Devibhagavatapurana 11.23: trayoviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ | taptakṛcchrādilakṣaṇavarṇanam

11.23.1

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca |
amṛtāpidhānamityevamuccārya sādhakottamaḥ |
ucchiṣṭabhāgbhyaḥ pātrānnaṃ dadyādante vicakṣaṇaḥ ||

11.23.2

ye ke cāsmatkule jātā dāsadāsyo'nakāṅkṣiṇaḥ |
te sarve tṛptimāyāntu mayā dattena bhūtale ||

11.23.3

raurave'puṇyanilaye padmārbudanivāsinām |
arthināmudakaṃ dattamakṣayyamupatiṣṭhatu ||

11.23.4

pavitragranthimutsṛjya maṇḍale bhuvi nikṣipet |
pātre tu nikṣipedyastu sa vipraḥ paṅktidūṣakaḥ ||

11.23.5

ucchiṣṭastena saṃspṛṣṭaḥ śunā śūdreṇa ca dvijaḥ |
upoṣya rajanīmekāṃ pañcagavyena śudhyati ||

11.23.6

anucchiṣṭena saṃspṛṣṭaiḥ snānameva vidhīyate |
ekāhutipradānena koṭiyajñaphalaṃ labhet ||

11.23.7

pañcabhiḥ pañcakoṭīnāṃ tadanantaphalaṃ smṛtam |
prāṇāgnihotravetre yo hyannadānaṃ karoti ca ||

11.23.8

dātuścaiva tu yatpuṇyaṃ bhoktuścaiva tu yatphalam |
prāpnutastau tadeva dvāvubhau tau svargagāminau ||

11.23.9

sapavitrakaro bhuṅkte yastu vipro vidhānataḥ |
grāse grāse phalaṃ tasya pañcagavyasamaṃ bhavet ||

11.23.10

pūjākālatraye nityaṃ japastarpaṇameva ca |
homo brāhmaṇabhuktiśca puraścaraṇamucyate ||

11.23.11

adhaḥśayāno dharmātmā jitakrodho jitendriyaḥ |
laghumiṣṭahitāśī ca vinītaḥ śāntacetasā ||

11.23.12

nityaṃ triṣavaṇasnāyī nityaṃ sa śubhabhāṣaṇaḥ |
strīśūdrapatitatvrātyanāstikocchiṣṭabhāṣaṇam ||

11.23.13

cāṇḍālabhāṣaṇaṃ caiva na kuryānmunisattama |
natvā naiva ca bhāṣeta japahomārcanādiṣu ||

11.23.14

maithunasya tathālāpaṃ tadgoṣṭhīmapi varjayet |
karmaṇā manasā vācā sarvāvasthāsu sarvadā ||

11.23.15

sarvatra maithunatyāgo brahmacaryaṃ pracakṣate |
rājñaścaiva gṛhasthasya brahmacaryamudāhṛtam ||

11.23.16

ṛtustāteṣu dāreṣu saṅgatiryā vidhānataḥ |
saṃskṛtāyāṃ savarṇāyāmṛtuṃ dṛṣṭvā prayatnataḥ ||

11.23.17

rātrau tu gamanaṃ kāryaṃ brahmacaryaṃ harenna tat |
ṛṇatrayamasaṃśodhya tvanutpādya sutānapi ||

11.23.18

tathā yajñānaniṣṭvā ca mokṣamicchanvrajatyadhaḥ |
ajāgalasya yajjanma tajjanma śruticoditam ||

11.23.19

ataḥ kāryaṃ tu viprendra ṛṇatrayaviśodhanam |
te devānāmṛṣīṇāṃ ca pitṝṇāmṛṇinastathā ||

11.23.20

ṛṣibhyo brahmacaryeṇa pitṛbhyastu tilodakaiḥ |
mucyedyajñena devebhyaḥ svāśramaṃ dharmamācaret ||

11.23.21

kṣīrāhārī phalāśī vā śākāśī vā haviṣyabhuk |
bhikṣāśī vā japedvidvānkṛcchracāndrāyaṇādikṛt ||

One is to practise Krichchra chândrâ yana Vrata and to take for his food, milk, fruits, roots and vegetables, Habisyannam and food obtained by begging so that one may become sinless. One is to make japam for Puras’charanam. One is to avoid salt, salty or alkaline substances, acid, garlic, turnips, eating in Kâmsa vessels, chewing betels, eating twice, putting on impure clothings, the intoxicating things and the unsâstric nocturnal japam; also one is not to waste one’s time over blaming and trying to find faults with the relatives, playing at dice, or talking at random with one’s wife (so that evil effects may arise). One is to spend one’s time in worshipping the Devas, reciting the hymns of praise, and studying the S’âstras. One is to sleep on the ground, practise Brahmacharyam, and the vow of silence, bathe thrice, not practise anything which befits the S’ûdras only. One is to worship everyday, make charities duly and be always happy, recite stotras daily, do occasional Deva worships, have faith in one’s Guru and Deva. These twelve rules are to ensure success to the devotee who does Puras’charanam. One is to daily praise the Sun, with one’s face turned towards Him, do japam before Him; or one is to worship one’s own Deity in front of fire or the image of any god, and do japam simultaneously. The devotee who practises Puras’charanam is to bathe, worship, do japam, meditate, practise Homa, Tarpanam, is to have no desires and to surrender all fruits to one’s own desired Deity, etc. These are necessarily to be observed by him. Therefore while doing japam, Homa, etc., the devotee’s mind is to remain always pleasant and satisfied. One should be ready to practise tapasyâ, to see the S’âstras and be merciful to all the beings. As asceticism leads one to to heaven and to the attainment of one’s desires, therefore know this that all the powers come to an ascetic. An ascetic can cause another’s death (mâran); he can injure others, cure diseases and kill all. Whatever the several Risis wanted from the Devî Gâyatrî and to that end made Puras’charanam and worshipped Her, they obtained from Her all those things. O Nârada! I will speak of S’ânti Karmas etc., in a future chapter. Here I will speak of those rules, etc., that are to be observed in Puras’charanam in as much as they play the principal part to success.
First of all shave yourself and have your hairs and nails, etc., cut off and bathe and be pure. Then perform the Prâjâpatya prâyas’chitta for one’s peace and purification and next do the puras’charanam of the Gâyatrî. Do not speak the whole day and night. Keep your thoughts pure. If words are to be spoken, speak only what you take as true. First recite Mahâvyârhiti and then the Sâvitrî mantra with Pranava prefixed. Then recite the sin-destroying mantra “Âpohisthâ, etc.,” and Svasti matî Sûkta and “Pâvamânî Sûkta.” In every action, in its beginning and at its end one is to understand the necessity of doing the Japam, why and what for one is doing that.
One is to repeat the Pranava, the three Vyârhitis and Sâvitrî ayuta times or one thousand times or one hundred times or ten times. Then offer with water, the peace offerings (tarpanam) to the Âchârya, Risi, Chhandas, and the Devas. Being engaged in action, do not speak any impure language of the Mlechchhas or talk with any S’ûdra or any bad person. Do not talk with wife in the period of menstruation, with one who has fallen, with the low-class person, with any hater of the Devas and the Brâhmanas, Âchâryas and Gurus, with those who blame the fathers and mothers; nor show any disrespect to anybody. Thus I have spoken in due order about all the rules of Krichchhra vrata. Now I will speak of the rules of the Prâjâpatya Krichchhra, S’ântapana, Parâka Krichchhra and Chândrâyana.

11.23.22

lavaṇaṃ kṣāramamlaṃ ca gṛñjanaṃ kāṃsyabhojanam |
tāmbūlaṃ ca dvibhuktaṃ ca duṣṭavāsaḥ pramattanam ||

11.23.23

śrutismṛtivirodhaṃ ca japaṃ rātrau vivarjayet |
vṛthā na kālaṃ gamayeddyūtastrīsvāpavādataḥ ||

11.23.24

gamayeddevatāpūjāstotrāgamavilokanaiḥ |
bhūśayyā brahmacāritvaṃ maunacaryā tathaiva ca ||

11.23.25

nityaṃ triṣavaṇasnānaṃ śūdrakarmavivarjanam |
nityapūjā nityadānamānandastutikīrtanam ||

11.23.26

naimittikārcanaṃ caiva viśvāso gurudevayoḥ |
japaniṣṭhasya dharmā ye dvādaśaite susiddhidāḥ ||

11.23.27

nityaṃ sūryamupasthāya tasya cābhimukho japet |
devatāpratimādau vā vahnau vābhyarcya tanmukhaḥ ||

11.23.28

snānapūjājapadhyānahomatarpaṇatatparaḥ |
niṣkāmo devatāyāṃ ca sarvakarmanivedakaḥ ||

11.23.29

evamādīṃśca niyamānpuraścaraṇakṛccaret |
tasmāddvijaḥ prasannātmā japahomaparāyaṇaḥ ||

11.23.30

tapasyadhyayane yukto bhavedbhūtānukampakaḥ |
tapasā svargamāpnoti tapasā vindate mahat ||

11.23.31

tapoyuktasya sidhyanti karmāṇi niyatātmanaḥ |
vidveṣaṇaṃ saṃharaṇaṃ māraṇaṃ roganāśanam ||

11.23.32

yena yenātha ṛṣiṇā yadarthaṃ devatāḥ stutāḥ |
sa sa kāmaḥ samṛddhyeta teṣāṃ teṣāṃ tathā tathā ||

11.23.33

tāni karmāṇi vakṣyāmi vidhānāni ca karmaṇām |
puraścaraṇamādau ca karmaṇāṃ siddhikārakam ||

11.23.34

svādhyāyābhyasanasyādau prājāpatyaṃ careddvijaḥ |
keśaśmaśrulomanakhān vāpayitvā tataḥ śuciḥ ||

One becomes freed of all the sins, if one performs the above five Chândrâyanas. By the performance of the Tapta Krichchhra, all sins are burnt off in an instant. By the performance of the three Chândrâyanas the people get purified and go to the Brahma Loka. By doing eight Chândrâyanas, one sees face to face one’s Devatâ, ready to grant boons. With ten Chândrâyanas, one gets the knowledge of the Vedas and one acquires all what one wants.
In the observance of the Krichchhra Prâjâpatya Vrata, one has to take food once in midday for three days, once in the evening for three days, and for the next three days whatever one gets without asking anything from anybody. For the next three days one is not to take any thing at all and go on with one’s work. These twelve days’ work constitutes the Prâjâpatya Vrata.
Now about the rules of the S’ântapana Vrata. On the preceding day one has got to eat food consisting of the mixture of cow urine, cow-dung milk, curd, ghee and the water of the Kus’a grass; the day following he is to fast. These two days’ work constitutes the S’ântapana Vrata.
Now about the Ati Krichchhra vrata. For the first three days, one is to eat one mouthful of food a day and for the next three days one is to fast. This is the Ati Krichchhra vrata. This vrata repeated three times is called Mahâ S’ântapana vrata. Note:-- According to the opinion of Yama, the fifteen days’ work constitutes Mahâ S’ântapana. For the three days one has to eat cow-urine; for the next three days, cow-dung, for the next three days, curd; for the next three days milk; and for the next three days one has to take ghee. Then one becomes pure. This is called the all sin-destroying Mahâ S’ântapan Vrata. Now I am speaking of the nature of the Tapta Krichchhra Vrata.
The Tapta Krichchhra vrata is carried out for the twelve days. For the first three days, one has to drink hot water; for the next three days, hot milk; for the next three days, the hot ghee and for the next three days, air only. Everyday one has to bathe once only under the above rules, and remain self-controlled. If one drinks water simply everyday under the above conditions, that is called the Prâjâpatya vrata.
To remain without any food for twelve days according to rules is called the Parâka Krichchhra vrata. By this vrata, all sins are destroyed.
Now about the rules of taking food in the Chândrâyana vrata. In the dark fortnight one will have to decrease one mouthful of food every day and in the bright fortnight one will have to increase one mouthful every day and one has to fast completely on the Amâvasyâ (new moon) day. One has to bathe thrice daily during every Sandhyâ time. This is known as the Chândrâyana Vrata.
In the S’is’u Chândrâyana Vrata one will have to take four mouthfuls of food in the midday and four mouthfuls in the evening. In the Yati Chândrâyana one has to take eight mouthfuls in the midday and to control his passions.

11.23.35

tiṣṭhedahani rātrau tu śucirāsīta vāgyataḥ |
satyavādī pavitrāṇi japedvyāhṛtayastathā ||

11.23.36

jyekārādyāstu tā japtvā sāvitrīṃ ca tadityṛcam |
āpo hi ṣṭheti sūktaṃ ca pavitraṃ pāpanāśanam ||

11.23.37

punantyaḥ svastimatyaśca pāvamānyastathaiva ca |
sarvatraitatprayoktavyamādāvante ca karmaṇām ||

11.23.38

āsahasrādāśatādvāpyādaśādathavā japet |
akāraṃ vyāhṛtīstisraḥ sāvitrīmathavāyutam ||

11.23.39

tarpayitvādbhirācāryānṛṣīṃśchandāṃsi devatāḥ |
anāryeṇa na bhāṣeta śūdreṇāpi na garhitaiḥ ||

11.23.40

nāpi codakyayā vadhvā patitairnāntyajairnṛbhiḥ |
na devabrāhmaṇadviṣṭairnācāryagurunindakaiḥ ||

11.23.41

na mātṛpitṛvidviṣṭairnāvamanyeta kañcana |
kṛcchrāṇāmeṣa sarveṣāṃ vidhirukto'nupūrvaśaḥ ||

11.23.42

prājāpatyasya kṛcchrasya tathā sāntapanasya ca |
parākasya ca kṛcchrasya vidhiścāndrāyaṇasya ca ||

11.23.43

pañcabhiḥ pātakaiḥ sarvairduṣkṛtaiśca pramucyate |
taptakṛcchreṇa sarvāṇi pāpāni dahati kṣaṇāt ||

11.23.44

tribhiścāndrāyaṇaiḥ pūto brahmalokaṃ samaśnute |
aṣṭabhirdevatāḥ sākṣātpaśyeta varadāstadā ||

11.23.45

chandāṃsi daśabhirjñātvā sarvānkāmānsamaśnute |
tryahaṃ prātastryahaṃ sāyaṃ tryahamadyādayācitam ||

11.23.46

tryahaṃ paraṃ ca nāśnīyātprājāpatyaṃ careddvijaḥ |
gomūtraṃ gomayaṃ kṣīraṃ dadhi sarpiḥ kuśodakam ||

11.23.47

ekarātropavāsaśca kṛcchraṃ sāntapanaṃ smṛtam |
ekaikaṃ grāsamaśnīyādahāni trīṇi pūrvavat ||

11.23.48

tryahaṃ copavaseditthamatikṛcchraṃ careddvijaḥ |
evameva tribhiryuktaṃ mahāsāntapanaṃ smṛtam ||

11.23.49

taptakṛcchraṃ caranvipro jalakṣīraghṛtānilān |
pratitryahaṃ pibeduṣṇānsakṛtsnāyī samāhitaḥ ||

11.23.50

niyatastu pibedāpaḥ prājāpatyavidhiḥ smṛtaḥ |
yatātmano'pramattasya dvādaśāhamabhojanam ||

11.23.51

parāko nāma kṛcchro'yaṃ sarvapāpapraṇodanaḥ |
ekaikaṃ tu grasetpiṇḍaṃ kṛṣṇe śukle ca vardhayet ||

11.23.52

amāvāsyāṃ na bhuñjīta evaṃ cāndrāyaṇe vidhiḥ |
upaspṛśya triṣavaṇametaccāndrāyaṇaṃ smṛtam ||

11.23.53

caturaḥ prātaraśnīyādvipraḥ piṇḍātkṛtāhnikaḥ |
caturo'stamite sūrye śiśucāndrāyaṇaṃ smṛtam ||

11.23.54

aṣṭāvaṣṭau samaśnīyātpiṇḍānmadhyandine sthite |
niyatātmā haviṣyasya yaticāndrāyaṇaṃ vratam ||

11.23.55

etadrudrāstathādityā vasavaśca caranti hi |
sarve kuśalino devā marutaśca bhuvā saha ||

These abovementioned vratas are observed by the Rudras, Âdityas, Vâsus, and Maruts; and they are enjoying thereby their full safety.
Each of the above vratas purifies the seven Dhâtus of the body in seven nights simply! First skin, then blood, then flesh, bones, sinews, marrows and semen are purified. There is no doubt in this. Thus purifying the Âtman by the above vratas, one is to do religious actions. The work done by such a purified man is sure to be met with success. First control the senses, be pure and do good actions. Then all your desires will be undoubtedly fructified. Fast for three nights, without doing any actions and see the result. (You will not do anything and you want self control! Is this a child’s play?) Perform for three days the nocturnal vratas. Then proceed with your desired duties. If one works according to these methods, one gets the fruits of Puras’charanam. O Nârada! By the Puras’charanam of S’rî Gâyatrî Devî all desires are fulfilled and all sins are destroyed. Before doing Puras’charanam purify your body by performing the above vratas. Then you will get all your desires completely fulfilled. O Nârada! Thus I have spoken to you of the secret rules of Puras’charanam. Never disclose this to any other body. For it is recognised equivalent to the Vedas.
Here ends the Twenty-third Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the Tapta Krichchhra vrata and others in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.

11.23.56

ekaikaṃ saptarātreṇa punāti vidhivatkṛtam |
tvagasṛkpiśitāsthīni medomajjāvasāstathā ||

11.23.57

ekaikaṃ saptarātreṇa śudhyatyeva na saṃśayaḥ |
ebhirvratairvipūtātmā karma kurvīta nityaśaḥ ||

11.23.58

evaṃ śuddhasya karmāṇi sidhyantyeva na saṃśayaḥ |
śuddhātmā karma kurvīta satyavādī jitendriyaḥ ||

11.23.59

iṣṭānkāmāṃstataḥ sarvānsamprāpnoti na saṃśayaḥ |
trirātramevopavasedrahitaḥ sarvakarmaṇā ||

11.23.60

trīṇi naktāni vā kuryāttataḥ karma samārabhet |
evaṃ vidhānaṃ kathitaṃ puraścaryāphalapradam ||

11.23.61

gāyatryāśca puraścaryāṃ sarvakāmapradāyinī |
kathitā tava devarṣe mahāpāpavināśinī ||

11.23.62

ādau kuryādvrataṃ mantrī dehaśodhanakārakam |
puraścaryāṃ tataḥ kuryātsamastaphalabhāgbhavet ||

11.23.63

iti te kathitaṃ guhyaṃ puraścaryāvidhānakam |
etatparasmai no vācyaṃ śrutisāraṃ yataḥ smṛtam ||

11.23.63.c1

iti śrīmaddevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe'ṣṭādaśasāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāmekādaśaskandhe taptakṛcchrādilakṣaṇavarṇanaṃ nāma trayoviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ ||