MantraOnNet.com: 10th & 11th Phase Vrats
Said The God Of Fire:-
Now I shall describe the process of performing
the Dashami Vratas, which should be practised on
days of the tenth day of the moon’s wane or in-
crease, and which increase one’s piety, etc. The penitent
(Vrati) should take a single meal on the above said
days. Gifts of ten cows should be made at the close
of the Vrata, and remunerations in gold should be
given to the Brahmanas; whereby the practiser would
become their chief.
The Eleventh Phase
Said The God Of Fire:-
Now I shall describe the process of practising
the Vratas, which should be observed on days of the
eleventh phase of the moon’s increase or wane, and-
which grant enjoyment of good things in life and
salvation in the next. The observer of the vow should
abstain from taking animal diet and holding sexual
intercourse with women, and fast on such days both
in the dark and the light fortnight of the month. The
god Hari should be deemed as present in the blending of a Dvadashi and an Ekadashi Tithi. A man, by
fasting on the occasion of such a blending and breaking
his fast on the day of Troyadashi, attains the merit
of performing a hundred horse killing sacrifices. Similarly
a man by fasting on a day in which the Ekadashi
exists for a Kala only after which the Dvadashi sets
in, and taking his meals on the day following, ac-
quires the same merit as in the preceding case. A
man must not fast on a day on which the moon
enters her twelfth from her eleventh phase, such a
fasting being held as paving one’s way to hell. A
man having fasted on the day of the eleventh phase
of the moon’s wane or increase, should take his meals
on the day following, by reciting the following prayer.
“I break my fast, oh thou lotus-eyed god, oh
thou who knowest no modifications, be thou my help.”
An Ekadashi occurring in a fight fortnight and marked
by the asterism Pushya, is known as the Papanashini
(Sin-destroying). By observing a fast on such a Tithi,
a man becomes absolved of all sins. An Ekadashi or
a Dvadashi marked by the asterism Shravana is known
as a Vijaya Tithi, and grants victory to the god’s
elect. Such an Ekadashi occurring in the month of
Phalguna and marked by the asterism Pushya, is also
known as a Vijaya Tithi, and is held as possessed of
millions and millions of virtues. A man, by worship-
ping the god Vishnu on the day of the eleventh
phase of the moon’s wane or increase, becomes wealthy,
begets children, and is graced with a residence in
the region of Vishnu after death. Such a worship
benefits a man in innumerable ways..
Said The God Of Fire:-
Now I shall describe the process of performing
the Vratas, which should be performed on days of
the twelfth phase of the moon’s increase or wane
(Dvadashi Vrata), and which enable a man to enjoy
the good things of the world and to attain salvation
after death. The observer of the vow should either
fast on the day of its observance, or take a single
meal in the course of that day and night, or live on
food obtained by begging. In the form known as the
Madana Dvadashi, the observer of the vow should
worship the god Hari and the god of love, on the
day of the twelfth phase of the moon’s increase in
the month of Chaitra, the effect of such an observance being the acquisition of all wished-for objects
in this life and salvation in the next.
The form of the Vrata, known as the Bhima Dvadashi,
should be practised on such a Tithi as the above,
coming on in the month of Magha. The god Narayana
should be worshipped on the occasion, by repeating
the Mantra which runs as “Obeisance to Narayana,”
whereby he would be the happy possessor of all
earthly possessions. The form of the vow known as
the Govinda Dvadashi, should be practised on a similar
Tithi in the month of Phalguna, while the form known
as the Vishoka Dvadashi should be practised in the
month of Ashvina, on the day of the twelfth phase
of the moon’s increase, wherein the god Hari should
be worshipped. The man, who worships Krishna on
such a Tithi as the above in the month of Magha,
and makes gifts of salt to the Brahmanas, acquires
the merit of making gifts of articles of all taste. In
the form known as the Govatsa Dvadashi, calves should
be worshipped. The day of the twelfth phase of the
moon’s wane, coming on after the lapse of the month
of Chaitra, is known as the Tila Dvadashi (Dvadashi
of the sessamum orientale). The observer of the vow,
should bathe with the seeds of sessamum orientale
on his head, the Home ceremony should be per-
formed with the same article, offerings composed of
sessamum, should be made to the god, libations of
water containing seeds of sessamum orientale should
be offered to the gods and the Pitris, while lighted
lamps, containing oil pressed out from the sessamum
seeds, should be waived before the divine image.
Gifts of sessamum should be made to the Brahmanas,
and the observer of the vow will acquire the full
merit thereof, by performing the Home ceremony,
while fasting. The Mantra with which the worship
should be conducted runs as “Om obeisance to the
god who is the son of Vasudeva.” The man who
practises this vow of Til Dvadashi, ascends heaven
with the souls of all his friends and relation.
The form known as the Manoratha Dvadashi, should
be observed on the day of the twelfth phase of the
moon’s increase in the month of Phalguna. The man,
who worships the god Vishnu, addressing him by
such names of his as “Keshava,” etc., on each Dvadashi
throughout the year, practises the Vrata known as
the Nama (name) Dvadashi. The performer of such a
Vrata, ascends heaven after death, and is exempted
from visiting the hell. The performer of the Vrata,
known as the Sumati Dvadashi (the Dvadashi Vrata
of good resolution) should worship the god Vishnu,
on the day of the twelfth phase of the moon’s in-
crease in the month of Phalguna. The form known
as the Ananta Dvadashi should be performed on such
a Tithi as the above, occurring in the month of Bhadra.
The performer of the Vrata, known as the Tila Dvadashi,
should worship Krishna on the Dvadashi Tithi in the
month of Magha, marked by the asterism Ashlesha
or Mula and perform the Homa ceremony by casting
libations of clarified butter mixed with sessamum orientale
into the sacrificial fire, and by repeating the Mantra
which runs as “obeisance to Krishna.” The performer
of the Sugati Dvadashi (Vrata which secures a good
place in the next world) should first undertake the
Vrata on the day of the twelfth phase of the moon’s increase, in the month of Phalguna, and worship
Krishna on all the subsequent Dvadashis of the year,
by repeating the Mantra running as “0 Krishna, 0
Krishna, I make obeisance to thee,” while the Vrata
known as the Samprapti Dvadashi should be practiced on such a Tithi as the above, coming on in the month of Pousha.