Exposition of the Saptami Vows

Verse 1 (garuda.1.130.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच । एवं भाद्रपदे मासि कार्तिकेयं प्रपूयेत् । स्नानदानादिकं सर्वमस्यामक्षय्यमुच्यते

brahmovāca evaṁ bhādrapade māsi kārtikeyaṁ prapūyet snānadānādikaṁ sarvamasyāmakṣayyamucyate

Brahma said: Thus, in the month of Bhadrapada, one should worship Karttikeya; bathing, giving, and all such acts performed on this day are said to bear imperishable fruit.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.130.2)

सप्तम्यां प्राशयेच्चपि भोज्यं विप्रान्रविं यजेत् । ओं खखोल्कायमृतत्वं (तन्तं) प्रियसङ्गमो भव सद स्वाहा

saptamyāṁ prāśayeccapi bhojyaṁ viprānraviṁ yajet oṁ khakholkāyamṛtatvaṁ (tantaṁ) priyasaṅgamo bhava sada svāhā

On the Saptami, one should feed Brahmins and worship the Sun. Om, to Khakholka, immortality; be my beloved companion always, svaha —

Verse 3 (garuda.1.130.3)

अष्टम्यां पारणं कुर्यान्मरीचं प्राश्य स्वर्गभाक् सप्तम्यां नियतः स्नात्वा पूजयित्वा दिवाकरम्

aṣṭamyāṁ pāraṇaṁ kuryānmarīcaṁ prāśya svargabhāk saptamyāṁ niyataḥ snātvā pūjayitvā divākaram

on the eighth day one should break the fast, partaking of pepper, thereby becoming a sharer in heaven; having bathed with self-restraint on the Saptami and worshipped the Sun —

Verse 4 (garuda.1.130.4)

दद्यात्फलानि विप्रेभ्यो मार्तण्डः प्रीयतामिति । खर्जूरं नारिकेलं वा प्राशयेन्मातुलुङ्गकम्

dadyātphalāni viprebhyo mārtaṇḍaḥ prīyatāmiti kharjūraṁ nārikelaṁ vā prāśayenmātuluṅgakam

one should give fruits to Brahmins, saying, May Martanda, the Sun, be pleased; one should partake of dates, coconut, or citron —

Verse 5 (garuda.1.130.5)

सर्वे भवन्तु सफला मम कामाः समन्ततः । संपूज्य देवं सप्तम्यां पायसेनाथ भोजयेत्

sarve bhavantu saphalā mama kāmāḥ samantataḥ saṁpūjya devaṁ saptamyāṁ pāyasenātha bhojayet

may all my desires everywhere bear fruit — thus ends the Phala-saptami vow. Having worshipped the god on the Saptami, one should then feed Brahmins with rice-pudding —

Verse 6 (garuda.1.130.6)

विप्रांश्च दक्षिणां दत्त्वा स्वयं चाथ पयः पिबेत् । भक्ष्यं चोष्यं तथा लेह्यं ओदनं चेति कीर्तितम्

viprāṁśca dakṣiṇāṁ dattvā svayaṁ cātha payaḥ pibet bhakṣyaṁ coṣyaṁ tathā lehyaṁ odanaṁ ceti kīrtitam

and, having given a priestly fee to the Brahmins, one should oneself then drink milk. Solid food, that which is sucked, that which is licked, and cooked rice — these four kinds of food are named —

Verse 7 (garuda.1.130.7)

धनपुत्रादिकामस्तु त्यजेदेतदनोदनः वाय्वाशी विजयेत्क्षुच्च कुर्याद्विजयसप्तमीम् । अद्यादर्कं च कामेच्छुरुपवासे तरेन्मदम्

dhanaputrādikāmastu tyajedetadanodanaḥ vāyvāśī vijayetkṣucca kuryādvijayasaptamīm adyādarkaṁ ca kāmecchurupavāse tarenmadam

but one desiring wealth, sons, and the like should forsake cooked rice. Living on air alone, one should conquer hunger and perform the Vijaya-saptami vow; one desiring fulfillment of a wish should eat the arka plant, and, while fasting, overcome pride.

Verse 8 (garuda.1.130.8)

गोधूममाषयवषष्टिककांस्यपात्रं पाषाणपिष्टमधुमैषुनमद्यमांसम् । अभ्यञ्जनाञ्जनतिलांश्च विवर्जयेद्यः तस्येषितं भवति सप्तसु सप्तमीषु

godhūmamāṣayavaṣaṣṭikakāṁsyapātraṁ pāṣāṇapiṣṭamadhumaiṣunamadyamāṁsam abhyañjanāñjanatilāṁśca vivarjayedyaḥ tasyeṣitaṁ bhavati saptasu saptamīṣu

Wheat, black gram, barley, sixty-day rice, bell-metal vessels, stone-ground flour, honey, ram's meat, liquor, meat, oil-massage, collyrium, and sesame — whoever forsakes these has his desire fulfilled through the observance of seven Saptamis.