The Glory of Renunciation of Desired Things during Chaturmasya

Verse 1 (skanda.6.236.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच इष्टवस्तुप्रदो विष्णुर्लोकश्चेष्टरुचिः सदा तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन चातुर्मास्ये त्यजेच्च तत्

brahmovāca iṣṭavastuprado viṣṇurlokaśceṣṭaruciḥ sadā tasmātsarvaprayatnena cāturmāsye tyajecca tat

Brahma said: Vishnu is the giver of desired things, and the world too ever delights in what is desired; therefore, with every effort, one should renounce that very thing during Chaturmasya.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.236.2)

नारायणस्य प्रीत्यर्थं तदेवाक्षय्यमाप्यते मर्त्यस्त्यजति श्रद्धावान्सोऽनंतफलभाग्भवेत्

nārāyaṇasya prītyarthaṁ tadevākṣayyamāpyate martyastyajati śraddhāvānso'naṁtaphalabhāgbhavet

For the pleasure of Narayana, that very thing given up is obtained imperishably; the faithful mortal who renounces it becomes a sharer of endless fruit.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.236.3)

कांस्यभाजनसंत्यागाज्जायते भूपतिर्भुवि पालाशपत्रे भुञ्जानो ब्रह्मभूयस्त्वमश्नुते

kāṁsyabhājanasaṁtyāgājjāyate bhūpatirbhuvi pālāśapatre bhuñjāno brahmabhūyastvamaśnute

By giving up bell-metal vessels, one is born a king upon the earth; eating from a palasha leaf, one attains the state of Brahma.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.236.4)

ताम्रपात्रे न भुञ्जीत कदाचिद्वा गृही नरः चातुर्मास्ये विशेषेण ताम्रपात्रं विवर्जयेत्

tāmrapātre na bhuñjīta kadācidvā gṛhī naraḥ cāturmāsye viśeṣeṇa tāmrapātraṁ vivarjayet

A householder should never eat from a copper vessel; especially during Chaturmasya, copper vessels should be avoided.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.236.5)

अर्कपत्रेषु भुञ्जानोऽनुपमं लभते फलम् वटपत्रेषु भोक्तव्यं चातुर्मास्ये विशेषतः

arkapatreṣu bhuñjāno'nupamaṁ labhate phalam vaṭapatreṣu bhoktavyaṁ cāturmāsye viśeṣataḥ

Eating from arka leaves, one obtains incomparable fruit; one should eat from banyan leaves especially during Chaturmasya.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.236.6)

अश्वत्थपत्रसंभोगः कार्यो बुधजनैः सदा एकान्नभोजी राजा स्यात्सकलं भूमिमण्डले

aśvatthapatrasaṁbhogaḥ kāryo budhajanaiḥ sadā ekānnabhojī rājā syātsakalaṁ bhūmimaṇḍale

Eating from peepal leaves should ever be practised by the wise; one who eats only a single kind of food becomes a king over the whole circle of the earth.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.236.7)

तथा च लवणत्यागात्सुभगो जायते नरः गोधूमान्नपरित्यागाज्जायते जनवल्लभः

tathā ca lavaṇatyāgātsubhago jāyate naraḥ godhūmānnaparityāgājjāyate janavallabhaḥ

Likewise, by giving up salt, a man becomes fortunate; by giving up wheat-food, he becomes beloved of the people.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.236.8)

अशाकभोजी दीर्घायुश्चातुर्मास्येऽभिजायते रसत्यागान्महाप्राणी मधुत्यागात्सुलोचनः

aśākabhojī dīrghāyuścāturmāsye'bhijāyate rasatyāgānmahāprāṇī madhutyāgātsulocanaḥ

By eating no vegetables, one is born long-lived through Chaturmasya; by giving up flavoured juices, one gains great vitality; by giving up honey, beautiful eyes.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.236.9)

मुद्गत्यागाद्रिपुमृती राजमाषाद्धनाढ्यता अश्वाप्तिस्तंडुलत्यागाच्चातुर्मास्येऽभिजायते

mudgatyāgādripumṛtī rājamāṣāddhanāḍhyatā aśvāptistaṁḍulatyāgāccāturmāsye'bhijāyate

By giving up green gram, one becomes victorious over enemies; by giving up black gram, wealth; by giving up rice, the gaining of horses arises through Chaturmasya.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.236.10)

फलत्यागाद्बहुसुतस्तैलत्यागात्सुरूपिता ज्ञानी तुवरिसंत्यागाद्बलं वीर्यं सदैव हि

phalatyāgādbahusutastailatyāgātsurūpitā jñānī tuvarisaṁtyāgādbalaṁ vīryaṁ sadaiva hi

By giving up fruit, many sons; by giving up oil, beauty of form; by giving up pulses, one becomes wise, and ever gains strength and vigour.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.236.11)

मार्गमांसपरित्यागान्नरकं न च पश्यति शौकरस्य पिशितत्यागाद्ब्रह्मवासमवाप्नुयात्

mārgamāṁsaparityāgānnarakaṁ na ca paśyati śaukarasya piśitatyāgādbrahmavāsamavāpnuyāt

By giving up the meat of game-animals, one does not behold hell; by giving up the flesh of the boar, one attains dwelling in Brahmaloka.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.236.12)

ज्ञानं लावकसन्त्यागादाज्यत्यागे महत्सुखम् आसवं सम्परित्यज्य मुक्तिस्तस्य न दुर्लभा

jñānaṁ lāvakasantyāgādājyatyāge mahatsukham āsavaṁ samparityajya muktistasya na durlabhā

By giving up the flesh of quail, knowledge; in giving up ghee, great happiness; having entirely renounced liquor, liberation is not hard to attain.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.236.13)

सबलः कनकत्यागाद्रूप्यत्यागेन मानुषः दधिदुग्धपरित्यागी गोलोके सुखभाग्भवेत्

sabalaḥ kanakatyāgādrūpyatyāgena mānuṣaḥ dadhidugdhaparityāgī goloke sukhabhāgbhavet

By giving up gold, one becomes strong; by giving up silver, true manhood; one who gives up curd and milk becomes a sharer of happiness in Goloka.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.236.14)

ब्रह्मा पायससंत्यागात्क्षिप्रात्यागान्महेश्वरः कन्दर्पोऽपूपसंत्यागान्मोदकत्याजकः सुखी

brahmā pāyasasaṁtyāgātkṣiprātyāgānmaheśvaraḥ kandarpo'pūpasaṁtyāgānmodakatyājakaḥ sukhī

By giving up rice-pudding, the state of Brahma; by giving up hasty indulgences, that of Maheshvara; by giving up cake, the beauty of Kandarpa; the one who forgoes sweets is happy.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.236.15)

गृहाश्रमपरित्यागी बाह्या श्रमनिषेवकः चातुर्मास्यं हरिप्रीत्यै न मातुर्जठरे शिशुः

gṛhāśramaparityāgī bāhyā śramaniṣevakaḥ cāturmāsyaṁ hariprītyai na māturjaṭhare śiśuḥ

One who renounces the household life resorts to external asceticism; whoever observes Chaturmasya for the pleasure of Hari is never again an infant in a mother's womb.

Verse 16 (skanda.6.236.16)

नृपो मरीचसंत्यागाच्छुण्ठीत्यागेन सत्कविः शर्करायाः परित्यागाज्जायते राजपूजितः

nṛpo marīcasaṁtyāgācchuṇṭhītyāgena satkaviḥ śarkarāyāḥ parityāgājjāyate rājapūjitaḥ

By giving up black pepper, one becomes a king; by giving up dried ginger, a good poet; by giving up sugar, one is born honoured by kings.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.236.17)

गुडत्यागान्महाभूतिस्तथा दाडिमवर्जनात् रक्तवस्त्रपरित्यागाज्जायते जनवल्लभः

guḍatyāgānmahābhūtistathā dāḍimavarjanāt raktavastraparityāgājjāyate janavallabhaḥ

By giving up jaggery, great prosperity; likewise by giving up pomegranate; by giving up red garments, one becomes beloved of the people.

Verse 18 (skanda.6.236.18)

पट्टकूलपरित्यागादक्षय्यं स्वर्ग माप्नुयात् माषान्नचणकान्नस्य त्यागान्नैव पुनर्भवः

paṭṭakūlaparityāgādakṣayyaṁ svarga māpnuyāt māṣānnacaṇakānnasya tyāgānnaiva punarbhavaḥ

By giving up silk garments, one obtains imperishable heaven; by giving up black-gram food and chickpea food, there is no rebirth at all.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.236.19)

कृष्णवस्त्रं सदा त्याज्यं चातुर्मास्ये विशेषतः सूर्यसंदर्शनाच्छुद्धिर्नीलवस्त्रस्य दर्शनात्

kṛṣṇavastraṁ sadā tyājyaṁ cāturmāsye viśeṣataḥ sūryasaṁdarśanācchuddhirnīlavastrasya darśanāt

Black garments should ever be given up, especially during Chaturmasya; purity comes from beholding the sun, not from the sight of blue garments.

Verse 20 (skanda.6.236.20)

चंदनस्य परित्यागाद्गांधर्वं लोकमश्नुते कर्पूरस्य परित्यागाद्यावज्जीवं महाधनी

caṁdanasya parityāgādgāṁdharvaṁ lokamaśnute karpūrasya parityāgādyāvajjīvaṁ mahādhanī

By giving up sandalwood, one attains the world of the Gandharvas; by giving up camphor, one becomes greatly wealthy for life.

Verse 21 (skanda.6.236.21)

कुसुम्भस्य परित्यागान्नैव पश्येद्यमालयम् केशरस्य परित्यागान्मनुष्यो राजवल्लभः

kusumbhasya parityāgānnaiva paśyedyamālayam keśarasya parityāgānmanuṣyo rājavallabhaḥ

By giving up safflower, one never beholds the abode of Yama; by giving up saffron, a man becomes beloved of kings.

Verse 22 (skanda.6.236.22)

यक्षकर्दमसंत्यागाद्ब्रह्मलोके महीयते ज्ञानी पुष्पपरित्यागाच्छय्यात्यागे महत्सुखम्

yakṣakardamasaṁtyāgādbrahmaloke mahīyate jñānī puṣpaparityāgācchayyātyāge mahatsukham

By giving up the fragrant unguent called yaksha-kardama, one is exalted in Brahmaloka; by giving up flowers, wisdom; in giving up a soft bed, great happiness.

Verse 23 (skanda.6.236.23)

भार्यावियोगं नाप्नोति चातुर्मास्ये न संशयः अलीकवादसंत्यागान्मोक्षद्वारमपावृतम्

bhāryāviyogaṁ nāpnoti cāturmāsye na saṁśayaḥ alīkavādasaṁtyāgānmokṣadvāramapāvṛtam

He does not suffer separation from his wife — of this there is no doubt, if these are observed during Chaturmasya; by giving up false speech, the door of liberation stands open.

Verse 24 (skanda.6.236.24)

परमर्मप्रकाशश्च सद्यःपापसमा गमः चातुर्मास्ये हरौ सुप्ते परनिन्दां विवर्जयेत्

paramarmaprakāśaśca sadyaḥpāpasamā gamaḥ cāturmāsye harau supte paranindāṁ vivarjayet

The disclosure of another's secret weaknesses is a swift companion of sin; while Hari sleeps, during Chaturmasya, one should avoid speaking ill of others.

Verse 25 (skanda.6.236.25)

परनिन्दा महापापं परनिन्दा महाभयम् परनिन्दा महद्दुःखं न तस्यां पातकं परम्

paranindā mahāpāpaṁ paranindā mahābhayam paranindā mahadduḥkhaṁ na tasyāṁ pātakaṁ param

Slander of others is a great sin, slander of others is a great terror, slander of others is a great sorrow; there is no greater transgression than it.

Verse 26 (skanda.6.236.26)

केवलं निन्दने चैव तत्पापं लभते गुरु यथा शृण्वान एव स्यात्पातकी न ततः परः

kevalaṁ nindane caiva tatpāpaṁ labhate guru yathā śṛṇvāna eva syātpātakī na tataḥ paraḥ

By merely speaking such slander one incurs that grave sin; and even merely listening to it makes one a sinner — there is no greater fault than this.

Verse 27 (skanda.6.236.27)

केशसंस्कारसंत्यागात्तापत्रयविवर्जितः नखरोमधरो यस्तु हरौ सुप्ते विशेषतः

keśasaṁskārasaṁtyāgāttāpatrayavivarjitaḥ nakharomadharo yastu harau supte viśeṣataḥ

By giving up the grooming of hair, one becomes free from the threefold affliction; whoever keeps his nails and hair unshorn, especially while Hari sleeps —

Verse 28 (skanda.6.236.28)

दिवसेदिवसे तस्य गंगास्नानफलं भवेत्

divasedivase tasya gaṁgāsnānaphalaṁ bhavet

—for him, day after day, the fruit of bathing in the Ganga accrues.

Verse 29 (skanda.6.236.29)

सर्वोपायैर्विष्णुरेव प्रसाद्यो योगिध्येयः प्रवरैः सर्ववर्णेः विष्णोर्नाम्ना मुच्यते घोरबन्धाच्चातुर्मास्ये स्मर्यतेऽसौ विशेषात्

sarvopāyairviṣṇureva prasādyo yogidhyeyaḥ pravaraiḥ sarvavarṇeḥ viṣṇornāmnā mucyate ghorabandhāccāturmāsye smaryate'sau viśeṣāt

By every means it is Vishnu alone who is to be propitiated, he who is meditated upon by yogis and by the foremost of every class of men; by Vishnu's name one is freed from terrible bondage; he should especially be called to mind during Chaturmasya.