यज्ञादेवाश्च मुनयस्तीर्थानि कार्तिके द्विज । धात्रीवृक्षं समाश्रित्य तिष्ठन्ति कार्तिके सदा
O Brahmin, sacrifices, gods, sages, and holy places, in the month of Kartika, always reside near the dhatri tree.
धात्रीपत्रं कार्तिके च द्वादश्यां तुलसीदलम् । चिनोति यो नरो गच्छेन्निरयं यातनामयम्
Whoever, in Kartika, on the twelfth day, collects dhatri leaves and tulasi leaves, goes to a hell full of torments.
धात्रीछायासु यो विप्र चान्नं भुनक्ति कार्तिके । अन्नसंसर्गजं पापमावर्षं तस्य नश्यति
O Brahmin, whoever eats food in the shade of an emblic tree during Kārtika, all sin arising from contact with food is destroyed for him for a year.
तुलसीवनमध्ये च धात्रीमूले च कार्तिके । कुर्याद्धर्यर्चनं विप्र वैकुण्ठं याति स ध्रुवम्
O Brahmin, one who worships Hari in the middle of a grove of holy basil or at the root of an emblic tree during Kārtika certainly attains Vaikuṇṭha.
तुलसीमूलदेशेऽपि स्थितं वारि द्विजोत्तम । गृह्णाति मस्तके भक्त्या पापी याति हरेर्गृहम्
O best of twice-born, even a sinner who, with devotion, takes water placed at the root of holy basil and touches it to his head, goes to the abode of Hari.
तुलसीपत्रगलितं यस्तोयं शिरसावहेत् । सर्वतीर्थेषु स स्नातश्चांते याति हरेर्गृहम्
He who pours on his head water that has dripped from a basil leaf is considered as one who has bathed at all sacred fords, and at the end, he goes to the house of Hari.
पुरा कश्चिद्द्विजश्रेष्ठो द्वापरेऽभून्महामुने । स्नात्वैकदा तुलस्यै स वनं दत्वा गृहं गतः
Once, O great sage, in Dvāpara Yuga, there was a certain excellent Brahmin who, after bathing, gave a grove of holy basil and then went home.
आदित्यो वर्चसा नाम्ना मार्त्तंड इव पुण्यतः । तृषार्तो भक्षकः कश्चिदागतो बहुकल्मषः
He was named Āditya, radiant like the sun and pure in merit; then a certain hungry, sinful man named Bhakṣaka came, tormented by thirst.
तुलस्यामूलतस्तोयं पीत्वा चासौ हतांहसः । त्वरयाप्यागतो व्याधो नाम्ना यश्चासिमर्द्दनः
Drinking water from the root of the basil plant, his sins were destroyed; then a hunter named Asimardana arrived there in haste.
उवाच भुक्तं चान्नं च भुक्त्वा भग्नं गतः किमु । कृत्वा मे पाकभांडस्थं चागतो हिंसकस्य ते
He said, 'Having eaten the food and broken the vessel, why did you go? You came after cooking my food, O cruel one.'
विव्याध तं गतप्राणं नेतुं वै शमनाज्ञया । आगताः किंकराः क्रुद्धाः पाशमुद्गरपाणयः
He struck him, and when his life had departed, by the command of Yama, angry servants arrived, holding nooses and maces, to take him away.
बद्ध्वा नेतुं मनश्चक्रुरागता विष्णुकिंकराः । तदा छित्त्वा चर्मपाशं स्यंदने तं मनोहरे
Binding him to take him away, the servants of Viṣṇu arrived; then, cutting the leather noose, they placed him on a beautiful chariot.
तूर्णमारोहयामासुः पप्रच्छुर्विनयान्विताः । तेऽपि पुण्येन भोः संतः केन वै नीयतेऽप्यसौ
Swiftly they made him ascend and, with respect, asked, 'O virtuous ones, by what merit is this person being taken?'
ऊचुस्तेऽसौ पुरा राजा पुण्यं बहुतरं कृतम् । अकरोद्धरणं कांचित्सुंदरीं चांगनामयम्
They replied, 'Formerly, this one was a king who performed much merit; he once rescued a beautiful woman from distress.'
अनेन चांहसा राजा गतो वै शमनक्षयम् । तत्रक्लेशं तु युष्माभिर्दत्तं वै शमनाज्ञया
Because of that sin, the king went to the abode of Yama; there, by Yama's command, you inflicted suffering upon him.
ताम्रमय्यास्त्रियासार्द्धं क्रीडां सुप्त्वा चकार सः । तप्तायां लोहशय्यायां वैक्लव्यं कर्मणा नृप
With a copper woman, he engaged in play and slept; on a heated iron bed, the king suffered torment for his deed.
तप्तायोभीषणं तप्तं लोहस्तंभं यमाज्ञया । ततः स्थितः समालिंग्य भुक्त्वा दुःखं चिरं नृपः
By Yama's order, he embraced a dreadful, heated iron pillar and remained there, enduring suffering for a long time, O king.
सिक्तः क्षारांबुधाराभिरन्यैर्वै शमनालये । ततो नरकशेषे च पापयोनौ मुहुर्मुहुः
He was sprinkled with streams of caustic water by others in the abode of Yama; then, repeatedly, he was cast into the remaining hells, into sinful wombs.
जन्मासाद्य चिरं दुःखमनुभूतं स्वकर्मणा । तुलसीमूलकं वारि पीत्वा याति हरेर्गृहम्
Having obtained birth, he experienced long-lasting suffering due to his own actions; by drinking water from the root of holy basil, he goes to the house of Hari.
इदानीं तद्वचः श्रुत्वा गतादूता यथागताः । तेन सार्द्धं विष्णुदूता गता वैकुंठमंदिरम्
Now, hearing those words, the messengers of Yama departed as they had come; together with him, the messengers of Viṣṇu went to the mansion of Vaikuṇṭha.
माहात्म्यं कथितं ब्रह्मन्तुलस्याः पापनाशनम् । कुर्वंति सेवां ये भक्त्या न जाने किं भवेन्मुने
O Brahman, the greatness of Tulasi, which destroys sin, has been described. Those who serve her with devotion—I do not know what they might become, O sage.
शौनक उवाच। कथयस्व मुने सूत माहात्म्यं कलुषक्षयम् । शेषपंचदिनस्यापि कार्त्तिकस्यानुकंपया
Śaunaka said: O sage Sūta, tell us the greatness that removes impurity, out of compassion, even of the last five days of Kārtika.
सूत उवाच। शृणु शौनक यत्पृष्टं माहात्म्यं पापनाशनम् । वक्ष्याम्यहं वै चोर्जस्य शेषपंचदिनस्य च
Sūta said: Hear, O Śaunaka, the greatness that destroys sin, which you have asked about. I will indeed speak of the merit of the last five days.
व्रतानां मुनिशार्दूल प्रवरं विष्णुपंचकम् । तस्मिन्यः पूजयेद्भक्त्या श्रीहरिं राधया सह
Among vows, O best of sages, the foremost is the Viṣṇu-pañcaka. Whoever worships Śrī Hari together with Rādhā with devotion during that time—
गंधपुष्पैर्धूपदीपैर्वस्त्रैर्नानाविधैः फलैः । स याति विष्णुसदनं सर्वपापविवर्जितः
With fragrances, flowers, incense, lamps, garments, and various kinds of fruits—he goes to the abode of Viṣṇu, free from all sin.
ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थो वा वानप्रस्थोऽथवा यतिः । न प्राप्नोति परं स्थानमकृत्वा विष्णुपंचकम्
Whether celibate, householder, forest-dweller, or renunciant—none attains the supreme state without performing the Viṣṇu-pañcaka.
सर्वपापहरं पुण्यं विख्यातं विष्णुपंचकम् । तत्र स्नानं तु यः कुर्यात्सर्वतीर्थफलं लभेत्
The Viṣṇu-pañcaka is renowned as holy and remover of all sin. Whoever bathes there obtains the fruit of all sacred waters.
श्रीहरेः पुरतो विप्र तुलस्याश्च समीपतः । प्रदीपं सर्पिषा पूर्णं दद्याद्यो भक्तिभावतः
Whoever, with devotion, offers a lamp filled with ghee before Śrī Hari and near Tulasi—
नभसि श्रीहरेः प्रीत्यै याति स विष्णुमंदिरम् । पापी याति हरेर्धाम सत्यमेतन्मयोदितम्
For the pleasure of Śrī Hari in the heavens, he goes to the abode of Viṣṇu. Even a sinner goes to the realm of Hari—this I declare to be true.
स्नापयेच्चाच्युतं भक्त्या मधुक्षीरघृतादिभिः । दद्यात्किं नो हरिः प्रीतस्तस्मै साधुजनाय वै
If one bathes Acyuta with devotion, with honey, milk, ghee, and the like, what would Hari, pleased, not give to such a virtuous person?