Skandapurana 6.3.233

6.3.233.p1

satyanārāyaṇavratakathāḥviśeṣavratapūjāḥ - budhāṣṭamīvratāṅgapūjāvidhi:
..atha-kathā..
"vyāsa-uvāca ..

6.3.233.1

"ekadā naimiṣāraṇye ṛṣaya: śaunakādaya:.. papracchurmunaya:sarve sūtaṃ paurāṇikaṃ khalu..1.. ṛṣaya ūcu:.

Once in Naimiṣāraṇya, all the seers, Śaunaka and the others, / asked the purāṇic storyteller Sūta indeed. The seers said: 1

6.3.233.2

vratena tapasā kiṃvā prāpyate vāñchitaṃ phalam .. tatsarvaṃ śrotumicchāma: kathayasva mahāmune..2..

By what vow or austerity is a desired fruit obtained? / We wish to hear all that; tell [us], O great sage! 2

6.3.233.2_2

..sūta uvāca..

Sūta said:

6.3.233.3

nāradenaiva sampṛṣṭo bhagavān kamalāpita:.. surarṣaye yathaivāha tacchṛṇudhvaṃ samāhitā:..3..

Just as the blessed Lord, the husband of Kamalā, when questioned by Nārada, / spoke to the celestial seer, hear that with a concentrated mind! 3

6.3.233.4

ekadā nārado yogī parānugrahakāṅkṣayā.. paryaṭan vividhānlokān martyalokamupāgata:..4..

Once the ascetic Nārada, desiring to show grace to others, / wandering through various worlds, arrived in the mortal world. 4

6.3.233.5

tato dṛṣṭavā janānsarvānnānākleśasamanvitān.. nānāyonisamutpannānkliśyamānān svakarmabhi:.5..

Then, seeing all people afflicted with various sufferings, / born into diverse wombs, tormented by their own past deeds, 5

6.3.233.6

kenopāyena caiteṣāṃ duḥkhanāśo bhaveda dhruvam. iti sañcintya manasā viṣṇulokaṃ gatastadā..6..

and reflecting in his mind, 'By what means can there be a certain end to their sorrow?', / he went at that time to the world of Viṣṇu. 6

6.3.233.7

tatra nārāyaṇaṃ devaṃ śuklavarṇaṃ caturbhujam. śaṅakhacakragadāpadmavanamālāvibhūṣitam..7..

There [he saw] God Nārāyaṇa, of white complexion, four-armed, / adorned with conch, discus, mace, lotus, and a garland of forest flowers. 7

6.3.233.8

ddaṣṭavā taṃ devadeveśaṃ stotuṃ samupacakrame ..
-nārada uvāca.. namo vāṅamanasātītarūpāyānantaśaktaye..8..

Having seen Him, the lord of the gods, he began to praise [Him]. / Nārada said: 'Reverence to [You] whose form is beyond speech and mind, whose power is endless, 8

6.3.233.9

ādimadhyāntahīnāya nirguṇāya guṇatmane .. sarveṣāmādibhūtāya bhaktānāmārtināśine..9..

devoid of beginning, middle, and end, free from qualities, the embodiment of qualities, / the source of all, the destroyer of the distress of devotees!' 9

6.3.233.10

śrutvā stotraṃ tato viṣṇurnāradaṃ pratyabhāṣata..
-śrībhagavānuvāca.. kimarthamāgato'si tvaṃ ki te manasi vartate..10..

Hearing the hymn of praise, Viṣṇu then replied to Nārada. / The Blessed Lord said: 'For what purpose have you come? What is in your mind? 10

6.3.233.11

kathayasva mahābhāga tatsarvaṃ kathayāmi te.. nārada uvāca.. martyaloke janā: sarve nānākleśasamanvitā:..
nānāyonisamutpannā:pacyante pāpakarmabhi:..11..

Tell [Me], O fortunate one; I shall tell you all of that.' / Nārada said: 'In the mortal world, all people are beset by various sufferings; / born into diverse wombs, they are roasted by their sinful deeds. 11

6.3.233.12

tatkathaṃ śamayennātha laghūpāyena tadvada.. śrotumicchāmi tatsarvaṃ kṛpāsti yadi te mayi..12..

Tell [me], O Lord, how one may alleviate that by a simple means! / I wish to hear all that, if you have compassion upon me.' 12

6.3.233.12_3

"śrībhagavānuvāca..

The Blessed Lord said:

6.3.233.13

sādhu pṛṣṭaṃ tvayā vatsa lokānugrahakāṅkṣayā.. yatkṛtvā mucyate mohāttacchṛṇuṣva vadāmi te..13..

'Well asked, my child, out of a desire to show grace to the world! / Hear what I tell you, by performing which one is freed from delusion. 13

6.3.233.14

vratamasti mahatpuṇyaṃ svarge martye ca durlabham .. tava snehānmayā vatsa prakāśa:kriyate'dhunā..14..

There is a vow yielding great religious merit, rare in heaven and in the mortal world. / Out of affection for you, my child, it is now revealed by Me. 14

6.3.233.15

satyanārāyaṇasyaiva vrataṃ samyagvidhānata:.. kṛtvā sadya:sukhaṃ bhukttvāparatra mokṣamāpnuyāt..15..

Having performed the vow of Satyanārāyaṇa according to proper procedure, / one enjoys immediate happiness and attains liberation in the hereafter.' 15

6.3.233.16

tacchutvā bhagavadvākyaṃ nārado munirabravīt..
"nārada uvāca .. kimphalaṃ kiṃvidhānañca kṛtaṃ kenaiva tad vratam..16..

Hearing that word of the Blessed Lord, the sage Nārada said. / Nārada said: 'What is the fruit, what is the procedure, and by whom was that vow performed? 16

6.3.233.17

tatsarvaṃ vistarād brūhi kadā kāryaṃ hi tada vratam.. duḥkhaśokādiśamanaṃ dhanadhānyapravardhanam..17..

Tell all of that in detail: when should that vow indeed be performed?' / [The Blessed Lord said:] 'It alleviates sorrow and grief, increases wealth and grain, 17

6.3.233.18

saubhāgyasantatikaraṃ sarvatra vijayapradam. yasmin kasmindine martyo bhaktiśraddhāsamanvita:.18..

bestows good fortune and offspring, and grants victory everywhere. / On whatever day a mortal endowed with devotion and faith, 18

6.3.233.19

satyanārāyaṇaṃ devaṃ yajeccaiva niśāmukhe.. brāhmaṇairbāndhabaiścaiva sahito dharmatatpara:..19..

intent on righteousness, together with brahmins and relatives, / worships God Satyanārāyaṇa at nightfall, 19

6.3.233.20

naivedyaṃ bhaktito dadyātsapādaṃ bhaktisaṃyutam.. rambhāphalaṃ ghṛtaṃ kṣīraṃ godhūmasya ca cūrṇākam..20..

he should devotedly offer a food offering with devotion, measured in one-and-a-quarter portions: / plantains, clarified butter, milk, and wheat flour; 20

6.3.233.21

abhāve śālicūrṇaṃ vā śarkarā ca guḍastathā. sapādaṃ sarvabhakṣyāṇi caikīkṛtya nivedayet..21..

in the absence [of wheat], rice flour, or sugar and molasses. / Combining all edible foods in one-and-a-quarter portions, he should offer them. 21

6.3.233.22

viprāya dakṣiṇāṃ dadyātkathāṃ śrutvā janai: saha.. tataśca bandhubhi: sārdhaṃ viprāṃśca pratibhojayet..22..

Having listened to the sacred story along with the people, he should give a priestly gift to the brahmin. / Then, together with his relatives, he should feed the brahmins. 22

6.3.233.23

prasādaṃ bhakṣayedbhaktyā nṛtyagītādikaṃ caret .. tataśca svagṛhaṃ gacchetsatyanārāyaṇaṃ smaran..23..

He should eat the consecrated food with devotion, and perform dancing, singing, and the like. / Then, remembering Satyanārāyaṇa, he should go to his own home. 23

6.3.233.24

evaṃ kṛte manuṣyāṇāṃ vāñchāsiddhirbhaved dhruvam .. viśeṣata: kaliyuge laghūpāyo'sti bhūtale..24..

When this is done, mortals will certainly attain the fulfilment of their desires. / Especially in the Kali age, this is an easy means on the earth.' 24

6.3.233.24_4

"anuvāda:-śrī vyāsajī ne kahā- eka samaya naimiṣāraṇya tīrtha meṃ śaunaka ādi hajāroṃ ṛṣi-muniyoṃ ne purāṇoṃ ke mahājñānī śrī sūtajī se pūchā ki vaha vrata-tapa kauna sā hai, jisake karane se manavāṃchita phala prāpta hotā hai. hama sabhī vaha sunanā cāhate haiṃ. kṛpā kara sunāem̐. śrī sūtajī bole- aisā hī praśna nārada ne kiyā thā. jo kucha bhagavāna kamalāpati ne kahā thā, āpa saba use sunie.
paropakāra kī bhāvanā lekara yogī nārada kaī lokoṃ kī yātrā karate-karate mṛtyu loka meṃ ā gae. vahām̐ unhoṃne dekhā ki loga bhārī kaṣṭa bhoga rahe haiṃ. pichale karmoṃ ke prabhāva se aneka yoniyoṃ meṃ utpanna ho rahe haiṃ. duḥkhījanoṃ ko dekha nārada socane lage ki ina prāṇiyoṃ kā duḥkha kisa prakāra dūra kiyā jāe. mana meṃ yahī bhāvanā rakhakara nāradajī viṣṇu loka pahum̐ce. vahām̐ nāradajī ne cāra bhujādhārī satyanārāyaṇa ke darśana kie, jinhoṃne śaṃkha, cakra, gadā, padma apanī bhujāoṃ meṃ le rakhā thā aura unake gale meṃ vanamālā par̤ī thī.
nāradajī ne stuti kī aura kahā ki mana-vāṇī se pare, anaṃta śaktidhārī, āpako praṇāma hai. ādi, madhya aura aṃta se mukta sarvaātmā ke ādikāraṇa śrī hari āpako praṇāma. nāradajī kī stuti suna viṣṇu bhagavāna ne pūchā- he nārada! tumhāre mana meṃ kyā hai? vaha saba mujhe batāie. bhagavāna kī yaha vāṇī suna nāradajī ne kahā- martya loka ke sabhī prāṇī pūrva pāpoṃ ke kāraṇa vibhinna yoniyoṃ meṃ utpanna hokara aneka prakāra ke kaṣṭa bhoga rahe haiṃ.
yadi āpa mujha para kṛpālu haiṃ to ina prāṇiyoṃ ke kaṣṭa dūra karane kā koī upāya batāem̐. maiṃ vaha sunanā cāhatā hūm̐.
śrī bhagavāna bole he nārada! tuma sādhu ho. tumane jana-jana ke kalyāṇa ke lie acchā praśna kiyā hai. jisa vrata ke karane se vyakti moha se chūṭa jātā hai, vaha maiṃ tumheṃ batātā hūm̐. yaha vrata svarga aura mṛtyu loka donoṃ meṃ durlabha hai. tumhāre snehavaśa meṃ isa vrata kā vivaraṇa detā hūm̐.

"Translation:—Śrī Vyāsa said: At one time in the sacred ford of Naimiṣāraṇya, thousands of seers and sages headed by Śaunaka asked the great knower of the Purāṇas, Śrī Sūta, 'What is that observance and austerity by performing which one obtains the desired fruit? We all wish to hear that. Please recount it to us.' Śrī Sūta said: 'Nārada asked this very question. Please listen to all that the blessed Lord, the consort of Kamalā, said.'
Carrying the desire to benefit others, the yogin Nārada traveled through many worlds and came to the mortal realm. There he saw that people were enduring severe suffering. Under the influence of their past deeds, they were being born into various wombs. Seeing these distressed people, Nārada began to think how the suffering of these living beings could be removed. Keeping this thought in mind, Nārada reached the world of Viṣṇu. There Nārada had the darśana of four-armed Satyanārāyaṇa, who held a conch, discus, mace, and lotus in his arms, and a garland of forest flowers hung around his neck.
Nārada praised him and said, 'Beyond mind and speech, bearer of infinite power, salutations to you! Salutations to you, Śrī Hari, the primal cause of all souls, free from beginning, middle, and end.' Hearing Nārada's praise, Lord Viṣṇu asked, 'O Nārada! What is on your mind? Tell me all of that.' Hearing these words of the Lord, Nārada said, 'All beings of the mortal realm, having been born into various wombs due to past sins, are suffering many kinds of distress.
If you are compassionate towards me, then tell me some means of removing the suffering of these beings. I wish to hear that.'
The blessed Lord said, 'O Nārada! You are virtuous. You have asked a good question for the welfare of each and every person. I shall tell you that observance by performing which a person is freed from delusion. This observance is rare in both heaven and the mortal world. Out of affection for you, I give an account of this observance.'

6.3.233.24_5

satyanārāyaṇa kā vrata vidhipūrvaka karane se tatkāla sukha milatā hai aura aṃtataḥ mokṣa kā adhikāra milatā hai.
śrī bhagavāna ke vacana suna nārada ne kahā ki prabhu isa vrata kā phala kyā hai? ise kaba aura kaise dhāraṇa kiyā jāe aura ise kisa-kisa ne kiyā hai. śrī bhagavāna ne kahā duḥkha-śoka dūra karane vālā, dhana bar̤hāne vālā.
saubhāgya aura saṃtāna kā dātā, sarvatra vijaya dilāne vālā śrī satyanārāyaṇa vrata manuṣya kisī bhī dina śraddhā bhakti ke sātha kara sakatā hai.
sāyaṃkāla dharmarata ho brāhmaṇa ke sahayoga se aura baṃdhu bāṃdhava sahita śrī satyanārāyaṇa kā pūjana kareṃ. bhaktipūrvaka khāne yogya uttama prasāda (savāyā) leṃ. yaha prasāda kele, ghī, dūdha, gehūm̐ ke āṭe se banā ho.

'By performing the observance of Satyanārāyaṇa according to rule, one immediately obtains happiness, and ultimately obtains the entitlement to liberation.'
Hearing the words of the blessed Lord, Nārada said, 'Lord, what is the fruit of this observance? When and how should it be undertaken, and who all have performed it?' The blessed Lord said, 'Dispersing sorrow and grief, increasing wealth,
bestower of good fortune and offspring, granting victory everywhere, a person may perform the observance of Śrī Satyanārāyaṇa on any day with faith and devotion.
In the evening, intent upon dharma, with the assistance of a brahmin and together with kinsmen, one should worship Śrī Satyanārāyaṇa. With devotion, one should take the finest food offering suitable for eating (amounting to one and a quarter parts). This offering should be made of bananas, ghee, milk, and wheat flour.'

6.3.233.24_6

yadi gehūm̐ kā āṭā na ho, to cāvala kā āṭā aura śakkara ke sthāna para gur̤a milā deṃ. saba milākara savāyā banā naivedya arpita kareṃ. isake bāda kathā suneṃ, prasāda leṃ, brāhmaṇoṃ ko dakṣiṇā deṃ aura isake paścāta baṃdhu-bāṃdhavoṃ sahita brāhmaṇoṃ ko bhojana karāem̐.
prasāda pā lene ke bāda kīrtana ādi kareṃ aura phira bhagavāna satyanārāyaṇa kā smaraṇa karate hue svajana apane-apane ghara jāem̐. aise vrata-pūjana karane vāle kī manokāmanā avaśya pūrī hogī. kaliyuga meṃ viśeṣa rūpa se yaha choṭā-sā upāya isa pṛthvī para sulabha hai.
iti-śrīskandapurāṇe revākhaṇḍe satyanārāyaṇavratakathāyāṃ prathamo'dhyāya:..1..

'If wheat flour is not available, then one may mix rice flour, and raw sugar in place of refined sugar. Mixing it all, one should prepare the offering of one and a quarter parts and present it as naivedya. After this, one should listen to the sacred story, receive the food offering, give sacrificial fees to brahmins, and subsequently feed the brahmins along with one's kinsmen.
After partaking of the food offering, they should perform singing and the like, and then, remembering Lord Satyanārāyaṇa, one's relatives should return to their respective homes. The heartfelt wish of one who performs such an observance and worship will certainly be fulfilled. In the Kaliyuga, especially, this simple means is easily available upon this earth.'
Thus ends the first chapter in the story of the observance of Satyanārāyaṇa in the Revākhaṇḍa of the glorious Skandapurāṇa. 1.