The Telling of the Akhanda-Dvadashi Vow

Verse 1 (garuda.1.118.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच । व्रतं कैवल्यशमनमखण्डद्वादशीं वदे । मागशीर्षे सिते पक्षे गव्याशी समुपोषितः

brahmovāca vrataṁ kaivalyaśamanamakhaṇḍadvādaśīṁ vade māgaśīrṣe site pakṣe gavyāśī samupoṣitaḥ

Brahma said: I shall tell of the vow granting liberation, called Akhanda-dvadashi. In the bright fortnight of Margashirsha, eating only cow-products, one should fast.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.118.2)

द्वादश्यां पूजये द्विष्णुं दद्यान्मासचतुष्टयम् । पञ्चव्रीहियुतं पात्रं विप्रायेदमुदाहरेत्

dvādaśyāṁ pūjaye dviṣṇuṁ dadyānmāsacatuṣṭayam pañcavrīhiyutaṁ pātraṁ viprāyedamudāharet

On the twelfth, one should worship Vishnu; this should be observed for four months. A vessel filled with five kinds of grain should be given to a brahmin, reciting this formula:

Verse 3 (garuda.1.118.3)

सप्तजन्मनि हे विष्णो यन्मया हि व्रतं कृतम् । भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन तदखण्डमिहास्तु मे

saptajanmani he viṣṇo yanmayā hi vrataṁ kṛtam bhagavaṁstvatprasādena tadakhaṇḍamihāstu me

'O Vishnu, whatever vow I have performed through seven births — O Lord, by your grace, may that remain unbroken for me here.'

Verse 4 (garuda.1.118.4)

यथाखण्डं जगत्सर्वं त्वमेव पुरुषोत्तम । तथाखिलान्यखण्डानि व्रितानि मम सन्ति वै

yathākhaṇḍaṁ jagatsarvaṁ tvameva puruṣottama tathākhilānyakhaṇḍāni vritāni mama santi vai

'Just as the entire universe remains unbroken through You alone, O Purushottama, so may all my vows remain entirely unbroken as well.'

Verse 5 (garuda.1.118.5)

सक्तुपात्राणि चैत्रादौ श्रावणादौ घृतान्वितान् । व्रतकृद्वतपूर्णस्तु स्त्रीपुत्रस्वर्गभाग्भवेत्

saktupātrāṇi caitrādau śrāvaṇādau ghṛtānvitān vratakṛdvatapūrṇastu strīputrasvargabhāgbhavet

Vessels of roasted-barley flour at the start of Chaitra, and vessels filled with ghee at the start of Shravana, should be given; the performer of the vow, having completed it, obtains a wife, sons, and heaven.