The Rite of Concluding the Vow (Udyapana)

Verse 1 (skanda.2.131.1)

॥नारद उवाच॥ व्रतानामपि सर्वेषां ब्रह्मन्नुद्यापनं श्रुतम् ॥ अभावे तूद्यापनस्य फलं नैवाऽऽप्नुयात्क्वचित्

nārada uvāca vratānāmapi sarveṣāṁ brahmannudyāpanaṁ śrutam || abhāve tūdyāpanasya phalaṁ naivā'āpnuyātkvacit

Narada said: O brahmin, I have heard that all vows require a concluding rite (udyapana). Without that concluding rite, the fruit is never obtained anywhere.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.131.2)

कृतव्रतफलाप्त्यर्थं कुर्यादुद्यापनं बुधः ॥ अन्यथा निष्फलं याति कृतं व्रतमनुत्तमम्

kṛtavrataphalāptyarthaṁ kuryādudyāpanaṁ budhaḥ || anyathā niṣphalaṁ yāti kṛtaṁ vratamanuttamam

A wise man should perform the concluding rite in order to obtain the fruit of the vow he has kept. Otherwise, even the finest vow, once performed, becomes fruitless.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.131.3)

कार्तिकेऽपि कृतं देव व्रतानामुत्तमं व्रतम् ॥ न तस्योद्यापनाऽभावे व्रतोक्तफलमाप्नुयात्

kārtike'pi kṛtaṁ deva vratānāmuttamaṁ vratam || na tasyodyāpanā'abhāve vratoktaphalamāpnuyāt

O god, even the Kartika vow, the best among vows, when performed — without the concluding rite, one does not obtain the fruit declared for the vow.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.131.4)

तस्मात्कार्तिकमासस्य चोद्यापनविधिं प्रभो ॥ वद मे शिष्यवर्याय प्रपन्नायाऽनुवर्तिने

tasmātkārtikamāsasya codyāpanavidhiṁ prabho || vada me śiṣyavaryāya prapannāyā'anuvartine

Therefore, O lord, tell me, your excellent disciple who has taken refuge and is devoted to following you, the procedure for the concluding rite of the Kartika month.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.131.5)

॥ब्रह्मोवाच॥ अथोर्जोद्यापनं वक्ष्ये सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् ॥ तच्छृणुष्व महाभक्त्या सविधानं समासतः

brahmovāca athorjodyāpanaṁ vakṣye sarvapāpapraṇāśanam || tacchṛṇuṣva mahābhaktyā savidhānaṁ samāsataḥ

Brahma said: Now I shall tell the concluding rite of Kartika, which destroys all sins. Hear it with great devotion, with its procedure, in brief.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.131.6)

ऊर्जे शुक्लचतुर्दश्यां कुर्यादुद्यापनं व्रती ॥ व्रतसंपूरणार्थाय विष्णुप्रीत्यर्थहेतवे

ūrje śuklacaturdaśyāṁ kuryādudyāpanaṁ vratī || vratasaṁpūraṇārthāya viṣṇuprītyarthahetave

On the fourteenth day of Kartika's bright fortnight, the vow-keeper should perform the concluding rite, for the completion of the vow and for the sake of pleasing Vishnu.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.131.7)

तुलस्या उपरिष्टात्तु कुर्यान्मंडपिकां शुभाम् ॥ कदलीस्तंभसंयुक्तां नानाधातुविचित्रिताम्

tulasyā upariṣṭāttu kuryānmaṁḍapikāṁ śubhām || kadalīstaṁbhasaṁyuktāṁ nānādhātuvicitritām

Above the Tulasi, one should erect an auspicious small pavilion, furnished with plantain-tree pillars and adorned with various metals.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.131.8)

दीपमाला चतुर्दिक्षु कार्या तत्र सुशोभना ॥ सुतोरणाश्चतुर्द्वारः पुष्पचामरशोभिताः

dīpamālā caturdikṣu kāryā tatra suśobhanā || sutoraṇāścaturdvāraḥ puṣpacāmaraśobhitāḥ

There, beautiful garlands of lamps should be arranged in the four directions, with lovely archways at four doors, adorned with flowers and fly-whisks.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.131.9)

द्वारेषु द्वारपालाश्च पूजयेन्मृन्मयान्पृथक् ॥ जयश्च विजयश्चैव चण्डश्चैव प्रचंडकः

dvāreṣu dvārapālāśca pūjayenmṛnmayānpṛthak || jayaśca vijayaścaiva caṇḍaścaiva pracaṁḍakaḥ

At the doors, one should worship separate clay images of doorkeepers — Jaya, Vijaya, Chanda, and Prachanda.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.131.10)

नन्दश्चैव सुनंदश्च कुमुदः कुमुदाक्षकः ॥ एतांश्चतुर्षु द्वारेषु पूजयेद्भक्तिसंयुतः

nandaścaiva sunaṁdaśca kumudaḥ kumudākṣakaḥ || etāṁścaturṣu dvāreṣu pūjayedbhaktisaṁyutaḥ

Nanda, Sunanda, Kumuda, and Kumudaksha — one should devotedly worship these at the four doors.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.131.11)

तुलसीमूलदेशे तु सर्वतोभद्रसंज्ञितम् ॥ चतुर्भिर्वर्णकैः सम्यक्छोभाढ्यं समलंकृतम्

tulasīmūladeśe tu sarvatobhadrasaṁjñitam || caturbhirvarṇakaiḥ samyakchobhāḍhyaṁ samalaṁkṛtam

At the base of the Tulasi, one should draw the diagram named "Sarvatobhadra," well adorned and decorated with four colors.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.131.12)

तस्योपरिष्टात्कलशं पूर्णरत्नसमन्वितम् ॥ तत्र संपूजयेद्देवं शंखचक्रगदाधरम्

tasyopariṣṭātkalaśaṁ pūrṇaratnasamanvitam || tatra saṁpūjayeddevaṁ śaṁkhacakragadādharam

Above it, one should place a water-pot filled with jewels. There one should worship the god who bears the conch, discus, and mace.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.131.13)

कौशेयपीतवसनं लक्ष्म्या युक्तं प्रपूजयेत् ॥ इन्द्रादिलोकपालांश्च मंडपे पूजयेद्व्रती

kauśeyapītavasanaṁ lakṣmyā yuktaṁ prapūjayet || indrādilokapālāṁśca maṁḍape pūjayedvratī

One should worship him, clad in yellow silk, together with Lakshmi. In the pavilion, the vow-keeper should also worship Indra and the other guardians of the directions.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.131.14)

तस्यामुपवसेद्भक्त्या शांतः प्रणतमानसः ॥ रात्रौ जागरणं कुर्याद्गीतवाद्यादिमंगलैः

tasyāmupavasedbhaktyā śāṁtaḥ praṇatamānasaḥ || rātrau jāgaraṇaṁ kuryādgītavādyādimaṁgalaiḥ

On that day, one should fast devoutly, with a peaceful, humbled mind. At night, one should keep vigil with auspicious song, instrumental music, and the like.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.131.15)

गीतं कुर्वंति ये भक्त्या जागरे चक्रपाणिनः ॥ जन्मांतरशतोद्भूतैस्ते मुक्ताः पापसंचयैः

gītaṁ kurvaṁti ye bhaktyā jāgare cakrapāṇinaḥ || janmāṁtaraśatodbhūtaiste muktāḥ pāpasaṁcayaiḥ

Those who devotedly sing at the night-vigil of the discus-bearer are freed from the accumulations of sin gathered over hundreds of former births.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.131.16)

ततस्तु पूर्णिमायां तु सपत्नीकान्द्विजोत्तमान् ॥ त्रिंशन्मितानथैकं वा ब्राह्मणांश्च निमंत्रयेत्

tatastu pūrṇimāyāṁ tu sapatnīkāndvijottamān || triṁśanmitānathaikaṁ vā brāhmaṇāṁśca nimaṁtrayet

Then, on the full-moon day, one should invite thirty excellent brahmins, together with their wives, or even a single brahmin.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.131.17)

प्रातःस्नानं ततः कृत्वा देवपूजां तथैव च ॥ स्थंडिले च ततः कृत्वा समाधायाऽग्निमत्र हि

prātaḥsnānaṁ tataḥ kṛtvā devapūjāṁ tathaiva ca || sthaṁḍile ca tataḥ kṛtvā samādhāyā'agnimatra hi

Then, having performed the morning bath and worship of the god, and having established the fire on the sacred altar there,

Verse 18 (skanda.2.131.18)

अतो देवेति मंत्रेण जुहुयात्तिलपायसम् ॥ प्रीत्यर्थं देवदेवस्य देवानां च पृथक्पृथक्

ato deveti maṁtreṇa juhuyāttilapāyasam || prītyarthaṁ devadevasya devānāṁ ca pṛthakpṛthak

with the mantra "ato deva," one should offer oblations of sesame-rice-pudding, separately for the pleasure of the God of gods and of the other deities.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.131.19)

होमशेषं समाप्याथ ब्राह्मणान्पूज्य भक्तितः ॥ ब्राह्मणेभ्यो यथाशक्त्या प्रदद्याद्दक्षिणां नरः

homaśeṣaṁ samāpyātha brāhmaṇānpūjya bhaktitaḥ || brāhmaṇebhyo yathāśaktyā pradadyāddakṣiṇāṁ naraḥ

Having completed the remainder of the fire-rite and devotedly worshipped the brahmins, a man should give them fees according to his means.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.131.20)

ततो गां कपिलां तत्र पूजयेद्विधिवद्व्रती ॥ सवत्सां गां तथा दद्याद्विप्राय च कुटुम्बिने

tato gāṁ kapilāṁ tatra pūjayedvidhivadvratī || savatsāṁ gāṁ tathā dadyādviprāya ca kuṭumbine

Then the vow-keeper should duly worship a tawny cow there, and give a cow with her calf to a brahmin householder.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.131.21)

गुरुं व्रतोपदेष्टारं वस्त्रालंकारभूषणैः ॥ सपत्नीकं समभ्यर्च्य तांश्च विप्रान्क्षमापयेत्

guruṁ vratopadeṣṭāraṁ vastrālaṁkārabhūṣaṇaiḥ || sapatnīkaṁ samabhyarcya tāṁśca viprānkṣamāpayet

Having honored, with clothing, jewelry, and ornaments, the guru who instructed him in the vow, together with his wife, one should ask the forgiveness of those brahmins.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.131.22)

युष्मत्प्रसादाद्देवेशः प्रसन्नोऽस्तु सदा मम ॥ व्रतादस्माच्च यत्पापं सप्तजन्मकृतं मया

yuṣmatprasādāddeveśaḥ prasanno'stu sadā mama || vratādasmācca yatpāpaṁ saptajanmakṛtaṁ mayā

(Let him say:) "By your grace, may the Lord of gods be ever pleased with me. Whatever sin I have committed across seven births —

Verse 23 (skanda.2.131.23)

तत्सर्वं नाशमायातु स्थिरा मे चाऽस्तु संततिः ॥ मनोरथास्तु सफलाः संतु भक्तिर्हरौ भवेत्

tatsarvaṁ nāśamāyātu sthirā me cā'astu saṁtatiḥ || manorathāstu saphalāḥ saṁtu bhaktirharau bhavet

may all of it be destroyed by this vow, and may my progeny remain secure. May my wishes be fulfilled, and may my devotion to Hari abide.

Verse 24 (skanda.2.131.24)

सतां समागमो भूयान्मम जन्मनिजन्मनि ॥ इति क्षमाप्य तान्विप्रान्प्रसाद्य च विसर्जयेत्

satāṁ samāgamo bhūyānmama janmanijanmani || iti kṣamāpya tānviprānprasādya ca visarjayet

May I have the company of the virtuous in every birth." Having thus asked forgiveness of those brahmins and pleased them, one should then take leave of them.

Verse 25 (skanda.2.131.25)

प्रतिमां तां गुरोर्दद्यात्सवस्त्रां मुनिपुंगव ॥ ततः सुहृद्गुरुयुतः स्वयं भुंजीत भक्तिमान्

pratimāṁ tāṁ gurordadyātsavastrāṁ munipuṁgava || tataḥ suhṛdguruyutaḥ svayaṁ bhuṁjīta bhaktimān

O foremost of sages, one should give that image, together with its garments, to the guru. Then the devoted man should himself eat, together with his friends and guru.

Verse 26 (skanda.2.131.26)

द्वादश्यां प्रतिबुद्धोऽसौ त्रयोदश्यां युतः सुरैः ॥ दृष्टोर्च्चितश्चतुर्दश्यां तस्मात्पूज्यस्तिथाविह

dvādaśyāṁ pratibuddho'sau trayodaśyāṁ yutaḥ suraiḥ || dṛṣṭorccitaścaturdaśyāṁ tasmātpūjyastithāviha

On the twelfth he awakens, on the thirteenth he is joined by the gods, and on the fourteenth he is beheld and worshipped; therefore this tithi is here held worthy of worship.

Verse 27 (skanda.2.131.27)

पूजयेद्देवदेवेशं सौवर्णं गुर्वनुज्ञया ॥ पराऽत्र पौर्णमास्यां तु यात्रा स्यात्पुष्करस्य तु

pūjayeddevadeveśaṁ sauvarṇaṁ gurvanujñayā || parā'atra paurṇamāsyāṁ tu yātrā syātpuṣkarasya tu

With the guru's permission, one should worship the golden form of the God of gods. Here, on the full-moon day, a pilgrimage to Pushkara is deemed supreme.

Verse 28 (skanda.2.131.28)

वरान्दत्त्वा यतो विष्णुर्मत्स्यरूपोऽभवत्ततः ॥ तस्यां दत्तं हुतं जप्तं तदक्षय्यफलं भवेत्

varāndattvā yato viṣṇurmatsyarūpo'bhavattataḥ || tasyāṁ dattaṁ hutaṁ japtaṁ tadakṣayyaphalaṁ bhavet

for it was there that, having granted boons, Vishnu assumed the fish-form; therefore whatever is given, offered in fire, or recited on that day becomes imperishable in its fruit.

Verse 29 (skanda.2.131.29)

कार्तिके मासि कर्तव्यो विधिरेष हि नारद ॥ एवं यः कुरुते सम्यक्कार्तिकस्य व्रतं नरः

kārtike māsi kartavyo vidhireṣa hi nārada || evaṁ yaḥ kurute samyakkārtikasya vrataṁ naraḥ

O Narada, this is the procedure to be performed in the month of Kartika. Thus, whatever man properly performs the Kartika vow —

Verse 30 (skanda.2.131.30)

यत्फलं तदवाप्नोति व्रतं कृत्वा तु कार्तिके ॥ ते धन्यास्ते सदा पूज्यास्तेषां वै सफलोदयः

yatphalaṁ tadavāpnoti vrataṁ kṛtvā tu kārtike || te dhanyāste sadā pūjyāsteṣāṁ vai saphalodayaḥ

obtains, by keeping the vow in Kartika, that fruit. They are blessed, they are ever worthy of honor, and their rising is fruitful indeed.

Verse 31 (skanda.2.131.31)

विष्णुभक्तिरता ये स्युः कार्तिके व्रतचारिणः ॥ देहस्थितानि पापानि विलयं यांति तत्क्षणात्

viṣṇubhaktiratā ye syuḥ kārtike vratacāriṇaḥ || dehasthitāni pāpāni vilayaṁ yāṁti tatkṣaṇāt

Those who, keeping the vow in Kartika, remain devoted to Vishnu — the sins residing in their bodies are destroyed that very instant.

Verse 32 (skanda.2.131.32)

क्व यामोऽद्य भवत्येष यदूर्जव्रतकृन्नरः ॥ इति सर्वाणि पापानि रटन्तीह पुनःपुनः

kva yāmo'dya bhavatyeṣa yadūrjavratakṛnnaraḥ || iti sarvāṇi pāpāni raṭaṁtīha punaḥpunaḥ

"Where shall we go today, since this man is an observer of the Kartika vow?" — thus all sins keep repeating this here again and again, and flee.

Verse 33 (skanda.2.131.33)

तस्मात्कार्तिकमासस्य सदृशं नहि विद्यते ॥ सर्वपापस्य दहने अग्नेः सदृश उच्यते

tasmātkārtikamāsasya sadṛśaṁ nahi vidyate || sarvapāpasya dahane agneḥ sadṛśa ucyate

Therefore there is nothing equal to the month of Kartika. In burning away all sin, it is declared to be like fire itself.

Verse 34 (skanda.2.131.34)

ऊर्जोद्यापनमाहात्म्यं शृणुयाच्छ्रद्धयाऽन्वितः ॥ श्रावयेद्वा पुमान्यस्तु विष्णुसायुज्यमाप्नुयात्

ūrjodyāpanamāhātmyaṁ śṛṇuyācchraddhayā'anvitaḥ || śrāvayedvā pumānyastu viṣṇusāyujyamāpnuyāt

Whatever man, endowed with faith, hears or causes others to hear this glory of the Kartika concluding rite, attains union with Vishnu.

Verse 35 (skanda.2.131.35)

॥नारद उवाच॥ ऊर्जे व्रतोद्यापनादावशक्तः सिद्धिभाक्कथम् ॥ कथं विमुच्यते जंतुर्दुःखसंसारसागरात्

nārada uvāca ūrje vratodyāpanādāvaśaktaḥ siddhibhākkatham || kathaṁ vimucyate jaṁturduḥkhasaṁsārasāgarāt

Narada said: How shall one incapable of performing the concluding rite of the Kartika vow and the rest become a sharer of accomplishment? How shall a being be freed from the sorrowful ocean of worldly existence?

Verse 36 (skanda.2.131.36)

॥ब्रह्मोवाच॥ शृणुयादूर्जमाहात्म्यं नियमेन शुचिः पुमान् ॥ उद्यापनफलं प्राप्य विष्णुलोके वसेच्च सः

brahmovāca śṛṇuyādūrjamāhātmyaṁ niyamena śuciḥ pumān || udyāpanaphalaṁ prāpya viṣṇuloke vasecca saḥ

Brahma said: Whatever pure man, following the discipline, hears the glory of Kartika, obtains the fruit of the concluding rite and dwells in Vishnu's realm.