Damodara Dwadashi Vrat Katha

Sage Durvasa said to Satyatapa - "O Sage! Listen to the description of the merit obtained by performing the Shravana Shukla Dwadashi Vrat according to the rules.

There is a tale of ancient times, in Satyayuga there was a very brave, powerful and famous king named Nriga. King Nriga had a passion for hunting. Therefore, with the desire to hunt, he used to roam frequently in the forest.

In the course of time, once King Nriga went into a very dense forest riding a horse. In the greed of hunting, he reached very deep inside the forest. In that forest, there were various kinds of animals like lions, tigers, elephants and snakes etc. Apart from these predatory animals, a gang of cruel bandits also resided in that forest.

King Nriga was going alone in that deserted forest and he did not have any soldier etc. with him. While hunting, King Nriga got tired and leaving the horse to graze, he himself began to rest under a tree. Due to being exhausted, the king fell asleep and he became so deeply immersed in sleep that he had no awareness of anything and it became night. Darkness was visible in all four directions.

As soon as it was night, a group of cruel and wicked hunters came to that forest. There were fourteen thousand hunters in that group who used to kill innocent animals. They all had come to that forest with the intention of hunting deer.

One of those hunters cast his sight on King Nriga sleeping under the tree, and he saw the king adorned with various kinds of gems and golden ornaments. The hunters saw that the king was immersed in deep sleep and every part of his body was shining and radiant with rare gems and gold.

Finding the king in this state, that hunter immediately informed his leader about this matter. In the greed for gold and rare gems, the leader of those hunters decided to kill King Nriga. All those cruel hunters, equipped with weapons like swords, reached near the king sleeping under the tree.

Just as those hunters were ready to attack King Nriga, at that very moment a divine goddess-like woman appeared from the king's body, she was adorned with sandalwood and garlands. That goddess in the form of power destroyed all the Mlechha hunters with the strike of a Chakra (discus). After killing those wicked ones, that goddess immediately merged back into King Nriga's body.

Thereafter, the king's sleep was broken and he saw the hunters lying dead in front of him and the goddess entering his body. Therefore, being surprised, the king mounted his horse again and set out towards the ashram of Sage Vamadeva.

In the ashram, after offering salutations to Vamadeva ji, the king expressed the curiosity of his mind and said - 'O Sage! Who was that woman who entered my body and who were those hunters lying dead? Lord! Please be kind enough to reveal the secret of this amazing sequence of events.'

Sage Vamadeva ji said - 'O King! In your previous birth, you were born in the Shudra caste. At that time, you heard the description of the ritual of Dwadashi Vrat from the mouths of Brahmins and observed that vrat with devotion according to the complete rules. O sinless one! As a result of that merit, you have obtained the happiness of kingdom-glory etc. in this birth. These are the same Dwadashi Goddesses who come in physical form to protect you in times of trouble. They alone have destroyed these sinful and cruel hunters. This Dwadashi of the month of Shravana is your protector. Due to her infinite power, you remain safe even when sudden crisis comes. Only by the grace of this Dwadashi, you have obtained this happiness of the kingdom. This is the fruit of just one Dwadashi Vrat; if a person observes the vrat on all the Dwadashis of twelve months, then the description of his merit is impossible. By the merit of all Dwadashi vrats, a person is established in Indraloka.'

Thus knowing the secret of Dwadashi Vrat from Vamadeva ji, King Nriga returned to his kingdom after saluting him and began to observe the Dwadashi Vrat according to the rules. After enjoying excellent royal pleasures by the influence of Dwadashi Vrat, in the end, he attained the abode of Lord Vishnu."

॥ Thus ends the Shravana Shukla Dwadashi Vrat Mahatmya described in Shri Varaha Purana ॥