Skandapurana 2.4.11
English (machine translation) 2.4.11
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Nārada said:
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O lord, full of humility I wish to ask you:
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tell me that observance by which a mortal does not see death.
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Brahmā said:
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If you ask, O best of brahmins, about the highest observance among observances,
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listen to the observance named Yamadvitīyā, which destroys death.
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On the pure second lunar day in the month of Kārtika, O lord of sages,
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it should be performed according to the rules, averting all death.
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Rising at the Brāhma-muhūrta on the second lunar day, O lord of sages,
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one should contemplate in mind what is beneficial for oneself, and never dwell on the unbeneficial.
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Then one should take a morning bath preceded by brushing the teeth; / then, wearing white garments, adorned with white garlands and ointments,
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having performed one's daily duties, joyful, adorned with earrings and armlets,
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having approached an audumbara tree and made an excellent maṇḍala,
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having drawn an eight-petalled lotus upon that auspicious audumbara wood,
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one should worship Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, and boon-granting Sarasvatī,
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who holds a vīṇā and a book, with a composed mind,
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with sandalwood, agarwood, musk, and saffron, O best of twice-born,
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with flowers, incenses, food offerings, coconuts, and the like.
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Then, for the destruction of death, one should give a milch cow,
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adorned, together with her calf, to a brahmin learned in the Vedas,
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for the destruction of untimely death and for carrying one across the ocean of worldly existence, / [saying:]
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“O brahmin, to you indeed I give this gentle cow.”
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With this mantra one should give the cow to a brahmin who expounds the Veda.
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In the absence of that, however, one should give shoes with devotion to a brahmin.
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Then, having completed the worship, devoted to Puruṣottama,
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one should properly pay homage with devotion to the elders of one's kin and lineage,
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and one should also gratify one's own people with various delightful fruits.
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Then, O sage, one should go to the house of one's sister
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born of the same womb, and properly salute her with devotion, / [saying:]
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“O sister, fortunate and auspicious one, your lotus feet
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"I have come to your abode to bow down [before you] for my welfare."
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Having said this, he should salute that sister, viewing her as Viṣṇu.
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Then, having heard the excellent words of her brother,
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the sister should address these words to the brother, O Nārada:
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"Today, brother, because of you I have become blessed and auspicious.
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You must dine today in my house for your own long life, O illuminator of the lineage!
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On the second day of the bright fortnight of Kārtika, O brother,
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Yama was formerly worshipped and fed by Yamunā in her own home.
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On this day, the denizens of hell were released by Yama as well;
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even though bound by the cords of karma, they roam about at will.
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'That man who, having reached the day of Yamadvitīyā here, does not dine in his sister's house—
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having reached that sinner, we, destitute of food, shall today gladly devour him!'
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Thus do sins like the murder of a brahmin cry out here.
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Therefore, brother, take your meal in my house in Kārtika
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on the bright second lunar day, renowned throughout the three worlds.
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On this [day], son, food is not eaten in one's own house even by the wise."
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Having been addressed thus, saying "So be it," the observer of the vow should honor his sister,
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with great joy, O noble one, with garments and ornaments.
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Then, having saluted the elder sister and received her blessing,
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all sisters should be gratified by gifts of clothes and ornaments.
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In the absence of one's own sister, [one should go to] a paternal uncle's daughter, or one's father's sister;
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having come to her house, he should dine with respect.
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A man who thus observes the second day named after Yama, O son,
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is freed from premature death and surrounded by sons and grandsons.
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Having enjoyed extensive pleasures here, and others as desired,
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at the end he attains liberation; my word can never be otherwise.
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All these vows and various gifts
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are suitable only for a householder; therefore, one should resort to the householder's life.
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A person undertaking the vow who listens to the story of Yamadvitīyā,
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all his sins are destroyed—so said Mādhava.
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Sūta said:
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On the second day in Kārtika, one should worship Yama in the forenoon;
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having bathed in the daughter of the sun [Yamunā], a man does not see the realm of Yama.
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In the bright fortnight of Kārtika, on the second day, O Śaunaka,
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Yama was formerly worshipped and fed by Yamunā in her own home.
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On the second day there was a great release, and the denizens of hell were gratified;
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severed from their sins, they were all released from bondage.
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Fed and satisfied here, they all stayed at their pleasure;
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a great festival took place among them, bringing happiness to Yama's kingdom.
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Therefore, this Yamadvitīyā is renowned in the three worlds;
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hence, O brahmin, food should not be eaten in one's own house on that day by the wise.
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With affection, one should eat from the hand of a sister [food] that increases strength.
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On the bright second of Ūrja, Yama was worshipped and propitiated—
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the Lord mounted on a buffalo-seat, holding a staff and a club,
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surrounded by joyful servants; salutation to him whose self is Yama.
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Those by whom married sisters are gratified with gifts of garments and the like,
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have no quarrel or fear of an enemy for a whole year.
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Bringing blessings, fame, long life, and accomplishing dharma, desire, and wealth,
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all this, along with its secret, has been explained by me, O sinless one.
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On whichever lunar day the god Yamarāja was fed by Yamunā out of sisterly affection on that very day,
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whoever therefore eats here from the palm of a sister attains excellent wealth and auspicious fortune.
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Sūta said:
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And here a special instruction was declared by the great seers, the Vālakhilyas;
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that I will now relate; listen, O best of sages!
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The Vālakhilyas said:
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In the bright fortnight of Kārtika, the second day is named after Yama.
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There, in the afternoon, the worship of Yama must certainly be performed.
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Formerly, Yamunā used to come every day and beg Yama:
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"Brother, come to my house for a meal, accompanied by your retinue!"
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"Today, tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow," Yama said every day.
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For those whose minds are distracted by work, no leisure arises.
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Then once, urgently invited by Yamunā,
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he went on the second lunar day in the month of Kārtika, O best of sages!
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Releasing the denizens of hell, the son of the Sun, accompanied by his attendants,
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was received with hospitality by Yamunā, who prepared various cooked foods, O bird!
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An anointing was performed for him by Yamunā with delightfully fragrant oils;
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having applied an unctuous paste, the son of the Sun was bathed.
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Then ornaments were given, various garments, and sandalwood paste;
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garlands were also offered, and he sat down upon a raised couch.
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Having served diverse cooked foods in a golden vessel,
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the goddess Yamunā, joyful in mind, fed Yama.
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Having eaten, Yama too honoured his sister with ornaments
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and diverse clothes; then he said: 'Choose a boon, O splendid woman!'
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Hearing his words, Yamunā spoke these words:
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Yamunā said:
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'Come every year to my house for a meal!
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Today, all sinners should be freed from hell, O Yama!
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And to those who on this very day eat food from the hand of a sister,
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grant happiness; this alone is what I choose.'
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Yama said:
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'One who bathes in the Yamunā and satisfies the ancestors and deities,
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eats in a sister's house, and also honours his sister—
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he shall never see my gate, O daughter of the Sun!
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In the north-eastern direction of Vīreśa, the sacred ford Yamatīrtha is proclaimed.
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Having bathed there according to rule and having satisfied the ancestors and deities,
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the best of men should recite these names until midday,
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facing the sun, silent, with restrained mind and a steady seat:
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'Yama, the Destroyer, the King of Dharma of the Ancestors, the Son of Vivasvat, the Wielder of the Rod, and Time;
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the Lord of Spirits, the Follower of Deeds Bestowed, and Kṛtānta'—with these ten they chant.
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Then, having worshipped Yameśvara, he should go to his sister's house;
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and first fed respectfully by her with this mantra:
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'O brother, I am your younger sister; eat this auspicious food,
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for the gratification of King Yama and especially of Yamunā!'
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Then, having pleased the sister with garments, ornaments, and the like,
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there will be no sight of the realm of Yama, even in a dream.
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And those who have been placed in prison by kings on my day
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must certainly be sent to a sister's house for a meal.
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Sinners must be released by me from the hells on this day;
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those who take captives today are to be punished by me in every way.
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If there is no younger sister, then he should go to an elder sister's house.
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In her absence, to the house of a paternal uncle's daughter who has children;
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in her absence, a maternal aunt's daughter, or likewise an uncle's daughter;
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or he should arrange the order through relations of a co-wife or lineage.
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In the absence of all, some woman should indeed be honoured as a sister;
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or in her absence, he should make a cow, a river, or the like [serve as one].
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Even in their absence, having treated the forest as a sister [he may eat].
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On this [day], O goddess, one should never eat in one's own house.
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Those of bad conduct who eat [there] fall into hell.'
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Having spoken thus, the King of Dharma then departed for Saṃyaminī.
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Therefore, all excellent sages, observers of the vow of Kārtika,
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eat from a sister's hand: this is true, true, there is no doubt.
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Whoever, having arrived at Yamadvitīyā, does not eat
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in a sister's house, his merit accumulated for a year is lost; such is the revelation of the Sun.
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The woman who feeds her brother on the brother's lunar day
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and also honours him with betel leaves will not incur widowhood.
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Surely there will never be any diminution of the brother's lifespan.
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That second lunar day extends into the afternoon for the brother's meal.
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If out of ignorance or delusion one has not eaten in a sister's house,
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or because of travelling, absence, fever, or being a captive,
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by hearing this narrative, the fruit of the meal will be obtained.
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Especially in the month of Kārtika, taking shelter under the shade of a dhātrī tree,
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whoever eats a meal shall attain Vaikuṇṭha.
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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.
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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.
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Occurring over four months, they bring happiness during the rainy season.
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The first is in the month of Śrāvaṇa, and another in Bhādrapada;
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the third is in the month of Āśvayuja, and the fourth is in Kārtika.
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In the month of Śrāvaṇa it is called Kaluṣā ('the turbid'), and likewise in Bhādrapada, Amalā ('the stainless');
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in Āśvina it is called Pretasaṃcārā ('the roving of the deceased spirits'), and in Kārtika it is considered Yāmyakā ('sacred to Yama').
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Formerly, when the slaying of Vṛtra had taken place and Puraṃdara had regained his kingdom,
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the horse sacrifice was proclaimed to wipe away the sin of killing a brahmin.
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Through his wrath, the sin of killing a brahmin was struck down by Indra with his thunderbolt.
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It was cast upon the earth in six portions: into trees, water, the surface of the ground,
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into woman, into the slayer of an embryo, and into fire, having been distributed in due order.
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Before the hearing of that sin, on the day of the second [tithi], O sinless one,
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woman, trees, rivers, earth, fire, and the slayer of an embryo,
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became impure; therefore it is remembered as Kaluṣā ('the turbid').
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Formerly, the earth was submerged in the blood of Madhu and Kaiṭabha;
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it is pure [only below] eight finger-widths; and of women, menstrual blood is the impurity.
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All rivers carry the impurities of the rainy season; above fire, soot is the impurity.
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Trees are defiled by sap; impurities arise from contact with the slayer of an embryo.
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Since impurities wander about on this day, it is considered Kaluṣā.
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Censors of the gods, seers, and ancestral rites, atheists, and rogues—
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the second [tithi] is cleansed of their verbal impurity; therefore it is Nirmalā ('stainless').
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Those who teach and read the scriptures on days of prohibited study—
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adherents of Sāṅkhya, logicians, and followers of the Śruti—from the impurity born of their words and ungrammatical words,
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it is purified on the second [tithi]; therefore it is Nirmalā.
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By the birth of Kṛṣṇa, dear one, the three worlds are purified.
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For this reason that lunar day in the month of Nabhasya is designated by the wise as Nirmalā.
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The Agniṣvāttas, the Barhiṣads, the Ājyapas, and also the Somapas—
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fathers and grandfathers: it is Pretasaṃcarā because of the wandering of the deceased spirits.
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The ancestors are indeed called pretas; their wandering takes place upon this [tithi].
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Worshipped by sons, grandsons, and daughters' sons with svadhā mantras,
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and gratified by ancestral offerings, gifts, and sacrifices, they depart; hence it is Pretasaṃcarā.
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During the Mahālaya, the wandering of the deceased spirits is seen on earth.
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Therefore, O rider of the peacock, this [tithi] is celebrated as Pretasaṃcārā.
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Because on this day worship of Yama is performed in the fire by men,
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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.
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Those ill-behaved people who eat [at home] fall into hell.
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In Śrāvaṇa, one should eat from the hand of a paternal uncle's daughter.
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In the month of Bhādra, one should eat from the hand of a maternal uncle's daughter.
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In Āśvina, [one should eat] in due order [from the hand of] the daughters of one's father's brother and sister.
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In the month of Kārtika, one must definitely eat from the hand of a sister.' Thus.
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Note on Yamadvitīyā:
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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.
Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit