सूत उवाच । शृणु शौनक वक्ष्यामि शृण्वतां पापनाशनम् । येन विष्णोः कृपा स्याद्वै वृजिनक्षयकारिणी
Suta said: Listen, O Shaunaka, I will tell you what destroys sins for those who hear; by which the grace of Vishnu arises, causing the removal of wrongdoing.
पौर्णमास्यां तु यो विप्र भक्तिभावसमन्वितः । कुर्य्यान्नानाविधानेन सपर्य्यां श्रीजगद्विभोः
On the full moon day, O Brahmin, whoever, filled with devotion, performs various kinds of worship for the Lord of the universe—
कलुषं तस्य नश्येत कोटिजन्मार्जितं मुने । तस्मिन्श्रीरमणस्यास्य कृपा जाता भवेद्ध्रुवम्
His impurity, accumulated over millions of births, is destroyed, O sage; and certainly, the compassion of Shri Rama arises for him.
द्वादश्यामन्नदानं यो भक्त्या कुर्याद्द्विजातये । तस्य नश्यंति पापानि तमांसी वारुणोदये
Whoever gives food in charity to a twice-born with devotion on the twelfth day, his sins are destroyed like darkness at sunrise.
यो नरः श्रीहरिं कुर्यात्स्नपनं पयसा द्विज । तत्प्रीतिः श्रीहरेः सद्यो द्वादश्यां शर्करादिभिः
Whoever, O Brahmin, bathes Shri Hari with milk, especially on the twelfth day with sugar and the like, immediately wins the favor of Shri Hari.
मंत्रं विना तु यो विप्र दद्याच्छ्रीहरये किल । पाषाणसदृशं पुष्पं दाता याति अधोगतिम्
But, O Brahmin, whoever gives to Shri Hari without a mantra, or offers a flower like a stone, the giver goes to a lower state.
क्ष्मासुराय च मूर्खाय पाषाणसदृशं तु यत् । दद्याद्दानं नरो यो वै तस्य पुण्यं न विद्यते
And if a man gives a gift like a stone to an unworthy or ignorant person, he gains no merit from that gift.
विद्याहीनो द्विजो मोहाद्दानं गृह्णाति मूढधीः । कालानलं यथा जीर्णं तेन स निरयं व्रजेत्
A twice-born who, lacking knowledge, foolishly accepts a gift, goes to hell, just as one who swallows old fire.
यथा दारुमयो हस्ती मृगश्चित्रमयो यथा । विद्याहीनो द्विजो विप्र त्रयस्ते नामधारकाः
Just as an elephant made of wood or a deer made of paint, so is a twice-born without knowledge—these three are only bearers of a name.
यथाध्वनिस्थितं वारि पवनार्केण शुद्ध्यति । भक्त्या तु पार्षदं दृष्ट्वा तस्य नश्यति कल्मषम्
Just as water on a road is purified by wind and sun, so by seeing a devotee with devotion, one's impurity is destroyed.
यो नरश्चाश्विने मासि सघृतान्पूर्णिमा दिने । दद्याच्छ्रीहरये लाजान्क्रीडार्थं तु वराटिकाम्
Whoever, in the month of Ashvina, on the full moon day, gives to Shri Hari puffed rice with ghee, or a coin for play,
भक्त्या याति हरेः स्थानं पुनरावृत्तिवर्जितः । न दद्याद्यो नरो मोहात्तस्मिन्न तुष्टिदो हरिः
With devotion, he attains the abode of Hari, free from return; but if a man, out of delusion, does not give, Hari is not pleased with him.
वराटिकां यावतीं यो हरये पौर्णिमादिने । तावद्दिनं हरेः स्थानं चाश्विने संवसेद्ध्रुवम्
Whoever offers as many small coins as he is able to Hari on the day of the full moon, will surely reside for that many days in the abode of Hari in the month of Ashvina.
करवीरपुरे ह्यासीत्पुरा शूद्रोऽपि निर्द्दयः । कालद्विजो द्विजश्रेष्ठ नाम्ना पापी भयंकरः
In the city of Karavīrapura, there once lived a merciless Śūdra named Kāladvija, O best of twice-born, a sinful and terrifying man.
स्वकार्यनिरतः सोऽपि स्वामिकार्यप्रणाशकः । एकदा पंचतां यातो यमदूता भयंकराः
He was always engaged in his own affairs, yet destroyed his master's work; one day, he died, and dreadful messengers of Yama approached.
आगतास्तं समानेतुं यमस्यतु निकेतनम् । बद्ध्वा निन्युश्च तं दृष्ट्वा पृष्टवान्सचिवं यमः
They came to bring him to the abode of Yama; after binding him and leading him away, Yama, seeing him, questioned his minister.
यम उवाच । अस्य किं विद्यतेऽमात्य कर्मापि च शुभाशुभम् । कथयस्व समूलं तु चित्रगुप्त विचक्षण
Yama said: 'O wise Citragupta, tell me in detail what deeds, good or bad, this man has performed.'
चित्रगुप्त उवाच। असौ पापी दुराचारः स्वामिकार्यप्रणाशकः । नास्ति पुण्यं चाणुमात्रं नरके परिपच्यताम्
Citragupta said: 'This sinner, of evil conduct, destroyer of his master's work, has not even a particle of merit; let him be thoroughly cooked in hell.'
शतमन्वन्तरं राजन्नागयोनौ च निष्ठुरः । पाषाणे जन्म चासाद्य गृहे स्थातुं निरंतरम्
O King, for a hundred manvantaras, he will be cruel in the womb of a serpent, and, having obtained birth as a stone, will remain in a house continually.
सूत उवाच । तावत्कालं ततो विप्र निरये स पपात ह । ततोऽप्यश्मगृहे नागयोनौ जातः सुदुःखितः
Sūta said: 'For that period, O Brāhmaṇa, he fell into hell; then, in a house of stone, he was born in the serpent's womb, greatly afflicted.'
एकदा चाश्विने मासि पौर्णमासीदिने द्विज । लाजान्वराटिका नागो बिलात्प्राक्षेपयद्बहिः
Once, O Brāhmaṇa, on the day of the full moon in the month of Ashvina, the serpent cast out from its hole a measure of parched rice and a small coin.
पतिता सा हरेरग्रे पापमस्य स्वयं हरिः । तूर्णं तु नाशयामास दयालुर्दुःखनाशकः
That offering fell before Hari; the Lord himself, compassionate and remover of suffering, swiftly destroyed his sin.
कदाचित्प्राप्तकालस्तु पंचत्वं स जगाम ह । यमदूतास्तमानेतुं चागता बहुशो द्विज
When the destined time arrived, he died; then, O Brāhmaṇa, many messengers of Yama came to take him.
बद्ध्वा नेतुं यदा चक्रुर्यमस्य सदनं प्रति । तदागता विष्णुदूताः शंखचक्रगदाधराः
When they bound him and prepared to lead him to Yama's abode, then arrived the messengers of Viṣṇu, bearing conch, discus, and mace.
पाशं छित्त्वा रथे दिव्ये तमाशुगतकिल्बिषम् । तत्र चारोपयामासुः यमदूताः पलायिताः
Cutting the noose, they placed him, freed from sin, on a divine chariot; the messengers of Yama fled from there.
ततो निकेतनं विष्णोर्नागस्तैर्वेष्टितो ययौ । तत्र तस्थौ हरेरग्रे पुनरावर्त्तिवर्जितः
Then, surrounded by them, the serpent went to Viṣṇu's abode; there he remained before Hari, free from further rebirth.
भक्त्या यो हरये दद्याल्लाजांश्च सघृतान्द्विज । वराटिकां तस्य पुण्यं न जाने किं भवेद्ध्रुवम्
Whoever, with devotion, offers parched rice mixed with ghee and a small coin to Hari, O Brāhmaṇa, I do not know what merit he will not surely obtain.
य इमं शृणुयाद्विप्र चाध्यायं पापनाशनम् । तस्य नश्यंति पापानि श्रीहरेः कृपयापि च
Whoever hears, O Brāhmaṇa, this chapter that destroys sin, his sins are destroyed by the grace of Śrī Hari.
शौनकउवाच। माहात्म्यं ब्रूहि सर्वज्ञ शृण्वतां पापनाशनम् । सर्वप्राणिहितार्थाय तुलस्या अनुकंपया
Śaunaka said: 'O all-knowing one, tell the greatness that destroys sin to those who listen, for the welfare of all beings, out of compassion for Tulasī.'
सूत उवाच। तुलस्याः परिसरे यस्य काननं तिष्ठति द्विज । गृहस्य तीर्थरूपत्वान्नायांति यमकिंकराः
Sūta said: 'O Brāhmaṇa, at whose dwelling there is a grove of Tulasī, because the house is like a sacred place, the servants of Yama do not approach there.'