श्वेतमाधवम् आलोक्य समीपे मत्स्यमाधवम् एकार्णवजले पूर्वं रोहितं रूपम् आस्थितम्
Having seen the white Mādhava and, nearby, the fish-formed Mādhava—who once, in the waters of the primeval ocean, assumed the form of a red fish—
वेदानां हरणार्थाय रसातलतले स्थितम् चिन्तयित्वा क्षितिं सम्यक् तस्मिन् स्थाने प्रतिष्ठितम्
He, established in the netherworld for the purpose of recovering the Vedas, having thoroughly contemplated the earth, remained at that very place.
आद्यावतरणं रूपं माधवं मत्स्यरूपिणम् प्रणम्य प्रणतो भूत्वा सर्वदुःखाद् विमुच्यते
By bowing down and becoming devoted to that first incarnation—the Mādhava in the form of a fish—one is freed from all suffering.
प्रयाति परमं स्थानं यत्र देवो हरिः स्वयम् काले पुनर् इहायातो राजा स्यात् पृथिवीतले
He attains the supreme abode where Lord Hari himself resides; and, when the time comes, returning here, he becomes a king upon the earth.
वत्समाधवम् आसाद्य दुराधर्षो भवेन् नरः दाता भोक्ता भवेद् यज्वा वैष्णवः सत्यसंगरः
By approaching the calf-form Mādhava, a man becomes invincible, a giver, an enjoyer, a performer of sacrifices, a devotee of Viṣṇu, and steadfast in truth.
योगं प्राप्य हरेः पश्चात् ततो मोक्षम् अवाप्नुयात् मत्स्यमाधवमाहात्म्यं मया संपरिकीर्तितम् यं दृष्ट्वा मुनिशार्दूलाः सर्वान् कामान् अवाप्नुयात्
Having attained union with Hari, he then obtains liberation. I have thus fully recounted to you the greatness of the fish-formed Mādhava, by seeing whom, O best of sages, one attains all desires.
भगवञ् श्रोतुम् इच्छामो मार्जनं वरुणालये क्रियते स्नानदानादि तस्याशेषफलं वद
O Lord, we wish to hear about the purification performed at Varuṇa’s abode—about bathing, giving gifts, and so on—please tell us its complete merit.
शृणुध्वं मुनिशार्दूला मार्जनस्य यथाविधि भक्त्या तु तन्मना भूत्वा संप्राप्य पुण्यम् उत्तमम्
Hear, O best of sages, the proper method of purification; by performing it with devotion and focused mind, one attains the highest merit.
मार्कण्डेयह्रदे स्नानं पूर्वकाले प्रशस्यते चतुर्दश्यां विशेषेण सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्
Bathing in the Mārkaṇḍeya pool in ancient times is highly praised, especially on the fourteenth day, as it destroys all sins.
तद्वत् स्नानं समुद्रस्य सर्वकालं प्रशस्यते पौर्णमास्यां विशेषेण हयमेधफलं लभेत्
Likewise, bathing in the ocean is always praised; especially on the full moon, one obtains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.
मार्कण्डेयं वटं कृष्णं रौहिणेयं महोदधिम् इन्द्रद्युम्नसरश् चैव पञ्चतीर्थीविधिः स्मृतः
The Mārkaṇḍeya banyan, the Kṛṣṇa tree, the Rauhiṇeya, the great ocean, and the lake of Indradyumna—these are remembered as the five holy sites.
पूर्णिमा ज्येष्ठमासस्य ज्येष्ठा ऋक्षं यदा भवेत् तदा गच्छेद् विशेषेण तीर्थराजं परं शुभम्
When the full moon of the month of Jyeṣṭha occurs under the Jyeṣṭhā constellation, one should especially go to the supreme and auspicious king of holy places.
कायवाङ्मानसैः शुद्धस् तद्भावो नान्यमानसः सर्वद्वंद्वविनिर्मुक्तो वीतरागो विमत्सरः
With body, speech, and mind purified, intent on that alone, with no other thoughts, free from all dualities, passionless, and without envy—
कल्पवृक्षवटं रम्यं तत्र स्नात्वा जनार्दनम् प्रदक्षिणं प्रकुर्वीत त्रिवारं सुसमाहितः
At the delightful wish-fulfilling banyan tree, after bathing, one should circumambulate Janārdana three times with full concentration.
यं दृष्ट्वा मुच्यते पापात् सप्तजन्मसमुद्भवात् पुण्यं चाप्नोति विपुलं गतिम् इष्टां च भो द्विजाः
By seeing him, one is freed from the sins accumulated over seven births, attains abundant merit, and, O twice-born, reaches the desired state.
तस्य नामानि वक्ष्यामि प्रमाणं च युगे युगे यथासंख्यं च भो विप्राः कृतादिषु यथाक्रमम्
I shall declare his names and the measure of his form in each age, and their enumeration, O Brāhmaṇas, as they are known in the different yugas beginning with Kṛta.
वटं वटेश्वरं कृष्णं पुराणपुरुषं द्विजाः वटस्यैतानि नामानि कीर्तितानि कृतादिषु
The banyan, the Lord of the Banyan, the Kṛṣṇa, the Ancient Person—O Brāhmaṇas, these are the names of the banyan as celebrated in the different ages.
योजनं पादहीनं च योजनार्धं तदर्धकम् प्रमाणं कल्पवृक्षस्य कृतादौ परिकीर्तितम्
A yojana less a quarter, half a yojana, and half of that—such is the measure of the wish-fulfilling tree as described at the beginning of the Kṛta age.
यथोक्तेन तु मन्त्रेण नमस्कृत्वा तु तं वटम् दक्षिणाभिमुखो गच्छेद् धन्वन्तरशतत्रयम्
Having bowed to that banyan tree with the prescribed mantra, one should proceed facing south for three hundred dhanvantaras.
यत्रासौ दृश्यते विष्णुः स्वर्गद्वारं मनोरमम् सागराम्भःसमाकृष्टं काष्ठं सर्वगुणान्वितम्
There, where Viṣṇu is seen, is the delightful gateway to heaven, a piece of wood drawn from the ocean, endowed with all virtues.
प्रणिपत्य ततस् तं भोः परिपूज्य ततः पुनः मुच्यते सर्वरोगाद्यैस् तथा पापैर् ग्रहादिभिः
After prostrating there, O dear one, and worshipping thoroughly, one is freed from all diseases, sins, and afflictions such as planetary influences.
उग्रसेनं पुरा दृष्ट्वा स्वर्गद्वारेण सागरम् गत्वाचम्य शुचिस् तत्र ध्यात्वा नारायणं परम्
Having once seen Ugrasena at the heavenly gate by the ocean, one should go, sip water, become pure there, and meditate on the supreme Nārāyaṇa.
न्यसेद् अष्टाक्षरं मन्त्रं पश्चाद् धस्तशरीरयोः ॐ नमो नारायणायेति यं वदन्ति मनीषिणः
Then, one should place the eight-syllable mantra upon the hands and body—'oṃ namo nārāyaṇāya'—as declared by the wise.
किं कार्यं बहुभिर् मन्त्रैर् मनोविभ्रमकारकैः ॐ नमो नारायणायेति मन्त्रः सर्वार्थसाधकः
What is the use of many mantras that disturb the mind? The mantra 'oṃ namo nārāyaṇāya' accomplishes all purposes.
आपो नरस्य सूनुत्वान् नारा इतीह कीर्तिताः विष्णोस् तास् त्व् अयनं पूर्वं तेन नारायणः स्मृतः
Waters are called 'nārāḥ' here because they are the sons of Nara; those waters were formerly the resting place of Viṣṇu, therefore he is remembered as Nārāyaṇa.
नारायणपरा वेदा नारायणपरा द्विजाः नारायणपरा यज्ञा नारायणपराः क्रियाः
The Vedas are devoted to Nārāyaṇa; the twice-born are devoted to Nārāyaṇa; sacrifices are devoted to Nārāyaṇa; all rites are devoted to Nārāyaṇa.
नारायणपरा पृथ्वी नारायणपरं जलम् नारायणपरो वह्निर् नारायणपरं नभः
The earth is devoted to Nārāyaṇa; water is devoted to Nārāyaṇa; fire is devoted to Nārāyaṇa; the sky is devoted to Nārāyaṇa.
नारायणपरो वायुर् नारायणपरं मनः अहंकारश् च बुद्धिश् च उभे नारायणात्मके
The wind is devoted to Nārāyaṇa; the mind is devoted to Nārāyaṇa; both ego and intellect have the nature of Nārāyaṇa.
भूतं भव्यं भविष्यं च यत् किंचिज् जीवसंज्ञितम् स्थूलं सूक्ष्मं परं चैव सर्वं नारायणात्मकम्
Whatever is called living—past, present, or future; gross, subtle, or supreme—all is of the nature of Nārāyaṇa.
शब्दाद्या विषयाः सर्वे श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाणि च प्रकृतिः पुरुषश् चैव सर्वे नारायणात्मकाः
All objects of sense such as sound, all the senses like hearing, both nature and spirit—all are of the nature of Nārāyaṇa.