The Seventh Book. Chapter 38
The Seventh Book
Chapter Xxxviii
The Vows And The Sacred Places Of The Devi
P. 731
1-2. The Himlays said :-- "O Dev! Describe the places on this earth that are prominent, sacred, and worth visiting and which Thou likest best. O Mother! Also sanctify us by describing the vows and utsabs that are pleasing to Thee, and by performing which, men become blessed and get themselves satisfied.
3-10. The Dev spoke :-- "O Himavan! All the places that are on this earth are all Mine and all should be visited. And every moment is fit for taking vows and utsabs. For I am of the nature pervading every moment; so whatever actions are performed at any moment are all equal to taking My vows and utsabs. O King of Mountains! Still I am now telling something out of My affection to My Bhaktas. Hear. There is a great place of pilgrimage named Kolhpura in the southern country. Here the Dev Laksmi always dwells. The second place is Mtripura in the Sahydr mountain; here the Dev Renuk dwells. The third place is Tulajpur; next is the place Saptas'ringa, the great places of Hingul and Jvl Mukh. Then the great places of Skambhar, Bhrmri, S'rraktadantik and Drg. The best of all places is that of Vindhychala Vsin, the great places of Annapurn and the excellent Knchipur (Conjiverum). Next come the places of Bhm Dev, Vimal Dev, S'r Chandral Dev of Karnt, and the place of Kaus'ik. Then the great place of Nlmb on the top of the Nlparvata, the place of Jmbnades'var, and the beautiful S'rnagara.
11-20. The great place of S'r Guhya Kl, well established in Nepal, and that of S'r Mnks Dev established in Chdamvaram. The great
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place named Vedranya where the Sundar Dev is residing; then the place named Ekmvaram, and the place Bhuvanes'vara near Purusottama where I always dwell as Par S'akti Bhuvanes'var. The famous place of Mahlas, known in the south by the name Mallri; the place of Yoges'var Vart, and the widely known place of Nla S'arasvat in China. The excellent place of Bagal in Baidyanth, the supreme place Manidvpa of S'rmat Bhuvanes'var where I always reside. The Yonimandala Kmkhy, the place of S'rimat Tripur Bhariav, the excellent of all the places in this earth, where the Dev Mah My always dwells. There is no other place better than this on the earth. Here the Dev becomes every month in Her course of menstruation and where the virtuous men are seen. Here all the Devas remain in the form of mountains and where on the mountains the excellent Devas inhabit. The sages say: That all the places there are of the nature of the Dev; there is no better place than this Kmkhy Yonimandala. Puskara, the sacred place, is the seat of Gyatr; the place of Chandik in Amares'a: and the excellent place of Puskareksin in Frabhsa. The place of Linga-dhrin Dev in Naimisranya, and the place of Purubut in Puskarksa; Rati dwells in sdh.
21-30. Dandin Parames'vari dwells in Chandamund. Bhti dwells in Bhrabhti; and Nakule S'var dwells in Nkula. Chandrik dwells in Haris'chandra; S'nkari in S'rgiri; Tris'l in Japes'vara; and Suksm in mrta Kes'vara. S'nkar dwells in Ujjain, S'arvn in the place Madhyam, and Mrga Dyini dwells in the holy Ksetra Kedra. The celebrated Bhairav dwells in the place named Bhairava; Mangal in Gay Ksettra; Sthnupriy in Kuruksetra; and Svyambhuv Dev dwells in Nkula; Ugr dwells in Kankhal; Vis'ves dwells in Vimales'vara, Mahnand in Attahsa and Mahntak in Mahendra. Bhimes'var dwells in Bhma; the Bhavn S'ankar dwells in Vastrpadma; and Rudrn in Ardha Kot. Vis'alks dwells in Avimukta; Mahbhg dwells in Mahlaya; Bhadrakarn in Gokarna; and Bhadr resides in Bhadrakarnak; Utpalks dwells in Suvarnksa; Sthnvs' in Sthnu; Kamal in Kamallay; Chand in Chhagalandaka, situated in the south near the sea coast. Trisandhy dwells in Kurundala; Mukutes'var in Mkota; S'ndak in Mandales'a; Kl in Klanjara; Dhvani in S'ankukarna; Sthl in Sthlakes'vara; and Parames'var Hrillekh dwells in the heart lotuses of the Janins.
31-34. The places mentioned above are all dearest to the Dev. First the merits of these places are to be heard; next the Dev is to be
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worshipped by the rites and ceremonies according to these rules. Or, O Mountain! All the holy places of pilgrimages exist in Ks'. The Dev always dwells there. Persons, devoted to the Dev, see these places and if they make Japam and meditate on the lotus-feet of the Dev, they will certainly be freed from the bonds of Samsra; there is no doubt in this. If anybody, getting up in the morning, recite the names of these places, all his sins would instantly be burnt away.
35-40. And if one reads, in the time of S'rddha, before the Brahmins, these holy names of the Dev, his Pitris will be purified of their sins in the Mahks'a by the Mah Prna and will get their highest goal. O One of good vows! I will now describe to you the vows that are to be carefully observed by men and women; hear. Ananta Tritykhya Vrata (vow), Rasakalyn Vrata, and rdrnandakara Vrata, these three Vratas are to be observed in the Trity (third) tithi. The next come the Friday vow, the Krisna Chaturdas'i vows, the Tuesday vow, and the evening twilight vow. In this twilight vow, Mah Deva placed the Dev in the evening on an sana; and He, along with the other Devas, began to dance before Her. Fasting is enjoined in this vow; and then in the evening one must worship the Dev, the Giver of all auspicious things. Especially in every fortnight, if the Dev be worshipped, She gets extremely pleased.
41. O Best of Mountains! The Monday vow is very agreeable to Me; the worship of the Dev should be done and then in the night one must take one's food.
42-43. The two nine nights vow called Navartra are to be observed, one in the autumn and the other in the spring season. These are very dear to Me. He is certainly My devotee and very dear who for My satisfaction performs these and the other Nitya Naimittik vows, free from any pride and jealousy. He certainly gets the Sjujya Mukti with Me.
44-46. O Nagarja! The Holy (Dol) festival in the month of Chait on tha third day of the white fortnight is very pleasing to Me and should be observed by all. My devotees perform the S'ayanotsava in the Paurnms in the month of sdha; the Jgaranotsava in the Paurnams in the month of Krtik, the Ratha Jtr in the 3rd of the white fortnight in sdha; the Damanotsava in Chaitra. And my dear festivals in the month of S'rvana and various other festivals.
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47-49. In all these festivals one should feast well with gladness all My devotees, and the Kumris (virgins), well clothed and dressed, and the boys, thinking them all to be of My very nature. No miserliness is to be entertained and I should be worshipped with flowers, etc. He is blessed and attains his goal and is dear to Me who carefully and devotedly observes every year all these festivals. O Nagendra! Thus I have described to you in brief all the vows that are pleasing to Me. These instructions are not to be given who is not a disciple nor to one who is not My devotee.
Here ends the Thirty-eighth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the vows and the sacred places of the Dev in the Mah Purnam S'r Mad Dev Bhgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vysa.
Chapter Xxxviii
The Vows And The Sacred Places Of The Devi
P. 731
1-2. The Himlays said :-- "O Dev! Describe the places on this earth that are prominent, sacred, and worth visiting and which Thou likest best. O Mother! Also sanctify us by describing the vows and utsabs that are pleasing to Thee, and by performing which, men become blessed and get themselves satisfied.
3-10. The Dev spoke :-- "O Himavan! All the places that are on this earth are all Mine and all should be visited. And every moment is fit for taking vows and utsabs. For I am of the nature pervading every moment; so whatever actions are performed at any moment are all equal to taking My vows and utsabs. O King of Mountains! Still I am now telling something out of My affection to My Bhaktas. Hear. There is a great place of pilgrimage named Kolhpura in the southern country. Here the Dev Laksmi always dwells. The second place is Mtripura in the Sahydr mountain; here the Dev Renuk dwells. The third place is Tulajpur; next is the place Saptas'ringa, the great places of Hingul and Jvl Mukh. Then the great places of Skambhar, Bhrmri, S'rraktadantik and Drg. The best of all places is that of Vindhychala Vsin, the great places of Annapurn and the excellent Knchipur (Conjiverum). Next come the places of Bhm Dev, Vimal Dev, S'r Chandral Dev of Karnt, and the place of Kaus'ik. Then the great place of Nlmb on the top of the Nlparvata, the place of Jmbnades'var, and the beautiful S'rnagara.
11-20. The great place of S'r Guhya Kl, well established in Nepal, and that of S'r Mnks Dev established in Chdamvaram. The great
p. 732
place named Vedranya where the Sundar Dev is residing; then the place named Ekmvaram, and the place Bhuvanes'vara near Purusottama where I always dwell as Par S'akti Bhuvanes'var. The famous place of Mahlas, known in the south by the name Mallri; the place of Yoges'var Vart, and the widely known place of Nla S'arasvat in China. The excellent place of Bagal in Baidyanth, the supreme place Manidvpa of S'rmat Bhuvanes'var where I always reside. The Yonimandala Kmkhy, the place of S'rimat Tripur Bhariav, the excellent of all the places in this earth, where the Dev Mah My always dwells. There is no other place better than this on the earth. Here the Dev becomes every month in Her course of menstruation and where the virtuous men are seen. Here all the Devas remain in the form of mountains and where on the mountains the excellent Devas inhabit. The sages say: That all the places there are of the nature of the Dev; there is no better place than this Kmkhy Yonimandala. Puskara, the sacred place, is the seat of Gyatr; the place of Chandik in Amares'a: and the excellent place of Puskareksin in Frabhsa. The place of Linga-dhrin Dev in Naimisranya, and the place of Purubut in Puskarksa; Rati dwells in sdh.
21-30. Dandin Parames'vari dwells in Chandamund. Bhti dwells in Bhrabhti; and Nakule S'var dwells in Nkula. Chandrik dwells in Haris'chandra; S'nkari in S'rgiri; Tris'l in Japes'vara; and Suksm in mrta Kes'vara. S'nkar dwells in Ujjain, S'arvn in the place Madhyam, and Mrga Dyini dwells in the holy Ksetra Kedra. The celebrated Bhairav dwells in the place named Bhairava; Mangal in Gay Ksettra; Sthnupriy in Kuruksetra; and Svyambhuv Dev dwells in Nkula; Ugr dwells in Kankhal; Vis'ves dwells in Vimales'vara, Mahnand in Attahsa and Mahntak in Mahendra. Bhimes'var dwells in Bhma; the Bhavn S'ankar dwells in Vastrpadma; and Rudrn in Ardha Kot. Vis'alks dwells in Avimukta; Mahbhg dwells in Mahlaya; Bhadrakarn in Gokarna; and Bhadr resides in Bhadrakarnak; Utpalks dwells in Suvarnksa; Sthnvs' in Sthnu; Kamal in Kamallay; Chand in Chhagalandaka, situated in the south near the sea coast. Trisandhy dwells in Kurundala; Mukutes'var in Mkota; S'ndak in Mandales'a; Kl in Klanjara; Dhvani in S'ankukarna; Sthl in Sthlakes'vara; and Parames'var Hrillekh dwells in the heart lotuses of the Janins.
31-34. The places mentioned above are all dearest to the Dev. First the merits of these places are to be heard; next the Dev is to be
p. 733
worshipped by the rites and ceremonies according to these rules. Or, O Mountain! All the holy places of pilgrimages exist in Ks'. The Dev always dwells there. Persons, devoted to the Dev, see these places and if they make Japam and meditate on the lotus-feet of the Dev, they will certainly be freed from the bonds of Samsra; there is no doubt in this. If anybody, getting up in the morning, recite the names of these places, all his sins would instantly be burnt away.
35-40. And if one reads, in the time of S'rddha, before the Brahmins, these holy names of the Dev, his Pitris will be purified of their sins in the Mahks'a by the Mah Prna and will get their highest goal. O One of good vows! I will now describe to you the vows that are to be carefully observed by men and women; hear. Ananta Tritykhya Vrata (vow), Rasakalyn Vrata, and rdrnandakara Vrata, these three Vratas are to be observed in the Trity (third) tithi. The next come the Friday vow, the Krisna Chaturdas'i vows, the Tuesday vow, and the evening twilight vow. In this twilight vow, Mah Deva placed the Dev in the evening on an sana; and He, along with the other Devas, began to dance before Her. Fasting is enjoined in this vow; and then in the evening one must worship the Dev, the Giver of all auspicious things. Especially in every fortnight, if the Dev be worshipped, She gets extremely pleased.
41. O Best of Mountains! The Monday vow is very agreeable to Me; the worship of the Dev should be done and then in the night one must take one's food.
42-43. The two nine nights vow called Navartra are to be observed, one in the autumn and the other in the spring season. These are very dear to Me. He is certainly My devotee and very dear who for My satisfaction performs these and the other Nitya Naimittik vows, free from any pride and jealousy. He certainly gets the Sjujya Mukti with Me.
44-46. O Nagarja! The Holy (Dol) festival in the month of Chait on tha third day of the white fortnight is very pleasing to Me and should be observed by all. My devotees perform the S'ayanotsava in the Paurnms in the month of sdha; the Jgaranotsava in the Paurnams in the month of Krtik, the Ratha Jtr in the 3rd of the white fortnight in sdha; the Damanotsava in Chaitra. And my dear festivals in the month of S'rvana and various other festivals.
p. 734
47-49. In all these festivals one should feast well with gladness all My devotees, and the Kumris (virgins), well clothed and dressed, and the boys, thinking them all to be of My very nature. No miserliness is to be entertained and I should be worshipped with flowers, etc. He is blessed and attains his goal and is dear to Me who carefully and devotedly observes every year all these festivals. O Nagendra! Thus I have described to you in brief all the vows that are pleasing to Me. These instructions are not to be given who is not a disciple nor to one who is not My devotee.
Here ends the Thirty-eighth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the vows and the sacred places of the Dev in the Mah Purnam S'r Mad Dev Bhgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vysa.
