सांख्यकास्तार्किकाः श्रौतास्तेषां शब्दापशब्दजात् । मलात्पूता द्वितीयायां ततोर्थे निर्मला च सा
Followers of Sāṃkhya, logicians, and ritualists—those who use words and non-words—are purified on the second day from impurity; for this reason, it is also pure.
कृष्णस्य जन्मना वत्स त्रैलोक्यं पावितं भवेत् । नभस्येते विनिर्दिष्टा निर्मला सा तिथिर्बुधैः
By the birth of Kṛṣṇa, O child, the three worlds became purified; on the day designated in the month of Nabhas, that lunar day is called pure by the wise.
अग्निष्वात्ता बर्हिषद आज्यपाः सोमपास्तथा । पितॄन्पितामहान्प्रेतसंचारात्प्रेतसंचरा
The Agniṣvāttas, Barhiṣads, Ājyapās, and Somapās—ancestors and forefathers—are called 'moving among the dead' because of their connection with the departed.
प्रेतास्तु पितरः प्रोक्तास्तेषां तस्यां तु संचरः । पुत्रपौत्रेस्तुदौहित्रैः स्वधामंत्रैस्तु पूजिताः
The ancestors are called 'the departed,' and their movement occurs on that day; honored by sons, grandsons, and daughter's sons with offerings and mantras.
श्राद्धदानमखैस्तृप्ता यांत्यतः प्रेतसंचरा । महालये तु प्रेतानां संचारो भुवि दृश्यते
Satisfied by offerings, gifts, and sacrifices, they depart; therefore, it is called 'the movement of the departed.' In the great fortnight, the movement of the departed is seen on earth.
तेनैषा प्रेतसंचारा कीर्तिता शिखिवाहन । यमस्य क्रियते पूजा यतोऽस्या पावके नरैः
Therefore, O peacock-bannered one, it is called 'the movement of the departed.' On this day, worship of Yama is performed with fire by men.
तेनैषा याम्यका प्रोक्ता सत्यं सत्यं मयोदितम् । एतत्कार्तिकमाहात्म्यं ये शृण्वंति नरोत्तमाः
Therefore, it is called Yama's day; truly, truly, I have spoken. Those best of men who hear this greatness of Kārtika—
कार्तिकस्नानजं पुण्यं तेषां भवति निश्चितम्
Certainly, for them arises the merit born of bathing in Kārtika.
कार्तिके च द्वितीयायां पूर्वाह्णे यममर्चयेत् । भानुजायां नरः स्नात्वा यमलोकं न पश्यति
On the second day of the bright fortnight in Kārtika, one should worship Yama in the forenoon; a man who bathes on Bhānudvitiya does not see the realm of Yama.
कार्तिके शुक्लपक्षे तु द्वितीयायां तु शौनक । यमो यमुनया पूर्वं भोजितः स्वगृहेऽचितः
O Śaunaka, on the second day of the bright half of Kārtika, Yama was once fed and honored in his own house by Yamunā.
द्वितीयायां महोत्सर्गो नारकीयाश्च तर्पिताः । पापेभ्यो विप्रयुक्तास्ते मुक्ताः सर्वनिबंधनात्
On the second day, there is a great offering, and those bound for hell are satisfied; separated from their sins, they are freed from all bonds.
आशंसिताश्च संतुष्टाः स्थिताः सर्वे यदृच्छया । तेषां महोत्सवो वृत्तो यमराष्ट्रसुखावहः
All those who were hopeful and content remain as they wish; for them, a great festival has occurred, bringing happiness in Yama's realm.
अतो यमद्वितीयेयं त्रिषुलोकेषु विश्रुता । तस्मान्निजगृहे विप्र न भोक्तव्यं ततो बुधैः
Therefore, this Yama-dvitiya is renowned in the three worlds; thus, O learned one, one should not eat in one's own house on this day.
स्नेहेन भगिनीहस्ताद्भोक्तव्यं पुष्टिवर्द्धनं । दानानि च प्रदेयानि भगिनीभ्यो विधानतः
With affection, one should eat food given by the sister, which increases strength; and gifts should be properly given to sisters.
स्वर्णालंकारवस्त्राणि पूजासत्कारसंयुतम् । भोक्तव्यं सह जायाश्च भगिन्याहस्ततः परम्
Gold, ornaments, and garments, along with worship and hospitality, should be enjoyed together with one's wife, receiving food from the sister's hand thereafter.
सर्वासु भगिनीहस्ताद्भोक्तव्यं बलवर्द्धनम् । ऊर्जे शुक्लद्वितीयायां पूजितस्तर्पितो यमः
From the hands of all sisters, one should eat nourishing food; on the bright second day of Ūrja, Yama is worshipped and satisfied.
महिषासनमारूढो दंडमुद्गरभृत्प्रभुः । वेष्टितः किंकरैहृष्टैस्तस्मै याम्यात्मने नमः 6.122.
Seated on a buffalo throne, holding staff and mace, the lord surrounded by delighted attendants—to that Yama, embodiment of restraint, I bow.
यैर्भगिन्यः सुवासिन्यो वस्त्रदानादि तोषिताः । न तेषां वत्सरं यावत्कलहो न रिपोर्भयम्
Those whose married sisters are pleased by gifts of garments and the like, for them, throughout the year, there is neither quarrel nor fear from enemies.
धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं धर्मकामार्थसाधनम् । व्याख्यातं सकलं पुत्र सरहस्यं मयानघ
Blessed, renowned, long-lived, and fulfilling righteousness, desire, and wealth—O sinless one, I have explained to you all this secret in full.
यस्यां तिथौ यमुनया यमराजदेवः संभोजितः प्रतितिथौ स्वसृसौहृदेन । तस्मात्स्वसुः करतलादिह यो भुनक्ति प्राप्नोति वित्तशुभसंपदमुत्तमां सः
On that date when Yamarāja was fed by Yamunā, and on every such occasion through the affection of his sister—whoever eats from the sister's hand here attains the highest prosperity, wealth, and good fortune.
इति श्रीपाद्मेमहापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्ससहस्रसंहितायामुत्तरखंडे कार्तिकमाहात्म्ये। द्वाविंशत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred and twenty-second chapter in the section on the greatness of Kārtika, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, comprising fifty-five thousand verses.
कार्तवीर्य उवाच। हेतुना केन विप्रर्षे माघस्नाने महाद्भुतः । प्रभावो वर्ण्यते नूनं तन्मे कथय सुव्रत
Kārtavīrya said: By what reason, O best of sages, is such wondrous power described in the Māgha bath? Tell me this, O virtuous one.
गतपापो यदेकेन द्वितीयेन दिवं गतः । वैश्योऽसौ माघपुण्येन ब्रूहि मे तत्कुतूहलम्
How did a merchant, freed from sin by one act and attaining heaven by another, gain such merit through the Māgha observance? Tell me, for I am curious.
दत्तात्रेय उवाच। निसर्गात्सलिलं मेध्यं निर्मलं शुचिपांडुरम् । मलहं पुरुषव्याघ्र द्रावकं दाहनाशनम् । तारकं सर्वभूतानां पोषणं जीवनं च यत्
Dattātreya said: By nature, water is pure, clear, and white for the pure; it removes impurity, dissolves, destroys burning, saves all beings, nourishes, and gives life.
आपो नारायणोदेवः सर्ववेदेषु पठ्यते । ग्रहाणां च यथा सूर्यो नक्षत्राणां यथा शशी । मासानां च तथा माघः श्रेष्ठः सर्वेषु कर्मसु
Water is called Nārāyaṇa in all the Vedas; as the sun is chief among planets, as the moon among stars, so Māgha is the best among months for all rites.
मकरस्थे रवौ माघे प्रातः काले तथाऽमले । गोष्पदेऽपि जले स्नानं स्वर्गदं पापिनामपि
When the sun is in Capricorn during Māgha, bathing even in a cow's hoofprint of pure water at dawn grants heaven, even to sinners.
योगोऽयं दुर्लभो राजंस्त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे । अस्मिन्योगे त्वशक्तोऽपि स्नायाद्यदि दिनत्रयम्
O King, this yoga is rare among all beings in the three worlds; even if one is unable to perform this yoga, if he bathes for three days,
दद्यात्किंचिदशक्तोऽपि दरिद्राभाववांच्छया । त्रिस्नानेनापि माघस्य धनिनो दीर्घजीविनः
or if, being unable, he gives even a little out of a desire to remove poverty, then by bathing thrice in Māgha, even the wealthy and long-lived benefit.
पंच वा सप्त वाहानि चंद्रवद्वर्धते फलम् । संप्राप्ते मकरादित्ये पुण्ये पुण्यप्रदे नृणाम्
Whether for five or seven days, the result increases like the moon; when the sun enters Capricorn, it brings merit and bestows virtue upon people.
सत्कार्यास्तिथयः सर्वा स्नानदानादि कर्मसु । कर्तारं दापयंतीह ह्यक्षयं शाश्वतं पदम्
All good deeds and guests, in acts such as bathing and giving, grant the doer here an imperishable and eternal state.