Matsyapurana 7

English (machine translation) 7

Language: English

7.1

The sages said: / How were the Maruts, dear to the gods, born as sons of Diti, / and how did they enter into the best of friendship with the gods, their rival brothers?

7.2

Sūta said: / Formerly, in the war between gods and Asuras, when her sons and grandsons were destroyed / by Hari and the Suras, [Diti], stricken with grief, went to the excellent world of mortals.

7.3

In the holy place Syamantapañcaka, on the auspicious bank of the Sarasvatī, / intent on worshipping her husband, she performed fierce austerities.

7.4

Then Diti, the mother of the Daityas, faithful to her vows, in the form of a sage, / subsisting on fruit, performed austerities, such as the Kṛcchra and Cāndrāyaṇa penances.

7.5

When a full century of years had passed, worn down by old age and sorrow, / she, tormented by penance, questioned Vasiṣṭha and other [sages]:

7.6

“Please tell me of a vow that destroys grief for one's sons, / that yields the fruit of good fortune in this world and the next.”

7.7

The sages led by Vasiṣṭha spoke of the Madanadvādaśī vow, / by whose power she became free from sorrow for her sons.

7.8

The sages said: / We wish to hear, O Sūta, about the Madanadvādaśī vow, / by which Diti regained forty-nine sons.

7.9

Sūta said: / That excellent [vow] which was formerly spoken by Vasiṣṭha and others to Diti, / hear that from me now in full detail.

7.10

In the month of Caitra, during the bright fortnight, on the twelfth lunar day, one restrained in vows / should set up an unblemished water-pot filled with white rice,

7.11

furnished with various fruits, likewise provided with sugar-cane stalks, / covered with a pair of white cloths, and smeared with white sandalwood paste.

7.12

Accompanied by various foods, and with gold according to one's means, / one should place a copper vessel filled with jaggery on top of it.

7.13

Upon that, one should place Kāma seated on a plantain leaf, / and to his left, one should make [the image of] Rati accompanied by sugar.

7.14

Then one should offer perfume and incense, and arrange for singing and instrumental music; / in their absence, a man should recite the narration of Kāma and Keśava.

7.15

One should bathe the image of Hari with scented water while reciting Kāma's name, / and worship Madhusūdana with white flowers, unbroken grains, and sesame seeds.

7.16

Having worshipped the feet saying “To Kāma”, the shanks saying “To the Bestower of good fortune”, / the thighs saying “To Smara”, and the waist saying “To Manmatha”,

7.17

the belly saying “To Him with a pure belly”, the chest of Hari saying “To Anaṅga”, / the face saying “To Him of lotus face”, the arms saying “To the Five-arrowed one”,

7.18

and the crown saying “Salutation to the Universal Self”, one should worship Keśava in this manner. / Then, at daybreak, one should present that pot to a brāhmaṇa.

7.19

One should feed brāhmaṇas with devotion, and oneself [eat] without salt; / having eaten, one should give a priestly gift and utter this mantra:

7.20

“May the Lord Janārdana, who takes the form of Kāma, be pleased here— / he who is called the joy in the hearts of all living beings.”

7.21

Following this rule, one should perform the entire vow month by month; / fasting on the thirteenth day, one should worship imperishable Viṣṇu.

7.22

Having eaten a single fruit, one should sleep on the bare ground on the twelfth day. / Then, in the thirteenth month, accompanied by a cow of clarified butter,

7.23

one should give a bed furnished with all utensils to Anaṅga, / along with a golden Kāmadeva and a white, milch cow.

7.24

A brāhmaṇa couple should be honored with garments and ornaments according to one’s means; / one should give the bed, perfumes, and other items, declaring, “May [the Lord] be pleased.”

7.25

A fire sacrifice should be performed with white sesame seeds, and the knower of righteousness / should recite the names of Kāma, [offering] oblations of cow's milk products and milk rice.

7.26

One should give food to the brāhmaṇas and avoid deceit regarding wealth; / one should then offer sugar-cane stalks and flower garlands according to one’s means.

7.27

Whoever observes this Madanadvādaśī according to this rule / is freed from all sins and attains likeness with Hari.

7.28

In this world one obtains excellent sons and the fruit of good fortune. / Smara is remembered as Viṣṇu, whose essence is joy, the great lord.

7.29

Desiring happiness, one should meditate on the Lord born of the body in the form of Kāma. / Having heard this, Diti performed it all completely.

7.30

Kaśyapa, through the power of that vow, arrived with great joy / and made her, who had become emaciated and rough, full of beauty and youth once again.

7.31

He offered her boons, and she then chose a boon: / a son capable of slaying Śakra, possessing boundless might.

7.32

"I choose a great-souled slayer of all the immortals!" / Kaśyapa then spoke these words regarding a mighty slayer of Indra:

7.33

"I myself will surely grant this here; however, let this be done, O fair one: / let Āpastamba perform the sacrifice for obtaining a son today, O lady of good vows.

7.34

Then I shall establish the embryo that will slay Indra's enemies." / Then Āpastamba performed the sacrifice for obtaining a son with abundant wealth.

7.35

He offered oblations at full length, saying: "Become an enemy of Indra!" / The gods rejoiced, and the Daityas and Dānavas were averted.

7.36

Then Kaśyapa deposited the embryo in Diti and spoke to her again: / "Indeed, you must take care regarding this embryo, O fair-faced lady!

7.37

For a single hundred years in this very penance grove / a pregnant woman must never eat during twilight, O woman of excellent complexion!

7.38

She should never stand nor walk at the roots of trees; / she should not sit on domestic implements such as pestles and mortars;

7.39

she should not plunge into water and should avoid a deserted house; / she should not stand on an anthill and should not become anxious in mind;

7.40

she should not scratch the earth with her nails, nor with charcoal, nor with ashes; / she should not constantly stay asleep, and she should completely avoid physical exertion;

7.41

she should not sit upon chaff, charcoal, ashes, bones, or potsherds; / she should avoid quarreling with people, and likewise contorting her limbs;

7.42

she should not remain with disheveled hair, nor should she ever be impure; / she should never sleep with her head to the north, nor with her head to the west;

7.43

a virtuous wife should not be unclad, nor agitated, nor with wet feet; / she should not utter inauspicious words, nor indulge in excessive laughter;

7.44

she should render service to her elders, always devoted to auspicious matters; / she should take her bath with all herbs and lukewarm water;

with protective rites performed, well-adorned, and devoted to the worship of the dwelling's guardian deities, / she should remain with a cheerful face, intent on what is pleasing and beneficial to her husband;

7.46

charitable, she should observe the fast at night on the third day of each fortnight. / Such should be the conduct of a woman, especially one who is pregnant.

7.47

The son who is born to her will be endowed with good conduct, longevity, and prosperity; / otherwise, she will suffer a miscarriage, of this there is no doubt.

7.48

Therefore, by this manner of life, take care regarding this embryo. / May there be welfare for you; I shall depart." Having been answered by her with "So be it,"

7.49

he vanished right there while all living beings were watching. / Thereupon she conducted herself in accordance with the rule spoken by Kaśyapa.

7.50

Then Indra also, terrified, approached the side of Diti; / having abandoned the abode of the gods, he remained there eager to serve her.

7.51

The chastiser of Pāka was seeking a lapse on Diti's part; / he was humble, calm, with a serene countenance outwardly,

7.52

[acting as if] indeed unaware of that design, performing good on his own part. / Then, at the end of a hundred years less by three days,

7.53

she considered herself successful, her mind astonished with joy. / Without washing her feet, she fell fast asleep with disheveled hair,

7.54

overcome by the weight of sleep during the day, with her head toward the west. / Thereupon Śacī's lord, having obtained that opportunity, entered [her womb].

7.55

The sovereign of the thirty [gods] cut that embryo into seven parts with his thunderbolt. / Then those boys were born as seven, radiant like the sun.

7.56

Crying out, those seven boys were checked by the cleaver of mountains; / as they cried out again, Hari [divided] each one sevenfold.

7.57

The slayer of Vṛtra indeed cut them again while standing inside her womb; / thus having become forty-nine, they wept vehemently.

7.58

Indra forbade them again and again: "Do not weep!" / Then the slayer of Vṛtra thought: "What is this?

7.59

By the greatness of what pious deed have these been restored to life?" / Having understood through the power of meditation that it was the fruit of the Madanadvādaśī vow,

7.60

[he thought:] "Surely this has now ripened from the worship of Kṛṣṇa; / even when struck by the thunderbolt, they could not meet with destruction.

7.61

Since even one inside the womb has fully attained multiplicity, / they are surely inviolable; therefore let them become gods!

7.62

Because they were told 'Do not weep' (mā ruda) as they wept inside the womb, / let them be named Maruts and share in the sacrificial offerings."

7.63

Then the lord of the gods, propitiating Diti, [said:] "Pardon me! / Resorting to political expedience, this evil deed was done by me."

7.64

Having made the host of Maruts equal to the gods, the lord of the immortals / placed Diti with her sons upon a celestial chariot and led them to heaven.

7.65

The Maruts became enjoyers of sacrificial shares, O twice-born; / they did not join the Asuras, and therefore they became beloved of the gods.

Translations (1)

The Matsya Puranam — A Taluqdar of Oudh 1916, English

Linked texts (1)

Matsyapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit