दानानि च प्रदेयानि भगिनीभ्यो विधानतः
Gifts should be given to sisters according to proper rule.
सर्वा भगिन्यः संपूज्या अभावे प्रतिपत्तिगाः
All sisters should be honored; in their absence, to those who act in their place.
मातुलस्य सुताहस्ताद्वितीयायां पुनर्नृप
On the second day, O king, from the hand of the maternal uncle's daughter—
भोक्तव्यं सहजायाश्च भगिन्या हस्ततः परम्
One should eat from the hand of one's own wife, and then from the hand of a sister.
धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं धर्मकामार्थवर्द्धनम्
It brings prosperity, fame, long life, and increases righteousness, desire, and wealth.
यस्यां तिथौ यमुनया यमराजदेवः सम्भोजितो जगति सत्त्वरसौहृदेन
On that lunar day, when Yama, the god of death, is honored by the Yamunā, with friendliness toward all beings in the world,
अशून्यशयनमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् गार्हस्थ्यं तच्च भवति दंपत्योः प्रीयमाणयोः
The greatness of the vow of 'a bed not empty' is now described; it brings harmony to a married couple who are affectionate.
पत्नीहीनः पुमान्पत्नी भर्त्रा विरहिता तथा
A man without a wife, and likewise a wife separated from her husband,
तद्ब्रूहि देवदेवेश विधवा स्त्री न जायते
Tell me, O Lord of gods, how a woman does not become a widow.
यामुपोष्य न वैधव्यं प्राप्नोति स्त्री युधिष्ठिर
By observing which, O Yudhishthira, does a woman not attain widowhood?
पत्नीविमुक्तश्च नरो न कदाचित्प्रजायते
A man who is separated from his wife never begets offspring.
अशून्यशयनं नाम तदा ग्राह्या च सा तिथिः
That is called 'a bed not empty,' and that lunar day should be observed.
कृष्णपक्षे द्वितीयायां श्रावणे नृपसत्तम
On the second day of the dark fortnight in the month of Śrāvaṇa, O best of kings,
कृत्वा पितॄन्मनुष्यांश्च देवान्सं तर्प्य भक्तिमान्
Having devotedly satisfied the ancestors, humans, and gods,
तत्रस्थं श्रीधरं श्रीशं भक्त्याभ्यर्च्य श्रिया सह
One should worship with devotion Śrīdhara, the Lord of Śrī, present there, together with Lakṣmī.
इममुच्चारयेन्मंत्रं प्रणम्य जगतः पतिम् 4.15.
Having bowed to the Lord of the universe, one should recite this mantra:
गार्हस्थ्यं मा प्रणाशं मे यातु धर्मार्थकामदम् पितरो मा प्रणश्यंतु मत्तो दांपत्यभेदतः
May my household life not perish; may it bring righteousness, wealth, and desire. May my ancestors not perish because of the separation of the couple from me.
लक्ष्म्या वियुज्यते कृष्ण न कदाचिद्यथा भवान्
Just as you, O Kṛṣṇa, are never separated from Lakṣmī,
लक्ष्म्या न शून्यं वरद यथा ते शयनं सदा
O bestower of boons, just as your bed is never without Lakṣmī,
एवं प्रसाद्य पूजां च कृत्वा लक्ष्म्या हरेस्तथा विप्राय दक्षिणां दद्यात्स्व शक्त्या फलसंयुताम्
Having thus pleased and worshipped Hari with Lakṣmī, one should give a gift to a Brāhmaṇa according to one's ability, along with the fruit (of the vow).
अनेनविधिना राजन्यावन्मासचतुष्टयम्
By this procedure, O king, for four months,
कार्त्तिके चाथ संप्राप्ते शय्यां श्रीकांतसंयुताम्
And when the month of Kārttika arrives, the bed should be united with Śrī's beloved.
प्रतिमासं च सोमाय अर्घ्यं दद्यात्समंत्रकम्
Each month, one should offer arghya to Soma, accompanied by mantras.
गगनांगणसद्दीप दुराब्धिमथनोद्भव
O lamp shining in the expanse of the sky, born from the churning of the distant ocean,
एवं करोति यः सम्यङ्नरो मासचतुष्टयम्
Whoever performs thus correctly for four months,
अशून्यशयनश्चैव धर्मकामार्थसाधकः 4.15.
Such a person enjoys a bed that is never empty and attains success in dharma, desire, and wealth.
नारी च पार्थ धर्मज्ञा व्रतमेतद्यथाविधि
O Pārtha, a woman who knows dharma should also observe this vow as prescribed.
वैधव्यं दुर्भगत्वं च भर्तृत्यागं च सत्तम
She overcomes widowhood, misfortune, and the abandonment by her husband, O noble one.
एषा ह्यशून्यशयना नृपते द्वितीया ख्याता समस्तकलुषापहराऽद्वितीया
This is indeed the second aśūnyaśayanā vow, O king, renowned as the unrivaled remover of all sins.
मधूकतृतीयाव्रतवर्णनम् प्रातः स्थित्वा ब्रह्मचर्ये जटामुकुटशोभिता
Description of the Madhūka Third-Day Vow: In the morning, remaining in celibacy, adorned with matted hair as a crown,