Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 6 Chapter 19:14-28

Book 6: Chapter 19

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 6: Chapter 19: Verses 14-28 The procedure of observing the sacred vow of Pumsavana (Just) as You are the supreme Rulers of (all) the three worlds, conferring boons on Your devotees, so let my lofty aspirations prove true, O Lord of excellent renown." (14)Having thus extolled Lord Visnu (the Abode of Sri, the goddess of beauty and prosperity), the Bestower of boons (on His devotees), along with Goddess Sri, and after removing the food (served before Them) and offering Them water to rinse their mouth, one should (continue to) worship Them (by offering betel leaves etc.). Then with a mind humble through devotion one should extol Him by means of a hymn and, after smelling the remnants of the offerings, should duly worship Sri Hari once more. The woman should serve her husband too with supreme devotion, offering him his beloved objects and accounting him the Supreme Person (Himself); while the loving husband should personally assist in all the duties of his wife, high and low (alike). A thing done by even one (member) of a married couple is conducive to the benefit of both. (Therefore,) in the event of the wife being unfit (due to illness or menstruation etc.) the husband should do (all) this with a concentrated mind. A man observing this vow sacred to Lord Visnu should not break it under any circumstance whatsoever. (Thus) observing (strict) discipline, one should worship everyday with devotion the Brahmanas as well as women whose husbands are (still) living by offering them wreaths of flowers, sandal-paste, (articles of) cooked food and ornaments, and should (also) worship the Deity (Lord Visnu). Having requested the Deity (as devoutly as He had been invoked) to retire to His (divine) Abode one should eat what was offered to Him, after feeding in the first instance one's preceptor and others, for the purification of one's mind as well as for the gratification of all one's desires. After spending a year of twelve months (an year other than an intercalary year) according to this (aforementioned) process of worship, a pious wife should observe a fast on the last day of (the month of) Kartika (the day immediately preceding the bright half of Margaairsa). Having bathed at sunrise on the following day and worshipped Lord Visnu (the Enchanter of all) as before, the husband alone should pour into the sacred fire twelve oblations of rice boiled in milk and mixed with clarified butter according to the procedure laid down for a Pakayajna (a veriety of sacrificial performances mentioned in the Grhya-Sutras). Receiving with his head bent low the benedictions duly pronounced by the Brahmanas, (highly) pleased with him, and devoutly greeting them with bowed head, he should silently take his meal with their permission along with his kinsmen after feeding his preceptor in the first instance. He should (then) give to his wife the remnant of the sacrificial offering, which ensures a good progeny and the height of good fortune. Duly observing this vow, sacred to the Lord, a man attains his coveted object during his (very) lifetime; while a wife, undertaking it, should secure good fortune, affluence, progeny, the longevity of her husband, glory and a (comfortable) house. Nay, a maid should secure a match endowed with all good characteristics, while a widow should attain final beatitude after being rid of (all) sins. A woman who has lost her issue should get long-lived progeny; a woman who, though owning a large property, is highly ill-fated is blessed with good fortune; and an ugly-looking girl is endowed with exquisite beauty. He who is suffering from a malady is rid of his acute illness and is blessed with a sound body and healthy Indriyas. Nay, there ensues the eternal gratification of the souls of the departed ancestors as well as of the tutelary deities of the man who recites this discourse on the occasion of auspicious undertaking (such as a sacrificial performance and Sraddha). (Nay,) pleased with him, the fire-god, Goddess Sri (the divine Consort of Lord Visnu) as well as Lord Sri Han (Himself) confer on him all the objects of his desire at the end of a sacrificial performance.. O king (Pariksit), the highly sacred story of the birth of the Maruts (the wind-gods) as well as of the very sacred vow observed by Diti has (hereby) been related to you. Thus ends the nineteenth discourse entitled "The procedure of observing the vow of Pumsavana detailed; in Book Six of the great and glorious Bhagavata-Purana, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhita, composed by the (divine) sage Vedavyasa and consisting of eighteen thousand Slokas. END OF BOOK SIX