वृंताकान्कारवेल्लांश्च बिंबान्कूष्मांडकर्बुरान् ते व्याधिता दरिद्राश्च जायंते भुवि मानवाः
People afflicted by disease and poverty are born on earth, taking the forms of eggplants, gourds, watermelons, tomatoes, pumpkins, and cucumbers.
न केवलं ब्राह्मणानां दानं सर्वस्य शस्यते दरिद्राणां च बंधूनां दानं कोटिगुणोत्त रम्
Not only is giving to Brahmins praised, but giving to all is commendable; and giving to poor relatives is considered a thousand times greater.
मित्रं कुलीनश्चापन्नो वधुर्दारिद्र्यदुःखितः
A friend, a nobleman fallen into hardship, or a wife suffering from poverty and sorrow—
वनं प्रस्थापिते रामे ससीते सह लक्ष्मणे सा सर्वेः श्रावितानेकैः कोशल्या भरतेन वै
When Rama set out to the forest with Sita and Lakshmana, Kausalya was informed of everything by Bharata and others.
यदा न प्रत्ययं याति कथंचित्कोशलात्मजा
Yet the daughter of Kausalya did not gain any certainty in any way.
वैशाखी कार्तिकी माघी तिथयोमरपूजिताः
The auspicious lunar days of Vaishakha, Kartika, and Magha are honored by the gods.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु कौशल्या सहसा प्रत्ययं गता 4.100.
Hearing this, Kausalya at once attained certainty.
एतत्तिथीनां माहात्म्यमाख्यातं बहुविस्तरम्
The greatness of these lunar days has been described here in great detail.
वैशाखकार्तिकमघासहिताथ माघे या पूर्णिमा भवति पूर्णशशांकचिह्ना
The full moon that occurs in Magha, along with Vaishakha, Kartika, and Magha, bears the mark of the complete moon.
युगादितिथिव्रतमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् कथ्यमानमिहेच्छामि शुभधर्मपदं महत्
Now I wish to speak here of the great and auspicious path of dharma, describing the glory of the vow on the first day of the age.
यत्राण्वपि नरैर्द्दत्तं जप्तं वा सुमहद्भवेत्
Where even a little is given or recited by men, it becomes exceedingly great.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच शृणु पांडव ते वच्मि रहस्यं देवनिर्मितम्
Sri Krishna said: Listen, O Pandava, I will tell you a secret established by the gods.
वैशाखमासस्य तु या तृतीया नवम्यसौ कार्तिकशुक्लपक्षे
The third day of the month of Vaishakha and the ninth day of the bright half of Kartika—
वैशाखस्य तृतीया तु समा कृतयुतेन तु
The third day of Vaishakha is equal to ten million years.
त्रयोदशी नभस्ये तु द्वापरेण समागता
The thirteenth day in the month of Bhadrapada is joined with Dvapara.
एताश्चतस्रो राजेन्द्र युगानां प्रभवाद्यथा
These four, O king, are the beginnings of the ages, as declared.
उपवासस्तपो दानं जपहोमक्रियास्तथा
Fasting, austerity, charity, recitation, and sacrificial rites—
वैशाखस्य तृतीयायां श्रीसमेतं जगद्गुरुम् वस्त्रालंकारसंभारैनैवेद्यै र्विविधैस्तथा
On the third day of Vaishakha, the Lord of the world, accompanied by Sri, is to be worshipped with garments, ornaments, various offerings, and diverse foods.
ततस्तस्याग्रतो धेनुर्लवणस्याढकेन तु 4.101.
Then, in front of him, a cow is to be placed with a measure of salt.
अविचर्मोपरि स्थाप्य कल्पयित्वा विधानतः
Having set it upon an untanned hide, it should be arranged according to the prescribed rite.
श्रीधरः श्रीपतिः श्रीमाञ्छ्रीशः संप्रीयतामिति गोसहस्रं दशगुणं प्राप्नोतीह न संशयः
Reciting, 'May Śrīdhara, Śrīpati, the glorious Lord of prosperity, be pleased,' one attains here, without doubt, the merit of giving a thousand cows multiplied tenfold.
तथैव कार्तिके मासि नवम्यां नक्तभुङ्नरः
Likewise, in the month of Kārtika, on the ninth day, a man who eats only at night—
उमासहायं वरदं नीलकंठमथार्चयेत्
—should worship the boon-giving, blue-throated Lord accompanied by Umā.
धेनुं तिलमयीं दद्यात्पुराणो क्तविधानतः
He should give a cow made of sesame, according to the ordinance stated in the Purāṇas.
यदत्र प्राप्यते पुण्यं पार्थ तत्केन वर्ण्यते
O Pārtha, who can describe the merit that is obtained here?
त्रयोदशी नभसि या कृष्णमस्यां समर्चयेत् भोजयेद्ब्राह्मणान्भक्त्या वेदवेदाङ्गपारगान्
On the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhādrapada, one should worship, and with devotion feed Brāhmaṇas learned in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas.
पितॄनुद्दिश्य दातव्या सवत्सा कांस्यदोहनी
For the sake of the ancestors, a cow with a calf and a bronze milking vessel should be given.
पिता पितामहश्चैव तथैव प्रपितामहः
The father, grandfather, and likewise the great-grandfather—
कृतेनानेन राजेन्द्र यत्पुण्यं प्राप्यते नृभिः 4.101.
O king, the merit that is obtained by men through this act—
पुत्रान्पौत्रान्प्रपौत्रांश्च धनं च महदीप्सितम्
—is the attainment of sons, grandsons, great-grandsons, and the great wealth that is desired.