एतद्राशिव्रतं नाम सर्वोपद्रवनाशनम्
This is called the vow of the zodiac signs, which destroys all calamities.
पञ्चाशीतिर्व्रतानां ते कथिता पांडुनंदन
O son of Pandu, fifty-five vows have been described to you.
मुच्यते तत्क्षणादेव पातकैः सोपपातकैः
One is freed instantly from sins and associated transgressions.
पंचाधिका तव मया कथिता व्रतानां राजन्नशीतिरतिसौख्यधनप्रदानाम्
O king, five more vows, making eighty in total, have been told by me, which bestow great happiness and wealth.
माघस्नानविधिवर्णनम् वैश्यं द्वापरमित्याहुः शूद्रं कलियुगं स्मृतम्
They say the Vaiśya is the Dvāpara age; the Śūdra is remembered as the Kali age.
कलौ राजन्मनुष्याणां शैथिल्यं स्नानकर्मणि
In Kali, O king, there is laxity among people regarding the act of bathing.
यस्य हस्तौ च पादौ च वाङ्मनस्तु सुसंयतम्
He whose hands, feet, speech, and mind are well restrained—
अश्रद्दधानः पापात्मा नास्तिकोऽच्छिन्नसंशयः
The faithless, sinful, atheistic person whose doubts are unbroken—
प्रयागं पुष्करं प्राप्य कुरुक्षेत्रमथापि वा
Having reached Prayāga, Puṣkara, or Kurukṣetra—
त्रिरात्रफलदा नद्यो याः काश्चिदसमुद्रगाः
Certain rivers not flowing to the ocean grant the fruit of three nights.
उषःसमीपे यः स्नानं संध्यायामुदिते रवौ
He who bathes at dawn, at the time of sunrise—
प्रातरुत्थाय यो विप्रः प्रातःस्नायी सदा भवेत्
The Brāhmaṇa who rises early and always bathes in the morning—
वृथा चोष्णोदकस्नानं वृथा जाप्यमवैदिकम्
Bathing with hot water is fruitless, as is fruitless recitation of Vedic mantras.
स्नानं चतुर्विधं प्रोक्तं स्नानविद्भिर्युधिष्ठिर ।। वायव्यं वारुणं ब्राह्मं दिव्यं चेति पृथक्शृणु । 4.122.
Bathing is said to be of four kinds by those versed in bathing, O Yudhishthira: wind-bath, water-bath, Brahma-bath, and divine bath; hear them separately.
ब्राह्मं ब्राह्मणमंत्रोक्तं दिव्यं मेघांबुभास्करम्
The Brahma-bath is prescribed for Brāhmaṇas with mantras; the divine bath is with rainwater and sunlight.
ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थश्च वानप्रस्थोऽथ भिक्षुकः
The celibate student, the householder, the forest-dweller, and the mendicant—
बालास्तरुणका वृद्धा नरनारीनपुंसकाः
Children, youths, the aged, men, women, and those of indeterminate sex—
ब्रह्मक्षत्रविशां चैव मन्त्रवत्स्नानमिष्यते
For Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas, bathing with mantras is prescribed.
माघमासे रटंत्यापः किञ्चिदभ्युदिते रवौ
In the month of Māgha, at dawn, when the sun has just risen, one should bathe in flowing water.
प्रासादा यत्र सौवर्णाः स्त्रियश्चाप्सरसोपमाः तत्र ते यांति मज्जंति ये माघे भास्करोदये
Where there are golden palaces and women like celestial nymphs, those who bathe at sunrise in Māgha go and immerse themselves there.
पौषफाल्गुनयोर्मध्ये प्रातःस्नायी भवेन्नरः
Between the months of Pauṣa and Phālguna, a man should bathe in the morning.
त्रिंशद्दिनानि पुण्याणि मकरस्थे दिवाकरे
For thirty days, while the sun is in Capricorn, the acts are meritorious.
माघमासमिमं पूर्णं स्थाप्येहं देवमाधवम् 4.122.
During the entire month of Māgha, one should establish Lord Mādhava here.
अप्रावृतशरीरस्तु यः कष्टं स्नानमाचरेत्
He who, with uncovered body, undertakes the difficult bath—
तत्र स्नात्वा शुभे तीर्थे दत्त्वा शिरसि वै मृदम्
There, having bathed at the auspicious ford and placed clay upon the head—
पितॄन्संतर्प्य तत्रस्थो ह्यवतीर्य ततो जलात्
Having satisfied the ancestors at that place, and then having emerged from the water—
शङ्खचक्रधरं देवं माधवं नाम पूजयेत्
One should worship the god Mādhava, bearer of the conch and discus, by name.
भूशय्याब्रह्मचर्येण शक्तः स्नानं समाचरेत्
One who is able should perform the bath with a bed on the ground and with celibacy.
अवश्यमपि कर्तव्यं माघे स्नानमिति श्रुतिः
The scripture declares that bathing in Māgha is absolutely to be performed.
तिलस्नायी तिलोद्वर्ती तिलभोक्ता तिलोदकी
He who bathes with sesame, anoints with sesame, eats sesame, and drinks sesame water—