Matsya Dwadashi Vrat Katha

Satyatapa requested Sage Durvasa - "O best of sages! Please tell me a means by which a common man can also easily attain Lord Narayana."

Sage Durvasa said - "O saintly one! I am going to describe an extremely secret vrat. The promoter of this vrat is Lord Narayana himself. In ancient times, once the whole earth was about to merge into the belly of Patala (netherworld) and the earthly part of the earth was destroyed by water. Soon water and only water spread all around and the earth disappeared into Rasatala.

At that time, Goddess Earth had observed this vrat. In Rasatala, Goddess Earth performed the vrat and worship of Lord Narayana. Goddess Earth performed this vrat following various rules. By observing the vrat according to the rules and with devotion, Lord Vishnu was pleased with her. Then by the grace of Lord Shri Hari, Goddess Earth became free from Patala and established as the flat earth."

The hunter and Sage Satyatapa expressed curiosity and asked - "O Sage! What was the procedure and glory of the vrat that Goddess Earth performed, please describe it."

Sage Durvasa said - "On the arrival of the Dashami Tithi of Margashirsha month, a person should observe rules and restraint, wear clean and holy clothes and worship Lord Shri Hari. After worship, Yajna should also be performed according to the rules. While remaining cheerful, the observer should take well-prepared, i.e., cooked barley (yava) etc. Havi-food (sacrificial food) as a meal. Thereafter, after going at least five steps away, one should wash his feet.

Thereafter, getting up early in the morning, after being free from toilet chores, one should clean the mouth by brushing teeth with an eight-finger long twig (datun). The twig should be from a tree with milky sap. Then, performing Achamana according to the rules and touching the nine gates of the body, one should meditate on Lord Janardana. While meditating on the Lord, chant the following mantra:

'Shankhachakragadapanim kiritim pitavasasam. Prasannavadanam devam sarvalakshanalakshitam.'

Meaning - "Lord Shri Hari is present everywhere, Shankha, Chakra, Gada and Padma are graceful in his arms, he is wearing yellow clothes (Pitambara), a gentle and enchanting smile is adorned on his face and he is endowed with all kinds of auspicious signs."

After meditation, remembering Lord Janardana, take water in the palm (anjali) and offer Arghya to him while chanting the following mantra:

'Ekadashyam niraharah sthitvva chaivapare-ahani. Bhokshyami pundarikaksha sharanam me bhavachyuta.'

Meaning - "O Lord Achyuta with eyes beautiful like lotuses! Today is the holy date of Ekadashi. Therefore, I will observe fasting by remaining without food and will eat on the next day. O Lord! I am in your refuge, you alone are my shelter, have mercy on me."

After offering Arghya in this way, observe the vrat with rules and restraint throughout the day. At night, placing a seat near Lord Narayana, chant 'Om Namo Narayanaya' mantra a thousand times. After chanting the mantra a thousand times, the observer should sleep.

In the morning, if possible, in any river or lake going to the sea or at home only, taking clay (mrittika) in hand, chant the following mantra:

'Dharanam poshanam tvatto bhutanam devi sarvada. Tena satyena me papam yavanmochaya suvrate. Brahmandodaratirthani tvaya sprishtani kashyapi. Tenemam mrittikam tvatto grihya sthasye-adya medini.'

Meaning - "O Goddess! You always hold and nourish all beings. O one with good vows! If this is true, then please destroy all my sins. O daughter of Kashyapa! All the pilgrimages situated in the whole universe are touched by you. You alone have held all the pilgrimages on your back. O Goddess Earth! With this feeling, I am taking this clay from you and wearing it on my body."

Thereafter, praying to Lord Varuna, the god who is the lord of water, while chanting the following mantra:

'Tvayi sarve rasa nityah sthitah varuna sarvada. Tayeriyam mrittikam plavya putam kuru cha mam chiram.'

Meaning - "O Lord Varuna! All kinds of juices (rasa) are always present in you. Please wet this clay with them and purify me for a long time."

According to the above method, taking clay and water in hand, one should smear it on the head. Thereafter, applying the remaining clay three times on all limbs and while chanting the above-mentioned mantra of Lord Varunadeva, one should take a bath. After the bath, completing daily rules like Sandhya-Tarpana etc., go to the temple. There, perform all-limb worship (sarvanga pujan) of Lord Narayana along with Goddess Shri Lakshmi by Shodashopachara (sixteen steps) method.

Chanting Om Keshavaya Namah, worship both the feet of the Lord. With Om Damodaraya Namah, worship the waist part. With Om Narasimhaya Namah, worship both thighs. With Om Shrivatsadharine Namah, worship the chest. With Om Kaustubhadharine Namah, worship the waist. With Om Lakshipataye Namah, worship the heart region. With Om Trailokyavijayayeti Namah, worship both arms. With Om Sarvatmane Namah, worship the head region. With Om Rathangadharine Namah, worship the Chakra. With Om Shankaraya Namah, worship the Shankha. With Om Gambhiraya Namah, worship the Gada. With Om Shantimurtaye Namah, worship the Padma. In this way, all-limb worship of Shri Hari should be performed.

After performing the worship of Lord Narayana, the lord of all deities in this way, establish four Kalashas filled with water in front of him. Considering these four Kalashas as the four oceans, establish a seat or stool in their middle and spread a cloth on it.

Thereafter, taking water in a vessel of gold, silver, copper and wood or in a leaf of Palasha, establish a golden idol of Lord Matsya endowed with all limbs and adorned with ornaments on it. Then, perform Shodashopachara worship of the Lord with incense, lamp, scent, flower, cloth and Naivedya etc. after worship, pray in the following way:

'Rasatalagata veda yatha deva tvayahritah. Matsyarupena tadvunman bhavanuddhara keshava.'

Meaning - "O Lord! Just as you rescued the Vedas lost in Patala, O Keshava! In the same way, please rescue me too."

After performing worship according to the above method and praying, one should stay awake with devotion at night near the idol of the Lord. In the morning, donate the four established Kalashas to four Brahmins. The Kalash established in the East direction should be given to a Brahmin who knows the Rigveda, the Kalash of the South to a Samavedi Brahmin and the Kalash situated in the West direction to a Brahmin who knows the Yajurveda. The Kalash established in the North direction can be given to any Brahmin according to one's wish. After distributing the Kalashas, one should pray in the following way:

'Rigvedah priyatam purve samavedastu dakshine. Yajurvedah pashchimato atharvashchottarena tu.'

Meaning - "May the Rigveda from the East direction, Samaveda from the South direction, Yajurveda from the West and Atharvaveda from the North protect me."

At the end of the vrat, the gold-made idol should be dedicated to the Acharya. He who duly worships the Lord with scent, flower, incense, lamp, cloth etc. according to this method and donates according to the above procedure while chanting the holy names of the Lord, obtains ten million times the result. But if after donating to the Guru or Acharya, there is lack of faith due to attachment and greed, then the fruit of the vrat decreases. According to scholars, the true person who describes the type of procedure is eligible for the position of Guru.

In this way, having donated according to the rules on the day of Dwadashi, worship Lord Vishnu again and feed the Brahmins with food made of excellent grain along with excellent Dakshina according to your capacity. Thereafter, the observer himself should also take food along with family members while remaining silent."

Sage Durvasa says - "O extremely wise Satyatapa! This beneficial vrat has been described by the name of Matsya Dwadashi. Now I describe the holy merit obtained by a person who follows the Matsya Dwadashi Vrat according to the rules, listen carefully. O noble one! Only if I had a thousand mouths and a long life like Lord Brahma would it be possible to describe the fruit of this vrat in some way, yet I am describing it with the objective of providing an introduction to this vrat.

O Brahmin! A Chaturyugi consists of forty-three lakh twenty thousand (43,20,000) years. Seventy-one (71) such eras make one Manvantara. One day of Lord Brahma consists of fourteen Manvantaras and there is a night of the same number. In this way, thirty days make a month and twelve months make a year. Lord Brahma's age is one hundred years. A person who follows the Matsya Dwadashi Vrat according to the rules, resides in Brahmaloka until the end of Lord Brahma's life. When Lord Brahma's age is completed, that person merges into his form. Again, when the Brahma creation starts, he takes birth as a great divine man and is established as a sage or a king.

By observing this vrat with any feeling, desireful or desireless, the most terrible sins committed in this world are immediately destroyed. Those who are poor or deprived of their kingdom in this world, can also obtain royal pleasures by the fruit of Dwadashi Vrat. By performing this vrat with the desire for the happiness of offspring, a fortunate woman obtains a son who is a knower of Dharma. If a man has a relationship with an unapproachable woman, he should observe Matsya Dwadashi Vrat as a penance. By doing so, he becomes free from sin. A man who abandons Brahma-related activities for many years, if he performs the ritual of Dwadashi Vrat, he becomes endowed with Vedic sacraments. O Great Sage! What more should I say about this now? There is no other vrat compared to this vrat.

O Brahmin! This Matsya Dwadashi Vrat, which makes even unattainable things attainable, should be performed continuously according to one's capacity. After being submerged in Patala, Goddess Earth followed this vrat with full procedure. O dear one! Thinking otherwise in this regard is unnecessary. To one who has not taken initiation and who is an atheist, describing this procedure is undesirable. To one who hates deities and Brahmins, this vrat should not be told. This vrat settles all sins, therefore one should tell about this vrat only to a person who has faith in the Guru.

A person who follows this vrat with devotion obtains wealth, grain and good fortune in this birth. He obtains many kinds of excellent women. Whoever listens to or recites the Matsya Dwadashi Vrat Mahatmya with faith, becomes free from all sins."

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