Text 3] The Pumsavana Ritualistic Ceremony 271

Sri-Suka uvdca
Sukle margasire pakse
yosid bhartur anujnaya
Grabheta vratam idam
sarva-kamikam dditah

nisamya marutam janma
brahmanan anumantrya ca

snatva Sukla-dati sukle
vasitalankrtambare

pijayet pratardsat prag
bhagavantam sriya saha

Sri-Sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; Sukle—bright;
margasire—during the month of November—December; pakse—during
the fortnight; yosit—a woman; bhartuh—of the husband; anujiaya—
with the permission; drabheta—should begin; vratam—vow; idam—
this; sarva-kamikam—which fulfills all desires; dditah—from the first
day; nisamya—hearing; marutam—of the Maruts; janma—the birth;
brahmanan—the brahmanas; anumantrya—taking instruction from;
ca—and; snatva—bathing; sukla-dati—having cleaned the teeth;
Sukle—white; vasita—should put on; alankrta—wearing ornaments;
ambare—garments; pitjayet—should worship; prdtah-asat prak—
before breakfast; bhagavantam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead;
Sriya saha—with the goddess of fortune.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami said: On the first day of the bright fortnight
of the month of Agrahayana [November—December], following
the instructions of her husband, a woman should begin this
regulative devotional service with a vow of penance, for it can
fulfill all one’s desires. Before beginning the worship of Lord
Visnu, the woman should hear the story of how the Maruts were
born. Under the instructions of qualified brahmanas, in the morn-
ing she should wash her teeth, bathe, and dress herself with white
