The Poor Brahmin's Vow

Verse 1 (skanda.5.389.1)

सूत उवाच। अथान्यत्सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि कृतं येन पुरा द्विज। कश्चित्काशीपुरे रम्ये ह्यासीद्विप्रोऽतिनिर्धनः॥

sūta uvāca| athānyatsampravakṣyāmi kṛtaṁ yena purā dvija| kaścitkāśīpure ramye hyāsīdvipro'tinirdhanaḥ||

Suta said: O brahmin, I shall now tell another account of what was done long ago; in the lovely city of Kashi there lived a certain brahmin, extremely poor.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.389.2)

क्षुत्तृड्भ्यां व्याकुलो भूत्वा नित्यं बभ्राम भूतले। दुःखितं ब्राह्मणं दृष्ट्वा भगवान् ब्राह्मणप्रियः॥

kṣuttṛḍbhyāṁ vyākulo bhūtvā nityaṁ babhrāma bhūtale| duḥkhitaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ dṛṣṭvā bhagavān brāhmaṇapriyaḥ||

Tormented by hunger and thirst, he wandered constantly upon the earth; seeing that suffering brahmin, the Lord, who loves brahmins -

Verse 3 (skanda.5.389.3)

वृद्धब्राह्मणरूपस्तं पप्रच्छ द्विजमादरात्। किमर्थं भ्रमसे विप्र महीं नित्यं सुदुःखितः॥

vṛddhabrāhmaṇarūpastaṁ papraccha dvijamādarāt| kimarthaṁ bhramase vipra mahīṁ nityaṁ suduḥkhitaḥ||

assuming the form of an old brahmin, respectfully asked that brahmin: O brahmin, why do you wander the earth, always so unhappy?

Verse 4 (skanda.5.389.4)

तत्सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि कथ्यतां द्विजसत्तम। ब्राह्मण उवाच। ब्राह्मणोऽतिदरिद्रोऽहं भिक्षार्थं वै भ्रमे महीम्॥

tatsarvaṁ śrotumicchāmi kathyatāṁ dvijasattama| brāhmaṇa uvāca| brāhmaṇo'tidaridro'haṁ bhikṣārthaṁ vai bhrame mahīm||

I wish to hear all of that - tell me, O excellent brahmin. The brahmin said: I am an exceedingly poor brahmin; I wander the earth only for alms.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.389.5)

उपायं यदि जानासि कृपया कथय प्रभो। वृद्धब्राह्मण उवाच। सत्यनारायणो विष्णुर्वाञ्छितार्थफलप्रदः॥

upāyaṁ yadi jānāsi kṛpayā kathaya prabho| vṛddhabrāhmaṇa uvāca| satyanārāyaṇo viṣṇurvāñchitārthaphalapradaḥ||

If you know some remedy, O lord, please tell me - the old brahmin said: Satyanarayana, who is Vishnu, grants the fruit one desires.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.389.6)

तस्य त्वं पूजनं विप्र कुरुष्व व्रतमुत्तमम्। यत्कृत्वा सर्वदुःखेभ्यो मुक्तो भवति मानवः॥

tasya tvaṁ pūjanaṁ vipra kuruṣva vratamuttamam| yatkṛtvā sarvaduḥkhebhyo mukto bhavati mānavaḥ||

Worship him, O brahmin, perform this excellent vow; by doing so a person becomes freed from all sorrows.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.389.7)

विधानं च व्रतस्यापि विप्रायाभाष्य यत्नतः। सत्यनारायणो वृद्धस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत॥

vidhānaṁ ca vratasyāpi viprāyābhāṣya yatnataḥ| satyanārāyaṇo vṛddhastatraivāntaradhīyata||

Having carefully explained to the brahmin the procedure of the vow as well, Satyanarayana, in that old man's form, vanished right there.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.389.8)

तद्व्रतं सङ्करिष्यामि यदुक्तं ब्राह्मणेन वै। इति सञ्चिन्त्य विप्रोऽसौ रात्रौ निद्रां न लब्धवान्॥

tadvrataṁ saṅkariṣyāmi yaduktaṁ brāhmaṇena vai| iti sañcintya vipro'sau rātrau nidrāṁ na labdhavān||

"I shall certainly perform the vow that the brahmin has spoken of" - thinking thus, that brahmin could not sleep that night.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.389.9)

ततः प्रातः समुत्थाय सत्यनारायणव्रतम्। करिष्य इति सङ्कल्प्य भिक्षार्थमगमद्द्विजः॥

tataḥ prātaḥ samutthāya satyanārāyaṇavratam| kariṣya iti saṅkalpya bhikṣārthamagamaddvijaḥ||

Then, rising at dawn, resolving "I shall perform the vow of Satyanarayana," the brahmin went out for alms.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.389.10)

तस्मिन्नेव दिने विप्रः प्रचुरं द्रव्यमाप्तवान्। तेनैव बन्धुभिः सार्धं सत्यस्य व्रतमाचरत्॥

tasminneva dine vipraḥ pracuraṁ dravyamāptavān| tenaiva bandhubhiḥ sārdhaṁ satyasya vratamācarat||

That very day the brahmin obtained abundant wealth; with that he performed the vow of Satyanarayana together with his kinsfolk.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.389.11)

सर्वदुःखविनिर्मुक्तः सर्वसम्पत्समन्वितः। बभूव स द्विजश्रेष्ठो व्रतस्यास्य प्रभावतः॥

sarvaduḥkhavinirmuktaḥ sarvasampatsamanvitaḥ| babhūva sa dvijaśreṣṭho vratasyāsya prabhāvataḥ||

By the power of this vow, that excellent brahmin became freed from all sorrows and endowed with every kind of prosperity.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.389.12)

ततःप्रभृति कालं च मासि मासि व्रतं कृतम्। एवं नारायणस्येदं व्रतं कृत्वा द्विजोत्तमः॥

tataḥprabhṛti kālaṁ ca māsi māsi vrataṁ kṛtam| evaṁ nārāyaṇasyedaṁ vrataṁ kṛtvā dvijottamaḥ||

From that time onward, he performed this vow every month; thus, having performed this vow of Narayana, that excellent brahmin -

Verse 13 (skanda.5.389.13)

सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो दुर्लभं मोक्षमाप्तवान्। व्रतमस्य यदा विप्राः पृथिव्यां सङ्करिष्यति॥

sarvapāpavinirmukto durlabhaṁ mokṣamāptavān| vratamasya yadā viprāḥ pṛthivyāṁ saṅkariṣyati||

became freed from all sins and attained the liberation so hard to obtain. Whenever brahmins shall perform this vow upon the earth,

Verse 14 (skanda.5.389.14)

तदैव सर्वदुःखं च मनुजस्य विनश्यति। एवं नारायणेनोक्तं नारदाय महात्मने॥

tadaiva sarvaduḥkhaṁ ca manujasya vinaśyati| evaṁ nārāyaṇenoktaṁ nāradāya mahātmane||

at that very time all a person's sorrows shall be destroyed. Thus did Narayana speak this to the great sage Narada.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.389.15)

मया तत्कथितं विप्राः किमन्यत्कथयामि वः। ऋषय ऊचुः। तस्माद्विप्राच्छ्रुतं केन पृथिव्यां चरितं मुने। तत्सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामः श्रद्धास्माकं प्रजायते॥

mayā tatkathitaṁ viprāḥ kimanyatkathayāmi vaḥ| ṛṣaya ūcuḥ| tasmādviprācchrutaṁ kena pṛthivyāṁ caritaṁ mune| tatsarvaṁ śrotumicchāmaḥ śraddhāsmākaṁ prajāyate||

"O brahmins, I have told you all that - what else shall I say to you?" The sages said: O sage, having heard it from that brahmin, who else on earth practiced this - we wish to hear all of that; faith is arising in our minds.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.389.16)

सूत उवाच। शृणुध्वं मुनयः सर्वे व्रतं येन कृतं भुवि। एकदा स द्विजवरो यथाविभवविस्तरैः॥

sūta uvāca| śṛṇudhvaṁ munayaḥ sarve vrataṁ yena kṛtaṁ bhuvi| ekadā sa dvijavaro yathāvibhavavistaraiḥ||

Suta said: Hear, O all you sages, whoever performed this vow upon earth. Once that excellent brahmin, according to his means, on a grand scale -

Verse 17 (skanda.5.389.17)

बन्धुभिः स्वजनैः सार्धं व्रतं कर्तुं समुद्यतः। एतस्मिन्नन्तरे काले काष्ठक्रेता समागमत्॥

bandhubhiḥ svajanaiḥ sārdhaṁ vrataṁ kartuṁ samudyataḥ| etasminnantare kāle kāṣṭhakretā samāgamat||

prepared, with his relatives and kinsfolk, to perform the vow; meanwhile a seller of firewood arrived there.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.389.18)

बहिः काष्ठं च संस्थाप्य विप्रस्य गृहमाययौ। तृष्णया पीडितात्मा च दृष्ट्वा विप्रं कृतव्रतम्॥

bahiḥ kāṣṭhaṁ ca saṁsthāpya viprasya gṛhamāyayau| tṛṣṇayā pīḍitātmā ca dṛṣṭvā vipraṁ kṛtavratam||

Setting his firewood outside, he came to the brahmin's house; afflicted by thirst, he saw the brahmin performing the vow.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.389.19)

प्रणिपत्य द्विजं प्राह किमिदं क्रियते त्वया। कृते किं फलमाप्नोति विस्तराद्वद मे प्रभो॥

praṇipatya dvijaṁ prāha kimidaṁ kriyate tvayā| kṛte kiṁ phalamāpnoti vistarādvada me prabho||

Bowing to the brahmin, he said: What is this that you are doing? What fruit is obtained by doing it? Tell me in detail, O lord.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.389.20)

विप्र उवाच। सत्यनारायणस्येदं व्रतं सर्वेप्सितप्रदम्। तस्य प्रसादान्मे सर्वं धनधान्यादिकं महत्॥

vipra uvāca| satyanārāyaṇasyedaṁ vrataṁ sarvepsitapradam| tasya prasādānme sarvaṁ dhanadhānyādikaṁ mahat||

The brahmin said: This vow of Lord Satyanarayana fulfills everyone's desires; by his grace alone I have obtained all this wealth, grain, and so on.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.389.21)

तस्मादेतद्व्रतं ज्ञात्वा काष्ठविक्रेतातिहर्षितः। पपौ जलं प्रसादं च भुक्त्वा स नगरं ययौ॥

tasmādetadvrataṁ jñātvā kāṣṭhavikretātiharṣitaḥ| papau jalaṁ prasādaṁ ca bhuktvā sa nagaraṁ yayau||

Having learned of this vow, the firewood-seller became exceedingly glad; drinking the water and eating the sacred food, he went off to the city.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.389.22)

सत्यनारायणं देवं मनसा इत्यचिन्तयत्। काष्ठं विक्रयतो ग्रामे प्राप्यते चाद्य यद्धनम्॥

satyanārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ manasā ityacintayat| kāṣṭhaṁ vikrayato grāme prāpyate cādya yaddhanam||

In his mind he began to think of Lord Satyanarayana - "with the money I get today from selling firewood in the town,

Verse 23 (skanda.5.389.23)

तेनैव सत्यदेवस्य करिष्ये व्रतमुत्तमम्। इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा काष्ठं धृत्वा तु मस्तके॥

tenaiva satyadevasya kariṣye vratamuttamam| iti sañcintya manasā kāṣṭhaṁ dhṛtvā tu mastake||

I shall perform the excellent vow of Lord Satyadeva with it" - thinking thus in his mind, he placed the firewood upon his head,

Verse 24 (skanda.5.389.24)

जगाम नगरे रम्ये धनिनां यत्र संस्थितिः। तद्दिने काष्ठमूल्यं च द्विगुणं प्राप्तवानसौ॥

jagāma nagare ramye dhanināṁ yatra saṁsthitiḥ| taddine kāṣṭhamūlyaṁ ca dviguṇaṁ prāptavānasau||

and went to that lovely town where wealthy people dwelt; that day he received double the price for his firewood.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.389.25)

ततः प्रसन्नहृदयः सुपक्वं कदलीफलम्। शर्कराघृतदुग्धं च गोधूमस्य च चूर्णकम्॥

tataḥ prasannahṛdayaḥ supakvaṁ kadalīphalam| śarkarāghṛtadugdhaṁ ca godhūmasya ca cūrṇakam||

Then, with a joyful heart, he took ripe banana fruit, sugar, ghee, milk, and wheat flour,

Verse 26 (skanda.5.389.26)

कृत्वैकत्र सपादं च गृहीत्वा स्वगृहं ययौ। ततो बन्धून्समाहूय चकार विधिना व्रतम्॥

kṛtvaikatra sapādaṁ ca gṛhītvā svagṛhaṁ yayau| tato bandhūnsamāhūya cakāra vidhinā vratam||

mixed them together to make the quarter-measure offering, took it, and went home; then, calling his kinsfolk, he performed the vow according to the rites.

Verse 27 (skanda.5.389.27)

तद्व्रतस्य प्रभावेण धनपुत्रान्वितोऽभवत्। इहलोके सुखं भुक्त्वा चान्ते सत्यपुरं ययौ॥

tadvratasya prabhāveṇa dhanaputrānvito'bhavat| ihaloke sukhaṁ bhuktvā cānte satyapuraṁ yayau||

By the power of this vow he became endowed with wealth and sons; having enjoyed happiness in this world, he finally attained the realm of Truth (Vaikuntha).