Harivamsha MahA PurANam - ViShNu Parva
    athAshItitamo.adhyAyaH
    a~NganirveshahetUni vratAni
    harivamsha in the mahAbharata - viShNuparva
    Chapter 80 - vrata-s for improving body parts
bhagavatyuvAcha
nirveShTavyaM sharIraM yairvratakaiH puNyakairapi |
arundhati pravakShyAmi sahaitAbhirvareNa tu ||2-80-1
bhagavati(umA) said:
O arundhati! I will now speak about those puNyaka 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).
kR^iShNAShTamIM yA kShipati syAdvA mUlaphalAshinI |
brAhmanAyaikamashanaM svaM dattvA bhartR^idevatA ||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.
shuklavastrA shubhAchArA gurudaivatapUjakA |
evaM saMvatsaraM kR^itvA tato dadyAddvijAtaye ||2-80-3
She shall wear white clothes, observe auspicious vows, offer worship to preceptors and gods, for one year and offer to Brahmins,
govAlarajjusukR^itaM chAmaraM cha dhvajaM tathA |
dakShiNApUrNamiShTAnnaM shaktyA vApi 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!
UrmimantaH svarAlAgrAH shroNideshAvalambinaH |
tasyA bhavanti keshAstu bhaktimatyA 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.
shiro nirveShTukAmA tu gomayena shiraH satI |
prakShAlayenmalaM dhAtryA bilvena shrIphalena cha ||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 shrIphala.
gomUtraM cha sadA prAshyechChiraHsnAnaM cha mishrayet |
kR^iShNAM chaturdashIM tvetatkartavyaM varavarNini ||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.
bhavatyavidhavA chaiva subhagA vijvarA tathA |
shirorogairnaiva chAsyAH sharIramabhitapyate ||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.
darshanIyaM lalATaM yA kA~NkShati strI shuchismite |
tithiM pratipadaM nityaM sA kShipedekabhojanA ||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.
payasA cha tathAshnIyAdyAvatsaMvatsaro gataH |
brAhmaNAya tato dadyAtpaTaM rUpyamayaM shubham ||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.
lalATaM rUpasampannamApnoti strI sumadhyamA |
satataM strI dvitIyAyAM bhruvorichChetsurUpatAm ||2-80-11
That woman with beautiful waist shall have a beautiful forehead. The woman who desires beautiful eyebrows, on the second day, shall
anantaropavAsena shAkabhaktAshanA satI |
tataH saMvatsare pUrNe brAhmaNaM svasti vAchayet ||2-80-12
observe fast and then eat her food along with vegetables (shAka). On the completion of one year, she shall have auspicious words spoken by a Brahmin,
phalaiH pariNataiH saumyairmAShANAM dakShiNAnvitaiH |
lavaNena cha bhadram te ghR^itapAtreNa chAnaghe ||2-80-13
offering him tribute along with fruits, grains of black gram, salt and pots of ghee. This shall render her good results.
AtmanaH shobhanau karNAvichChatI strI sumadhyamA |
nakShatre shravaNe prApte dhruvaM bhu~njIta yAvakam ||2-80-14
The woman with a beautiful waist desiring beautiful and shining ears, on the day of shravaNa, O auspicious woman (arundhati), shall eat barley grains (yAvaka),
tataH saMvatsare pUrNe karNau dadyAddhiraNmayau |
ghR^ite prakShipya viprAya payasA sahite shubhe ||2-80-15
and on the completion of an year, offer ears made of gold kept in milk and ghee to a Brahmin.
nAsAmichChellalATAntAmavya~NgAM vyAdhivarjitAm |
tilagulmaM sadA si~nchedyAvatpuShpeddhi rakShitaH ||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.
anantaropavAsena sektavyaH salilaiH sadA |
tasmAdavApya puShpANi ghR^ite prakShipya dApayet ||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.
svakShIbhaveyamiti yA strI kA~NkShatyamR^itodbhave |
anantaraM vai bhu~njAnA payasAtha ghR^itena vA ||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.
tataH saMvatsare pUrNe padmapatrANi maNDitA |
tathaivotpalapatrANi nyasetkShIre 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
plavamAnAni viprAya tato dadyAtsatI sati |
kR^iShNasArasamAnAkShI taddattvA 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.
ichChedoShThau chArurUpau yA strI dharmaguNAnvitA |
sA mR^inmayena tu pibedudakaM vatsaraM satI ||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.
ayAchitena bhu~njIta navamyAM dharmabhAginI |
tataH saMvatsare pUrNe vidrumaM dAtumarhati ||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 bimbaphalAbhauShThI strI bhavetyeva shobhane |
subhagAtha vapuHputradhanADhyA gomatI tathA ||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.
yA chArurUpAnichCheta dantAnamaravarNini |
shuklAShTamIM na sAshnIyAdbhaktadvayamaninditA ||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.
tataH saMvatsare pUrNe dadyAdraupyamayAnsatI |
dantANprakShipya dharmaj~ne payasyatiguNodite ||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 sA jAtipuShpAbhAndantAnprApnoti sA satI |
saubhAgyamapi chApnoti saputratvaM tathAnaghe ||2-80-26
Then the woman faithful to her husband shall get teeth as beautiful as jAsminum grandiflorum (jAti) flower. O the woman without any sin! She shall obtain good fortune and children.
sarvameva mukhaM kAntamichChedyA ruchirAnane |
sA pUrNamAsyAM snAtvA tu prApya chandrodaye shubhe ||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
yAvakaM payasA siddhaM dattvA viprAya bhAminI |
tataH saMvatsare pUrNe chandraM rUpyamayaM shubham ||2-80-28
and the beautiful woman shall offer cooked barley grains (yAvaka) in milk to a Brahmin. On the completion of one year she shall make a beautiful moon of silver
padme phulle tu vinyasya brAhmaNAnsvasti vAchayet |
pUrNachandramukhI tena dAnena strI shubhA 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.
stanAvichChati yA nArI tR^iNarAjaphalopamau |
ayAchitaM dashamyAM sA nityamashnIta vAgyatA ||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.
saMvatsare tataH pUrNe dve bilve kA~nchane shubhe |
sadakShiNe brAhmaNAya prayachChati dhR^itAtmane ||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.
saubhAgyaM paramApnoti bahuputrAMstathaiva cha |
sadonnatau stanau sA strI bibhartyamaravarNini ||2-80-32
That woman beautiful as goddess shall have large breasts always. She shall obtain good fortune and shall have many children.
shAtodaratvamichChantI kShipedekAntabhojinI |
pa~nchamyAM tatra bhoktavyamannaM toyena nityadA ||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.
tataH saMvatsare pUrNe dadyAjjAtilatAM shubhe |
phullAM sadakShiNAM dhanye brAhmaNAya dhR^itAtmane ||2-80-34
O auspicious woman! On the completion of one year, she shall offer a branch of jAsminum grandiflorum (jAti) along with flower, O fortunate woman, to a Brahmin, fixed in dharma.
hastAvichChati yA nArI rUpayuktau sumadhyame |
dvAdashIM sA kShipatvevaM shAkaiH sarvairaninditaiH ||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.
saMvatsare tataH prApte raukme padme dadAtu sA |
brAhmaNAyAbhirUpAya tathA padmadvayaM shubham ||2-80-36
On the completion of one year, she shall offer a golden lotus to a suitable Brahmin along with two lotus flowers.
shroNIm vishAlAmanvichChetstrI kShipatveva suvrate |
trayodashImekabhaktamashnAtvevamayAchitam ||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.
tataH saMvatsare pUrNe lavaNaM saMprayachChatu |
prajApatimukhAkAraM kR^itvA tatra varAnane || 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 (prajApati).
kA~nchanaM chaiva dAtavyaM tadAkArasya sarvadA |
a~njanena cha dharmaj~nA shanakairavachUrNayet ||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).
ratnAni chaiva pUrNAni vAso raktam cha dApayet |
tena shroNImabhimatAM strI 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.
madhurAM vAchamichChantI varjayellavaNaM satI |
saMvatsaraM vA mAsaM vA praychChellavaNaM tataH ||2-80-41
sadakShiNaM brAhmaNaya paraM mAdhuryamichChatI |
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.
shukavAkyAchChataguNaM bhavatyamaravarNini ||2-80-42
Then the woman beautiful as goddess shall be blessed with speech as sweet as birds, hundred times.
gUDhagulphashirau pAdAvichChantyA somanandini |
ShaShThyAM ShaShThyAM varArohe bhoktavyaM 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.
agnirvA brAhmaNo vApi na spraShTavyaH padA sadA |
yadA padA spR^ishettaM cha vandeta tapasAnvite ||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.
pAdena na cha vai pAdaM prakShAlayitumarhati |
etairnityavratairyuktA dharmaj~nA patidevatA ||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
kUrmau rUpyamayau dadyAdbrAhmaNAya pativrate |
tau varAya brAhmaNAya sthApayitvA ghR^ite.anaghe ||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 chAdhomukhe kR^itvA dadyAdviprAya nandinI |
raktairdravyairmishrayitvA kA~nchanenAbhyala~NkR^ite ||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 yA gAtramichChatyatimanoharam |
trirAtraM puShpakAle sA karotu patidevatA ||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,
kaumudyAmathavA ShaShThyAM mAdhyAM chAshvayuje tathA |
mAtaraM pitaraM chaiva manyate.atithidaivatam ||2-80-49
during the months of kaumudi or the middle of ShaShTi or ashvayuja. She shall consider mother, father and the unannounced guest as gods.
ghR^itaM cha nityaM viprebhyo dadAtu lavaNaM tathA |
saMmArjanaM gR^ihe chaiva karotu patidevatA ||2-80-50
She shall offer salt and ghee to Brahmins daily. The woman who considers husband as god shall clean the house daily.
upalepanaM cha dharmaj~ne balikarma cha mAnini |
vAgduShTA chaiva mA shubhre bhavatvAtmArthapaNDitA ||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.
paryashnAtu cha sA ka~nchidapi dAsaM yashasvini |
baliM sR^ijatvatathyam cha parityajatu bhAmini ||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 shrImahAbhArate khileShu harivaMshe viShNuparvaNi pArijAtaharaNe vratakathane.ashItitamo.adhyAyaH
Thus this is the eightieth chapter of visNuparva, harivaMsha , khila of mahAbhArata , Vratas for Improving Body Parts
    nIlakaNTha commentary
athAshItitame.adhyAye.asminproktAni kAmataH |
a~NganirveshahetUni vratakaAni shubhAnyalam || 1 ||
  • 2-80-1 nirveShTavyamiti | parasukhaprAptiyogyaM kartavyam ||
  • 2-80-2 kShipati upoShaNena nayati ||
  • 2-80-5 UrmimanthaH sarpasarpaNatulyAH | svarAlAgrAH sutarAM kuTilAgrAH |
  • 2-80-6 dhAtryA amAlakyA bilvena shrIphalena samaM kR^itvA tena shiraH prakShAlayet |
  • 2-80-11 payasA sahAshnIyAdodanaM paTaM strIbhi shirodeshe bandhanIyaM rUpyamayaM svarNamayam ||
  • 2-80-13 mAShANAM suvarNamAShANAm |
  • 2-80-16 tilagulmaM tilastomam | anantaretyavyavahitapUrvadine upoShyetyarthaH | evaM yAvaddhAnyotpatti kartavyam ||
  • 2-80-24 bhaktadvayamapi nAshnIyAdupavasedityarthaH ||
  • 2-80-30 tR^iNarAjastAlaH ||
  • 2-80-33 shAtodaratvaM kR^ishodaratvam ||
  • 2-80-38 prajApatershchaturvakrasya mukhAkAraM rAsheshchaturdikShurmUlAkAraM kR^itvetyarthaH ||
  • 2-80-39 tadAkArasya prajApatimukhAkArasya sadR^ishAkAram ||
  • 2-80-51 mA bhavatvItyanvayaH ||
  • 2-80-52 paryashnAtu upavasatu atathyamanR^itam ||
iti shrImahAbhArate khileShu harivaMshe viShNuparvaNi TIkAyAmashItitamo.adhyAyaH ||
##Itranslated by K S Ramachandran, ramachandran_ksr @ yahoo.ca, November 20, 2008
Note 1 : verse 40, line 2 : saumye is correct
2 : " 46, line 2 : anaghe is correct
3 : " 47, " 2 : kR^ite is meaningful.
kR^itau seems wrong - to be discussed with others
Further proof-read by Gilles Schaufelberger, schaufel @ wanadoo.fr
If you find any errors compared to Chitrashala Press edition,
send corrections to A. Harindranath harindranath_a @ yahoo.com
Translated to English by A. Purushothaman [purushothaman_avaroth @ yahoo.com] and A. Harindranath
29th August 2010 ##