फलं तस्य नरोऽश्नाति चोर्जे यो वै हरिप्रिये । प्रदत्त्वा तु हरेर्ब्रह्मन्वृजिनं कोटिजन्मजम्
The man who eats its fruit in Urjā, dear to Hari, having offered it to Hari, O Brahman, is freed from sin accumulated over millions of births.
सुरसं सर्पिषायुक्तं दद्याद्यो हरयेपि च । सर्वपापैर्विनिर्मुक्तः स गच्छेद्धरिमंदिरम्
Whoever gives delicious food mixed with ghee to Hari during Kārttika, is freed from all sins and goes to Hari's abode.
कार्तिके यो नरो दद्यादेकपद्मं हरावपि । अंते विष्णुपदं गच्छेत्सर्वपापविवर्जितः
Whoever gives even a single lotus to Hari during Kārttika, at the end attains the abode of Viṣṇu, free from all sin.
प्रातःस्नानं नरो यो वै कार्तिके श्रीहरिप्रिये । करोतिसर्वतीर्थेषुयत्स्नात्वातत्फलंलभेत्
Whoever performs morning bathing during Kārttika, dear to Śrī Hari, attains the fruit of bathing in all sacred waters.
कार्तिके यो नरो दद्यात्प्रदीपं नभसि द्विजः । विप्रहत्यादिभिः पापैर्मुक्तो गच्छेद्धरेर्गृहम्
Whoever gives a lamp in the sky during Kārttika, O twice-born, is freed from sins like killing a Brahmin and goes to Hari's abode.
मुहूर्तमपि यो दद्यात्कार्त्तिके प्रीतये हरेः । दीपं नभसि विप्रेन्द्र तस्मिंस्तुष्टः सदा हरिः
Even if one gives a lamp in the sky for a moment during Kārttika for Hari's pleasure, O best of Brahmins, Hari is always pleased with him.
यो दद्याच्च गृहे दीपं कृष्णस्य सघृतं द्विजः । कार्तिके चाश्वमेधस्य फलं स्याद्वै दिनेदिने
Whoever gives a lamp with ghee in his house to Kṛṣṇa during Kārttika, attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice every day.
प्रदीपस्य च माहात्म्यं विशेषमुच्यते मया । निशामय द्विजश्रेष्ठ सेतिहासं समाहितः
I will tell you especially the greatness of the lamp; listen, O best of Brahmins, to this story with attention.
पूर्वं त्रेतायुगे विप्रो वैकुंठो नामतः शुचिः । यस्य संगप्रभावेण मुक्तो भवति पातकी
In the previous Tretā age, there was a pure Brahmin named Vaikuṇṭha, whose influence freed sinners.
एकदा कार्तिके सोऽपि प्रदीपं पुरतो हरेः । दत्वा गृहं गतो विप्रो घृतपूर्णं द्विजर्षभः
Once, during Kārttika, that Brahmin gave a lamp filled with ghee before Hari, and then went home.
सर्पिस्तत्स्वादितु चाखुरागतोऽपि प्रदीपतः । यावत्खादितुमारेभे बोधितोऽसौ प्रदीपकः
A mouse, drawn by the scent of ghee, approached the lamp; as he began to eat, the lamp awakened him.
मूषकोऽग्निभयात्तत्र वेगेनापि पलायितः । आखोश्च सकलं पापं विनष्टं कृपया हरेः
Frightened by the fire, the mouse fled swiftly from there; and by the compassion of Hari, all his sins were destroyed.
सर्पेण दंशितश्चाखुः प्राणत्यागं चकार ह । ततो यमाज्ञया दूताः पाशमुद्गरपाणयः
Bitten by the snake, the mouse gave up his life; then, by Yama’s command, messengers arrived, holding nooses and maces.
आगतास्तं समानेतुं बबंधुश्चर्मरज्जुभिः । यावन्नेतुं मनश्चक्रुः शंखचक्रगदाधराः
They came to take him and bound him with leather cords; as they prepared to lead him away, those bearing conch, discus, and mace appeared.
आगता गरुडारूढा विष्णुदूताश्चतुर्भुजाः । विमानं गगने चैव राजहंसयुतं शुभम्
Vishnu’s messengers, four-armed and mounted on Garuda, arrived; in the sky was a splendid celestial chariot adorned with royal swans.
निर्मितं कनकैः शुद्धैः कामगं कृपया हरेः । पाशं छित्वा ततो दूताः प्रोचुस्ते यमकिंकरान्
Fashioned from pure gold by Hari’s grace, fulfilling all desires, the chariot stood there; then the messengers, cutting the noose, spoke to Yama’s servants.
विष्णुभक्तोऽप्यसौ मूढा व्यर्थं तु बंधनं कृतम् । गच्छध्वं शमनप्रेष्या यदि वांछास्ति जीवितुम्
This mouse is a devotee of Vishnu, O ignorant ones; your binding was in vain. Go, servants of Yama, if you wish to live.
श्रुत्वा प्रकंपितास्ते वै पृच्छंति विनयान्विताः । केन पुण्यप्रभावेण युष्माभिर्नीयते पुरम्
Hearing this, they trembled and humbly asked: 'By what power of merit is he being taken by you to the city?
असौ विष्णोर्महापापी यूयं तद्वक्तुमर्हथ । विष्णुदूता ऊचुः- पुरतो वासुदेवस्य प्रदीपबोधनं कृतम्
He is a great sinner against Vishnu; you ought to explain.' The messengers of Vishnu said: 'He awakened the lamp before Vāsudeva.'
तेनैव कर्मणा दूता नयामो विष्णुमंदिरम् । अनिच्छयापि यः कुर्याद्विष्णोर्दीपस्य बोधनम्
By that very act, O messengers, we are taking him to Vishnu’s abode; even if done unintentionally, whoever awakens the lamp of Vishnu—
कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं त्यक्त्वा याति हरेर्गृहम् । भक्त्या प्रदीपं यो दद्यात्कार्तिके तु हरेर्दिनैः
—leaving behind sins accumulated over millions of births, he goes to the house of Hari; and whoever, with devotion, offers a lamp to Hari during Kārtika—
तस्य पुण्यं समाख्यातुं न शक्तो हरिणा विना । घृतपूर्णप्रदीपं यो भक्त्या दद्याद्धरेर्गृहे
—his merit cannot be described except by Hari himself; whoever, with devotion, offers a lamp filled with ghee at Hari’s house—
अश्वमेधसहस्रेण तस्य किं वा प्रयोजनम् । अश्वमेधप्रकर्ता यः स्वर्गं याति हरेर्दिने
—what need has he for a thousand horse sacrifices? He who performs the horse sacrifice attains heaven on Hari’s day.
कार्तिके दीपदाता च स गच्छेद्धरिमंदिरम् । व्यास उवाच- इति श्रुत्वा ततो दूता गतास्ते वै यथागताः
But one who gives a lamp in Kārtika goes to Hari’s abode.' Vyāsa said: 'Hearing this, 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; in Vishnu’s presence, he passed a hundred ages of Manu.
ततो मर्त्ये राजकन्या बभूव कृपया हरेः । पुत्रपौत्रसमायुक्ता चिरं भोगं चकार सा
Then, by Hari’s grace, he was born as a royal princess among mortals; surrounded by sons and grandsons, she enjoyed long-lasting pleasures.
इतः पुनर्गता सा तु गोलोकं हरिसेवया । सूत उवाच- भक्त्या शृणोति यो मर्त्यो दीपमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्
Afterwards, by serving Hari, she went to Goloka.
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः स याति विष्णुमंदिरम्
Sūta said: Whoever, with devotion, hears this supreme glory of the lamp, is freed from all sins and goes to Vishnu’s abode.
शौनक उवाच- जयंत्याः सूत माहात्म्यं कदा सा क्रियते जनैः । कथयस्व मयि त्वं वै पोतः संसारसागरे
Śaunaka said: O Sūta, when do people perform the observance of Jayantī, and what is its greatness? Please tell me, for it is a boat in the ocean of worldly existence.
सूत उवाच- शृणु विप्र प्रवक्ष्यामि यत्पृष्टो मुनिसत्तम । पुरा ब्रह्मा नारदेन पृष्ट एतत्सुरालये
Sūta said: Listen, O sage, I will tell you what you have asked. Long ago, Brahmā was questioned by Nārada in the abode of the gods.