The Festival of the Winter Vestment (Pravaranotsava)

Verse 1 (skanda.2.80.1)

जैमिनिरुवाच। मार्गशीर्षे सिते पक्षे षष्ठ्यां प्रावरणोत्सवम्। कृत्वा दृष्ट्वा नरो भक्त्या वैष्णवं लोकमाप्नुयात्

jaiminiruvāca mārgaśīrṣe site pakṣe ṣaṣṭhyāṁ prāvaraṇotsavam kṛtvā dṛṣṭvā naro bhaktyā vaiṣṇavaṁ lokamāpnuyāt

Jaimini said: On the sixth day of the bright fortnight of Margashirsha, having performed and, with devotion, beheld the Pravarana-utsava (the festival of vestment), a man attains the world of Vishnu.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.80.2)

विधानं तस्य वक्ष्यामि शृणुध्वं मुनयोऽधुना। वासोधिवासं कुर्वीत पंचम्यां निशि कर्मवित्

vidhānaṁ tasya vakṣyāmi śṛṇudhvaṁ munayo'dhunā vāsodhivāsaṁ kurvīta paṁcamyāṁ niśi karmavit

I shall now declare its procedure; hear it, O sages. One versed in the rite should perform the resting-vigil of the garments on the night of the fifth day.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.80.3)

देवाग्रे मंडपे कुर्यात्पद्ममष्टदलान्वितम्। दिक्पालान्पूजयेद्दिक्षु क्षेत्रपालं गणाधिपम्

devāgre maṁḍape kuryātpadmamaṣṭadalānvitam dikpālānpūjayeddikṣu kṣetrapālaṁ gaṇādhipam

One should make an eight-petalled lotus diagram in the pavilion before the deity; one should worship the guardians of the directions, Kshetrapala, and Ganadhipa in their quarters.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.80.4)

चंडप्रचंडौ च बहिश्चतुर्दिक्षु प्रपूजयेत्। मध्ये पात्रं समाधाय प्रोक्षयेद्वस्त्रवारिणा

caṁḍapracaṁḍau ca bahiścaturdikṣu prapūjayet madhye pātraṁ samādhāya prokṣayedvastravāriṇā

One should worship Chanda and Prachanda outside in the four directions; placing a vessel in the centre, one should sprinkle it with cloth and water.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.80.5)

द्युतानस्त्वेति मंत्रेणच्छादयेद्दिव्यवाससा। सुधूपितं वस्त्रजातमेकविंशतिसंख्यकम्

dyutānastveti maṁtreṇacchādayeddivyavāsasā sudhūpitaṁ vastrajātamekaviṁśatisaṁkhyakam

With the mantra beginning 'dyutānas tu,' one should cover it with a divine cloth; a set of twenty-one garments, well fumigated with incense,

Verse 6 (skanda.2.80.6)

तन्मध्ये स्थापयेन्मंत्रं वैष्णवं च समुच्चरन्। अन्येन वाससा तद्धि समाच्छाद्य प्रयत्नतः

tanmadhye sthāpayenmaṁtraṁ vaiṣṇavaṁ ca samuccaran anyena vāsasā taddhi samācchādya prayatnataḥ

should be placed in its midst, reciting the Vaishnava mantra; then one should carefully cover that set with another cloth.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.80.7)

स्पृष्ट्वा जपेन्मंत्रमिमं संस्मरन्पुरुषोत्तमम्। आच्छादको यो जगतां तेजसा विष्णुरव्ययः

spṛṣṭvā japenmaṁtramimaṁ saṁsmaranpuruṣottamam ācchādako yo jagatāṁ tejasā viṣṇuravyayaḥ

Touching it, one should recite this mantra, meditating on Purushottama: 'You who cover the worlds, imperishable Vishnu, by your splendour —

Verse 8 (skanda.2.80.8)

वसनात्तस्य वस्त्र त्वं वस वासे जगत्पतेः। इन्द्रघोषस्त्वेति रक्षां विदध्यात्तस्य सर्वतः

vasanāttasya vastra tvaṁ vasa vāse jagatpateḥ indraghoṣastveti rakṣāṁ vidadhyāttasya sarvataḥ

you, O cloth, from his own garment, dwell in the raiment of the Lord of the world.' With the mantra beginning 'indraghoṣas tu,' one should provide it protection on every side.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.80.9)

पूजयेद्गंधपुष्पाभ्यां ततो देवं प्रपूजयेत्। सर्वलेपं प्रकुर्वीत नृत्यगीतैर्नयेन्निशाम्

pūjayedgaṁdhapuṣpābhyāṁ tato devaṁ prapūjayet sarvalepaṁ prakurvīta nṛtyagītairnayenniśām

One should worship it with fragrance and flowers; then one should worship the deity, perform the whole anointing rite, and pass the night with dance and song.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.80.10)

ततोऽरुणोदये काले प्रातःसंध्यासमीपतः। पुनः प्रपूजयेद्देवं पूर्ववत्सुसमाहितः

tato'ruṇodaye kāle prātaḥsaṁdhyāsamīpataḥ punaḥ prapūjayeddevaṁ pūrvavatsusamāhitaḥ

Then, at the hour of dawn, near the time of the morning twilight-rite, one should again worship the deity as before, with full concentration.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.80.11)

ततस्तं पूजितं वस्त्रसमूहं बहिरानयेत्। कार्पासपट्टक्षौमाढ्यं तथैवाच्छादितं द्विजाः

tatastaṁ pūjitaṁ vastrasamūhaṁ bahirānayet kārpāsapaṭṭakṣaumāḍhyaṁ tathaivācchāditaṁ dvijāḥ

Then one should bring out that worshipped mass of cloths — rich with cotton, silk, and linen, similarly covered as before, O brahmins —

Verse 12 (skanda.2.80.12)

छत्रध्वजपताकाभिश्चामरांदोलनैस्तथा। गीतवादित्रनृत्यैश्च प्रसूनोत्किरणेन च

chatradhvajapatākābhiścāmarāṁdolanaistathā gītavāditranṛtyaiśca prasūnotkiraṇena ca

with umbrellas, banners, and flags, with the waving of chowries, with song, instrumental music, and dance, and with flowers scattered about,

Verse 13 (skanda.2.80.13)

प्रासादं त्रिः परिभ्रम्य देवं त्रिर्भ्रामयेत्ततः। आच्छादितं तदाकृष्य संस्कुयार्द्वीक्षणादिभिः

prāsādaṁ triḥ paribhramya devaṁ trirbhrāmayettataḥ ācchāditaṁ tadākṛṣya saṁskuyārdvīkṣaṇādibhiḥ

having circumambulated the temple thrice, one should then have the deity carried around thrice; drawing off that covering of the previous garments, one should purify him with fresh unguents and the like,

Verse 14 (skanda.2.80.14)

सप्तभिः सप्तभिर्देवान्वासोभिः परिवेष्टयेत्। मुखवर्जं तु सर्वांगं शीतप्रावरणैर्द्विजाः

saptabhiḥ saptabhirdevānvāsobhiḥ pariveṣṭayet mukhavarjaṁ tu sarvāṁgaṁ śītaprāvaraṇairdvijāḥ

and wrap the deity in seven layers of seven garments each, covering the whole body except the face, O brahmins, with cold-weather vestments.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.80.15)

तांबूलं च निवेद्याथ कर्पूरलतिकां तथा। दूर्वाक्षतैः प्रपूज्याथ कुर्यान्नीराजनं विभोः

tāṁbūlaṁ ca nivedyātha karpūralatikāṁ tathā dūrvākṣataiḥ prapūjyātha kuryānnīrājanaṁ vibhoḥ

Then, having offered betel and a roll of camphor, and having worshipped with durva grass and unbroken rice, one should perform the waving-lamp rite for the Lord.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.80.16)

हिमागमे नृसिंहं ये प्रावृण्वंति सुचेलकैः। पश्यंति प्रावृतिं ये वा न तेषां मोहसंवृतिः

himāgame nṛsiṁhaṁ ye prāvṛṇvaṁti sucelakaiḥ paśyaṁti prāvṛtiṁ ye vā na teṣāṁ mohasaṁvṛtiḥ

Those who, at the onset of winter, cover Nrisimha with fine garments, or those who behold that covering, for them there is no veil of delusion.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.80.17)

ते द्वंद्ववातशीतोत्थभयं नाप्नुवते क्वचित्। विष्णोर्देवाधिदेवस्य इमं प्रावरणोत्सवम्

te dvaṁdvavātaśītotthabhayaṁ nāpnuvate kvacit viṣṇordevādhidevasya imaṁ prāvaraṇotsavam

They never encounter the fear arising from the chill of the twin winter winds. Those who, with devotion, behold this Pravarana-festival of Vishnu, the God of gods,

Verse 18 (skanda.2.80.18)

भक्त्या ये वै प्रपश्यंति सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयुः। भगवंतं समुद्दिश्य ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रदापयेत्

bhaktyā ye vai prapaśyaṁti sarvānkāmānavāpnuyuḥ bhagavaṁtaṁ samuddiśya brāhmaṇebhyaḥ pradāpayet

obtain all their desires. Dedicating it to the Lord, one should give garments to brahmins,

Verse 19 (skanda.2.80.19)

गुरुभ्यश्चान्यदेवेभ्यो दीनानाथेभ्य एव च। शीतप्रावरणं दद्यात्सत्कृत्य परया मुदा। ददाति भगवान्प्रीतस्तस्मै वरमनुत्तमम्

gurubhyaścānyadevebhyo dīnānāthebhya eva ca śītaprāvaraṇaṁ dadyātsatkṛtya parayā mudā dadāti bhagavānprītastasmai varamanuttamam

to teachers, to other deities, and to the helpless and poor as well; one should give winter garments, honouring them with supreme joy — the Lord, being pleased, grants to such a one an unsurpassed boon.