Vrat and Daan

Pulastya Jee said to Bheeshm Jee - "Hey Raajan, One should donate cow in Jyeshth Pushkar, land in Madhyam Pushkar and gold in Kanishth Pushkar. Jyeshth Pushkar's Devtaa is Brahmaa Jee, Madhyam Pushkar's Devtaa is Vishnu, and Kanishth Pushkar's Devtaa is Shiv. Thus they all live there separately. Now I tell you a very good Vrat which is told by Shankar Jee. 

(1) Prepare food in night, and invite a Grihasth Braahman, feed him, and give him one cow, golden trident along with golden Chakra (disc) and two clothes. Who does this he lives in Shiv Lok. This Vrat destroys all sins. This is "Mahaa-Paatak Naashak" Vrat.
(2) Who keeps Ek-Bhukt Vrat for one day, eats food made of only one type of grain (wheat, or barley, rice etc) and donates sesame seed cow and bull next day, he goes to Shiv Lok. This is called "Rudra Vrat" and destroys all sins and sorrows.
(3) Who keeps fast on alternative days and eats only in night, and on the completion of the year donates a blue lotus, a golden lotus, a pot full of sugar and a bull, he attains Vishnu's Dhaam. This is called "Neel Vrat".
(4) Who does not massage his body with oil for four months, from Aashaadh to Aashwin, and donates food materials, he goes to Hari's Dhaam. This pleases people, that is why it is called "Preeti Vrat".
(5) Who does not eat yogurt, milk, Ghee, and jaggery in Chaitra Maas, and gives fine clothes and pots full of juice to a Braahman couple after worshipping them to please Gauree. This is called "Gauree Vrat" and gives Gauree Lok.
(6) Who does not eat any fruit in four months, from Aashaadh to Aashwin, and after that gives jaggery and one pitcher, and some gold on Kaartik Poornimaa, he goes to Rudra Lok. This is called "Shiv Vrat".
(7) Who does not use flowers for four months, in Hemant and Shishir, and gives three golden flowers to a Braahman to please Shiv and Vishnu, he attains Parampad. It is called "Saumya Vrat".
(8) Who does not eat salt on Triteeyaa of every month from Phaalgun, and gives house with necessary things to a Braahman couple to please Bhavaanee, he lives in Gauree Lok for one Kalp. It is called "Saubhaagya Vrat".
(9) Whoever Dwij does Sandhyaa keeping quiet (Maun) for one year and in the end of the year gives a pot filled with Ghee, two clothes, sesame seeds, and a bell, he attains Saaraswat Lok. It is called "Saaraswat Vrat" which gives beauty and Vidyaa (education and knowledge)."

There are many other Vrat given here on p 76-78.

Snaan

Pualstya Jee further said - "Without taking bath, neither body is clean, nor mind is clean. Therefore to purify one's mind, a bath is prescribed. One should take bath with fresh water or water kept in the house. If a river is available for it, it is better. Invocate Gangaa for bath, after taking bath one should wear washed clean clothes. Then offer Jalaanjali to all Devtaa, Pitar and all living beings with the idea that all should be satisfied. Then draw a figure of lotus flower with flowers and rice and offer Arghya with red sandal paste, rice and flower water pronouncing Soory'a names ( Mantra is given on p 79 ). Circumambulate him three times, go home after touching cow, gold, and a Dwij. There worship Bhagavaan, feed Braahman and then take food himself.

Once upon a time, in Brihat Kalp, there was a king named Dharmamoorti. Indra was his friend. He had killed thousand of Daitya. He could take any form according to his will. His wife's name was Bhaanumatee. She was as beautiful as Lakshmee. He loved her very much. One day he asked his Purohit Vashishth Jee - "What have I done so that I have got such prosperity?" Vashishth Jee said - "Raajan, In ancient times there was a prostitute, named Leelaavatee who worshipped Shankar Jee all the time. Once she donated a hill of salt along with a golden idol of Bhagavaan in Pushkar on Chaturdashee. There was a goldsmith named Shuddh, who worked in Leelaavatee's house. He used to make golden Dev idols with a great Shraddhaa. He did not charge for his labor also considering it Dharm Karm.

After some time that prostitute died and went to Shiv's Dhaam. That goldsmith who did not take labor charges from the prostitute is born as you; and as the goldsmith's wife shone the idols, she became your wife. Because she shone the idols, she became very beautiful. So you also donate ten types of hills (of grains etc) now." The king did so.

Bheem Dwaadashee Vrat

Bheeshm Jee said - "Please tell me whatever Shankar Jee described about Vaishnav Dharm." Pulastya Jee said - "In Rathantar Kalp, Brahmaa Jee asked Shiv Jee - "How one can attain Moksh with only a little Tapasyaa?" Shiv Jee said - "Once Bheemsen also asked the same question from Krishn in Dwaarakaa. Then Krishn said - "I tell you a great Tithi which is destroyer of even great sins. If you will keep fast on that day you will attain Vishnu Dhaam. On Maagh Dashamee (10th day) one should apply Ghee in his whole body and take bath with sesame seed mixed water. Then worship Vishnu with the Mantra "Aum Namo Naaraayanaaya". Then worship Krishn, Mahaadev, Ganesh and Garud with Dhoop, lamp, flowers, Naivedya etc. Then eat Kheer cooked in cow's milk with Ghee. After taking the food, go to a banyan tree and take a soft small branch and clean his teeth and wash his mouth. After the sunset he should do Sandhyaa sitting northward saying "I am in your shelter." and then sleep in the night.

Next day, on Ekaadashee, he should not eat anything, and worship Keshav, and worship Vishnu lying on Shesh Naag by waking up in the night. Then offer Ghee Aahuti in Agni and pray that "I will eat Kheer with Braahman only. May my Vrat should be completed without any obstacle." Listen to Puraan or Itihaas stories and then sleep. In the morning, take bath, and complete certain processes (given in the book). So Bheem, you also do the same. This is a very secret Vrat, but I have told you because of my love to you. After you have done this Vrat, it will be known by your name only - Bheem Dwaadashee. In ancient Kalp it was called "Kalyaaninee Vrat". Mahaadev Jee said - "Thus Krishn told this to Bheem. In previous Kalp whatever was Kalyaaninee Tithi, that will be known as Bheem Dwaadashee after Bheem had done it."

Aaditya Shayan and Rohinee-Chandra Shayan Vrat

Bheeshm Jee asked - "Who is unable to do fasting, maybe because of being sick or not having enough practice, what should he do? How he can get the fruits of that fast?" Pulastya Jee said - "Who cannot keep fast, they should do only that fast in which one eats food in the night. I tell you one such Vrat - its name is Aaditya Shayan Vrat. When on Saptamee Tithi, there is Hast Nakshatra with Sunday; or there is Soorya Sankraanti, that Tithi fulfills all wishes. One should worship Mahaadev and Paarvatee with Soorya's names. Worship Soorya and Mahaadev's Ling also. In Hast Nakshatra one should worship him with "Sooryaaya Namah" and in other 26 Nakshtra one should worship with different names. (see p 84 for his various names). After this one may eat food without common salt and oil. Thus after taking food in the night, donate one Ser (900 grams) Agahanee rice, a pot made of Goolar wood, Ghee and some gold to a Braahman in Punarvasu Nakshatra.

When the Paaran is done on the 7th day, one should add two clothes also. When the Paaran is done on the 14th day, one should feed Braahman jaggery, Ghee and Kheer. Donate him a bed with necessary things - fan, shoes, umbrella, Chamar, Aasan, mirror, fruits, clothes, sandalwood, ornaments along with an 8-finger long 8-petal golden lotus flower whose petals are made of sapphire kept on the bed. Give a cow whose horns are gold plated and hooves are silver plated along with calf. This all should be given in the early part of the day. Then pray Soorya Bhagavaan. One should never tell this Vrat to anybody who is an atheist. Maharshi Vashishth, Arjun, Kuber and Indra did this Vrat in olden times.

Now you listen to Chandramaa Vrat. Its name is Rohinee-Chandra Shayan Vrat. Whenever there is Poornimaa on Monday; or Rohinee Nakshatra on Poornimaa, on that day one should take bath with mustard seed water. A learned person may do Jap of " Aapyaaya Swa.... " Mantra 108 times. If any Shoodra is doing this Vrat, he should do the Jaap of the other Mantra (" Somaaya Namah ", or "Varadaaya Namah ", "Vishnavey Namah "). After the Jap, worship Madhusoodan with fruits and flowers pronouncing Chandra's names. Worship Rohinee also. Sleep on the floor in the night. Next day morning (on Pratipadaa) pronounce "Paap Vinaashaaya Namah" and donate a pitcher filled with water along with Ghee and gold. Keep fast the whole day, eat 31 morsels of salt-less food with Ghee. Then listen to Puraan or Itihaas for an hour or so. Every month one should offer whatever flower is available to Chandramaa.

Thus complete this Vrat for one year. In the end donate bed along with the golden idols of Chandramaa and Rohinee. Chandramaa's idol should be of 6 finger high and Rohinee's idol should be of 4 finger high. There should be eight pearls studded in those idols, their eyes should be white, establish those idol on a Kaansaa pot filled with rice. Give them with a cow, a conch shell and this pot. One should imagine the Braahman couple as Chandramaa and Rohinee and donate everything to them. Who does this Vrat, he lives in Chandra Lok for 2,100 Kalp. After that he becomes lightning and becomes free. This is the best Vrat to get Moksh."