Skandapurana 2.4.11

Nārada said:

O lord, full of humility I wish to ask you:

tell me that observance by which a mortal does not see death.

Brahmā said:

If you ask, O best of brahmins, about the highest observance among observances,

listen to the observance named Yamadvitīyā, which destroys death.

On the pure second lunar day in the month of Kārtika, O lord of sages,

it should be performed according to the rules, averting all death.

Rising at the Brāhma-muhūrta on the second lunar day, O lord of sages,

one should contemplate in mind what is beneficial for oneself, and never dwell on the unbeneficial.

Then one should take a morning bath preceded by brushing the teeth; / then, wearing white garments, adorned with white garlands and ointments,

having performed one's daily duties, joyful, adorned with earrings and armlets,

having approached an audumbara tree and made an excellent maṇḍala,

having drawn an eight-petalled lotus upon that auspicious audumbara wood,

one should worship Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, and boon-granting Sarasvatī,

who holds a vīṇā and a book, with a composed mind,

with sandalwood, agarwood, musk, and saffron, O best of twice-born,

with flowers, incenses, food offerings, coconuts, and the like.

Then, for the destruction of death, one should give a milch cow,

adorned, together with her calf, to a brahmin learned in the Vedas,

for the destruction of untimely death and for carrying one across the ocean of worldly existence, / [saying:]

“O brahmin, to you indeed I give this gentle cow.”

With this mantra one should give the cow to a brahmin who expounds the Veda.

In the absence of that, however, one should give shoes with devotion to a brahmin.

Then, having completed the worship, devoted to Puruṣottama,

one should properly pay homage with devotion to the elders of one's kin and lineage,

and one should also gratify one's own people with various delightful fruits.

Then, O sage, one should go to the house of one's sister

born of the same womb, and properly salute her with devotion, / [saying:]

“O sister, fortunate and auspicious one, your lotus feet

"I have come to your abode to bow down [before you] for my welfare."

Having said this, he should salute that sister, viewing her as Viṣṇu.

Then, having heard the excellent words of her brother,

the sister should address these words to the brother, O Nārada:

"Today, brother, because of you I have become blessed and auspicious.

You must dine today in my house for your own long life, O illuminator of the lineage!

On the second day of the bright fortnight of Kārtika, O brother,

Yama was formerly worshipped and fed by Yamunā in her own home.

On this day, the denizens of hell were released by Yama as well;

even though bound by the cords of karma, they roam about at will.

'That man who, having reached the day of Yamadvitīyā here, does not dine in his sister's house—

having reached that sinner, we, destitute of food, shall today gladly devour him!'

Thus do sins like the murder of a brahmin cry out here.

Therefore, brother, take your meal in my house in Kārtika

on the bright second lunar day, renowned throughout the three worlds.

On this [day], son, food is not eaten in one's own house even by the wise."

Having been addressed thus, saying "So be it," the observer of the vow should honor his sister,

with great joy, O noble one, with garments and ornaments.

Then, having saluted the elder sister and received her blessing,

all sisters should be gratified by gifts of clothes and ornaments.

In the absence of one's own sister, [one should go to] a paternal uncle's daughter, or one's father's sister;

having come to her house, he should dine with respect.

A man who thus observes the second day named after Yama, O son,

is freed from premature death and surrounded by sons and grandsons.

Having enjoyed extensive pleasures here, and others as desired,

at the end he attains liberation; my word can never be otherwise.

All these vows and various gifts

are suitable only for a householder; therefore, one should resort to the householder's life.

A person undertaking the vow who listens to the story of Yamadvitīyā,

all his sins are destroyed—so said Mādhava.

Sūta said:

On the second day in Kārtika, one should worship Yama in the forenoon;

having bathed in the daughter of the sun [Yamunā], a man does not see the realm of Yama.

In the bright fortnight of Kārtika, on the second day, O Śaunaka,

Yama was formerly worshipped and fed by Yamunā in her own home.

On the second day there was a great release, and the denizens of hell were gratified;

severed from their sins, they were all released from bondage.

Fed and satisfied here, they all stayed at their pleasure;

a great festival took place among them, bringing happiness to Yama's kingdom.

Therefore, this Yamadvitīyā is renowned in the three worlds;

hence, O brahmin, food should not be eaten in one's own house on that day by the wise.

With affection, one should eat from the hand of a sister [food] that increases strength.

On the bright second of Ūrja, Yama was worshipped and propitiated—

the Lord mounted on a buffalo-seat, holding a staff and a club,

surrounded by joyful servants; salutation to him whose self is Yama.

Those by whom married sisters are gratified with gifts of garments and the like,

have no quarrel or fear of an enemy for a whole year.

Bringing blessings, fame, long life, and accomplishing dharma, desire, and wealth,

all this, along with its secret, has been explained by me, O sinless one.

On whichever lunar day the god Yamarāja was fed by Yamunā out of sisterly affection on that very day,

whoever therefore eats here from the palm of a sister attains excellent wealth and auspicious fortune.

Sūta said:

And here a special instruction was declared by the great seers, the Vālakhilyas;

that I will now relate; listen, O best of sages!

The Vālakhilyas said:

In the bright fortnight of Kārtika, the second day is named after Yama.

There, in the afternoon, the worship of Yama must certainly be performed.

Formerly, Yamunā used to come every day and beg Yama:

"Brother, come to my house for a meal, accompanied by your retinue!"

"Today, tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow," Yama said every day.

For those whose minds are distracted by work, no leisure arises.

Then once, urgently invited by Yamunā,

he went on the second lunar day in the month of Kārtika, O best of sages!

Releasing the denizens of hell, the son of the Sun, accompanied by his attendants,

was received with hospitality by Yamunā, who prepared various cooked foods, O bird!

An anointing was performed for him by Yamunā with delightfully fragrant oils;

having applied an unctuous paste, the son of the Sun was bathed.

Then ornaments were given, various garments, and sandalwood paste;

garlands were also offered, and he sat down upon a raised couch.

Having served diverse cooked foods in a golden vessel,

the goddess Yamunā, joyful in mind, fed Yama.

Having eaten, Yama too honoured his sister with ornaments

and diverse clothes; then he said: 'Choose a boon, O splendid woman!'

Hearing his words, Yamunā spoke these words:

Yamunā said:

'Come every year to my house for a meal!

Today, all sinners should be freed from hell, O Yama!

And to those who on this very day eat food from the hand of a sister,

grant happiness; this alone is what I choose.'

Yama said:

'One who bathes in the Yamunā and satisfies the ancestors and deities,

eats in a sister's house, and also honours his sister—

he shall never see my gate, O daughter of the Sun!

In the north-eastern direction of Vīreśa, the sacred ford Yamatīrtha is proclaimed.

Having bathed there according to rule and having satisfied the ancestors and deities,

the best of men should recite these names until midday,

facing the sun, silent, with restrained mind and a steady seat:

'Yama, the Destroyer, the King of Dharma of the Ancestors, the Son of Vivasvat, the Wielder of the Rod, and Time;

the Lord of Spirits, the Follower of Deeds Bestowed, and Kṛtānta'—with these ten they chant.

Then, having worshipped Yameśvara, he should go to his sister's house;

and first fed respectfully by her with this mantra:

'O brother, I am your younger sister; eat this auspicious food,

for the gratification of King Yama and especially of Yamunā!'

Then, having pleased the sister with garments, ornaments, and the like,

there will be no sight of the realm of Yama, even in a dream.

And those who have been placed in prison by kings on my day

must certainly be sent to a sister's house for a meal.

Sinners must be released by me from the hells on this day;

those who take captives today are to be punished by me in every way.

If there is no younger sister, then he should go to an elder sister's house.

In her absence, to the house of a paternal uncle's daughter who has children;

in her absence, a maternal aunt's daughter, or likewise an uncle's daughter;

or he should arrange the order through relations of a co-wife or lineage.

In the absence of all, some woman should indeed be honoured as a sister;

or in her absence, he should make a cow, a river, or the like [serve as one].

Even in their absence, having treated the forest as a sister [he may eat].

On this [day], O goddess, one should never eat in one's own house.

Those of bad conduct who eat [there] fall into hell.'

Having spoken thus, the King of Dharma then departed for Saṃyaminī.

Therefore, all excellent sages, observers of the vow of Kārtika,

eat from a sister's hand: this is true, true, there is no doubt.

Whoever, having arrived at Yamadvitīyā, does not eat

in a sister's house, his merit accumulated for a year is lost; such is the revelation of the Sun.

The woman who feeds her brother on the brother's lunar day

and also honours him with betel leaves will not incur widowhood.

Surely there will never be any diminution of the brother's lifespan.

That second lunar day extends into the afternoon for the brother's meal.

If out of ignorance or delusion one has not eaten in a sister's house,

or because of travelling, absence, fever, or being a captive,

by hearing this narrative, the fruit of the meal will be obtained.

Especially in the month of Kārtika, taking shelter under the shade of a dhātrī tree,

whoever eats a meal shall attain Vaikuṇṭha.

Thus ends the eleventh chapter, titled 'The Description of the Māhātmya of Yamadvitīyā,' in the Kārtikamāsamāhātmya in the second section, the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.

Commentary:
Now he states the rule for Yamadvitīyā: 'yadīti'.
To explain the purpose of the name 'Yamadvitīyā', it is said also of the others in the Padma [Purāṇa]:
'O Skanda, these lunar days, beginning with the second, are indeed renowned.

Occurring over four months, they bring happiness during the rainy season.

The first is in the month of Śrāvaṇa, and another in Bhādrapada;

the third is in the month of Āśvayuja, and the fourth is in Kārtika.

In the month of Śrāvaṇa it is called Kaluṣā ('the turbid'), and likewise in Bhādrapada, Amalā ('the stainless');

in Āśvina it is called Pretasaṃcārā ('the roving of the deceased spirits'), and in Kārtika it is considered Yāmyakā ('sacred to Yama').

Formerly, when the slaying of Vṛtra had taken place and Puraṃdara had regained his kingdom,

the horse sacrifice was proclaimed to wipe away the sin of killing a brahmin.

Through his wrath, the sin of killing a brahmin was struck down by Indra with his thunderbolt.

It was cast upon the earth in six portions: into trees, water, the surface of the ground,

into woman, into the slayer of an embryo, and into fire, having been distributed in due order.

Before the hearing of that sin, on the day of the second [tithi], O sinless one,

woman, trees, rivers, earth, fire, and the slayer of an embryo,

became impure; therefore it is remembered as Kaluṣā ('the turbid').

Formerly, the earth was submerged in the blood of Madhu and Kaiṭabha;

it is pure [only below] eight finger-widths; and of women, menstrual blood is the impurity.

All rivers carry the impurities of the rainy season; above fire, soot is the impurity.

Trees are defiled by sap; impurities arise from contact with the slayer of an embryo.

Since impurities wander about on this day, it is considered Kaluṣā.

Censors of the gods, seers, and ancestral rites, atheists, and rogues—

the second [tithi] is cleansed of their verbal impurity; therefore it is Nirmalā ('stainless').

Those who teach and read the scriptures on days of prohibited study—

adherents of Sāṅkhya, logicians, and followers of the Śruti—from the impurity born of their words and ungrammatical words,

it is purified on the second [tithi]; therefore it is Nirmalā.

By the birth of Kṛṣṇa, dear one, the three worlds are purified.

For this reason that lunar day in the month of Nabhasya is designated by the wise as Nirmalā.

The Agniṣvāttas, the Barhiṣads, the Ājyapas, and also the Somapas—

fathers and grandfathers: it is Pretasaṃcarā because of the wandering of the deceased spirits.

The ancestors are indeed called pretas; their wandering takes place upon this [tithi].

Worshipped by sons, grandsons, and daughters' sons with svadhā mantras,

and gratified by ancestral offerings, gifts, and sacrifices, they depart; hence it is Pretasaṃcarā.

During the Mahālaya, the wandering of the deceased spirits is seen on earth.

Therefore, O rider of the peacock, this [tithi] is celebrated as Pretasaṃcārā.

Because on this day worship of Yama is performed in the fire by men,

therefore this [tithi] is proclaimed as Yāmyakā; I have spoken the absolute truth.'
In the Sanatkumārasaṃhitā:
'On this [tithi], O goddess, one should never eat in one's own house.

Those ill-behaved people who eat [at home] fall into hell.

In Śrāvaṇa, one should eat from the hand of a paternal uncle's daughter.

In the month of Bhādra, one should eat from the hand of a maternal uncle's daughter.

In Āśvina, [one should eat] in due order [from the hand of] the daughters of one's father's brother and sister.

In the month of Kārtika, one must definitely eat from the hand of a sister.' Thus.

Note on Yamadvitīyā:

For what reason is there greatness of a sister? In this context, it is stated in the Purāṇa that an unmarried daughter possesses the quality of darkness (tamoguṇa), a wife possesses the quality of passion (rajoguṇa), and a sister possesses the quality of goodness (sattvaguṇa) (Bhaviṣya Purāṇa 3.4.18.24). These are the qualities of material nature.