Institutes of VIshnu 90

2530.

1. If on the fifteenth of the bright half of the month Mârga s îrsha the moon enters the lunar asterism. M ri ga s iras, he must give at the time when the moon rises (a vessel with) a golden centre, containing a Prastha of ground salt, to a Brâhma n a.

2. By (performing) this rite he obtains beauty and good fortune in a future birth.

3. If on the full moon day of the month Pausha the moon enters the lunar asterism Pushya, he must rub over his body with a dough prepared with white mustard-seeds, anoint himself with a kumbha of clarified butter made of cow-milk, wash himself with (water and with) all sorts of medicinal herbs, all sorts of perfumes, and all sorts of seeds, wash (an image of) Bhagavat Vâsudeva (Vish n u) with clarified butter, and worship him with perfumes, flowers, incense, with a lamp, with eatables, and the like, offer an oblation in the fire with Mantras tending to the praise of Vish n u (Rig-veda I, 22, 17, and others), Mantras tending to the praise of Indra (such as Rig-veda VI, 47, 11, and others), Mantras tending to the praise of B ri haspati (Rig-veda II, 23, 15, and others, and with one Mantra tending to the praise of Agni Svish t ak ri t), and cause three Brâhma n as to pronounce the benediction, after having bestowed clarified butter and gold upon them.

4. To the priest (who has performed the burnt-oblation for him) he must give a pair of garments.

5. By (performing) this rite he obtains prosperity (pushyate).

6. If on the full moon day in the month Mâgha the moon enters the lunar asterism Maghâ and he performs a S râddha with sesamum on that day, he is purified.

7. If on the full moon day in the month Phâlguna the moon enters the lunar asterism Uttaraphâlgunî, and he gives on that day a bedstead, quite complete and covered with good rugs, to a Brâhma n a, he obtains an amiable, handsome, and wealthy wife.

8. A woman who does the same, (obtains) a husband (possessing those qualities).

9. If on the full moon day of the month K aitra the moon enters the lunar asterism K itrâ, and he gives a variegated (k itra) garment (to a Brâhma n a) on that day, he obtains good fortune.

10. If on the full moon day of the month Vai s âkha the moon enters the lunar asterism Vi s âkhâ, and he feeds on that day seven Brâhma n as with sesamum. mixed with honey, in order to please king Dharma, he is purified from his sins.

11. If on the full moon day of the month Gyaish th a the moon enters the lunar asterism Gyesh th a and he gives on that day an umbrella and a pair of shoes (to a Brâhma n a), he becomes possessed of many cows.

12. If on the full moon day of the month Âshâ dh a the moon is seen in conjunction with the lunar asterism Uttarâshâ dh â and he gives food and drink (to a Brâhma n a) on that day, he renders (the satisfaction effected by) them imperishable.

13. If on the full moon day of the month S râva n a the moon is seen in conjunction with the lunar asterism S rava n a and he gives a milch cow covered with two garments, together with food (to a Brâhma n a), he attains heaven.

14. If on the full moon day of the month Praush th apada (or Bhâdrapada) the moon is seen in conjunction with the lunar asterism Uttaraprosh th apadâ (or Uttarabhâdrapadâ), and he gives a cow (to a Brâhma n a) on that day, he is cleansed from every sin.

15. If on the full moon day of the month Âsvayu g a (or  s vina) the moon is seen in conjunction with the lunar asterism A s vinî, and he gives a vessel filled with clarified butter, and gold (to a Brâhmana) on that day, he obtains an excellent digestive faculty.

16. If on the full moon day of the month Kârttika the moon enters the lunar asterism. K ri ttikâ, and he bestows on that day, at the time of moonrise, upon a Brâhma n a, a white bull, or one of a different colour, together with all sorts of grains, all sorts of jewels, and all sorts of perfumes, after having lighted lamps on both sides (of the bull), he will meet with no danger on perilous roads.

17. If on the third day of the bright half of the month Vai s âkha he worships, after having fasted, Vâsudeva (Vish n u) with (one thousand and eight, or one hundred) unbroken grains (of barley, while muttering the Mantra, Om namo bhagavate, vâsudevâya), and offers up the same in fire, and gives them (to a Brâhma n a), he is purified from every sin.

18. And whatever he gives on that day becomes imperishable.

19. If on the twelfth day of the dark half following on the full moon day of the month Pausha, he washes himself, after having kept a fast, with sesamum-seeds, gives water mixed with sesamum (to the manes), worships Vâsudeva with sesamum, offers up (part of) the same in fire, gives to Brâhma n as of it, and eats (the remainder himself) he is purified from his sins.

20. (If) on the twelfth day of the (the dark half following on the full moon day of the month Mâgha, moon enters S rava n a), he must keep a fast till the moon has entered that asterism, and place two lamps with two large wicks near (an image of) Vâsudeva;

21. Placing on the right hand (of the. image of Vâsudeva, and kindling, a lamp) containing one hundred and eight Palas of clarified butter, with an entire piece of cloth (together with the fringes) dyed with saffron (as wick) in it;

22. (And placing) on its left, (and kindling, a lamp) containing one hundred and eight Palas of sesamum oil, with an entire piece of white cloth (as wick) in it.

23. He who has performed this rite obtains exquisite happiness, in whatever kingdom, in whatever province, and in whatever race he may be born again.

24. He who gives daily during the whole month  s vina clarified butter to Brâhma n as, in order to please the two A s vins, obtains beauty.

25. He who feeds daily during; that mouth (three) Brâhma n as with (milk and other) bovine productions, obtains a kingdom.

26. He who feeds on the Revatâ day of every month (three) Brâhma n as with rice boiled in milk with sugar and mixed with honey and clarified butter, in order to please.(the goddess) Revatî, obtains beauty.

27. He who daily throughout the month Mâgha offers sesamum-seeds in fire and feeds (three) Brâhma n as with sour rice-gruel mixed with clarified butter, obtains an excellent digestive power.

28. He who bathes in a river and worships king Dharma on the fourteenth of both halves of every month, is purified from every sin.

29. One desirous of obtaining the manifold advantages attending an eclipse of the sun or moon must constantly bathe in the mornings during the two months Mâgha and Phâlguna.

 

The Insitutes of Vishnu CHAPTER NINETY FIVE

Divisions 2561-2580