यथाध्वनिस्थितं वारि पवनार्केण शुद्ध्यति । भक्त्या तु पार्षदं दृष्ट्वा तस्य नश्यति कल्मषम्
Just as water on the road is purified by wind and sun, so too, 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 Āśvina, on the full moon day, gives to Śrī Hari parched rice mixed with ghee, or a small coin for play—
भक्त्या याति हरेः स्थानं पुनरावृत्तिवर्जितः । न दद्याद्यो नरो मोहात्तस्मिन्न तुष्टिदो हरिः
With devotion, he attains the abode of Hari, never to return again; but one who, out of delusion, does not give, does not please Hari.
वराटिकां यावतीं यो हरये पौर्णिमादिने । तावद्दिनं हरेः स्थानं चाश्विने संवसेद्ध्रुवम्
As many coins as one gives to Hari on the full moon day, for that many days he surely dwells in Hari's abode in the month of Āśvina.
करवीरपुरे ह्यासीत्पुरा शूद्रोऽपि निर्द्दयः । कालद्विजो द्विजश्रेष्ठ नाम्ना पापी भयंकरः
In the city of Karavīra, there once lived a merciless Śūdra named Kāladvija, O best of twice-born, a sinful and fearsome man.
स्वकार्यनिरतः सोऽपि स्वामिकार्यप्रणाशकः । एकदा पंचतां यातो यमदूता भयंकराः
He was always engaged in his own affairs and destroyed his master's work; once, when he died, the terrifying messengers of Yama came for him.
आगतास्तं समानेतुं यमस्यतु निकेतनम् । बद्ध्वा निन्युश्च तं दृष्ट्वा पृष्टवान्सचिवं यमः
Those who had come to bring him to Yama's abode bound him and led him away; seeing this, Yama 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 one has performed.
चित्रगुप्त उवाच। असौ पापी दुराचारः स्वामिकार्यप्रणाशकः । नास्ति पुण्यं चाणुमात्रं नरके परिपच्यताम्
Citragupta said: He is sinful, of wicked conduct, and a destroyer of his master's work; he has not even a particle of merit—let him be tormented in hell.
शतमन्वन्तरं राजन्नागयोनौ च निष्ठुरः । पाषाणे जन्म चासाद्य गृहे स्थातुं निरंतरम्
For a hundred manvantaras, O King, let him be born as a cruel serpent, and then, having obtained birth as a stone, remain in a house continually.
सूत उवाच । तावत्कालं ततो विप्र निरये स पपात ह । ततोऽप्यश्मगृहे नागयोनौ जातः सुदुःखितः
Sūta said: For that time, O brāhmaṇa, he fell into hell; then, after that, he was born in a stone house as a serpent, suffering greatly.
एकदा चाश्विने मासि पौर्णमासीदिने द्विज । लाजान्वराटिका नागो बिलात्प्राक्षेपयद्बहिः
Once, O brāhmaṇa, on the full moon day in the month of Āśvina, the serpent threw out grains of parched rice and a coin from its hole.
पतिता सा हरेरग्रे पापमस्य स्वयं हरिः । तूर्णं तु नाशयामास दयालुर्दुःखनाशकः
That which fell before Hari became the cause of his sin's destruction; the compassionate Hari, the remover of suffering, quickly destroyed it.
कदाचित्प्राप्तकालस्तु पंचत्वं स जगाम ह । यमदूतास्तमानेतुं चागता बहुशो द्विज
When his time came, he died; and many times, O brāhmaṇa, the messengers of Yama came to take him.
बद्ध्वा नेतुं यदा चक्रुर्यमस्य सदनं प्रति । तदागता विष्णुदूताः शंखचक्रगदाधराः
When they bound him to take him to Yama's abode, then the attendants of Viṣṇu, bearing conch, discus, and mace, arrived.
पाशं छित्त्वा रथे दिव्ये तमाशुगतकिल्बिषम् । तत्र चारोपयामासुः यमदूताः पलायिताः
Cutting the noose, they placed him, whose sins had been swiftly removed, on a divine chariot; the messengers of Yama fled.
ततो निकेतनं विष्णोर्नागस्तैर्वेष्टितो ययौ । तत्र तस्थौ हरेरग्रे पुनरावर्त्तिवर्जितः
Then, surrounded by them, the serpent went to Viṣṇu's abode; there he remained before Hari, freed from rebirth.
भक्त्या यो हरये दद्याल्लाजांश्च सघृतान्द्विज । वराटिकां तस्य पुण्यं न जाने किं भवेद्ध्रुवम्
O brāhmaṇa, I do not know what certain merit accrues to one who, with devotion, offers grains mixed with ghee and a coin to Hari.
य इमं शृणुयाद्विप्र चाध्यायं पापनाशनम् । तस्य नश्यंति पापानि श्रीहरेः कृपयापि च
O brāhmaṇa, whoever hears this chapter, which 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, for the benefit of all beings, out of compassion for Tulasī, to those who are listening.
सूत उवाच। तुलस्याः परिसरे यस्य काननं तिष्ठति द्विज । गृहस्य तीर्थरूपत्वान्नायांति यमकिंकराः
Sūta said: O brāhmaṇa, where there is a grove of Tulasī near one's house, because the house becomes like a sacred place, the servants of Yama do not come there.
तुलस्याः काननं विप्र सर्वपापहरं शुभम् । रोपयंति नराः श्रेष्ठास्ते न पश्यंति भास्करिम्
O brāhmaṇa, a grove of Tulasī is auspicious and removes all sins; those excellent people who plant it do not see the abode of the Sun (i.e., do not die untimely).
रोपणं पालनं सेवां दर्शनं स्पर्शनं तु यः । कुर्य्यात्तस्य प्रणष्टं स्यात्सर्वपापं द्विजोत्तम
O best of brāhmaṇas, whoever plants, tends, serves, sees, or touches Tulasī—his every sin is destroyed.
कोमलैस्तुलसीपत्रैरर्चयंति हरिं तु ये । कालस्य सदनं विप्र ते न यांति महाशयाः
O brāhmaṇa, those noble ones who worship Hari with tender Tulasī leaves do not go to the abode of Time (i.e., death).
गंगाद्याः सरितः श्रेष्ठा विष्णु ब्रह्म महेश्वराः । देवैस्तीर्थैः पुष्कराद्यैस्तिष्ठंति तुलसीदले
The foremost rivers such as the Ganges, and Vishnu, Brahma, and Maheshvara, along with the gods, holy places like Pushkara, all reside in a leaf of tulasi.
यो युक्तस्तुलसीपत्रैः पापी प्राणान्विमुञ्चति । विष्णोर्निकेतनं याति सत्यमेतन्मयोदितम्
Whoever, even if sinful, departs from life adorned with tulasi leaves, truly goes to the abode of Vishnu; this I declare as truth.
तुलसीमृत्तिकालिप्तो युक्तः पापशतैरपि । विमुंचति नरः प्राणान्स याति हरिमन्दिरम्
A man, even stained by hundreds of sins, who is anointed with tulasi clay, when he gives up his life, goes to the temple of Hari.
यो नरो धारयेद्विप्र तुलसीकाष्ठचंदनम् । तस्याङ्गं न स्पृशेत्पापं स याति परमं पदम्
O Brahmin, a man who wears tulasi wood and sandalwood does not have sin touch his body; he attains the supreme state.
तुलसीकाष्ठमालां तु कण्ठस्थां वहते तु यः । अप्यशौचोप्यनाचारो भक्त्या याति हरेर्गृहम्
Whoever wears a garland of tulasi wood around his neck, even if impure or of improper conduct, by devotion goes to the house of Hari.
धात्रीफलकृतामाला तुलसीकाष्ठसंभवा । दृश्यते यस्य देहे तु स वै भागवतो नरः
A man on whose body is seen a garland made of dhatri fruit and tulasi wood is indeed a devotee of Bhagavan.