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.
ब्रह्मोवाच- शृणुष्वावहितो विप्र तवाग्रे कथयाम्यहम् । जयंत्या उपवासेन विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति
Brahmā said: Listen attentively, O brāhmaṇa, I will tell you in your presence; by observing the fast of Jayantī, one attains the world of Viṣṇu.
स्मरणात्कीर्तनात्पापं सप्तजन्मार्जितं मुने । जयंती दहते तच्च किं पुनः सोपवासकृत्
By remembrance and recitation alone, Jayantī burns away the sins accumulated over seven births, O sage; what then if one observes it with fasting?
जन्माष्टमी च नवमी चैत्रे मासि सिता शुभा । कृष्णा चतुर्दशी कुंभे मेषे शुक्ला चतुर्दशी
The auspicious Jayantī days are: the eighth and ninth lunar days in the bright half of Caitra; the fourteenth in the dark half in Kumbha; the fourteenth in the bright half in Meṣa.
दुर्गाष्टम्याश्विने शुक्ला द्वादशी श्रवणान्विता । महापुण्याश्च शुभदा जयंत्यः षट्प्रकीर्तिताः
On the eighth day of Durgā in the bright half of Āśvina, and the twelfth joined with Śravaṇa—these six Jayantīs are declared to be of great merit and bestow auspiciousness.
कृष्णजन्माष्टमी पूर्वा प्रसिद्धा पापनाशिनी । क्रतुकोटिसमा ह्येषा तीर्थानामयुतैः समा
The well-known Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī, destroyer of sins, is equal to ten million sacrifices and to ten thousand holy places.
कर्ता गवां सहस्रं तु यो ददाति दिनेदिने । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
Whoever gives a thousand cows daily attains that same fruit by observing the fast of Jayantī.
हेमभारसहस्रं तु कुरुक्षेत्रे रविग्रहे । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
One attains the same fruit as giving a thousand loads of gold at Kurukṣetra during a solar eclipse by observing the fast of Jayantī.
कृष्णाजिनसहस्राणि तिलधेनुशतानि च । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
One attains the same fruit as giving a thousand black antelope skins and a hundred sesame cows by observing the fast of Jayantī.
कन्याकोटिसहस्राणां दाने भवति यत्फलम् । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
The fruit obtained by giving away a hundred million maidens in charity is attained by observing the fast of Jayantī.
ससागरामिमां पृथ्वीं दत्वा यल्लभते फलम् । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
The fruit gained by giving this earth, with its oceans, is attained by observing the fast of Jayantī.
वापीकूपतडागदि कर्तव्यं देवतालये । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
The fruit of constructing wells, ponds, and tanks in temples is attained by observing the fast of Jayantī.
मातापित्रोर्गुरूणां च भक्तिं युक्तः करोति यः । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
Whoever serves parents and teachers with devotion attains that same fruit by observing the fast of Jayantī.
आपदाहरणार्थाय तीर्थसेवाकृतात्मनाम् । सत्यव्रतानां यत्पुण्यं जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
The merit gained by those devoted to pilgrimage and truthfulness, for the removal of calamities, is obtained by fasting on Jayantī.
गंगायां नर्मदायां यत्पुण्यं सारस्वते जले । स्नात्वा पुण्यमवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
The merit one attains by bathing in the waters of the Gaṅgā, Narmadā, or Sarasvatī is gained by fasting on Jayantī.
यत्पुण्यं श्राद्धकर्तॄणां पितॄणामिंदुसंक्षये । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
The fruit that comes to ancestors from śrāddha rites performed at the waning of the moon is attained by fasting on Jayantī.
नारद उवाच- केनकेन कृता पूर्वं कथयस्व पितामह । ब्रह्मोवाच- कार्तवीर्येण कर्णेन कुमारेण च धीमता
Nārada said: By whom was it performed in the past? Tell me, O Grandfather. Brahmā said: By Kārtavīrya, Karṇa, and the wise Kumāra.
सगरेण दिलीपेन काकुस्थेन कृता पुरा । गौतमेन च गार्ग्येण जामदग्न्येन धीमता
Formerly it was performed by Sagara, Dilīpa, Kākutstha, Gautama, Gārgya, and the wise Jāmadagnya.
वाल्मीकिना कृता पूर्वं द्रौपदेयेन साधुना । ददाति वांछितान्कामान्भाद्रपस्य सिताष्टमी
It was performed in ancient times by Vālmīki and the virtuous son of Draupadī; the Bhādrapada month’s bright eighth day grants all desired wishes.
प्राजापत्यर्क्षसंयुक्ता विशेषेण मताष्टमी । वर्षेवर्षे प्रकर्तव्या प्रीत्यर्थे चक्रपाणिनः
The eighth day, especially when joined with the constellation of Prajāpati, is to be observed each year for the pleasure of the discus-bearing Lord.
कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं मुहूर्तेन विलीयते । रात्रौ जागरणं कृत्वा निष्ठापूर्वं जितेंद्रियः
Sin accumulated over millions of births is dissolved in a moment by keeping vigil at night with controlled senses and proper resolve.