Vratas
A vrata is a religious rite performed on a special occasion. The Narada Purana next describes several such important vratas.
One such rite is known as ekadasi vrata, so called because it is performed ekadashi tithi (the eleventh day of the lunar fortnight). The rite is observed in the month of Agrahayana, during shuklapaksha. One has to stay up during the night and bathe a shalagrama image in the morning with milk. Sesamum seeds are to be offered to a fire and offerings of good are made to Vishnu and Lakshmi. Brahmanas have to be invited and fed and they are also given alms.
Similar rites are recommended on dvadashi tithi (the twelfth day of the lunar fortnight), during shuklapaksha and in the months of Pousha and Falguna. In fact, such rites can be oberved in all the months, on ekadashi tithi and dvadashi tithi. The observance of these vratas brings punya that is far in excess of any punya that can be obtained from the performance of famous yajnas.
There is another vrata which brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas, shudras and even women can observe. This is known a pournamasi vrata as it is performed on the day of the full moon (purnima). It can be observed in any month. Observance means praying to Vishnu and Lakshmi with a pure heart. Mantras should be chanted and the Puranas should be recited. Rice, sesamum seeds and clarified butter have to be offered to the fire. After these are over brahmanas have to be invited and fed. It is best if the rite is observed in all the months and the vrata comes to a close in the month of Kartika. That is an auspicious occasion for building a temple dedicated to Vishnu. Narayana is another name for Vishnu. Since one prays to Vishnu and Laksmi, this vrata is also known as lakshminarayana vrata.
A vrata named dhvajarohana is recommended for everyone, irrespective of whether he is man or woman and irrespective of what class he belongs to. A dhvaja is a flag and a flag is erected atop Vishnu’s temple in the course of this vrata. This begun on ekadashi tithi, during shuklapaksha and in the month of Kartika. Vishnu has to be worshipped first and four brahmanas have to be invited to act as priests. The sun, the moon and Garuda also have to be worshipped. Amongst the prescribed offerings are turmeric, long-rained rice and fragrant flowers. Besides this, one hundred and eight bowls of rice pudding and clarifed butter have to be offered to the fire. The flag can be erected either on the top of the temple or on the main gate. As long as the flag waves in the wind, the sins of the person who has erected the flag are forgiven.
Sumati
Many years ago, in satya yuga, there used to be a king named Sumati. He was born in the lunar dynasty. The king was handsome and righteous and he ruled over the seven regions of the worlds. Sumati never lied and he was so hspitable that he never refused even a dog as a guest.
Sumati was devoted to Vishnu and so was his wife Satyamati. The king and his wife were also jatismaras, that is, they could remember the incidents of their earlier lives. Sumati and Satyamati fed the poor, they dug poinds and faithfully observed the dhvajarohana vrata. On such occasions, satyamati used to dance in Vishnu’s temple.
There was a sage named Vibhandaka. He and his disciples once came to visit this holy couple. The king and the queen were delighted and welcomed the sage with offerings. “We are gratified that you have come to visit us,” they said. “Please tell us what can we do for you?”
Vibhandaka blessed them and replied, “Truly well spoken. Not only are you holy, but you are modest as well. Modestly is the root of all virtues. I am very happy to have met you. There is nothing that you can do for me, except provide the answers to two questions. Why do you faithfully observe the dhvajarohana vrata and why does Satyamati dance in Vishnu’s temple?”
Sumati recounted their past histories for the sage’s benefit.
In an ealier life, Sumati used to be a shudra named Matuli who was evil. Matuli would harm other people and steal offerings that were meant for the gods. Since he was a sinner, he was poor and lost all his sons. His friends also deserted him. Matuli thereupon retire dto the forest and survived on deer meat.
On one particular occasion, Matuli was very hungry and thirsty and came upon a pond that stood in the middle of the forest. There was a temple of Vishnu by the side of the pond and swans and geese sported ont he water. Mantuli satisfied his hunger with lotus stalks and also quenched his thrist. He began to live in that dilapidated temple and repaired parts of it. He built a house for himself near the temple and adopted the profession of a hunter.
Twenty years passed.
There was a woman named Kokilini who had been born as the daughter of a hunter. Kokilini was forsaken by her friends and relatives and arrived at the forest, suffering from hunger and thirst. Matuli offered her fruit and meat and water. He discovered that Kokilini hailed from the region known as the Vindhyas. She was the daughter of a hunter named Damhbika and had done all sorts of evil things in her life. But once her husband had died, her friends and relatives had forsaken her and she had nowhere to go to.
Matuli married Kokilini. They lived there and often got drunk on wine. In these drunken sprees, they were in the habit of dancing in the temple. During one of these bouts, they happened to die and Yama’s servants arrived to take Matuli and Kokilini to hell.
But Vishnu had been pleased by the dancing. Vishnu’s servants also arrived and would not permit Matuli and Kokilini to be taken to naraka. They maintained that these two were the beloved of Vishnu, and hence, all their sins had been forgiven.
Kokilini had pleased Vishnu with her dances. As for Matuli, he had erected a flag on the temple in the course of the reapir work that he had done. This amounted to an observance of dhvajarohana vrata. The two groups of servants took matuli and Kokilini to Vishnuloka, the abode of Vishnu. After enjoying themselves there for thousands of years, Matuli and Kokilini had been born as Sumati and Satyamati.
They were born as jatismaras and remembered all that had earlier transpired. Sumati therefore continued to observe the dhvajarohana’vrata and Satyamati continued to dance in Vishnu’s temple.
Other Vratas
There is a vrata named haripanchaka. This is observed on dvadashi tithi during shuklapaksha and in the month of Margashirasha. Vishnu’s image has to be bathed and offerings of incense, flowers and betel leaves have to be made. For four successive days one prays to Vishnu, starting from the twelfth day of the lunar fortnight to the day of the full moon. Thereafter, brahmanas have to be invited and fed. The rite is observed every month starting from Pousha and ending with Kartika. The punya acquired from observing this vrata is equivalent to the punya obtained from donating millions of cows.
There is another vrata that is observed on dashami tithi (the tenth day of the lunar fortnight), during shuklapaksha and in the months of Ashada, Shravana, Bhadra and Ashvina. This vrata is superior to performing many yajnas.
Bhadrashila
There was a sage named Galava who lived on the banks of the Narmada river. Galava’s son was named Bhadrashila and he happened to be a jatismara. Bhadrashila was devoted to Vishnu. Even as a child, he had been in the habit of making temples to Vishnu out of clay and worshiping Vishnu. He would tell everyone about the virtues of observing a vrata on ekadashi tithi (the eleventh day of the lunar fortnight).
Galava was indeed very happy that his son was so devout. But he was also slightly mystified. He told Bhadrashila, “I am fortunate that I have such a devout son. Your character is beyond reproach and you are devoted to Vishnu You faithfully observe all the vratas. How did you come to acquired these traits?”
“That is because I remember the experiences of my earlier lives,” replied Bhadrashila. “I am a jatismara. I remember what Yama had told me.”
“Who were you in your earlier life?” asked Galava. “And what did Yama tell you?’
Bhadrashila recounted the story.
Bhadrashila used to be a king named Dharmakirti, born in the lunar dynasty. His guru was the sage Dattatreya. For nine thousand years Dharmakirti ruled the earth, performing good deeds as well as evil ones. But towards the end, he was drawn to evil and committed only sins. He associated with evil persons and his store of accumulatd punya was gradually depleted. Dharmakirti gave up the performance of yajnas; he deviated from the path prescribed by the Vedas. Taking a cue from their king, his subjects also became evil. A king is entitiled to one-sixth of his subjects’ earnings. Thus, Dharmakirti was also credited with one-sixth of the sins that his subjects committed.
One day, the king went on a hunt to the forest, he killed many deer and became hungry and thirsty. The river Reva flowed through the forest and Dharmakirti bathed in the river. But there was no food to be had. Meanwhile, some pilgrims also arrived there and these pilgrims were observing a vrata on ekadashi tithi. The rites involved fasting and staying awake at night. Together with the pilgrims, Dharmakirti also fasted and stayed awake at night. But the king was virtually starving from lack of food. When morning dawned, he died of starvation.
Yama’s servants arrived to take Dharmakirti to Yama. Their visages were terrible. The trip to Yama’s abode took many days, but eventually Dharmakriti arrived there and was taken before Yama.
Chirtragupta keeps account of all good deeds and sins. Yama called Chitragupta to him and said, “Dharmakirti has been brought here. Tell me about the punya that he has accumulated and the sins (papa) that he has committed.”
“This man has been really evil,” replied Chitragupta, “However, he has happened to fast on ekadashi tithi. His sins have, therefore, all been forgiven.”
Yama summoned his servants and started to soundly berate them. “What have you done?” he demanded “How dare you bring such a holy person to me? You have been told that you should not bring for punishment people who observe ekadashi vrata. Nor should you bring those who pray to Vishnu. Such people go straight to heaven. Bring only sinners here.”
Yama repeated to Dharmakirti what he had told this servants and the king became penitent for his past misdeeds. He had however accumulated a lot of punya because of observing ekadashi vrata. He therefore spent a lot of time in heaven, before being born again as a brahmana. It is because he remembered all these incidents that Bhadrashila was so devout. He ralized that if there was so much of punya to be obtained from unconsciously observing ekadashi vrata, great indeed must be the punya that could be attained from observing the rite consciously.
Galava regarded himself as exceedingly fortunate to have fathered such a wonderful son.
