The Month-Long Fasting Vow

Verse 1 (garuda.1.122.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच । व्रतं मासोपवासाख्यं सर्वोत्कृष्टं वदामिते । वानप्रस्थो यतिर्नारी कुर्यान्मासोपवासकम्

brahmovāca vrataṁ māsopavāsākhyaṁ sarvotkṛṣṭaṁ vadāmite vānaprastho yatirnārī kuryānmāsopavāsakam

Brahma said: I shall tell you of the vow named Masopavasa, the fasting of a full month, the most excellent of all vows. A forest-dweller, an ascetic, or a woman may undertake this month-long fast.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.122.2)

आश्विनस्य सिते पक्षे एकादश्यामुपोषितः । व्रतमेतत्तु गृह्णीयाद्यावत्त्रिंशद्दिनानि तु

āśvinasya site pakṣe ekādaśyāmupoṣitaḥ vratametattu gṛhṇīyādyāvattriṁśaddināni tu

Having fasted on the Ekadashi in the bright fortnight of Ashvina, one should take up this vow for the full course of thirty days.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.122.3)

अद्यप्रभृत्यहं विष्णो यावदुत्थानकं तव । अर्चयेत्वामनश्रंस्तु दिनानि त्रिंशदेव तु

adyaprabhṛtyahaṁ viṣṇo yāvadutthānakaṁ tava arcayetvāmanaśraṁstu dināni triṁśadeva tu

This is the vow-formula: From this day, O Vishnu, until your rising, I shall worship you, remaining without food, for these full thirty days.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.122.4)

कार्तिकाश्विनयोर्विष्णो द्वादश्योः शुक्लयोरहम् । म्रियेयद्यन्तराले तु व्रतभङ्गो न मे भवेत्

kārtikāśvinayorviṣṇo dvādaśyoḥ śuklayoraham mriyeyadyantarāle tu vratabhaṅgo na me bhavet

O Vishnu, I take this vow between the two bright Dvadashis of Ashvina and Kartika; should I die in the interval, let there be no breach of my vow.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.122.5)

हरिं यजोत्त्रिषवणस्नायी गन्धादिभिर्व्रती । गात्राभ्यङ्गं गन्धलेपं देवतायतने त्यजेत्

hariṁ yajottriṣavaṇasnāyī gandhādibhirvratī gātrābhyaṅgaṁ gandhalepaṁ devatāyatane tyajet

Let the votary, bathing three times a day, worship Hari with sandal-paste and other offerings; but let him forsake bodily oil-massage and the application of sandal-paste to himself, reserving such honors for the deity's shrine alone.

Verse 6 (garuda.1.122.6)

द्वादश्यामथ संपूज्य प्रदद्याद्द्विजभोजनम् । ततश्च पारणं कुर्याद्धरेर्मासोपवासकृत्

dvādaśyāmatha saṁpūjya pradadyāddvijabhojanam tataśca pāraṇaṁ kuryāddharermāsopavāsakṛt

Then on the Dvadashi, having worshipped, let him feed Brahmins with a meal, and thereafter let the one who has kept the month-long fast of Hari break his fast.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.122.7)

दुग्धादिप्राशनं कुर्याद्व्रतस्थो मूर्छितोऽन्तरा । दुग्धाद्यैर्न व्रतं नश्येद्भुक्तिमुक्तिमवाप्नुयात्

dugdhādiprāśanaṁ kuryādvratastho mūrchito'ntarā dugdhādyairna vrataṁ naśyedbhuktimuktimavāpnuyāt

If one who is keeping the vow should faint in the midst of it, he may partake of milk and the like; the vow is not broken by taking milk and such things, and he attains both enjoyment and liberation.