛtya-kalpataru (Vratakāṇḍa) describes 26 Vratas, Hemādri in Caturvarga Cintāmaṇi (Vratakhaṇḍa I, pp. 1162—1222) describes these various Vratas. This has been a very popular Vrata as it is described in various Dharma-Sāstra digests.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Vratāni—The Purāṇic concept of Vrata implies “any undertaking, religious or ascetic performance or observance, vow or religious duty and thus seems to be an amalgam of ṛta, dharman and Vrata concepts of the Vedic period. Later on, Vrata became Vratadharma and had a strong hold on the public.

[2]:

These verses describe how to observe the Dvādaśīvrata (from the month of and) for the month of Mārgaśīrṣa. As is well-known, Lord Kṛṣṇa declares himself to be Mārgaśīrṣa among the months of the year (māsānām mārgaśīrṣo'ham) in BG. X. 35. Hence, the propriety of beginning this Viṣṇu-vrata from Mārgaśīrṣa.

[3]:

These verses describe the observance of Dvādaśī-vrata in the month of Pauṣa.

[4]:

Tṛṇaiḥ is most probably a misprint for Tūryaiḥ ‘with trumpets.’ The Veṅkaṭeśvara Press edition of this Purāṇa has a number of such misprints. But as the corresponding verse in The Bṛhannāradīya XVI. 17 is nṛtyaiḥ and that suits better in this context, I have translated ‘dances’.

[5]:

Tṛṇa is probably a misprint for tūrya—a musical instrument. But the corresponding line in the Bṛhannāradīya (Upa-Purāṇa) xvi. 16 is—nṛtyair gītaiḥ pravādyaiś ca stotraiś cāpi yajed harim—shows that the original word is “nṛtyaiḥ”.

[6]:

Kṛśara according to Skd. is as Tulya-tilānnam, but Kṛśarā is what is known as Khicarī (खिचड़ी—khicaṛī) in Hindi and Marathi. If Kṛśarānnam is dissolved as Kṛśarā + anna ‘the spicy preparation of rice and pulse (dāl)’ gives a better meaning.

[7]:

Name of a Soma sacrifice. Sacrifices are divided into iṣṭi, paśu and soma. There are seven forms of the Soma sacrifices, viz. Agniṣṭoma, Atyagniṣṭoma, Ukthya, Ṣoḍaśin, Vājapeya, Atirātra and Āptoryāma. The Agniṣṭoma is the model of all Soma sacrifices. The Agniṣṭoma is of one day duration (ekāha) and is an integral part of Jyotiṣṭoma and hence both are many times identified. (For details of this sacrifice vide History of Dharma Śāstra Vol. II. Ch. XXXIII pp. 1133-1203).

[8]:

Vājapeya—Though this is a form of Jyotiṣṭoma and though it follows the procedure of the Soma sacrifice called Ṣoḍaśin, it has many special features which may claim the class of an independent sacrifice. The characteristic feature is that the number seventeen has a special significance in this sacrifice. For example: there are 17 Stotras, 17 Śastras, 17 objects as sacrificial fee, etc. It gives sovereignty or post of Indra to the sacrificer (For details History of Dharma Śāstra II.ii. pp. 1206-1214).

[9]:

Atyagniṣṭoma—a variety of Agniṣṭoma (see note above). Here only the Ṣoḍaśī Stotra and Ṣoḍaśin cup are added (vide S.B.E. 41, p. XVII).

[10]:

Naramedha though literally translated as ‘human sacrifice’ in the bracket, actually involves no killing of Human beings. This point is generally overlooked by its critics. It is only a symbolism.

[11]:

Hunet is obviously an ārṣa form of Pot 3 P. sg. of √hu—‘to offer oblations, perform a sacrifice’.

[12]:

Brahmamedhas is Brahmayajña or recitation of Vedas. Its earliest description is given in Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa XI.5.6.3-8. It defines—svādhyāyo vai brahmayajñaḥ—‘Recitation of Veda, etc. is Brahmayajña.

It is a daily duty, but now-a-days, it is formally recited in a nut-shell on the Śrāvaṇi day in the Deccan. The reference in the Nārada Purāṇa shows the great importance given to the recitation of the Vedas in those days.

[13]:

There is a difference of opinion about the ‘five jewels’ (pañcaratnas) to be deposited in the jars. According to Āditya Purāṇa quoted in Caturvarga Cintāmaṇi Vrata Khaṇḍa 1.47, they are gold, silver, pearl, coral and rājāvarta (Lapis Lazuli) but, according to Kālikā Purāṇa quoted in Caturvarga Cintāmaṇi on Kāla p. 413 they are: gold, diamond, sapphire, ruby anḍ pearl. Vratarāja p. 6 quotes these and adds one more from the Viṣṇudharmottara as follows:

It gives the list of nine precious stones:

muktāphalaṃ hiraṇyaṃ ca vaidūryam padmarāgakam /
puṣparāgaṃ ca gomedaṃ nīlaṃ gārutmakaṃ tathā /
pravāla-yuktānyuktāni mahāratnāni vā nava //

They are pearls, gold, lapis lazuli, ruby, topaz, gomeda (a gem found in the Himalayas. It is of four different colours, viz. white, pale, yellow, red and dark blue), a sapphire, an emerald and corah.