The Glory of the Ashvattha and Vata Trees

Verse 1 (padma.6.115.1)

सूत उवाच। इत्युक्त्वा वासुदेवोऽसौ सत्यभामामतिप्रियाम् । सायंसंध्यादिकं कर्तुं जगाम जननीगृहम्

sūta uvāca ityuktvā vāsudevo'sau satyabhāmāmatipriyām sāyaṁsaṁdhyādikaṁ kartuṁ jagāma jananīgṛham

Sūta said: Having said this to his most beloved Satyabhama, that Vasudeva [Krishna] went to his mother's house to perform the evening twilight rites and the rest.

Verse 2 (padma.6.115.2)

एवं प्रभावः प्रोक्तोयं कार्तिकः पापनाशनः । विष्णुप्रियकरो नित्यं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदः सदा

evaṁ prabhāvaḥ proktoyaṁ kārtikaḥ pāpanāśanaḥ viṣṇupriyakaro nityaṁ bhuktimuktipradaḥ sadā

Thus has been told the power of this sin-destroying Kartika, which is ever pleasing to Vishnu, and ever bestows both enjoyment and liberation.

Verse 3 (padma.6.115.3)

हरिजागरणं प्रातः स्नानं तुलसिसेवनम् । उद्यापनं दीपदानं व्रतान्येतानि कार्तिके

harijāgaraṇaṁ prātaḥ snānaṁ tulasisevanam udyāpanaṁ dīpadānaṁ vratānyetāni kārtike

The night-vigil of Hari, the morning bath, the service of tulasi, the closing rite, and the offering of lamps — these are the vows of Kartika.

Verse 4 (padma.6.115.4)

पंचकैर्व्रतकैरेभिः संपूर्णं कार्तिकव्रतम् । फलं प्राप्नोति तत्प्रोक्तं भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदम्

paṁcakairvratakairebhiḥ saṁpūrṇaṁ kārtikavratam phalaṁ prāpnoti tatproktaṁ bhuktimuktiphalapradam

By these five observances, the Kartika vow becomes complete, and one obtains that fruit which has been declared to bestow both enjoyment and liberation.

Verse 5 (padma.6.115.5)

ऋषय ऊचुः। विष्णोः प्रियोऽतिफलदः प्रोक्तोऽयं रोमहर्षणे । कार्तिकस्य विधिः सम्यक्पावनः पापनाशनः

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ viṣṇoḥ priyo'tiphaladaḥ prokto'yaṁ romaharṣaṇe kārtikasya vidhiḥ samyakpāvanaḥ pāpanāśanaḥ

The sages said: O Romaharshana, you have well told us this rite of Kartika, dear to Vishnu, bestowing great fruit, truly purifying, and destructive of sin.

Verse 6 (padma.6.115.6)

अवश्यमेव कर्त्तव्यः प्राप्य दुःखनिवारणः । मोक्षार्थिभिर्नरः सम्यग्भोगकामैरथापिवा

avaśyameva karttavyaḥ prāpya duḥkhanivāraṇaḥ mokṣārthibhirnaraḥ samyagbhogakāmairathāpivā

It should certainly be performed, once obtained, by men seeking liberation as well as by those desiring enjoyment, for it truly wards off suffering.

Verse 7 (padma.6.115.7)

एवं स्थिते यथाकश्चिद्व्रतस्थः संकटे स्थितः । दुर्गारण्यस्थितो वापि व्याधिभिः परिपीडितः । कथं तेन प्रकर्तव्यं कार्तिकव्रतकं शुभम्

evaṁ sthite yathākaścidvratasthaḥ saṁkaṭe sthitaḥ durgāraṇyasthito vāpi vyādhibhiḥ paripīḍitaḥ kathaṁ tena prakartavyaṁ kārtikavratakaṁ śubham

This being so, if someone observing the vow finds himself in difficulty — stranded in a dense forest, or afflicted with illness — how then should he perform the auspicious Kartika vow?

Verse 8 (padma.6.115.8)

सूत उवाच। यस्मादत्यंतफलदं कर्तव्यं तु यथा नरैः । तत्सर्वं कथयिष्येऽहं शृणुध्वं मुनिपुंगवाः

sūta uvāca yasmādatyaṁtaphaladaṁ kartavyaṁ tu yathā naraiḥ tatsarvaṁ kathayiṣye'haṁ śṛṇudhvaṁ munipuṁgavāḥ

Sūta said: Since it bestows immense fruit and must be performed by men in some way, I shall tell you all of that — listen, O foremost of sages.

Verse 9 (padma.6.115.9)

विष्णोः शिवस्य वा कुर्यादालये हरिजागरम् । शिवविष्णुग्रहाभावे सर्वदेवालयेष्वपि

viṣṇoḥ śivasya vā kuryādālaye harijāgaram śivaviṣṇugrahābhāve sarvadevālayeṣvapi

One should perform the vigil of Hari in a temple of Vishnu or of Shiva; in the absence of a Shiva or Vishnu shrine, it may be done in the temple of any deity whatsoever.

Verse 10 (padma.6.115.10)

दुर्गारण्यस्थितो यश्च यदि वा यद्गतो भवेत् । कुर्यात्तदाश्वत्थमूले तुलसीनां वनेष्वपि

durgāraṇyasthito yaśca yadi vā yadgato bhavet kuryāttadāśvatthamūle tulasīnāṁ vaneṣvapi

And whoever is caught in a dense forest, or wherever he may find himself, should perform it then at the foot of an ashvattha [peepal] tree, or in a grove of tulasi plants.

Verse 11 (padma.6.115.11)

विष्णुनामप्रधानानां गायनाद्विष्णुसन्निधौ । गोसहस्रप्रदानस्य फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः

viṣṇunāmapradhānānāṁ gāyanādviṣṇusannidhau gosahasrapradānasya phalaṁ prāpnoti mānavaḥ

By singing songs centered on the names of Vishnu in Vishnu's presence, a man obtains the fruit of giving a thousand cows.

Verse 12 (padma.6.115.12)

वाद्यकृत्पुरुषश्चापि वाजपेयफलं लभेत् । सर्वतीर्थावगाहोत्थं नर्तकः फलमाप्नुयात्

vādyakṛtpuruṣaścāpi vājapeyaphalaṁ labhet sarvatīrthāvagāhotthaṁ nartakaḥ phalamāpnuyāt

The man who plays music likewise obtains the fruit of the Vajapeya sacrifice; the dancer obtains the fruit that arises from bathing in all the sacred waters.

Verse 13 (padma.6.115.13)

सर्वमेतल्लभेत्पुण्यं तेषां तु द्रव्यदः पुमान् । प्रशंसादर्शनाभ्यां हि तत्षडंशमवाप्नुयात्

sarvametallabhetpuṇyaṁ teṣāṁ tu dravyadaḥ pumān praśaṁsādarśanābhyāṁ hi tatṣaḍaṁśamavāpnuyāt

The man who gives material offerings to these [performers] obtains all this merit; and one who merely praises or watches obtains a sixth part of it.

Verse 14 (padma.6.115.14)

आपद्गतो यदाप्यंभो न लभेत्स्नपनाय सः । व्याधितो वा पुनः कुर्याद्विष्णोर्नामापमार्जनम्

āpadgato yadāpyaṁbho na labhetsnapanāya saḥ vyādhito vā punaḥ kuryādviṣṇornāmāpamārjanam

If, being in distress, he cannot even obtain water for bathing, or if he is ill, let him instead purify himself by reciting the names of Vishnu.

Verse 15 (padma.6.115.15)

उद्यापनविधिं कर्तुं न शक्तो यो व्रते स्थितः । ब्राह्मणान्भोजयेच्छक्त्या व्रतसंपूर्णहेतवे

udyāpanavidhiṁ kartuṁ na śakto yo vrate sthitaḥ brāhmaṇānbhojayecchaktyā vratasaṁpūrṇahetave

Whoever, while observing the vow, is unable to perform the closing rite should feed brahmins according to his means, for the sake of completing the vow.

Verse 16 (padma.6.115.16)

यस्मादत्यंतफलदो न त्याज्यः सर्वदा नरैः । अव्यक्तरूपिणो विष्णोः स्वरूपं ब्राह्मणा भुवि

yasmādatyaṁtaphalado na tyājyaḥ sarvadā naraiḥ avyaktarūpiṇo viṣṇoḥ svarūpaṁ brāhmaṇā bhuvi

For it bestows immense fruit, men should never abandon it. Brahmins on earth are indeed the very form of the unmanifest Vishnu.

Verse 17 (padma.6.115.17)

तत्संतुष्ट्या सुसंतुष्टः सर्वदा स्यां न संशयः । अशक्तो दीपदाने तु परदीपं प्रबोधयेत्

tatsaṁtuṣṭyā susaṁtuṣṭaḥ sarvadā syāṁ na saṁśayaḥ aśakto dīpadāne tu paradīpaṁ prabodhayet

[Vishnu says:] "By their satisfaction I am always well pleased, without doubt." And whoever is unable to offer a lamp should instead tend and revive another's dimming lamp.

Verse 18 (padma.6.115.18)

तेषां वा रक्षणं कुर्याद्वातादिभ्यः प्रयत्नतः । अभावे तुलसीनां तु पूजयेद्वैष्णवं द्विजम्

teṣāṁ vā rakṣaṇaṁ kuryādvātādibhyaḥ prayatnataḥ abhāve tulasīnāṁ tu pūjayedvaiṣṇavaṁ dvijam

Or let him carefully protect [such lamps] from the wind and the like; and in the absence of tulasi plants, let him worship a Vaishnava brahmin instead.

Verse 19 (padma.6.115.19)

यस्मात्संनिहितो विष्णुः स्वभक्तेष्वेव सर्वदा । सर्वाभावे व्रती कुर्याद्ब्राह्मणानां गवामपि

yasmātsaṁnihito viṣṇuḥ svabhakteṣveva sarvadā sarvābhāve vratī kuryādbrāhmaṇānāṁ gavāmapi

For Vishnu is ever present in His own devotees. And when all these are lacking, let the observer of the vow render, to brahmins and to cows —

Verse 20 (padma.6.115.20)

सेवां वाश्वत्थवटयोर्व्रतसंपूर्णहेतवे

sevāṁ vāśvatthavaṭayorvratasaṁpūrṇahetave

— or, alternatively, service to the ashvattha and vata trees, for the sake of completing the vow.

Verse 21 (padma.6.115.21)

ऋषय ऊचुः । कथं त्वयाश्वत्थवटौ गोब्राह्मणसमौ कृतौ । सर्वेभ्योऽपि तरुभ्यस्तौ कस्मात्पूज्यतरौ कृतौ

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ kathaṁ tvayāśvatthavaṭau gobrāhmaṇasamau kṛtau sarvebhyo'pi tarubhyastau kasmātpūjyatarau kṛtau

The sages said: How have you made the ashvattha and the vata equal to a cow and a brahmin? Why are these two made more worthy of worship than all other trees?

Verse 22 (padma.6.115.22)

सूत उवाच। अश्वत्थरूपी भगवान्विष्णुरेव न संशयः । रुद्ररूपी वटस्तद्वत्पालाशो ब्रह्मरूपधृक्

sūta uvāca aśvattharūpī bhagavānviṣṇureva na saṁśayaḥ rudrarūpī vaṭastadvatpālāśo brahmarūpadhṛk

Sūta said: The Lord Vishnu Himself, without doubt, takes the form of the ashvattha; the vata likewise bears the form of Rudra, and the palasha bears the form of Brahma.

Verse 23 (padma.6.115.23)

दर्शनं पूजनं सेवा तेषां पापहरा स्मृता । दुःखापद्व्याधिदुष्टानां विनाशकरणी ध्रुवम्

darśanaṁ pūjanaṁ sevā teṣāṁ pāpaharā smṛtā duḥkhāpadvyādhiduṣṭānāṁ vināśakaraṇī dhruvam

Seeing, worshipping, and serving them is remembered as removing sin, and is certainly the cause of the destruction of suffering, calamity, and evil disease.

Verse 24 (padma.6.115.24)

ऋषय ऊचुः। कथं वृक्षत्वमापन्ना ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः । एतत्कथय सर्वज्ञ संशयोऽत्र महान्हि नः

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ kathaṁ vṛkṣatvamāpannā brahmaviṣṇumaheśvarāḥ etatkathaya sarvajña saṁśayo'tra mahānhi naḥ

The sages said: How did Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara come to take the state of trees? Tell us this, O all-knowing one, for our doubt here is great indeed.

Verse 25 (padma.6.115.25)

सूत उवाच। पार्वतीशिवयोर्देवैः सुरतं कुर्वतोः किल । अग्निर्ब्राह्मणरूपेण प्रेषितो विघ्नकृत्पुरा

sūta uvāca pārvatīśivayordevaiḥ surataṁ kurvatoḥ kila agnirbrāhmaṇarūpeṇa preṣito vighnakṛtpurā

Sūta said: Once, while Parvati and Shiva were making love, the gods indeed sent Agni, in the form of a brahmin, to create an obstacle.

Verse 26 (padma.6.115.26)

ततः सा पार्वती क्रुद्धा शशाप त्रिदिवौकसः । रतोत्सवसुखभ्रंशात्कंपमाना रुषा तदा

tataḥ sā pārvatī kruddhā śaśāpa tridivaukasaḥ ratotsavasukhabhraṁśātkaṁpamānā ruṣā tadā

Then Parvati, angered and trembling with fury at the loss of the joy of that amorous delight, cursed the dwellers of heaven.

Verse 27 (padma.6.115.27)

पार्वत्युवाच। कृमिकीटादयोप्येते जानंति सुरतं सुखम् । तद्विघ्नकरणाद्देवा ह्युद्भिज्जत्वमवाप्स्यथ

pārvatyuvāca kṛmikīṭādayopyete jānaṁti surataṁ sukham tadvighnakaraṇāddevā hyudbhijjatvamavāpsyatha

Parvati said: Even worms and insects know the pleasure of union. Because you gods have obstructed it, you shall become plants that grow from the earth.

Verse 28 (padma.6.115.28)

सूत उवाच। एवं सा पार्वती देवानशपत्क्रुद्धमानसा । तस्माद्वृक्षत्वमापन्नाः सर्वे देवगणाः किल

sūta uvāca evaṁ sā pārvatī devānaśapatkruddhamānasā tasmādvṛkṣatvamāpannāḥ sarve devagaṇāḥ kila

Sūta said: Thus did Parvati, her mind enraged, curse the gods; and because of that, indeed, all the multitudes of gods came to take the state of trees.

Verse 29 (padma.6.115.29)

तस्मादिमौ विष्णुमहेश्वरावुभौ बभूवतुर्बोधिवटौ मुनीश्वराः । बोधिस्त्वगादार्किदिने स्पृशत्वमस्पृश्यतामर्कजविष्टियोगात्

tasmādimau viṣṇumaheśvarāvubhau babhūvaturbodhivaṭau munīśvarāḥ bodhistvagādārkidine spṛśatvamaspṛśyatāmarkajaviṣṭiyogāt

O foremost of sages, therefore both Vishnu and Maheshvara became the peepal and the banyan tree; the peepal becomes fit to touch on the day of the Sun (Sunday), while through its conjunction with Saturn's day and the inauspicious Vishti period, it becomes untouchable.