कैलासशिखरासीनम् अपृच्छन्नारदः पुरा विनयनमनङ्गारिम् अनङ्गाङ्गहरं हरम्
Once, Nārada, with humility and without pride, questioned Hara, the destroyer of Kāma and his own limbs, as he sat upon the summit of Kailāsa.
भगवन्देवदेवेश ब्रह्मविष्ण्विन्द्रनायक श्रीमदारोग्यरूपायुर् भाग्यसौभाग्यसम्पदा संयुक्तस्तव विष्णोर्वा पुमान्भक्तः कथं भवेत्
O Lord, God of gods, leader of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Indra, endowed with auspiciousness, health, beauty, long life, fortune, and prosperity—how does a man become a devotee of you or Viṣṇu?
नारी वा विधवा सर्वगुणसौभाग्यसंयुता क्रमान्मुक्तिप्रदं देव किंचिद्व्रतमिहोच्यताम्
Or how does a woman, even if widowed but endowed with all virtues and good fortune, gradually attain liberation? O God, declare here any vow for that.
सम्यक्पृष्टं त्वया ब्रह्मन् सर्वलोकहितावहम् श्रुतमप्यत्र यच्छान्त्यै तद्व्रतं शृणु नारद
You have asked well, O Brāhmaṇa, for the welfare of all worlds. That vow which is heard here for peace—listen to it, O Nārada.
नक्षत्रपुरुषं नाम व्रतं नारायणात्मकम् पादादि कुर्याद्विधिवद् विष्णुनामानुकीर्तनम्
The vow called Nakṣatrapuruṣa, of the nature of Nārāyaṇa, should be performed from the feet upwards, in due order, with the recitation of Viṣṇu's names.
प्रतिमां वासुदेवस्य मूलर्क्षादिषु चार्चयेत् चैत्रमासं समासाद्य कृत्वा ब्राह्मणवाचनम्
One should worship the image of Vāsudeva at the beginning of the lunar mansions, having entered the month of Caitra, after arranging for a Brāhmaṇa to recite.
मूले नमो विश्वधराय पादौ गुल्फावनन्ताय च रोहिणीषु जङ्घे ऽभिपूज्ये वरदाय चैव द्वे जानुनी वाश्विकुमारऋक्षे
At Mūla, one should bow to Viśvadhara at the feet, to Gulphāvananta at the ankles; at Rohiṇī, the shanks are to be worshipped as Varada; at the two Jānu, or at Aśvikuṃāra, the knees.
पूर्वोत्तराषाढयुगे तथोरू नमः शिवायेत्यभिपूजनीयौ पूर्वोत्तराफल्गुनियुग्मके च मेढ्रं नमः पञ्चशराय पूज्यम्
At the conjunction of Pūrvā and Uttarāṣāḍhā, the thighs are to be worshipped with 'Obeisance to Śiva'; at the pair of Pūrvā and Uttarā Phalgunī, the loins are to be worshipped with 'Obeisance to Pañcaśara.'
कटिं नमः शार्ङ्गधराय विष्णोः सम्पूजयेन्नारद कृत्तिकासु तथार्चयेद्भाद्रपदाद्वये च पार्श्वे नमः केशिनिषूदनाय
The waist is to be worshipped with 'Obeisance to Śārṅgadhara Viṣṇu,' O Nārada; at Kṛttikā, likewise, and at the two Bhādrapadas, the sides are to be worshipped with 'Obeisance to Keśiniṣūdana.'
कुक्षिद्वयं नारद रेवतीषु दामोदरायेत्यभिपूजनीयम् ऋक्षे ऽनुराधासु च माधवाय नमस्तथोरःस्थलमेव पूज्यम्
The two flanks, O Nārada, are to be worshipped at Revati with 'Obeisance to Dāmodara'; at Anurādhā, the chest is to be worshipped with 'Obeisance to Mādhava.'
पृष्ठं धनिष्ठासु च पूजनीयम् अघौघविध्वंसकराय तच्च श्रीशङ्खचक्रासिगदाधराय नमो विशाखासु भुजाश्च पूज्याः
The back is to be worshipped at Dhaniṣṭhā as the destroyer of multitudes of sins; the arms are to be worshipped at Viśākhā with 'Obeisance to the Lord bearing the conch, discus, sword, and mace.'
हस्ते तु हस्ता मधुसूदनाय नमो ऽभिपूज्या इति कैटभारेः पुनर्वसावङ्गुलिपूर्वभागाः साम्नामधीशाय नमो ऽभिपूज्याः
The hands, indeed, are to be worshipped at Hasta with 'Obeisance to Madhusūdana'; the front parts of the fingers at Punarvasu with 'Obeisance to the Lord of the Sāmans,' O Nārada.
भुजंगनक्षत्रदिने नखानि सम्पूजयेन्मत्स्यशरीरभाजः कूर्मस्य पादौ शरणं व्रजामि ज्येष्ठासु कण्ठे हरिरर्चनीयः
On the day of the serpent constellation, one should worship the nails of the Matsya form; the feet of the Kurma form are to be honored. I seek refuge in them. During the Jyeshtha stars, the neck of Hari is to be worshipped.
श्रोत्रे वराहाय नमो ऽभिपूज्या जनार्दनस्य श्रवणेन सम्यक् पुष्ये मुखं दानवसूदनाय नमो नृसिंहाय च पूजनीयम्
In the ears, one should offer salutations to Varaha and worship them; by hearing, Janardana is properly honored. In the Pushya constellation, the mouth is to be worshipped for the slayer of demons, and salutations are to be offered to Narasimha, who is also to be worshipped.
नमो नमः कारणवामनाय स्वातीषु दन्ताग्रमथार्चनीयम् आस्यं हरेर्भार्गवनन्दनाय संपूजनीयं द्विज वारुणे तु
Salutations again and again to Vamana, the cause of all; during the Swati stars, the tips of the teeth are to be worshipped. The mouth of Hari, beloved of Bhrigu, is to be honored, O twice-born, and during Varuna, it is to be worshipped.
नमो ऽस्तु रामाय मघासु नासा संपूजनीया रघुनन्दनस्य मृगोत्तमाङ्गे नयने ऽभिपूज्ये नमो ऽस्तु ते राम विघूर्णिताक्ष
Salutations to Rama; during the Magha stars, the nose is to be worshipped for the delight of the Raghu lineage. On the best part of Mrigashira, the eyes are to be honored; salutations to you, Rama, with restless eyes.
बुद्धाय शान्ताय नमो ललाटं चित्रासु संपूज्यतमं मुरारेः शिरो ऽभिपूज्यं भरणीषु विष्णोर् नमो ऽस्तु विश्वेश्वर कल्किरूपिणे
Salutations to Buddha, the peaceful one; the forehead is to be worshipped during Chitra, being most worthy of honor for Murari. The head is to be worshipped during Bharani for Vishnu; salutations to Vishveshvara, in the form of Kalki.
आर्द्रासु केशाः पुरुषोत्तमस्य संपूजनीया हरये नमस्ते उपोषितेनर्क्षदिनेषु भक्त्या संपूजनीया द्विजपुंगवाः स्युः
During Ardra, the hair of Purushottama is to be worshipped; salutations to Hari. On the days of fasting and the constellation, the foremost twice-born should worship with devotion.
पूर्णे व्रते सर्वगुणान्विताय वाग्रूपशीलाय च सामगाय हैमीं विशालायतबाहुदण्डां मुक्ताफलेन्दूपलवज्रयुक्ताम्
At the completion of the vow, to the one endowed with all virtues, possessing the form, speech, and conduct of Sama singers, one should offer a golden, broad, long-armed, adorned with pearls, moonstones, and diamonds.
जलस्य पूर्णे कलशे निविष्टाम् अर्चां हरेर्वस्त्रगवा सहैव शय्यां तथोपस्करभाजनादियुक्तां प्रदद्याद्द्विजपुंगवाय
One should give to the foremost twice-born a representation of Hari placed in a full water pot, along with cloth, cows, a bed, and equipped with utensils and other items.
यद्यस्ति यत्किंचिदिहास्ति देयं दद्याद्द्विजायात्महिताय सर्वम् मनोरथान्नः सफलीकुरुष्व हिरण्यगर्भाच्युतरुद्ररूपिन्
Whatever there is, whatever can be given here, one should give to the twice-born for one's own benefit. O Hiranyagarbha, Achyuta, Rudra-formed, fulfill all our desires.
सलक्ष्मीकं सभार्याय काञ्चनं पुरुषोत्तमम् शय्यां च दद्यान्मन्त्रेण ग्रन्थिभेदविवर्जिताम्
One should give to Purushottama, together with Lakshmi and his wife, a golden bed, reciting the mantra, free from knots and defects.
यथा न विष्णुभक्तानां वृजिनं जायते क्वचित् तथा सुरूपतारोग्यं केशवे भक्तिमुत्तमाम्
Just as no misfortune arises anywhere for devotees of Vishnu, so too, beauty, health, and supreme devotion to Kesava are attained.
यथा न लक्ष्म्या शयनं तव शून्यं जनार्दन शय्या ममाप्यशून्यास्तु कृष्ण जन्मनि जन्मनि
Just as your bed is never empty of Lakshmi, O Janardana, so too may my bed never be empty, O Krishna, birth after birth.
एवं निवेद्य तत्सर्वं वस्त्रमाल्यानुलेपनम् नक्षत्रपुरुषज्ञाय विप्रायाथ विसर्जयेत्
Thus, having offered all that—cloth, garlands, ointments—to the knower of the constellation person, one should then dismiss the Brahmin.
भुञ्जीतातैललवणं सर्वर्क्षेष्वप्युपोषितः भोजनं च यथाशक्ति वित्तशाठ्यविवर्जितः
Having fasted during all constellations, one may eat oil and salt, and food according to one's ability, free from deceit regarding wealth.
इति नक्षत्रपुरुषम् उपास्य विधिवत्स्वयम् सर्वान्कामानवाप्नोति विष्णुलोके महीयते
Thus, having worshipped the constellation person according to the prescribed method, one attains all desires and is honored in the world of Vishnu.
ब्रह्महत्यादिकं किंचिद् इह वामुत्र वा कृतम् आत्मना वाथ पितृभिस् तत्सर्वं क्षयमाप्नुयात्
Whatever sin, such as killing a Brahmin, is committed here or elsewhere, by oneself or by one's ancestors, all that is destroyed.
इति पठति शृणोति वातिभक्त्या पुरुषवरो व्रतमङ्गनाथ कुर्यात् कलिकलुषविदारणं मुरारेः सकलविभूतिफलप्रदं च पुंसाम्
He who recites or hears this vow with great devotion, O best of men, should perform it; it destroys the impurities of the Kali age and bestows all the fruits of Murari's glory upon men.
उपवासेष्वशक्तस्य तदेव फलमिच्छतः अनभ्यासेन रोगाद्वा किमिष्टं व्रतमुत्तमम्
For one unable to fast, desiring the same result, whether due to lack of practice or illness, what is the best vow to be undertaken?