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.
नारद उवाच- जयंत्याश्चैव माहात्म्यं कथयस्व पितामह । यच्छ्रुत्वाहं गमिष्यामि तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्
Nārada said: O Grandfather, tell me the greatness of Jayantī. Hearing it, I shall attain the supreme abode of Viṣṇu.
ब्रह्मोवाच- शृणुष्वावहितो विप्र तवाग्रे कथयाम्यहम् । जयंत्या उपवासेन विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति
Brahmā said: Listen attentively, O sage, I will speak before you. By fasting on Jayantī, one attains the world of Viṣṇu.
स्मरणात्कीर्तनात्पापं सप्तजन्मार्जितं मुने । जयंती दहते तच्च किं पुनः सोपवासकृत्
By remembering and reciting Jayantī, the sins accumulated over seven births are burned away, O sage; how much more so when fasting is performed.
जन्माष्टमी च नवमी चैत्रे मासि सिता शुभा । कृष्णा चतुर्दशी कुंभे मेषे शुक्ला चतुर्दशी
The auspicious eighth and ninth days in the bright fortnight of Caitra, the dark fourteenth in Kumbha, and the bright fourteenth in Meṣa are Jayantī.
दुर्गाष्टम्याश्विने शुक्ला द्वादशी श्रवणान्विता । महापुण्याश्च शुभदा जयंत्यः षट्प्रकीर्तिताः
The bright eighth day of Durgā in Āśvina, the bright twelfth joined with Śravaṇa, these six Jayantīs are declared to be highly meritorious and bestowing auspiciousness.
कृष्णजन्माष्टमी पूर्वा प्रसिद्धा पापनाशिनी । क्रतुकोटिसमा ह्येषा तीर्थानामयुतैः समा
The well-known Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī, destroyer of sin, is equal to millions of sacrifices and tens of thousands of holy places.
कर्ता गवां सहस्रं तु यो ददाति दिनेदिने । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
Whoever gives a thousand cows every day attains that same result by fasting on Jayantī.
हेमभारसहस्रं तु कुरुक्षेत्रे रविग्रहे । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
The result of giving a thousand loads of gold at Kurukṣetra during a solar eclipse is attained by fasting on Jayantī.
कृष्णाजिनसहस्राणि तिलधेनुशतानि च । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
The result of giving thousands of black antelope skins and hundreds of sesame cows is attained by fasting on Jayantī.
कन्याकोटिसहस्राणां दाने भवति यत्फलम् । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
The result obtained from giving thousands of millions of maidens in charity is attained by fasting on Jayantī.
ससागरामिमां पृथ्वीं दत्वा यल्लभते फलम् । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
The result obtained by giving this earth, with its oceans, is attained by fasting on Jayantī.
वापीकूपतडागदि कर्तव्यं देवतालये । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
The result of constructing ponds, wells, and reservoirs in temples is attained by fasting on Jayantī.
मातापित्रोर्गुरूणां च भक्तिं युक्तः करोति यः । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
Whoever acts with devotion toward mother, father, and teachers attains that result by fasting on Jayantī.
आपदाहरणार्थाय तीर्थसेवाकृतात्मनाम् । सत्यव्रतानां यत्पुण्यं जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
The merit gained by those who serve holy places and practice truthfulness for the removal of calamities is attained by fasting on Jayantī.
गंगायां नर्मदायां यत्पुण्यं सारस्वते जले । स्नात्वा पुण्यमवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
The merit gained by bathing in the waters of the Gaṅgā, Narmadā, and Sarasvatī is attained by fasting on Jayantī.
यत्पुण्यं श्राद्धकर्तॄणां पितॄणामिंदुसंक्षये । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति जयंत्यां समुपोषणे
The result obtained by those who perform ancestral rites 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: Tell me, O Grandfather, by whom was it performed in ancient times? Brahmā said: By Kārtavīrya, Karṇa, and the wise prince.
सगरेण दिलीपेन काकुस्थेन कृता पुरा । गौतमेन च गार्ग्येण जामदग्न्येन धीमता
By Sagara, Dilīpa, and Kākutstha it was performed in the past; by Gautama, Gārgya, and the wise son of Jamadagni.
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 white eighth day grants all desired wishes.
प्राजापत्यर्क्षसंयुक्ता विशेषेण मताष्टमी । वर्षेवर्षे प्रकर्तव्या प्रीत्यर्थे चक्रपाणिनः
The eighth day, especially esteemed, is joined with the constellation of Prajāpati and the sun; it should be observed every year for the pleasure of the wielder of the discus.