Exposition of the Chaturmasya Vow

Verse 1 (garuda.1.121.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच । चातुर्मास्यव्रतान्यूचे एकादश्यां समाचरेत् । आषाढ्यां पौर्णमास्यां वा सर्वेणहरिमर्च्यच

brahmovāca cāturmāsyavratānyūce ekādaśyāṁ samācaret āṣāḍhyāṁ paurṇamāsyāṁ vā sarveṇaharimarcyaca

Brahma said: The Chaturmasya vows have thus been declared. One should begin them on the Ekadashi, or on the full-moon day of Ashadha, and worship Hari with one's whole being.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.121.2)

इदं व्रतं मया देव गृहीतं पुरतस्तव । निर्विघ्नं सिद्धिमाप्नोतु प्रसन्ने त्वयि केशव

idaṁ vrataṁ mayā deva gṛhītaṁ puratastava nirvighnaṁ siddhimāpnotu prasanne tvayi keśava

O Lord, this vow have I taken before you; may it, O Keshava, through your grace, reach fulfillment without hindrance.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.121.3)

गृहीतेऽस्मिन्व्रते देव यद्यपूर्णे म्रियाम्यहम् । तन्मे भवतु सम्पूर्णं त्वत्प्रसादाज्जनार्दन

gṛhīte'sminvrate deva yadyapūrṇe mriyāmyaham tanme bhavatu sampūrṇaṁ tvatprasādājjanārdana

O Lord, should I die while this vow, once taken, remains incomplete, then, O Janardana, let it be reckoned complete for me through your grace.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.121.4)

एवमभ्यर्च्य गृह्णीयाद्व्रतार्चनजपादिकम् । सर्वाघं च क्षयं याति चिकीर्षेद्यो हरेर्व्रतम्

evamabhyarcya gṛhṇīyādvratārcanajapādikam sarvāghaṁ ca kṣayaṁ yāti cikīrṣedyo harervratam

Having thus worshipped, one should undertake the vow along with its rites of worship and recitation. For whoever resolves to keep this vow of Hari, all sin comes to an end.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.121.5)

स्नात्वायोभ्यच्य गृह्णीयाद्व्रतार्चनजपादिकम् । स्नात्वा यच्चतुरो मासानेकभक्तेन पूजयेत् । विष्णुं स याति विष्णोर्व लोकं मलविवर्जितम्

snātvāyobhyacya gṛhṇīyādvratārcanajapādikam snātvā yaccaturo māsānekabhaktena pūjayet viṣṇuṁ sa yāti viṣṇorva lokaṁ malavivarjitam

Having bathed and worshipped, one should take up the vow with its worship and recitation. Whoever, having bathed, worships Vishnu through all four months while eating but once a day, attains Vishnu, or the stainless world of Vishnu.

Verse 6 (garuda.1.121.6)

मद्यमांससुरात्यगी वेदविद्धरिपूजनात् । तैलवर्जि विष्णुलोकं विष्णुभाक्कृच्छ्रपादकृत्

madyamāṁsasurātyagī vedaviddharipūjanāt tailavarji viṣṇulokaṁ viṣṇubhākkṛcchrapādakṛt

One who forsakes wine, meat, and liquor, worships Hari according to Vedic rule, and abstains from oil, attains the world of Vishnu; sharing the fruit of the Krichchhra penance, he becomes a devotee of Vishnu.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.121.7)

एकरात्रोपवासाच्च देवो वैमानिको भवेत् । श्वेतद्वीपं त्रिरात्रात्तु व्रजेत्षष्ठान्नकृन्नरः

ekarātropavāsācca devo vaimāniko bhavet śvetadvīpaṁ trirātrāttu vrajetṣaṣṭhānnakṛnnaraḥ

By fasting for a single night, a man becomes a god who travels in a celestial car. A man who eats only every sixth meal, by fasting three nights, journeys to Shvetadvipa, the White Island.

Verse 8 (garuda.1.121.8)

चान्द्रायणाद्धरेर्धाम लभेन्मुक्तिमयाचिताम् । प्राजापत्यं विष्णुलोकं पराकव्रतकृद्धरिम्

cāndrāyaṇāddharerdhāma labhenmuktimayācitām prājāpatyaṁ viṣṇulokaṁ parākavratakṛddharim

By the Chandrayana penance one obtains unsought liberation in Hari's abode; by the Prajapatya vow, the world of Vishnu; and one who performs the Paraka vow attains Hari himself.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.121.9)

सक्तुयावकभिक्षाशी पयोदधिघृताशनः । गोमूत्रयावकाहारः पञ्चगव्यकृताशनः । शाकमलफलाद्याशी रसवर्जो च विष्णुभाक्

saktuyāvakabhikṣāśī payodadhighṛtāśanaḥ gomūtrayāvakāhāraḥ pañcagavyakṛtāśanaḥ śākamalaphalādyāśī rasavarjo ca viṣṇubhāk

One who eats barley-gruel taken as alms, who lives on milk, curd and ghee, who takes cow's urine and barley-gruel as food, who partakes of the five products of the cow, or who eats vegetables and fruit while forsaking all flavored food — each becomes a devotee of Vishnu.