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?
नैवेद्यं देवदेवेशं परमान्नं निवेदयेत् । तस्य पुण्यं प्रसंख्यातुं न शक्तो वै चतुर्मुखः
Let him offer the best food as an offering to the Lord of gods. Even Four-faced Brahmā is not able to count the merit of that act.
अर्चयित्वा हृषीकेशमेकादश्यां समाहितः । निष्प्राप्य गोमयं सम्यक्मंत्रवत्समुपासते
Having worshipped Hṛṣīkeśa with concentration on Ekādaśī, even if he does not obtain cow-dung, he should worship properly with mantras.
गोमूत्रं मंत्रवद्भूयो द्वादश्यां प्राशयेद्व्रती । क्षीरं तथा त्रयोदश्यां चतुर्दश्यां तथा दधि
On Dvādaśī, the observer of the vow should again drink cow urine with mantras; on Trayodaśī, milk; and on Caturdaśī, curd.
संप्राप्य पापशुद्ध्यर्थं लंघयित्वा चतुर्दिनम् । पंचमे तु दिने स्नात्वा विधिवत्पूज्य केशवम्
Thus, for the sake of purifying sin, having fasted for four days, on the fifth day, after bathing and duly worshipping Keśava—
भोजयेद्ब्राह्मणान्भक्त्या तेभ्यो दद्याच्च दक्षिणाम् । ततो नक्तं समश्नीयात्पंचगव्यं सुमंत्रितम्
He should feed brāhmaṇas with devotion and give them gifts; then, at night, he should eat pañcagavya, well sanctified with mantras.
एवं कर्तुमशक्तो यः फलमूलं च भोजनम् । कुर्याद्धविष्यं वा विप्र यथोक्तविधिना ह वै
If one is unable to do this, O brāhmaṇa, he may eat fruits and roots, or cooked sacrificial food, according to the prescribed rule.
श्रीहरेः पंचकं विप्र कुर्याद्यस्तुलसीदलैः । पूजयेत्तं स विज्ञेयः स्वयं नारायणः प्रभुः
O brāhmaṇa, whoever performs the Viṣṇu-pañcaka with Tulasi leaves, worshipping him, should be known as Nārāyaṇa himself, the Lord.
पुरा त्रेतायुगे शूद्रो दस्युवृत्तिपरायणः । नाम्ना दंडकरो नित्यं धर्मनिंदां करोति यः
Long ago, in the Tretā age, there was a Śūdra named Daṇḍakara, always intent on wicked deeds, who constantly reviled dharma.
असत्यभाषी मित्रघ्नो वेश्याविभ्रम लोलुपः । ब्रह्मस्वहारी क्रूरश्च परस्त्रीगमने रतः
One who speaks falsehood, betrays friends, is restless with prostitutes, steals sacred property, is cruel, and delights in intercourse with another's wife.
शरणागतहंता च पाखंडजनसंगभाक् । गोमांसाशी सुरापश्च परनिंदाकरः सदा
One who kills those seeking refuge, associates with heretics, eats beef, drinks liquor, and always engages in slandering others.