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Chapter Nineteen
Performing the Pumsavana Ritualistic Ceremony
This chapter explains how Diti, Kasyapa Muni's wife, executed Kasyapa Muni's instructions on devotional service. During the first day of the bright fortnight of the moon in the month of Agrahayana (November-December), every woman, following in the footsteps of Diti and following the instructions of her own husband, should begin this pumsavana-vrata. In the morning, after washing her teeth, bathing and thus becoming purified, she should hear about the birth mystery of the Maruts. Then, covering her body with a white dress and being properly ornamented, before breakfast she should worship Lord Visnu and mother Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, Lord Visnu's wife, by glorifying Lord Visnu for His mercy, patience, prowess, ability, greatness and other glories and for how He can bestow all mystic benedictions. While offering the Lord all paraphernalia for worship, such as ornaments, a sacred thread, scents, nice flowers, incense and water for bathing and washing His feet, hands and mouth, one should invite the Lord with this mantra: om namo bhagavate maha-purusaya mahanubhavaya mahavibhutipataye saha maha-vibhutibhir balim upaharami. Then one should offer twelve oblations in the fire while chanting this mantra: om namo bhagavate maha-purusaya mahavibhuti-pataye svaha. One should offer obeisances while chanting this mantra ten times. Then one should chant the Laksmi-Narayana mantra.
If either a pregnant woman or her husband regularly discharges this devotional service, both of them will receive the result. After continuing this process for one full year, the chaste wife should fast on the purnima, the full-moon day, of Karttika. On the following day, the husband should worship the Lord as before and then observe a festival by cooking nice food and distributing prasada to the brahmanas. Then, with the permission of the brahmanas, the husband and wife should take prasada. This chapter ends by glorifying the results of the pumsavana function.
TEXT 1
TEXT
sri-rajovaca
vratam pumsavanam brahman
bhavata yad udiritam
tasya veditum icchami
yena visnuh prasidati
SYNONYMS
sri-raja uvaca--Maharaja Pariksit said; vratam--the vow; pumsavanam--called pumsavana; brahman--O brahmana; bhavata--by you; yat--which; udiritam--was spoken of; tasya--of that; veditum--to know; icchami--I want; yena--by which; visnuh--Lord Visnu; prasidati--is pleased.
TRANSLATION
Maharaja Pariksit said: My dear lord, you have already spoken about the pumsavana vow. Now I want to hear about it in detail, for I understand that by observing this vow one can please the Supreme Lord, Visnu.
TEXTS 2-3
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
sukle margasire pakse
yosid bhartur anujnaya
arabheta vratam idam
sarva-kamikam aditah
nisamya marutam janma
brahmanan anumantrya ca
snatva sukla-dati sukle
vasitalankrtambare
pujayet pratarasat prag
bhagavantam sriya saha
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; sukle--bright; margasire--during the month of November--December; pakse--during the fortnight; yosit--a woman; bhartuh--of the husband; anujnaya--with the permission; arabheta--should begin; vratam--vow; idam--this; sarva-kamikam--which fulfills all desires; aditah--from the first day; nisamya--hearing; marutam--of the Maruts; janma--the birth; brahmanan--the brahmanas; anumantrya--taking instruction from; ca--and; snatva--bathing; sukla-dati--having cleaned the teeth; sukle--white; vasita--should put on; alankrta--wearing ornaments; ambare--garments; pujayet--should worship; pratah-asat prak--before breakfast; bhagavantam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sriya saha--with the goddess of fortune.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: On the first day of the bright fortnight of the month of Agrahayana [November-December], following the instructions of her husband, a woman should begin this regulative devotional service with a vow of penance, for it can fulfill all one's desires. Before beginning the worship of Lord Visnu, the woman should hear the story of how the Maruts were born. Under the instructions of qualified brahmanas, in the morning she should wash her teeth, bathe, and dress herself with white cloth and ornaments, and before taking breakfast she should worship Lord Visnu and Laksmi.
TEXT 4
TEXT
alam te nirapeksaya
purna-kama namo 'stu te
mahavibhuti-pataye
namah sakala-siddhaye
SYNONYMS
alam--enough; te--to You; nirapeksaya--indifferent; purna-kama--O Lord, whose desire is always fulfilled; namah--obeisances; astu--may there be; te--unto You; maha-vibhuti--of Laksmi; pataye--unto the husband; namah--obeisances; sakala-siddhaye--unto the master of all mystic perfections.
TRANSLATION
[She should then pray to the Lord as follows.] My dear Lord, You are full in all opulences, but I do not beg You for opulence. I simply offer my respectful obeisances unto You. You are the husband and master of Laksmidevi, the goddess of fortune, who has all opulences. Therefore You are the master of all mystic yoga. I simply offer my obeisances unto You.
PURPORT
A devotee knows how to appreciate the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
om purnam adah purnam idam
purnat purnam udacyate
purnasya purnam adaya
purnam evavasisyate
"The personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the complete whole is also complete in itself. Because He is the complete whole, even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance." Therefore, to take shelter of the Supreme Lord is required. Whatever a devotee needs will be supplied by the complete Supreme Personality of Godhead (tesam nityabhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham). Therefore a pure devotee will not ask anything from the Lord. He simply offers the Lord his respectful obeisances, and the Lord is prepared to accept whatever the devotee can secure to worship Him, even patram puspam phalam toyam--a leaf, flower, fruit or water. There is no need to artificially exert oneself. It is better to be plain and simple and with respectful obeisances offer to the Lord whatever one can secure. The Lord is completely able to bless the devotee with all opulences.
TEXT 5
TEXT
yatha tvam krpaya bhutya
tejasa mahimaujasa
justa isa gunaih sarvais
tato 'si bhagavan prabhuh
SYNONYMS
yatha--as; tvam--You; krpaya--with mercy; bhutya--with opulences; tejasa--with prowess; mahima-ojasa--with glory and strength; justah--endowed; isa--O my Lord; gunaih--with transcendental qualities; sarvaih--all; tatah--therefore; asi--You are; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prabhuh--the master.
TRANSLATION
O my Lord, because You are endowed with causeless mercy, all opulences, all prowess and all glories, strength and transcendental qualities, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of everyone.
PURPORT
In this verse the words tato 'si bhagavan prabhuh mean "Therefore You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of everyone." The Supreme Personality of Godhead is endowed with all six opulences in full, and moreover He is extremely kind to His devotee. Although He is full in Himself, He nonetheless wants all the living entities to surrender unto Him so that they may engage in His service. Thus He becomes satisfied. Although He is full in Himself, He nonetheless becomes pleased when His devotee offers Him patram puspam phalam toyam--a leaf, flower, fruit or water--in devotion. Sometimes the Lord, as the child of mother Yasoda, requests His devotee for some food, as if He were very hungry. Sometimes He tells His devotee in a dream that His temple and His garden are now very old and that He cannot enjoy them very nicely. Thus He requests the devotee to repair them. Sometimes He is buried in the earth, and as if unable to come out Himself, He requests His devotee to rescue Him. Sometimes He requests His devotee to preach His glories all over the world, although He alone is quite competent to perform this task. Even though the Supreme Personality of Godhead is endowed with all possessions and is self-sufficient, He depends on His devotees. Therefore the relationship of the Lord with His devotees is extremely confidential. Only the devotee can perceive how the Lord, although full in Himself, depends on His devotee for some particular work. This is explained in Bhagavad-gita (11.33), where the Lord tells Arjuna, nimitta-matram bhava savyasacin: "O Arjuna, merely be an instrument in the fight." Lord Krsna had the competence to win the Battle of Kuruksetra, but nonetheless He induced His devotee Arjuna to fight and become the cause of victory. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was quite competent enough to spread His name and mission all over the world, but still He depended upon His devotee to do this work. Considering all these points, the most important aspect of the Supreme Lord's self-sufficiency is that He depends on His devotees. This is called His causeless mercy. The devotee who has perceived this causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by realization can understand the master and the servant.
TEXT 6
TEXT
visnu-patni maha-maye
mahapurusa-laksane
priyetha me maha-bhage
loka-matar namo 'stu te
SYNONYMS
visnu-patni--O wife of Lord Visnu; maha-maye--O energy of Lord Visnu; maha-purusa-laksane--possessing the qualities and opulences of Lord Visnu; priyethah--kindly be pleased; me--upon me; maha-bhage--O goddess of fortune; loka-matah--O mother of the world; namah--obeisances; astu--may there be; te--unto you.
TRANSLATION
[After profusely offering obeisances unto Lord Visnu, the devotee should offer respectful obeisances unto mother Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, and pray as follows.] O wife of Lord Visnu, O internal energy of Lord Visnu, you are as good as Lord Visnu Himself, for you have all of His qualities and opulences. O goddess of fortune, please be kind to me. O mother of the entire world, I offer my respectful obeisances unto you.
PURPORT
The Lord has multifarious potencies (parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate). Since mother Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, is the Lord's very precious potency, she is addressed here as maha-maye. The word maya means sakti. Lord Visnu, the Supreme, cannot exhibit His power everywhere without His principal energy. It is said, sakti saktiman abheda: the power and the powerful are identical. Therefore mother Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, is the constant companion of Lord Visnu; they remain together constantly. One cannot keep Laksmi in one's home without Lord Visnu. To think that one can do so is very dangerous. To keep Laksmi, or the riches of the Lord, without the service of the Lord is always dangerous, for then Laksmi becomes the illusory energy. With Lord Visnu, however, Laksmi is the spiritual energy.
TEXT 7
TEXT
om namo bhagavate maha-purusaya mahanubhavaya mahavibhuti-pataye saha maha-vibhutibhir balim upaharamiti; anenahar-ahar mantrena visnor avahanarghya-padyopasparsana-snana-vasa-upavita-vibhusana-gandha-puspa-dhupa-dipopaharady-upacaran susama-hitopaharet.
SYNONYMS
om--O my Lord; namah--obeisances; bhagavate--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full with six opulences; maha-purusaya--the best of enjoyers; maha-anubhavaya--the most powerful; maha-vibhuti--of the goddess of fortune; pataye--the husband; saha--with; maha-vibhutibhih--associates; balim--presentation s; upaharami--I am offering; iti--thus; anena--by this; ahah-ahah--every day; mantrena--mantra; visnoh--of Lord Visnu; avahana--invocations; arghya-padya-upasparsana--water for washing the hands, feet and mouth; snana--water for bathing; vasa--garments; upavita--a sacred thread; vibhusana--ornaments; gandha--scents; puspa--flowers; dhupa--incense; dipa--lamps; upahara--gifts; adi--and so on; upacaran--presentations; su-samahita--with great attention; upaharet--she must offer.
TRANSLATION
"My Lord Visnu, full in six opulences, You are the best of all enjoyers and the most powerful. O husband of mother Laksmi, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are accompanied by many associates, such as Visvaksena. I offer all the paraphernalia for worshiping You." One should chant this mantra every day with great attention while worshiping Lord Visnu with all paraphernalia, such as water for washing His feet, hands and mouth and water for His bath. One must offer Him various presentations for His worship, such as garments, a sacred thread, ornaments, scents, flowers, incense and lamps.
PURPORT
This mantra is very important. Anyone engaged in Deity worship should chant this mantra, as quoted above, beginning with om namo bhagavate maha-purusaya.
TEXT 8
TEXT
havih-sesam ca juhuyad xxx
anale dvadasahutih xxx
om namo bhagavate maha-purusaya mahavibhuti-pataye svaheti
SYNONYMS
havih-sesam--remnants of the offering; ca--and; juhuyat--one should offer; anale--in the fire; dvadasa--twelve; ahutih--oblations; om--O my Lord; namah--obeisances; bhagavate--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; maha-purusaya--the supreme enjoyer; maha-vibhuti--of the goddess of fortune; pataye--the husband; svaha--hail; iti--thus.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: After worshiping the Lord with all the paraphernalia mentioned above, one should chant the following mantra while offering twelve oblations of ghee on the sacred fire: om namo bhagavate maha-purusaya mahavibhuti-pataye svaha.
TEXT 9
TEXT
sriyam visnum ca varadav
asisam prabhavav ubhau
bhaktya sampujayen nityam
yadicchet sarva-sampadah
SYNONYMS
sriyam--the goddess of fortune; visnum--Lord Visnu; ca--and; vara-dau--the bestowers of benedictions; asisam--of blessings; prabhavau--the sources; ubhau--both; bhaktya--with devotion; sampujayet--should worship; nityam--daily; yadi--if; icchet--desires; sarva--all; sampadah--opulences.
TRANSLATION
If one desires all opulences, his duty is to daily worship Lord Visnu with His wife, Laksmi. With great devotion one should worship Him according to the above-mentioned process. Lord Visnu and the goddess of fortune are an immensely powerful combination. They are the bestowers of all benedictions and the sources of all good fortune. Therefore the duty of everyone is to worship Laksmi-Narayana.
PURPORT
Laksmi-Narayana--Lord Visnu and mother Laksmi--are always situated in everyone's heart (isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati). However, because nondevotees do not realize that Lord Visnu stays with His eternal consort, Laksmi, within the hearts of all living entities, they are not endowed with the opulence of Lord Visnu. Unscrupulous men sometimes address a poor man as daridra-narayana, or "poor Narayana." This is most unscientific. Lord Visnu and Laksmi are always situated in everyone's heart, but this does not mean that everyone is Narayana, especially not those in poverty. This is a most abominable term to use in connection with Narayana. Narayana never becomes poor, and therefore He can never be called daridra-narayana. Narayana is certainly situated in everyone's heart, but He is neither poor nor rich. Only unscrupulous persons who do not know the opulence of Narayana try to afflict Him with poverty.
TEXT 10
TEXT
pranamed dandavad bhumau
bhakti-prahvena cetasa
dasa-varam japen mantram
tatah stotram udirayet
SYNONYMS
pranamet--should offer obeisances; danda-vat--like a stick; bhumau--on the ground; bhakti--through devotion; prahvena--humble; cetasa--with a mind; dasa-varam--ten times; japet--should utter; mantram--the mantra; tatah--then; stotram--prayer; udirayet--should chant.
TRANSLATION
One should offer obeisances unto the Lord with a mind humbled through devotion. While offering dandavats by falling on the ground like a rod, one should chant the above mantra ten times. Then one should chant the following prayer.
TEXT 11
TEXT
yuvam tu visvasya vibhu
jagatah karanam param
iyam hi prakrtih suksma
maya-saktir duratyaya
SYNONYMS
yuvam--both of you; tu--indeed; visvasya--of the universe; vibhu--the proprietors; jagatah--of the universe; karanam--the cause; param--supreme; iyam--this; hi--certainly; prakrtih--energy; suksma--difficult to understand; maya-saktih--the internal energy; duratyaya--difficult to overcome.
TRANSLATION
My Lord Visnu and mother Laksmi, goddess of fortune, you are the proprietors of the entire creation. Indeed, you are the cause of the creation. Mother Laksmi is extremely difficult to understand because she is so powerful that the jurisdiction of her power is difficult to overcome. Mother Laksmi is represented in the material world as the external energy, but actually she is always the internal energy of the Lord.
TEXT 12
TEXT
tasya adhisvarah saksat
tvam eva purusah parah
tvam sarva-yajna ijyeyam
kriyeyam phala-bhug bhavan
SYNONYMS
tasyah--of her; adhisvarah--the master; saksat--directly; tvam--You; eva--certainly; purusah--the person; parah--supreme; tvam--You; sarva-yajnah--personified sacrifice; ijya--worship; iyam--this (Laksmi); kriya--activities; iyam--this; phala-bhuk--the enjoyer of the fruits; bhavan--You.
TRANSLATION
My Lord, You are the master of energy, and therefore You are the Supreme Person. You are sacrifice [yajna] personified. Laksmi, the embodiment of spiritual activities, is the original form of worship offered unto You, whereas You are the enjoyer of all sacrifices.
TEXT 13
TEXT
guna-vyaktir iyam devi
vyanjako guna-bhug bhavan
tvam hi sarva-sariry atma
srih sarirendriyasayah
nama-rupe bhagavati
pratyayas tvam apasrayah
SYNONYMS
guna-vyaktih--the reservoir of qualities; iyam--this; devi--goddess; vyanjakah--manifester; guna-bhuk--the enjoyer of the qualities; bhavan--You; tvam--You; hi--indeed; sarva-sariri atma--the Supersoul of all living entities; srih--the goddess of fortune; sarira--the body; indriya--senses; asayah--and the mind; nama--name; rupe--and form; bhagavati--Laksmi; pratyayah--the cause of manifestation; tvam--You; apasrayah--the support.
TRANSLATION
Mother Laksmi, who is here, is the reservoir of all spiritual qualities, whereas You manifest and enjoy all these qualities. Indeed, You are actually the enjoyer of everything. You live as the Supersoul of all living entities, aid the goddess of fortune is the form of their bodies, senses and minds. She also has a holy name and form, whereas You are the support of all such names and forms and the cause for their manifestation.
PURPORT
Madhvacarya, the acarya of the Tattvavadis, has described this verse in the following way: "Visnu is described as yajna personified, and mother Laksmi is described as spiritual activities and the original form of worship. In fact, they represent spiritual activities and the Supersoul of all yajna. Lord Visnu is the Supersoul even of Laksmidevi, but no one can be the Supersoul of Lord Visnu, for Lord Visnu Himself is the spiritual Supersoul of everyone."
According to Madhvacarya, there are two tattvas, or factors. One is independent, and the other is dependent. The first tattva is the Supreme Lord, Visnu, and the second is the jiva-tattva. Laksmidevi, being dependent on Lord Visnu, is sometimes counted among the jivas. The Gaudiya Vaisnavas, however, describe Laksmidevi in accordance with the following two verses from the Prameya-ratnavali of Baladeva Vidyabhusana. The first verse is a quotation from the Visnu Purana.
nityaiva sa jagan-mata
visnoh srir anapayini
yatha sarva-gato visnus
tathaiveyam dvijottama
visnoh syuh saktayas tisras
tasu ya kirtita para
saiva sris tad-abhinneti
praha sisyan prabhur mahan
"O best of the brahmanas, Laksmiji is the constant companion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, and therefore she is called anapayini. She is the mother of all creation. As Lord Visnu is all-pervading, His spiritual potency, mother Laksmi, is also all-pervading." Lord Visnu has three principal potencies--internal, external and marginal. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has accepted para-sakti, the spiritual energy of the Lord, as being identical with the Lord. Thus she is also included in the independent visnu-tattva."
In the Kanti-mala commentary on the Prameya-ratnavali there is this statement: nanu kvacit nitya-mukta jivatvam laksmyah svikrtam, tatraha--praheti. nityaiveti padye sarva-vyapti-kathanena kalakasthety adi-padya-dvaye, suddho 'pity ukta ca mahaprabhuna svasisyan prati laksmya bhagavad-advaitam upadistam. kvacid yat tasyas tu dvaitam uktam, tat tu tad-avista-nitya-mukta jivam adaya sangatamas tu. "Although some authoritative Vaisnava disciplic successions count the goddess of fortune among the ever-liberated living entities (jivas) in Vaikuntha, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in accordance with the statement in the Visnu Purana, has described Laksmi as being identical with the visnu-tattva. The correct conclusion is that the descriptions of Laksmi as being different from Visnu are stated when an eternally liberated living entity is imbued with the quality of Laksmi; they do not pertain to mother Laksmi, the eternal consort of Lord Visnu."
TEXT 14
TEXT
yatha yuvam tri-lokasya
varadau paramesthinau
tatha ma uttamasloka
santu satya mahasisah
SYNONYMS
yatha--since; yuvam--both of you; tri-lokasya--of the three worlds; vara-dau--givers of benedictions; parame-sthinau--the supreme rulers; tatha--therefore; me--my; uttama-sloka--O Lord, who are praised with excellent verses; santu--may become; satyah--fulfilled; maha-asisah--great ambitions.
TRANSLATION
You are both the supreme rulers and benedictors of the three worlds. Therefore, my Lord, Uttamasloka, may my ambitions be fulfilled by Your grace.
TEXT 15
TEXT
ity abhistuya varadam
srinivasam sriya saha
tan nihsaryopaharanam
dattvacamanam arcayet
SYNONYMS
iti--thus; abhistuya--offering prayers; vara-dam--who bestows benedictions; sri-nivasam--unto Lord Visnu, the abode of the goddess of fortune; sriya saha--with Laksmi; tat--then; nihsarya--removing; upaharanam--the paraphernalia for worship; dattva--after offering; acamanam--water for washing the hands and mouth; arcayet--one should worship.
TRANSLATION
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Thus one should worship Lord Visnu, who is known as Srinivasa, along with mother Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, by offering prayers according to the process mentioned above. After removing all the paraphernalia of worship, one should offer them water to wash their hands and mouths, and then one should worship them again.
TEXT 16
TEXT
tatah stuvita stotrena
bhakti-prahvena cetasa
yajnocchistam avaghraya
punar abhyarcayed dharim
SYNONYMS
tatah--then; stuvita--one should praise; stotrena--with prayers; bhakti--with devotion; prahvena--humble; cetasa--with a mind; yajna-ucchistam--the remnants of sacrifice; avaghraya--smelling; punah--again; abhyarcayet--one should worship; harim--Lord Visnu.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, with devotion and humility, one should offer prayers to the Lord and mother Laksmi. Then one should smell the remnants of the food offered and then again worship the Lord and Laksmiji.
TEXT 17
TEXT
patim ca paraya bhaktya
mahapurusa-cetasa
priyais tais tair upanamet
prema-silah svayam patih
bibhryat sarva-karmani
patnya uccavacani ca
SYNONYMS
patim--the husband; ca--and; paraya--supreme; bhaktya--with devotion; maha-purusa-cetasa--accepting as the Supreme Person; priyaih--dear; taih taih--by those (offerings); upanamet--should worship; prema-silah--being affectionate; svayam--himself; patih--the husband; bibhryat--should execute; sarva-karmani--all activities; patnyah--of the wife; ucca-avacani--high and low; ca--also.
TRANSLATION
Accepting her husband as the representative of the Supreme Person, a wife should worship him with unalloyed devotion by offering him prasada. The husband, being very pleased with his wife, should engage himself in the affairs of his family.
PURPORT
The family relationship of husband and wife should be established spiritually according to the process mentioned above.
TEXT 18
TEXT
krtam ekatarenapi
dam-patyor ubhayor api
patnyam kuryad anarhayam
patir etat samahitah
SYNONYMS
krtam--executed; ekatarena--by one; api--even; dam-patyoh--of the wife and husband; ubhayoh--of both; api--still; patnyam--when the wife; kuryat--he should execute; anarhayam--is unable; patih--the husband; etat--this; samahitah--with attention.
TRANSLATION
Between the husband and wife, one person is sufficient to execute this devotional service. Because of their good relationship, both of them will enjoy the result. Therefore if the wife is unable to execute this process, the husband should carefully do so, and the faithful wife will share the result.
PURPORT
The relationship between husband and wife is firmly established when the wife is faithful and the husband sincere. Then even if the wife, being weaker, is unable to execute devotional service with her husband, if she is chaste and sincere she shares half of her husband's activities.
TEXTS 19-20
TEXT
visnor vratam idam bibhran
na vihanyat kathancana
vipran striyo viravatih
srag-gandha-bali-mandanaih
arced ahar-ahar bhaktya
devam niyamam asthita
udvasya devam sve dhamni
tan-niveditam agratah
adyad atma-visuddhy-artham
sarva-kama-samrddhaye
SYNONYMS
visnoh--of Lord Visnu; vratam--vow; idam--this; bibhrat--executing; na--not; vihanyat--should break; kathancana--for any reason; vipran--the brahmanas; striyah--women; vira-vatih--who have their husband and sons; srak--with garlands; gandha--sandalwood; bali--offerings of food; mandanaih--and with ornaments; arcet--one should worship; ahah-ahah--daily; bhaktya--with devotion; devam--Lord Visnu; niyamam--the regulative principles; asthita--following; udvasya--placing; devam--the Lord; sve--in His own; dhamni--resting place; tat--to Him; niveditam--what was offered; agratah--after dividing first among the others; adyat--one should eat; atma-visuddhi-artham--for self-purification; sarva-kama--all desires; samrddhaye--for fulfilling.
TRANSLATION
One should accept this visnu-vrata, which is a vow in devotional service, and should not deviate from its execution to engage in anything else. By offering the remnants of prasada, flower garlands, sandalwood pulp and ornaments, one should daily worship the brahmanas and worship women who peacefully live with their husbands and children. Every day the wife must continue following the regulative principles to worship Lord Visnu with great devotion. Thereafter, Lord Visnu should be laid in His bed, and then one should take prasada. In this way, husband and wife will be purified and will have all their desires fulfilled.
TEXT 21
TEXT
etena puja-vidhina
masan dvadasa hayanam
nitvathoparamet sadhvi
kartike carame 'hani
SYNONYMS
etena--with this; puja-vidhina--regulated worship; masan dvadasa--twelve months; hayanam--a year; nitva--after passing; atha--then; uparamet--should fast; sadhvi--the chaste wife; kartike--in Karttika; carame ahani--on the final day.
TRANSLATION
The chaste wife must perform such devotional service continuously for one year. After one year passes, she should fast on the full-moon day in the month of Karttika [October-November].
TEXT 22
TEXT
svo-bhute 'pa upasprsya
krsnam abhyarcya purvavat
payah-srtena juhuyac
caruna saha sarpisa
paka-yajna-vidhanena
dvadasaivahutih patih
SYNONYMS
svah-bhute--on the following morning; apah--water; upasprsya--contacting; krsnam--Lord Krsna; abhyarcya--worshiping; purva-vat--as previously; payah-srtena--with boiled milk; juhuyat--one should offer; caruna--with an offering of sweet rice; saha--with; sarpisa--ghee; paka-yajna-vidhanena--according to the injunctions of the Grhya-sutras; dvadasa--twelve; eva--indeed; ahutih--oblations; patih--the husband.
TRANSLATION
On the morning of the next day, one should wash oneself, and after worshiping Lord Krsna as before, one should cook as one cooks for festivals as stated in the Grhya-sutras. Sweet rice should be cooked with ghee, and with this preparation the husband should offer oblations to the fire twelve times.
TEXT 23
TEXT
asisah sirasadaya
dvijaih pritaih samiritah
pranamya sirasa bhaktya
bhunjita tad-anujnaya
SYNONYMS
asisah--blessings; sirasa--with the head; adaya--accepting; dvijaih--by the brahmanas; pritaih--who are pleased; samiritah--spoken; pranamya--after offering obeisances; sirasa--with the head; bhaktya--with devotion; bhunjita--he should eat; tat-anujnaya--with their permission.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, he should satisfy the brahmanas. When the satisfied brahmanas bestow their blessings, he should devotedly offer them respectful obeisances with his head, and with their permission he should take prasada.
TEXT 24
TEXT
acaryam agratah krtva
vag-yatah saha bandhubhih
dadyat patnyai caroh sesam
suprajastvam susaubhagam
SYNONYMS
acaryam--the acarya; agratah--first of all; krtva--receiving properly; vak-yatah--controlling speech; saha--with; bandhubhih--friends and relatives; dadyat--he should give; patnyai--to the wife; caroh--of the oblation of sweet rice; sesam--the remnant; su-prajastvam--which insures good progeny; su-saubhagam--which insures good fortune.
TRANSLATION
Before taking his meal, the husband must first seat the acarya comfortably, and, along with his relatives and friends, should control his speech and offer prasada to the guru. Then the wife should eat the remnants of the oblation of sweet rice cooked with ghee. Eating the remnants insures a learned, devoted son and all good fortune.
TEXT 25
TEXT
etac caritva vidhivad vratam vibhor
abhipsitartham labhate puman iha
stri caitad asthaya labheta saubhagam
sriyam prajam jiva-patim yaso grham
SYNONYMS
etat--this; caritva--performing; vidhi-vat--according to the injunctions of sastra; vratam--vow; vibhoh--from the Lord; abhipsita--desired; artham--object; labhate--gets; puman--a man; iha--in this life; stri--a woman; ca--and; etat--this; asthaya--performing; labheta--can get; saubhagam--good fortune; sriyam--opulence; prajam--progeny; jiva-patim--a husband with a long duration of life; yasah--good reputation; grham--home.
TRANSLATION
If this vow or ritualistic ceremony is observed according to the description of sastra, even in this life a man will be able to achieve all the benedictions he desires from the Lord. A wife who performs this ritualistic ceremony will surely receive good fortune, opulence, sons, a long-living husband, a good reputation and a good home.
PURPORT
In Bengal even today if a woman lives for a long time with her husband, she is considered very fortunate. A woman generally desires a good husband, good children, a good home, prosperity, opulence and so on. As recommended in this verse, a woman will receive all these desirable benedictions, and a man will also be able to receive all benedictions, from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus by performing this particular type of vrata, a man and a woman in Krsna consciousness will be happy in this material world, and because of being Krsna conscious they will be promoted to the spiritual world.
TEXTS 26-28
TEXT
kanya ca vindeta samagra-laksanam
patim tv avira hata-kilbisam gatim
mrta-praja jiva-suta dhanesvari
sudurbhaga subhaga rupam agryam
vinded virupa viruja vimucyate
ya amayavindriya-kalya-deham
etat pathann abhyudaye ca karmany
ananta-trptih pitr-devatanam
tustah prayacchanti samasta-kaman
homavasane huta-bhuk sri-haris ca
rajan mahan marutam janma punyam
diter vratam cabhihitam mahat te
SYNONYMS
kanya--an unmarried girl; ca--and; vindeta--can get; samagralaksanam--possessing all good qualities; patim--a husband; tu--and; avira--a woman without a husband or son; hata-kilbisam--free from fault; gatim--the destination; mrta-praja--a woman whose children are dead; jiva-suta--a woman whose child has a long duration of life; dhana-isvari--possessing wealth; su-durbhaga--unfortunate; su-bhaga--fortunate; rupam--beauty; agryam--excellent; vindet--can get; virupa--an ugly woman; viruja--from the disease; vimucyate--is freed; yah--he who; amaya-vi--a diseased man; indriya-kalya-deham--an able body; etat--this; pathan--reciting; abhyudaye ca karmani--and in a sacrificial ceremony in which oblations are offered to the forefathers and demigods; ananta--unlimited; trptih--satisfaction; pitr-devatanam--of the forefathers and demigods; tustah--being pleased; prayacchanti--they bestow; samasta--all; kaman--desires; homa-avasane--on the completion of the ceremony; huta-bhuk--the enjoyer of the sacrifice; sri-harih--Lord Visnu; ca--also; rajan--O King; mahat--great; marutam--of the Maruts; janma--birth; punyam--pious; diteh--of Diti; vratam--the vow; ca--also; abhihitam--explained; mahat--great; te--to you.
TRANSLATION
If an unmarried girl observes this vrata, she will be able to get a very good husband. If a woman who is avira--who has no husband or son--executes this ritualistic ceremony, she can be promoted to the spiritual world. A woman whose children have died after birth can get a child with a long duration of life and also become very fortunate in possessing wealth. If a woman is unfortunate she will become fortunate, and if ugly she will become beautiful. By observing this vrata, a diseased man can gain relief from his disease and have an able body with which to work. If one recites this narration while offering oblations to the pitas and demigods, especially during the sraddha ceremony, the demigods and inhabitants of Pitrloka will be extremely pleased with him and bestow upon him the fulfillment of all desires. After one performs this ritualistic ceremony, Lord Visnu and His wife, mother Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, are very pleased with him. O King Pariksit, now I have completely described how Diti performed this ceremony and had good children--the Maruts--and a happy life. I have tried to explain this to you as elaborately as possible.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Sixth Canto, Nineteenth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "performing the Pumsavana Ritualistic Ceremony."
END OF THE SIXTH CANTO