Parva 2 Chapter 80: aṅganirveśahetūni vratāni - vrata-s for improving body parts

bhagavati(umā) said: O arundhati! I will now speak about those puṇyaka vows also, observing which, the body may be made suitable to attain the supreme bliss. Hear those (vows) with the dates of observation and results (obtained). kṛṣṇāṣṭamīṁ yā kṣipati syādvā mūlaphalāśinī | brāhmanāyaikamaśanaṁ svaṁ dattvā bhartṛdevatā ||2-80-2 The woman who considers her husband as god shall observe the vow by fasting on the eighth day during the fifteen days when moon is waning, or she shall eat only roots and fruits on that day. She shall offer food to a Brahmin. śuklavastrā śubhācārā gurudaivatapūjakā | evaṁ saṁvatsaraṁ kṛtvā tato dadyāddvijātaye ||2-80-3 She shall wear white clothes, observe auspicious vows, offer worship to preceptors and gods, for one year and offer to Brahmins, govālarajjusukṛtaṁ cāmaraṁ ca dhvajaṁ tathā | dakṣiṇāpūrṇamiṣṭānnaṁ śaktyā vāpi shuchivrate ||2-80-4 a plume made by the tail of a cow, a flag and food dear to him along with a tribute according to her ability, O the woman who observes the auspicious vow! ūrmimantaḥ svarālāgrāḥ śroṇideśāvalambinaḥ | tasyā bhavanti keśāstu bhaktimatyā hi bhartari ||2-80-5 The woman who is devoted to her husband, shall have her hair wavy, curly (serpentine) and long reaching below her waist. śiro nirveṣṭukāmā tu gomayena śiraḥ satī | prakṣālayenmalaṁ dhātryā bilvena śrīphalena ca ||2-80-6 If the woman faithful to her husband desires comfort for her head, she shall wash it with cow dung. She shall wash her head also with fruits of Bel, Aegle Marmelos or wood apple tree (bilva) and śrīphala. gomūtraṁ ca sadā prāśyecciraḥsnānaṁ ca mishrayet | kṛṣṇāṁ caturdaśīṁ tvetatkartavyaṁ varavarṇini ||2-80-7 The beautiful woman shall do so on the fourteenth day during the fifteen days when moon is waning. She shall drink cow's urine. She shall mix cows urine in the water for bathing. bhavatyavidhavā caiva subhagā vijvarā tathā | śirorogairnaiva cāsyāḥ śarīramabhitapyate ||2-80-8 She will not become a widow. She will become fortunate. She will not have fever. Her body will not become hot due to any disease of the head. darśanīyaṁ lalāṭaṁ yā kāṅkṣati strī shuchismite | tithiṁ pratipadaṁ nityaṁ sā kṣipedekabhojanā ||2-80-9 O the one with a pure smile! If she wishes to have a beautiful forehead, she shall have food only once in a day. payasā ca tathāśnīyādyāvatsaṁvatsaro gataḥ | brāhmaṇāya tato dadyātpaṭaṁ rūpyamayaṁ śubham ||2-80-10 She shall have food along with milk till the end of one year. Then she shall offer an auspicious golden picture to a Brahmin. lalāṭaṁ rūpasampannamāpnoti strī sumadhyamā | satataṁ strī dvitīyāyāṁ bhruvoricchetsurūpatām ||2-80-11 That woman with beautiful waist shall have a beautiful forehead. The woman who desires beautiful eyebrows, on the second day, shall anantaropavāsena śākabhaktāśanā satī | tataḥ saṁvatsare pūrṇe brāhmaṇaṁ svasti vācayet ||2-80-12 observe fast and then eat her food along with vegetables (śāka). On the completion of one year, she shall have auspicious words spoken by a Brahmin, phalaiḥ pariṇataiḥ saumyairmāṣāṇāṁ dakṣiṇānvitaiḥ | lavaṇena ca bhadram te ghṛtapātreṇa cānaghe ||2-80-13 offering him tribute along with fruits, grains of black gram, salt and pots of ghee. This shall render her good results. ātmanaḥ shobhanau karṇāvicchatī strī sumadhyamā | nakṣatre śravaṇe prāpte dhruvaṁ bhuṣjīta yāvakam ||2-80-14 The woman with a beautiful waist desiring beautiful and shining ears, on the day of śravaṇa, O auspicious woman (arundhati), shall eat barley grains (yāvaka), tataḥ saṁvatsare pūrṇe karṇau dadyāddhiraṇmayau | ghṛte prakṣipya viprāya payasā sahite śubhe ||2-80-15 and on the completion of an year, offer ears made of gold kept in milk and ghee to a Brahmin. nāsāmicchellalāṭāntāmavyaṅgāṁ vyādhivarjitām | tilagulmaṁ sadā siṣchedyāvatpuṣpeddhi rakṣitaḥ ||2-80-16 If the woman desires to have a nose, beautiful from forehead onwards, she shall water sesame plant and protect it till it flowers. anantaropavāsena sektavyaḥ salilaiḥ sadā | tasmādavāpya puṣpāṇi ghṛte prakṣipya dāpayet ||2-80-17 She shall observe fast on the previous day, water the plant, take the flower from the plant, put it in ghee and offer the same to a Brahmin. svakṣībhaveyamiti yā strī kāṅkṣatyamṛtodbhave | anantaraṁ vai bhuṣjānā payasātha ghṛtena vā ||2-80-18 O the woman who was born from nectar! If the woman desires that her eyes shall be beautiful, she shall observe fast, taking only milk and ghee. tataḥ saṁvatsare pūrṇe padmapatrāṇi maṇḍitā | tathaivotpalapatrāṇi nyasetkṣīre shuchismite ||2-80-19 O the one with beautiful smile! On the completion of one year, she shall dress in beautiful clothes and put petals of lotus and blue lotus, Nymphaea Caerulea (utpala) in milk plavamānāni viprāya tato dadyātsatī sati | kṛṣṇasārasamānākṣī taddattvā bhavati sma vai ||2-80-20 and, the woman faithful to her husband shall offer the same to a Brahmin. Offering this, she shall have eyes as beautiful as the eyes of deer. icchedoṣṭhau cārurūpau yā strī dharmaguṇānvitā | sā mṛnmayena tu pibedudakaṁ vatsaraṁ satī ||2-80-21 If the woman, faithful to her husband, having all qualities of dharma desires beautiful lips, she shall drink water from an earthern pot for an year. ayācitena bhuṣjīta navamyāṁ dharmabhāginī | tataḥ saṁvatsare pūrṇe vidrumaṁ dātumarhati ||2-80-22 She, fixed in dharma, on the ninth day, shall eat only that food, received without asking. On the completion of one year she shall offer green gram. tena bimbaphalābhauṣṭhī strī bhavetyeva shobhane | subhagātha vapuḥputradhanāḍhyā gomatī tathā ||2-80-23 O beautiful woman! Doing this her lips shall become red and beautiful as the fruits of bright red gourd, Momordics Monadelpha (bimba). She shall be fortunate with a beautiful body. She shall have children, wealth and cows. yā cārurūpāniccheta dantānamaravarṇini | śuklāṣṭamīṁ na sāśnīyādbhaktadvayamaninditā ||2-80-24 O woman beautiful as goddess! The good woman who is not despised by others, desiring beautiful teeth shall not eat food twice on the eighth day of the waning of the moon. tataḥ saṁvatsare pūrṇe dadyādraupyamayānsatī | dantāṇprakṣipya dharmajṣe payasyatiguṇodite ||2-80-25 O the woman fixed in dharma! On the completion of one year, the beautiful woman faithful to her husband shall offer silver teeth put in good milk. tena sā jātipuṣpābhāndantānprāpnoti sā satī | saubhāgyamapi cāpnoti saputratvaṁ tathānaghe ||2-80-26 Then the woman faithful to her husband shall get teeth as beautiful as jāsminum grandiflorum (jāti) flower. O the woman without any sin! She shall obtain good fortune and children. sarvameva mukhaṁ kāntamicchedyā rucirānane | sā pūrṇamāsyāṁ snātvā tu prāpya chandrodaye śubhe ||2-80-27 O woman with beautiful face! If she desires her face to be totally beautiful, O auspicious woman! On the full moon day, when the moon rises she shall take bath yāvakaṁ payasā siddhaṁ dattvā viprāya bhāminī | tataḥ saṁvatsare pūrṇe candraṁ rūpyamayaṁ śubham ||2-80-28 and the beautiful woman shall offer cooked barley grains (yāvaka) in milk to a Brahmin. On the completion of one year she shall make a beautiful moon of silver padme phulle tu vinyasya brāhmaṇānsvasti vācayet | pūrṇacandramukhī tena dānena strī śubhā bhavet ||2-80-29 keep it in a lotus flower and offer the same to Brahmins and obtain blessing words from them. With this offering that auspicious woman shall become one with a face as beautiful as the moon. stanāvicchati yā nārī tṛṇarājaphalopamau | ayācitaṁ daśamyāṁ sā nityamaśnīta vāgyatā ||2-80-30 If a woman desires to have breasts as similar to coconut, on the tenth day, she shall observe silence and eat food obtained without asking. saṁvatsare tataḥ pūrṇe dve bilve kāṣchane śubhe | sadakṣiṇe brāhmaṇāya prayacchati dhṛtātmane ||2-80-31 On the completion of one year she shall offer, two golden fruits of wood apple tree, Aegle Marmelos (bilva) along with tribute to a Brahmin having a fixed soul. saubhāgyaṁ paramāpnoti bahuputrāṁstathaiva ca | sadonnatau stanau sā strī bibhartyamaravarṇini ||2-80-32 That woman beautiful as goddess shall have large breasts always. She shall obtain good fortune and shall have many children. śātodaratvamicchantī kṣipedekāntabhojinī | paṣchamyāṁ tatra bhoktavyamannaṁ toyena nityadā ||2-80-33 The woman who desires to have a slim, beautiful waist shall observe fast eating only once in a day. On the fifth day of the waning of moon, she shall eat food with water. tataḥ saṁvatsare pūrṇe dadyājjātilatāṁ śubhe | phullāṁ sadakṣiṇāṁ dhanye brāhmaṇāya dhṛtātmane ||2-80-34 O auspicious woman! On the completion of one year, she shall offer a branch of jāsminum grandiflorum (jāti) along with flower, O fortunate woman, to a Brahmin, fixed in dharma. hastāvicchati yā nārī rūpayuktau sumadhyame | dvādaśīṁ sā kṣipatvevaṁ śākaiḥ sarvairaninditaiḥ ||2-80-35 O the one with beautiful waists! If the woman desires beautiful hands, she shall observe fast on the twelfth day. The woman who is not despised by others shall eat only vegetables on the day. saṁvatsare tataḥ prāpte raukme padme dadātu sā | brāhmaṇāyābhirūpāya tathā padmadvayaṁ śubham ||2-80-36 On the completion of one year, she shall offer a golden lotus to a suitable Brahmin along with two lotus flowers. śroṇīm viśālāmanvicchetstrī kṣipatveva suvrate | trayodaśīmekabhaktamaśnātvevamayācitam ||2-80-37 O the woman who observes good vows! The woman who desires a large hip shall observe fast on the thirteenth day, eating only the food obtained without asking. tataḥ saṁvatsare pūrṇe lavaṇaṁ saṁprayacchatu | prajāpatimukhākāraṁ kṛtvā tatra varānane || 2-80-38 On the completion of one year, O the woman with a beautiful face, she shall offer salt made in the shape of the face of the lord of all creatures (prajāpati). kāṣchanaṁ caiva dātavyaṁ tadākārasya sarvadā | aṣjanena ca dharmajṣā śanakairavacūrṇayet ||2-80-39 She shall also offer gold always in the same shape. Then the woman fixed in dharma shall apply lamp black to the eyes (of a Brahmin woman). ratnāni caiva pūrṇāni vāso raktam ca dāpayet | tena śroṇīmabhimatāṁ strī saumye pratipadyate ||2-80-40 O gentle woman! She shall offer jewels and red clothes. Then she shall obtain a beautiful waist as she desired. madhurāṁ vācamicchantī varjayellavaṇaṁ satī | saṁvatsaraṁ vā māsaṁ vā praycchellavaṇaṁ tataḥ ||2-80-41 sadakṣiṇaṁ brāhmaṇaya paraṁ mādhuryamicchatī | The woman faithful to her husband , who wants to have beautiful speech shall abandon salt for an year o a month. Then the woman desiring beautiful speech shall offer salt to a Brahmin with tribute. śukavākyācchataguṇaṁ bhavatyamaravarṇini ||2-80-42 Then the woman beautiful as goddess shall be blessed with speech as sweet as birds, hundred times. gūḍhagulphaśirau pādāvicchantyā somanandini | ṣaṣṭhyāṁ ṣaṣṭhyāṁ varārohe bhoktavyaṁ salilaudanam ||2-80-43 O the daughter of moon! If the woman desires legs fully covered with veins, O the woman with beautiful face, she shall eat food with water on all the sixth days. agnirvā brāhmaṇo vāpi na spraṣṭavyaḥ padā sadā | yadā padā spṛśettaṁ ca vandeta tapasānvite ||2-80-44 She shall never touch fire and Brahmin with her feet. O the one with wealth of penance! If at all she does so, she shall pay obeisance to the Brahmin. pādena na ca vai pādaṁ prakṣālayitumarhati | etairnityavratairyuktā dharmajṣā patidevatā ||2-80-45 She shall wash her feet with her feet. The woman fixed in dharma, who considers her husband as god observing this vow kūrmau rūpyamayau dadyādbrāhmaṇāya pativrate | tau varāya brāhmaṇāya sthāpayitvā ghṛte'naghe ||2-80-46 O the woman faithful to your husband, she shall offer beautiful idols of tortoises to a best Brahmin, putting them in ghee. padme cādhomukhe kṛtvā dadyādviprāya nandinī | raktairdravyairmiśrayitvā kāṣchanenābhyalaṅkṛte ||2-80-47 O daughter! The woman shall offer lotus flowers, holding them upside down, to a brahmin along with divine red jewels, decorated with gold. sarvameva tu yā gātramicchatyatimanoharam | trirātraṁ puṣpakāle sā karotu patidevatā ||2-80-48 The woman who desires to have her entire body beautiful, the woman who considers her husband as god, during the time of menses, shall observe the vow for three nights, kaumudyāmathavā ṣaṣṭhyāṁ mādhyāṁ cāśvayuje tathā | mātaraṁ pitaraṁ caiva manyate'tithidaivatam ||2-80-49 during the months of kaumudi or the middle of ṣaṣṭi or ashvayuja. She shall consider mother, father and the unannounced guest as gods. ghṛtaṁ ca nityaṁ viprebhyo dadātu lavaṇaṁ tathā | saṁmārjanaṁ gṛhe caiva karotu patidevatā ||2-80-50 She shall offer salt and ghee to Brahmins daily. The woman who considers husband as god shall clean the house daily. upalepanaṁ ca dharmajṣe balikarma ca mānini | vāgduṣṭā caiva mā śubhre bhavatvātmārthapaṇḍitā ||2-80-51 O the woman fixed in dharma! She shall polish the house and shall give offerings to the gods. O beautiful woman! She, the sincere wise woman, shall not be harsh with words. paryaśnātu ca sā kaṣchidapi dāsaṁ yashasvini | baliṁ sṛjatvatathyam ca parityajatu bhāmini ||2-80-52 The woman having good fame shall eat only after feeding all others even if they are servants. The beautiful woman shall offer offerings to gods. She shall not speak words in vain. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi pārijātaharaṇe vratakathane'śītitamo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the eightieth chapter of visṇuparva, harivaṁśa , khila of mahābhārata , Vratas for Improving Body Parts nīlakaṇṭha commentary athāśītitame'dhyāye'sminproktāni kāmataḥ | aṅganirveśahetūni vratakaāni śubhānyalam || 1 || · 2-80-1 nirveṣṭavyamiti | parasukhaprāptiyogyaṁ kartavyam || · 2-80-2 kṣipati upoṣaṇena nayati || · 2-80-5 ūrmimanthaḥ sarpasarpaṇatulyāḥ | svarālāgrāḥ sutarāṁ kuṭilāgrāḥ | · 2-80-6 dhātryā amālakyā bilvena śrīphalena samaṁ kṛtvā tena śiraḥ prakṣālayet | · 2-80-11 payasā sahāśnīyādodanaṁ paṭaṁ strībhi śirodeshe bandhanīyaṁ rūpyamayaṁ svarṇamayam || · 2-80-13 māṣāṇāṁ suvarṇamāṣāṇām | · 2-80-16 tilagulmaṁ tilastomam | anantaretyavyavahitapūrvadine upoṣyetyarthaḥ | evaṁ yāvaddhānyotpatti kartavyam || · 2-80-24 bhaktadvayamapi nāśnīyādupavasedityarthaḥ || · 2-80-30 tṛṇarājastālaḥ || · 2-80-33 śātodaratvaṁ kṛśodaratvam || · 2-80-38 prajāpaterścaturvakrasya mukhākāraṁ rāśeścaturdikṣurmūlākāraṁ kṛtvetyarthaḥ || · 2-80-39 tadākārasya prajāpatimukhākārasya sadṛśākāram || · 2-80-51 mā bhavatvītyanvayaḥ || · 2-80-52 paryaśnātu upavasatu atathyamanṛtam || iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṭīkāyāmaśītitamo'dhyāyaḥ || Note 1 : verse 40, line 2 : saumye is correct 2 : " 46, line 2 : anaghe is correct 3 : " 47, " 2 : kṛte is meaningful. kṛtau seems wrong - to be discussed with others