कृष्णोद्भवं पापहरं परं यः शृणोति यः श्रावयते च भक्त्या । स्यात्तस्य पुण्या सकलाक्रियापि तद्दर्शनस्नानसमुद्भवं फलम्
Whoever hears or devoutly recites the account of the origin of Kṛṣṇā, the supreme remover of sin, attains the merit of all rites, and the fruit that arises from seeing or bathing in her.
इति श्रीपाद्मेमहापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायामुत्तरखंडे कार्तिकमाहात्म्ये सत्य भामासंवादेकृष्णावेण्यामाहात्म्यवर्णनोनाम एकादशाधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa, in the section on the greatness of Kārtika, in the dialogue with Satyabhāmā, the one hundred and eleventh chapter, named 'Description of the Greatness of Kṛṣṇā and Veṇī,' is concluded.
ईश्वर उवाच। माघस्नानस्य माहात्म्यं शृणु भागवतोत्तम । त्वत्समो नास्ति लोकेऽस्मिन्विष्णुभक्तो महामते
Īśvara said: Hear, O best of devotees, the greatness of bathing in Māgha. In this world, there is no devotee of Viṣṇu equal to you, O wise one.
चक्रतीर्थे हरिं दृष्ट्वा मथुरायां च केशवम् । यत्फलं लभते मर्त्यो माघस्नानेन तत्फलम्
By seeing Hari at Cakratīrtha or Keśava at Mathurā, the mortal attains the same fruit as by bathing in Māgha.
जितेंद्रियः शांतमनाः सदाचारेण संयुतः । स्नानं करोति यो माघे संसारी न भवेत्पुनः
He who, with controlled senses, a peaceful mind, and good conduct, bathes in Māgha, does not become subject to worldly existence again.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच। शूकरस्य च माहात्म्यं कथयिष्ये तवाग्रतः । यस्य विज्ञानमात्रेण सान्निध्यं मम सर्वदा
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: I will tell you, in your presence, the greatness of Śūkara, by the mere knowledge of which my presence is always attained.
सूत उवाच। इत्युक्त्वा भगवान्कृष्णः सत्यायै बहुधा जगौ । तदहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि तच्छृणुध्वं तपोधनाः
Sūta said: Having spoken thus, the blessed Kṛṣṇa sang in many ways to Satyā. I shall now relate that; listen, O ascetics.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच। पंचयोजनविस्तीर्णे शूकरे हरिमंदिरे । यस्मिन्वसति यो जीवो गर्दभोऽपि चतुर्भुजः
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: In Śūkāra, the temple of Hari, which is five yojanas wide, even a donkey who dwells there becomes four-armed.
त्रीणि हस्तसहस्राणि त्रीणि हस्तशतानि च । त्रयो हस्ता शूकरस्य परिमाणं विधीयते
Three thousand hands, three hundred hands, and three hands are prescribed as the measure of the Śūkara.
षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि योऽन्यत्र कुरुते तपः । तत्फलं लभते देवि प्रहरार्द्धेन शूकरे
O Devi, whoever performs austerity elsewhere for sixty thousand years attains that fruit in half a day at Śūkara.
सन्निहत्यां कुरुक्षेत्रे राहुग्रस्ते दिवाकरे । तुलापुरुषदानेन तत्फलं परिकीर्त्तितम्
When the sun is eclipsed by Rāhu at Kurukṣetra, the fruit of giving a tulāpuruṣa is declared there.
काश्यां दशगुणं प्रोक्तं वेण्यां शतगुणं भवेत् । सहस्रगुणितं प्रोक्तं गंगासागरसंगमे
It is said to be tenfold at Kāśī, a hundredfold at Veṇī, and a thousandfold at the confluence of Gaṅgā and the ocean.
अनंतं चैव विज्ञेयं शूकरे हरिमंदिरे । अन्यत्र ददते लक्षं संविधानेन कार्तिक
It should be understood as infinite at Śūkara in Hari's temple; elsewhere, they give a hundred thousand with proper observance in Kārtika.
इहैवैकेन दत्तेन शूकरे तत्समं भवेत् । शूकरे च तथा वेण्यां गंगासागरसंगमे
By giving just one here at Śūkara, it equals the same; so too at Śūkara, at Veṇī, and at the Gaṅgā-ocean confluence.
सकृदेव नरः स्नात्वा ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति । अलर्केण पुरा प्राप्ता सप्तद्वीपा वसुंधरा । शूकरक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यं श्रुत्वा चैव षडानन
By bathing just once, a man removes the sin of killing a Brahmin; in ancient times, Alarka obtained the earth of seven continents after hearing the greatness of the Śūkara field, O Six-faced One.
मार्गशीर्षस्य द्वादश्यां शुक्लायां व्रज पुत्रक । कार्त्तिकेय उवाच । भगवन्श्रोतुमिच्छामि व्रतानामुत्तमं व्रतम् । विधिं मासोपवासस्य फलं चास्य यथोचितम्
On the twelfth day of the bright fortnight in Mārgasīrṣa, go, my son. Kārttikeya said: 'O Lord, I wish to hear the supreme vow among vows, its procedure, and the proper fruit of fasting for a month.'
यथाविधि नरैः कार्या व्रतचर्या यथा भवेत् । आरभ्यते यथापूर्वं समाप्यं हि यथाविधि
The vow should be observed by men according to the prescribed manner; it should be begun as before and completed as prescribed.
यावत्संख्यं तु कर्त्तव्यं तत्प्रब्रूहि महेश्वर । व्रतमेतत्सुखश्रीदं विस्तरेण ममानघ
Tell me, O Maheśvara, how many times it should be performed; this vow brings happiness and prosperity—explain it to me in detail, O sinless one.
श्रीरुद्र उवाच। पावके साधु सर्वं ते यत्पृष्टं प्रब्रुवेऽनघ । भक्त्या मतिमतां श्रेष्ठ शृणुष्व गदतो मम
Śrī Rudra said: 'O virtuous one, I will tell you everything you have asked, O best of the wise; listen as I speak with devotion.'
सुराणां च यथा विष्णुस्तपतां च यथा रविः । मेरुःशिखरिणां यद्वद्वैनतेयश्च पक्षिणाम्
As Viṣṇu is among the gods, as the sun is among ascetics, as Meru is among mountains, and as Garuḍa is among birds,
तीर्थानां तु यथा गंगा प्रजानां तु यथा वणिक् । श्रेष्ठं सर्वव्रतानां तु तद्वन्मासोपवासनम्
As Gaṅgā is among holy places, as the merchant is among people, so is fasting for a month the best among all vows.
सर्वव्रतेषु यत्पुण्यं सर्वतीर्थेषु चैव हि । सर्वदानोद्भवं चैव लभेन्मासोपवासकृत्
Whatever merit is gained from all vows, from all holy places, and from all acts of giving, is obtained by one who fasts for a month.
अग्निष्टोमादिभिर्यज्ञैर्विविधैर्भूरिदक्षिणैः । न तत्पुण्यमवाप्नोति यन्मासपरिलंघनात्
Not even by various sacrifices like Agniṣṭoma with abundant gifts does one attain the merit that comes from observing the month-long vow.
तेन जप्तं हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं स्वधा । यः करोति विधानेन नरो मासमुपोषणम्
Whatever is recited, offered, given, or austerity performed, and whatever svadhā is done, all this is accomplished by one who observes the month-long vow according to the rules.
उद्दिश्य वैष्णवं यज्ञं मामभ्यर्च्य जनार्दनम् । गुरोराज्ञां ततो लब्ध्वा कुर्यान्मासोपवासनम्
Having worshipped me, Janārdana, with a Vaiṣṇava sacrifice, and having received the guru's command, one should undertake the month-long fast.
वैष्णवानि यथोक्तानि कृत्वा सर्वव्रतानि तु । द्वादश्यादीनि पुण्यानि ततो मासमुपावसेत्
Having performed all the Vaiṣṇava vows as prescribed, and the auspicious twelfth and other days, then one should fast for a month.
अतिकृच्छ्रं च पाराकं कृत्वा चांद्रायणं ततः । मासोपवासं कुर्वीत गुरोर्विप्राज्ञया ततः
After undertaking the severe pārāka and the cāndrāyaṇa penance, one should then observe a month-long fast, as instructed by the guru or a learned Brahmin.
आश्विनस्यामले पक्षे एकादश्यामुपोषितः । व्रतमेनं तु गृह्णीयाद्यावत्त्रिंशद्दिनानि तु
On the pure fortnight of Āśvina, having fasted on the eleventh day, one should take up this vow for thirty days.
वासुदेवं समभ्यर्च्य कार्तिकं सकलं नरः । मासं चोपवसेद्यस्तु स मुक्तिफलभाग्भवेत्
Having worshipped Vāsudeva throughout the entire month of Kārtika, whoever observes the fast for the month becomes a recipient of the fruit of liberation.
अच्युतस्यालये भक्त्या त्रिकालं कुमुदैः शुभैः । मालतींदीवर्रैबुध्नैः कमलैश्च सुगंधिभिः
In the abode of Acyuta, with devotion, three times daily, using auspicious kumuda flowers, mālatī, nīlotpala, and fragrant lotuses,