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.
गंधपुष्पादिनैवेद्यैः पूजनीयः पृथक्पृथक् । एवं यः कुरुते विप्र जयंतीसमुपोषणम्
With fragrances, flowers, and offerings, one should worship each deity separately; thus, O brāhmaṇa, one observes the Jayantī fast.
कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं ज्ञानतोऽज्ञानतः कृतम्
Sin accumulated over millions of births, committed knowingly or unknowingly,
प्रसादाद्देवकीसूनोर्यामार्द्धेन विलीयते । जयंतीतिथिसंप्राप्तौ भुंजते ये नराधमाः
is dissolved by the grace of Devakī’s son in half a moment; but those base men who eat on the Jayantī day,
त्रैलोक्यसंभवं पापं भुंजते ते न संशयः । सागराद्यानि तीर्थानि मुक्तस्थानानि सर्वशः
certainly partake of the sins arising from the three worlds; all holy places beginning with the ocean, all places of liberation,
गृहे तिष्ठंति सर्वांगे जयंतीव्रतकारिणः । तस्य सर्वाणि तीर्थानि देहे तिष्ठंति देवताः
reside in the body and home of one who observes the Jayantī vow; all the holy places and deities dwell in his body.
करोति यो नरो भक्त्या जयंतीं कृष्णवल्लभाम् । न वेदेन पुराणेन मया दृष्टं महामुने
O great sage, I have not seen in the Vedas or Purāṇas any vow equal to or greater than the Jayantī, beloved of Kṛṣṇa, performed with devotion.
तत्समं नाधिकं वापि कृष्णराधाष्टमीव्रतम् । न करोति नरो भक्त्या स भवेत्क्रूरराक्षसः
Neither equal nor superior to it is the Kṛṣṇarādhāṣṭamī vow; one who does not perform it with devotion becomes a cruel demon.
यो नरोऽश्नाति मूढात्मा जयंतीवासरे द्विज । महानरकमश्नाति यथा च हरिवासरे
A man of deluded mind who eats on the day of Jayantī, O twice-born, suffers great hell, just as on the day of Hari.
अतीतमागतं यस्तु कुलमेकोत्तरं शतम् । पतेत्तु नरके घोरे जयंत्यां भोजनेन वै
Whoever eats on Jayantī causes a hundred generations, past and future, of his lineage to fall into terrible hell.
जयंती बुधवारे च रोहिण्या सहिता यदा । भवेच्च मुनिशार्दूल किं कृतैर्व्रतकोटिभिः
When Jayantī falls on a Wednesday together with Rohiṇī, O best of sages, what is the use of performing millions of vows?