सुरसं सर्पिषायुक्तं दद्याद्यो हरयेपि च । सर्वपापैर्विनिर्मुक्तः स गच्छेद्धरिमंदिरम्
Whoever gives to Hari a delicious preparation mixed with ghee during Kartika, is freed from all sins and goes to Hari's abode.
कार्तिके यो नरो दद्यादेकपद्मं हरावपि । अंते विष्णुपदं गच्छेत्सर्वपापविवर्जितः
Whoever gives even a single lotus to Hari during Kartika, at the end attains the feet of Vishnu, free from all sin.
प्रातःस्नानं नरो यो वै कार्तिके श्रीहरिप्रिये । करोतिसर्वतीर्थेषुयत्स्नात्वातत्फलंलभेत्
Whoever, during Kartika, dear to Shri Hari, bathes in the morning, attains the fruit of bathing in all sacred waters.
कार्तिके यो नरो दद्यात्प्रदीपं नभसि द्विजः । विप्रहत्यादिभिः पापैर्मुक्तो गच्छेद्धरेर्गृहम्
Whoever, O twice-born, gives a lamp in the sky during Kartika, is freed from sins such as killing a Brahmin and goes to Hari's abode.
मुहूर्तमपि यो दद्यात्कार्त्तिके प्रीतये हरेः । दीपं नभसि विप्रेन्द्र तस्मिंस्तुष्टः सदा हरिः
Even if one gives a lamp in the sky for a moment during Kartika for Hari's pleasure, O best of Brahmins, Hari is always pleased with him.
यो दद्याच्च गृहे दीपं कृष्णस्य सघृतं द्विजः । कार्तिके चाश्वमेधस्य फलं स्याद्वै दिनेदिने
Whoever, O twice-born, gives a lamp with ghee in Krishna's house during Kartika, attains the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice each day.
प्रदीपस्य च माहात्म्यं विशेषमुच्यते मया । निशामय द्विजश्रेष्ठ सेतिहासं समाहितः
Now I will tell you in detail the special greatness of the lamp; listen attentively, O best of twice-born, to this ancient story.
पूर्वं त्रेतायुगे विप्रो वैकुंठो नामतः शुचिः । यस्य संगप्रभावेण मुक्तो भवति पातकी
In former times, in the Tretā Yuga, there was a pure-hearted brāhmaṇa named Vaikuṇṭha; by his association, even a sinner could become liberated.
एकदा कार्तिके सोऽपि प्रदीपं पुरतो हरेः । दत्वा गृहं गतो विप्रो घृतपूर्णं द्विजर्षभः
Once, during the month of Kārtika, that foremost brāhmaṇa offered a lamp filled with ghee before Hari and then returned home.
सर्पिस्तत्स्वादितु चाखुरागतोऽपि प्रदीपतः । यावत्खादितुमारेभे बोधितोऽसौ प्रदीपकः
At that time, a mouse, drawn by the scent of the ghee, approached the lamp; as it began to eat, it was startled by the lamp itself.
मूषकोऽग्निभयात्तत्र वेगेनापि पलायितः । आखोश्च सकलं पापं विनष्टं कृपया हरेः
Out of fear of the fire, the mouse quickly fled from there; by the compassion of Hari, all the sins of the mouse were destroyed.
सर्पेण दंशितश्चाखुः प्राणत्यागं चकार ह । ततो यमाज्ञया दूताः पाशमुद्गरपाणयः
Bitten by a snake, the mouse gave up its life; then, by the command of Yama, messengers bearing nooses and clubs arrived.
आगतास्तं समानेतुं बबंधुश्चर्मरज्जुभिः । यावन्नेतुं मनश्चक्रुः शंखचक्रगदाधराः
They came to take it away and bound it with leather straps; but as they prepared to lead it off, those bearing conch, discus, and mace appeared.
आगता गरुडारूढा विष्णुदूताश्चतुर्भुजाः । विमानं गगने चैव राजहंसयुतं शुभम्
Vishnu’s messengers, four-armed and riding Garuḍa, arrived; in the sky was a splendid celestial chariot adorned with royal swans.
निर्मितं कनकैः शुद्धैः कामगं कृपया हरेः । पाशं छित्वा ततो दूताः प्रोचुस्ते यमकिंकरान्
That chariot, made of pure gold and able to go wherever desired by Hari’s grace, was prepared; then the messengers cut the noose and addressed Yama’s servants.
विष्णुभक्तोऽप्यसौ मूढा व्यर्थं तु बंधनं कृतम् । गच्छध्वं शमनप्रेष्या यदि वांछास्ति जीवितुम्
This one is a devotee of Vishnu, though deluded; your binding was in vain. Go away, servants of Yama, if you wish to live.
श्रुत्वा प्रकंपितास्ते वै पृच्छंति विनयान्विताः । केन पुण्यप्रभावेण युष्माभिर्नीयते पुरम्
Hearing this, they trembled and humbly asked: By what power of merit is he being taken by you to your city?
असौ विष्णोर्महापापी यूयं तद्वक्तुमर्हथ । विष्णुदूता ऊचुः- पुरतो वासुदेवस्य प्रदीपबोधनं कृतम्
He is a great sinner devoted to Vishnu; you ought to explain this. The messengers of Vishnu said: He awakened the lamp before Vāsudeva.
तेनैव कर्मणा दूता नयामो विष्णुमंदिरम् । अनिच्छयापि यः कुर्याद्विष्णोर्दीपस्य बोधनम्
By that very act, O messengers, we are taking him to Vishnu’s abode; even if done unintentionally, one who awakens the lamp of Vishnu—
कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं त्यक्त्वा याति हरेर्गृहम् । भक्त्या प्रदीपं यो दद्यात्कार्तिके तु हरेर्दिनैः
—leaves behind sins accumulated over millions of births and goes to Hari’s home; and one who offers a lamp with devotion to Hari during Kārtika—
तस्य पुण्यं समाख्यातुं न शक्तो हरिणा विना । घृतपूर्णप्रदीपं यो भक्त्या दद्याद्धरेर्गृहे
—his merit cannot be described except by Hari himself; one who with devotion offers a lamp full of ghee in Hari’s temple—
अश्वमेधसहस्रेण तस्य किं वा प्रयोजनम् । अश्वमेधप्रकर्ता यः स्वर्गं याति हरेर्दिने
—what need has he for a thousand horse sacrifices? The performer of a horse sacrifice attains heaven on Hari’s day—
कार्तिके दीपदाता च स गच्छेद्धरिमंदिरम् । व्यास उवाच- इति श्रुत्वा ततो दूता गतास्ते वै यथागताः
—but the giver of a lamp in Kārtika goes to Hari’s abode. Vyāsa said: Hearing thus, the messengers departed as they had come.
विष्णुदूता रथे कृत्वा गतास्तं विष्णुमंदिरम् । विष्णुसान्निध्य एवास्य मन्वंतरशतं गतम्
The messengers of Vishnu placed him on the chariot and went to Vishnu’s abode; there, in the presence of Vishnu, he passed a hundred ages of Manu.
ततो मर्त्ये राजकन्या बभूव कृपया हरेः । पुत्रपौत्रसमायुक्ता चिरं भोगं चकार सा
Then, by the compassion of Hari, she was born as a royal princess among mortals, and, endowed with sons and grandsons, she enjoyed pleasures for a long time.
इतः पुनर्गता सा तु गोलोकं हरिसेवया । सूत उवाच- भक्त्या शृणोति यो मर्त्यो दीपमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्
Afterwards, through service to Hari, she went to Goloka; Sūta said: Whoever among mortals listens with devotion to this supreme glory of the lamp—
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः स याति विष्णुमंदिरम्
He, freed from all sins, attains the abode of Viṣṇu.
शौनक उवाच- जयंत्याः सूत माहात्म्यं कदा सा क्रियते जनैः । कथयस्व मयि त्वं वै पोतः संसारसागरे
Śaunaka said: O Sūta, when is the glory of Jayantī observed by people? Tell me, for you are the boat in the ocean of worldly existence.
सूत उवाच- शृणु विप्र प्रवक्ष्यामि यत्पृष्टो मुनिसत्तम । पुरा ब्रह्मा नारदेन पृष्ट एतत्सुरालये
Sūta said: Listen, O brāhmaṇa, I will tell you what you have asked, O best of sages; formerly, Brahmā was asked this by Nārada in the assembly of the gods.
नारद उवाच- जयंत्याश्चैव माहात्म्यं कथयस्व पितामह । यच्छ्रुत्वाहं गमिष्यामि तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्
Nārada said: O Grandfather, tell me also the glory of Jayantī; hearing which, I shall attain the supreme abode of Viṣṇu.