The Vasantika Festival: The Breaking of the Damanaka Herb

Verse 1 (skanda.2.85.1)

मुनय ऊचुः। मुने व्रतमिदं पुण्यं श्रुतं वै मूर्तिपंजरम्। अन्तःप्रमोदजननं महिम्ना च महत्तरम्

munaya ūcuḥ mune vratamidaṁ puṇyaṁ śrutaṁ vai mūrtipaṁjaram antaḥpramodajananaṁ mahimnā ca mahattaram

The sages said: O sage, we have heard this holy vow, the shrine-kiosk, a source of inner delight, greater still in its glory.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.85.2)

यात्रा द्वादश पुण्या या उद्दिष्टा भगवत्प्रियाः। तासां द्वे अवशिष्टे नः कथयस्व महामुने

yātrā dvādaśa puṇyā yā uddiṣṭā bhagavatpriyāḥ tāsāṁ dve avaśiṣṭe naḥ kathayasva mahāmune

Of the twelve holy pilgrimages that were declared, dear to the Lord, two remain untold to us; declare them also to us, O great sage.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.85.3)

जैमिनिरुवाच। वासंतिकां समाख्यास्ये यात्रां दमनभंजिकाम्। यस्यां कृतायां दृष्टायां प्रीणाति पुरुषोत्तमः

jaiminiruvāca vāsaṁtikāṁ samākhyāsye yātrāṁ damanabhaṁjikām yasyāṁ kṛtāyāṁ dṛṣṭāyāṁ prīṇāti puruṣottamaḥ

Jaimini said: I shall now describe the Vasantika pilgrimage, the 'breaking of the Damanaka,' by the performance and sight of which Purushottama is pleased.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.85.4)

पुरा यत्कथितं विप्रास्तृणं दमनकाह्वयम्। चैत्रशुक्लत्रयोदश्यामाहरेत्तत्समूलकम्

purā yatkathitaṁ viprāstṛṇaṁ damanakāhvayam caitraśuklatrayodaśyāmāharettatsamūlakam

The grass called Damanaka, of which I told before, should be gathered with its root on the thirteenth day of the bright fortnight of Chaitra.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.85.5)

तन्मध्ये मंडलं कुर्यात्सुशुभं पद्मसंज्ञितम्। तदंतर्वासयेद्देवप्रत्यर्चां प्रतिपूजिताम्

tanmadhye maṁḍalaṁ kuryātsuśubhaṁ padmasaṁjñitam tadaṁtarvāsayeddevapratyarcāṁ pratipūjitām

In its midst one should make a most auspicious diagram called the lotus; within it one should seat the duly-worshipped substitute image of the deity,

Verse 6 (skanda.2.85.6)

युक्तां श्रीसत्यभामाभ्यां पूजयेद्विधिवच्च ताः। अर्द्धरात्रे तु कर्मेदं देवदेवस्य कारयेत्

yuktāṁ śrīsatyabhāmābhyāṁ pūjayedvidhivacca tāḥ arddharātre tu karmedaṁ devadevasya kārayet

joined with Shri and Satyabhama, and worship them according to rite; this rite for the God of gods should be performed at midnight.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.85.7)

पुरा निशीथेऽपि विभुर्बभंज दमनासुरम्। भंक्त्वा लेभे परां प्रीतिं तदंगोत्थं च तत्तृणम्

purā niśīthe'pi vibhurbabhaṁja damanāsuram bhaṁktvā lebhe parāṁ prītiṁ tadaṁgotthaṁ ca tattṛṇam

For it was at midnight, of old, that the Mighty One slew the demon Damana; having slain him, he took supreme delight in that very grass which sprang from his body.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.85.8)

तस्यामेव त्रयोदश्यां तृणं दैत्यं विभावयेत्। कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा वाक्यं चेदमुदाहरेत्

tasyāmeva trayodaśyāṁ tṛṇaṁ daityaṁ vibhāvayet kṛtāṁjalipuṭo bhūtvā vākyaṁ cedamudāharet

On that same thirteenth day, one should contemplate the grass as the demon himself, and, with hands folded, should utter this speech:

Verse 9 (skanda.2.85.9)

अवधीर्दमनं दैत्यं पुरा त्रैलोक्यकंटकम्। स एवेत्थं परिणतः पुरतस्तव तिष्ठति

avadhīrdamanaṁ daityaṁ purā trailokyakaṁṭakam sa evetthaṁ pariṇataḥ puratastava tiṣṭhati

'You slew, of old, the demon Damana, a thorn to the three worlds; that very demon, thus transformed, now stands before you.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.85.10)

अस्योत्पत्तौ तदा प्रीतिरासीद्या तव माधव। अधुनापि तथैवास्तां प्रीतिर्दमनभंजने

asyotpattau tadā prītirāsīdyā tava mādhava adhunāpi tathaivāstāṁ prītirdamanabhaṁjane

The delight you felt, O Madhava, at his very destruction — may that same delight be yours now in the breaking of the Damanaka.'

Verse 11 (skanda.2.85.11)

इत्युक्त्वा तृणमेके तु करे देवस्य दापयेत्। ततोऽवशिष्टां रात्रिं च नृत्यगीतादिभिर्नयेत्

ityuktvā tṛṇameke tu kare devasya dāpayet tato'vaśiṣṭāṁ rātriṁ ca nṛtyagītādibhirnayet

Having said this, one should place a single blade of the grass in the deity's hand; then one should pass the rest of the night with dance, song, and the like.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.85.12)

ततश्चाभ्युदिते सूर्ये देवं तृणपुरःसरम्। नयेच्च जगदीशस्य समीपं द्विजसत्तमाः

tataścābhyudite sūrye devaṁ tṛṇapuraḥsaram nayecca jagadīśasya samīpaṁ dvijasattamāḥ

Then, when the sun has risen, O best of brahmins, one should bring the deity, preceded by the grass, into the presence of the Lord of the world,

Verse 13 (skanda.2.85.13)

उपचारैर्जगन्नाथं पूजयेत्पूर्ववत्ततः। हिरण्यकशिपुं हत्वा ह्यन्त्रमालां तदंगजाम्

upacārairjagannāthaṁ pūjayetpūrvavattataḥ hiraṇyakaśipuṁ hatvā hyantramālāṁ tadaṁgajām

and worship Jagannatha as before, with ritual honours. 'As you took delight when, having slain Hiranyakashipu, you wore the garland of his entrails around your neck,

Verse 14 (skanda.2.85.14)

कृत्वा कण्ठे यथाऽप्रीणास्तथेदं दमनं तृणम्। तव प्रीत्यै तु भगवन्मया दत्तं तवांगके

kṛtvā kaṇṭhe yathā'prīṇāstathedaṁ damanaṁ tṛṇam tava prītyai tu bhagavanmayā dattaṁ tavāṁgake

so too, O Lord, may this Damanaka grass, which I have offered upon your body for your pleasure, please you.'

Verse 15 (skanda.2.85.15)

इत्युच्चार्य हरेर्मूर्ध्नि दद्याद्गंधतृणं शुभम्। तदा दृष्ट्वा हरेर्वक्त्रपद्मं प्रीतिकरं मुदा। भवदुःखपरिक्षीणः सुखमाप्नोत्यनुत्तमम्

ityuccārya harermūrdhni dadyādgaṁdhatṛṇaṁ śubham tadā dṛṣṭvā harervaktrapadmaṁ prītikaraṁ mudā bhavaduḥkhaparikṣīṇaḥ sukhamāpnotyanuttamam

Reciting this, one should place that auspicious, fragrant grass upon Hari's head. Then, beholding Hari's lotus-face, so full of delight, with joy,

Verse 16 (skanda.2.85.16)

गृहीत्वा मूर्ध्नि तच्छाखां विष्णुमूर्ध्नोऽपकाषताम्। सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो वसेद्विष्णुपुरे ध्रुवम्

gṛhītvā mūrdhni tacchākhāṁ viṣṇumūrdhno'pakāṣatām sarvapāpavinirmukto vasedviṣṇupure dhruvam

one's worldly sorrows utterly worn away, one attains supreme happiness. Taking that sprig, drawn down from Vishnu's own head, upon one's own head, freed from every sin, one dwells assuredly in Vishnu's city.