पृष्टो राज्ञ्या विष्णुभक्त्या कालनंदनजातया
Asked by the queen, devoted to Viṣṇu, born of Kālanandana—
कथयामास संपृष्टा सूपविष्टा शृणोति सा
Having been questioned, she narrated as she sat, and the queen listened.
ज्येष्ठे मासि सिते पक्षे त्रयोदश्यां युधिष्ठिर
In the month of Jyeṣṭha, on the thirteenth day of the bright fortnight, O Yudhiṣṭhira—
श्वेतमंदारमर्कं वा करवीरं च रक्तकम्
One should use white mandāra, arka, or red karavīra flowers.
पुष्पैर्नैवेद्यधूपाद्यैर्मंत्रेणानेन पांडव
With flowers, offerings of food, incense, and the like, O Pāṇḍava, using this mantra—
सूर्यं श्वेतारमंदारश्वेतार्कास्यसंशयम्
The sun, the white arjuna, the mandāra, and the white arka—there is no doubt about this—
निंबं नवार्ककरवीरलतां सुपुष्पां याः पूजयंति कुसुमाक्षतधूपदीपैः
Those who worship the nimba, the young arka, the flowering karavīra creeper, with flowers, rice grains, incense, and lamps—
इति श्रीभविष्ये महापुराण उत्तरपर्वणि श्रीकृष्णयुधिष्ठिरसंवादे मन्दारनिम्बार्ककरवीरव्रतवर्णनं नामाष्टाशीतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the Śrī Bhaviṣya Mahāpurāṇa, in the Uttara Parvan, in the dialogue between Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Yudhiṣṭhira, the eighty-eighth chapter named 'Description of the Mandāra, Nimba, Arka, and Karavīra Vow' is concluded.
त्रयोदशीव्रतवर्णनम् कथं न गम्यते कृष्ण नरकं नरकेसरिन्
Description of the Trayodaśī vow. How is it, O Kṛṣṇa, O lion among men, that one does not go to hell?
दृष्टवान्मुनिमायांतं मुद्गलं नाम पार्थिव
I saw the sage named Mudgala coming, O king.
प्रज्वलंतमिवादित्यं तपसा द्योतितान्तरम्
He appeared blazing like the sun, his inner being radiant with austerity.
यमादर्शननामैतद्व्रतं जन्तुभयापहम्
This vow is called 'The Vision of Yama,' which removes the fear of creatures.
पश्यामि दंडपुरुषैर्मद्देहात्प्रज्वलन्निव
I saw men with staffs, as if blazing, dragging me from my body.
अंगुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषो बलदाकृष्य रोषितः
A man the size of a thumb, seized violently and enraged—
क्षणात्सभायां पश्यामि यमं पिंगललोचनम्
In a moment, I saw in the assembly Yama, with tawny eyes.
वातपित्तमहाश्लेष्मैर्मूर्तिमद्भिरुपासितम्
He was attended by forms embodying wind, bile, and great phlegm.
ज्वरगर्दभशीर्षादिभगंदरमलक्षयैः
With fevers, donkey-headed beings, and those marked by swelling of the belly and other deformities.
वेदनाभिः प्रमेहैश्च पिटकैर्गंडबुद्बुदैः 4.89.
With pains, urinary disorders, boils, swellings, and blisters.
इत्थं बहुविधै रौद्रैर्नानारूपभयंकरैः
Thus, with many kinds of fierce, terrifying beings of various forms—
राक्षसैर्दानवैरुग्रैरुपविष्टैः पुरःस्थितैः
With rakṣasas, fierce dānavas, seated and standing before him—
सिंहैर्व्याघ्रैर्वराहैश्च तरक्षैश्चानुजंतुकैः
With lions, tigers, boars, hyenas, and jackals—
गृध्रैरुलूकैर्बहुभिर्मत्कुणैर्डाकिनीग्रहैः
With vultures, owls, many insects, and witches possessing magical powers—
पिशाचैर्यक्षकूष्मांडैः पाशखड्गधनुर्द्धरैः
By flesh-eating spirits, yakṣas, and kūṣmāṇḍas, armed with nooses, swords, and bows,
बृहत्कायैर्नारकीयैः पापिष्ठानां नियामकैः
With large-bodied, hellish beings, controllers of the most sinful,
असिभंगामिषच्छेदरुधिरस्रावकादिभिः
With broken swords, torn flesh, and streams of blood and the like,
स आह किंकरान्सर्वान्धर्मराजो जनार्दन
Then Dharmarāja Janārdana addressed all the attendants,
मुद्गलो नाम कौडिन्ये नगरे भीष्मकात्मजः
There was one named Mudgala, son of Bhīṣmaka, in the city of Kauḍinya,
इत्युक्तास्ते गतास्तस्मादायाताः पुनरेव ते 4.89.
Thus addressed, they departed from there and then returned again.
अस्माभिस्तत्र क्षीणायुर्न देही लक्षितो गतैः
By us, when we went there, the embodied one, whose merits were exhausted, was not seen.
कृता त्रयोदशी यैस्तु नरकार्तिविनाशिनी
By whom the Trayodaśī, which destroys the pain of hell, has been performed,