The Budhashtami Vow

Verse 1 (garuda.1.132.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच । नक्ताशी त्वष्टमीं यावद्वर्षान्ते चैव धेनुदः । पौरन्दरपदं याति सद्गतिव्रतमुच्यते !

brahmovāca naktāśī tvaṣṭamīṁ yāvadvarṣānte caiva dhenudaḥ paurandarapadaṁ yāti sadgativratamucyate !

Brahma said: One who eats only at night up to the eighth day, and at the year's end gives a cow, attains the state of Purandara; this is called the vow of good destiny.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.132.2)

शुक्लाष्टभ्यां पौषमासे महारुद्रेति साधु वै । मत्प्रीतये कृतं देवि शथसाहस्रिकं फलम्

śuklāṣṭabhyāṁ pauṣamāse mahārudreti sādhu vai matprītaye kṛtaṁ devi śathasāhasrikaṁ phalam

On the bright eighth day of Pausha, with the Mahārudra mantra rightly recited, O Goddess, this vow performed for my pleasure bears a hundred-thousand-fold fruit.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.132.3)

अष्टमी बुधवारेण पक्षयोरुभयोर्यदा । भविष्यति तदा तस्यां व्रतमेतत्कथा परा

aṣṭamī budhavāreṇa pakṣayorubhayoryadā bhaviṣyati tadā tasyāṁ vratametatkathā parā

When the eighth tithi of either fortnight falls upon a Wednesday, this vow should be performed on that day — and now its tale is told.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.132.4)

तस्यां नियमकर्तारो न स्युः खण्डितसम्पदः । तण्डुलस्याष्टमुष्टीनां वर्जयित्वाङ्गुलिद्वयम्

tasyāṁ niyamakartāro na syuḥ khaṇḍitasampadaḥ taṇḍulasyāṣṭamuṣṭīnāṁ varjayitvāṅgulidvayam

Those who observe this rule do not see their prosperity diminished. The measure is eight fistfuls of rice, less the space of two fingers.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.132.5)

भक्तं सद्भक्तिश्रद्धाभ्यां मुक्तिकामी हि मानवः । आम्र पत्रपुटे कृत्वा यो भुड्क्ते कुशवोष्टिते

bhaktaṁ sadbhaktiśraddhābhyāṁ muktikāmī hi mānavaḥ āmra patrapuṭe kṛtvā yo bhuḍkte kuśavoṣṭite

A man desirous of liberation should eat with true devotion and faith; whoever eats from a leaf-cup of mango leaves bound with kusha grass —

Verse 6 (garuda.1.132.6)

कलम्बिकाम्लिकोपेतं काम्यं तस्य फलं भवे (लभे) त् । बुधं पञ्चोपचारेण पूजयित्वा जलाशये

kalambikāmlikopetaṁ kāmyaṁ tasya phalaṁ bhave (labhe) t budhaṁ pañcopacāreṇa pūjayitvā jalāśaye

together with kalambi and tamarind greens, obtains the fruit he desires. Having worshipped Budha with the fivefold offering at a body of water —

Verse 7 (garuda.1.132.7)

शक्तितो दक्षिणं दद्यात्कर्करीं तण्डुलान्विताम् । बुं बुधायेति बीजं स्यात्स्वाहान्तः कमलादिकः

śaktito dakṣiṇaṁ dadyātkarkarīṁ taṇḍulānvitām buṁ budhāyeti bījaṁ syātsvāhāntaḥ kamalādikaḥ

one should give, according to one's means, a water-pot filled with rice as the priestly gift. Bum, to Budha is the seed-mantra, ending in svaha, along with the lotus and other offerings.

Verse 8 (garuda.1.132.8)

बाणचापधरंश्यामं दले चाङ्गनि मध्यतः । बुधाष्टमीकथा पुण्या श्रोतव्या कृतिभिर्ध्रुवम्

bāṇacāpadharaṁśyāmaṁ dale cāṅgani madhyataḥ budhāṣṭamīkathā puṇyā śrotavyā kṛtibhirdhruvam

He is dark of hue and holds bow and arrow, depicted on a leaf amid his attendant figures. This meritorious tale of the Budha-Ashtami should surely be heard by the virtuous.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.132.9)

पुरे पाटलिपुत्राख्ये वीरो नाम द्विजोत्तमः । रम्भा भार्या तस्य चासीत्कौशिकः पुत्र उत्तमः

pure pāṭaliputrākhye vīro nāma dvijottamaḥ rambhā bhāryā tasya cāsītkauśikaḥ putra uttamaḥ

In the city named Pataliputra there lived an excellent Brahmin named Vira; his wife was named Rambha, and his fine son was Kaushika.

Verse 10 (garuda.1.132.10)

दुहिता विजयानाम्नी व (ध) नपालो वृषोऽभवत् । गृहीत्वा कौशिकस्तं च ग्रीष्मे गङ्गां गतोऽरमत्

duhitā vijayānāmnī va (dha) napālo vṛṣo'bhavat gṛhītvā kauśikastaṁ ca grīṣme gaṅgāṁ gato'ramat

His daughter was named Vijaya. There was a bull belonging to the forest-keeper. Kaushika, taking it, went to sport on the bank of the Ganga in summer.

Verse 11 (garuda.1.132.11)

गोपालकैर्वृषश्चौरैः क्रीडास्थोपहृतो बलात् । गङ्गातः स च उत्थाय वनं बभ्राम दुः खितः

gopālakairvṛṣaścauraiḥ krīḍāsthopahṛto balāt gaṅgātaḥ sa ca utthāya vanaṁ babhrāma duḥ khitaḥ

While he was absorbed in play, thieving cowherds forcibly carried off the bull; rising up from the Ganga, he wandered grief-stricken into the forest.

Verse 12 (garuda.1.132.12)

जलार्थं विजया चागाद्भ्रा(न्मा) त्रा सार्धं च साप्यगात् । पिपासितो मृणालार्थो आगतोऽथ सरोवरम्

jalārthaṁ vijayā cāgādbhrā(nmā) trā sārdhaṁ ca sāpyagāt pipāsito mṛṇālārtho āgato'tha sarovaram

Vijaya went for water together with her brother; thirsty and wanting lotus-stalks, the two of them came to a lake.

Verse 13 (garuda.1.132.13)

दिव्यस्त्रीणां च पूजादीन्दृष्ट्वा चाप्यथ विस्मितः । स ता गत्वा ययाचेऽन्नं सानुजोऽहं बुभुक्षितः

divyastrīṇāṁ ca pūjādīndṛṣṭvā cāpyatha vismitaḥ sa tā gatvā yayāce'nnaṁ sānujo'haṁ bubhukṣitaḥ

There, seeing the worship and rites of divine women, they were astonished; going to them, he begged for food, saying, I, with my younger sister, am hungry.

Verse 14 (garuda.1.132.14)

स्त्रियोऽब्रुवन्व्रतं कर्तुं दास्यामश्च कुरु व्रतम् । पत्न्यर्थं धनपाना (लार्) थं पूजयामासतुर्बुधम्

striyo'bruvanvrataṁ kartuṁ dāsyāmaśca kuru vratam patnyarthaṁ dhanapānā (lār) thaṁ pūjayāmāsaturbudham

The women said, We shall give it if you perform the vow; perform the vow. For the sake of a wife and the safekeeping of wealth, the two of them worshipped Budha.

Verse 15 (garuda.1.132.15)

पुटद्वयं गृहीत्वान्नं बुभुजाते प्रदत्तकम् । स्त्रियो गतास्तौ धनदौ धनपानमपश्यताम्

puṭadvayaṁ gṛhītvānnaṁ bubhujāte pradattakam striyo gatāstau dhanadau dhanapānamapaśyatām

Taking the food given to them in two leaf-cups, the two of them ate it. The wealth-bestowing women departed, and the two siblings beheld wealth before them.

Verse 16 (garuda.1.132.16)

चौरैर्दत्तं गृहीत्वाथ प्रदोषे प्राप्तवान् गृहम् । वीरं च दुः खितं नत्वा रात्रौ सुप्तो यथासुखम्

caurairdattaṁ gṛhītvātha pradoṣe prāptavān gṛham vīraṁ ca duḥ khitaṁ natvā rātrau supto yathāsukham

Having received compensation given by the thieves, he reached home at dusk; bowing to the grieving Vira, he slept peacefully that night.

Verse 17 (garuda.1.132.17)

कन्यां च युवतीं दृष्ट्वा कस्मै देया सुता मया । यमायेत्यब्रवीद्दुः खात्साचाराद्व्रतसत्फलात्

kanyāṁ ca yuvatīṁ dṛṣṭvā kasmai deyā sutā mayā yamāyetyabravīdduḥ khātsācārādvratasatphalāt

Seeing his daughter now grown into a young woman, he said in his sorrow, To whom shall I give my daughter? But through her good conduct and the true fruit of the vow —

Verse 18 (garuda.1.132.18)

स्वर्गं गतौ च पितरौ व्रतं राज्याय कौ शिकः । चक्रेऽयोध्यामहाराज्यं दत्त्वा च भगिनीं यमे

svargaṁ gatau ca pitarau vrataṁ rājyāya kau śikaḥ cakre'yodhyāmahārājyaṁ dattvā ca bhaginīṁ yame

her parents went to heaven, and Kaushika performed the vow for the sake of a kingdom; he obtained the great kingdom of Ayodhya and gave his sister in marriage.

Verse 19 (garuda.1.132.19)

यमोऽपि विजयामाह गृहस्था भव मे पुरे । नोद्धाटयान्यत्रगते यमे सा न तथाकरोत् । अपश्यन्मातरं स्वां सा पाशयातनया स्थिताम्

yamo'pi vijayāmāha gṛhasthā bhava me pure noddhāṭayānyatragate yame sā na tathākarot apaśyanmātaraṁ svāṁ sā pāśayātanayā sthitām

Her husband said to Vijaya, Remain a householder in my city, but do not open a certain door while I am away. She did not heed this, and she saw her own mother standing bound and tormented in fetters.

Verse 20 (garuda.1.132.20)

अथोद्विग्ना कौशिकोक्तं ज्ञात्वा मुक्तिप्रदं व्रतम् । चक्रे च सा ततो मुक्ता माता तस्माच्चरेद्व्रतम्

athodvignā kauśikoktaṁ jñātvā muktipradaṁ vratam cakre ca sā tato muktā mātā tasmāccaredvratam

Then, distressed, and learning of the liberation-granting vow that Kaushika had told her of, she performed it; her mother was thereby set free. Therefore this vow should surely be performed.

Verse 21 (garuda.1.132.21)

व्रतपुण्यप्रभावेण स्वर्गं गत्वावसत्सुखम्

vratapuṇyaprabhāveṇa svargaṁ gatvāvasatsukham

Through the power of the merit of this vow, she went to heaven and dwelt there in happiness.