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.
कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं मुहूर्तेन विलीयते । रात्रौ जागरणं कृत्वा निष्ठापूर्वं जितेंद्रियः
Sin accumulated over millions of births is dissolved in a moment; by keeping vigil at night, with steadfastness and mastery over the senses.
गंधपुष्पादिनैवेद्यैः पूजनीयः पृथक्पृथक् । एवं यः कुरुते विप्र जयंतीसमुपोषणम्
He should be worshipped separately with fragrance, flowers, and offerings of food; thus, O Brāhmaṇa, whoever observes the Jayantī fast in this way—
कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं ज्ञानतोऽज्ञानतः कृतम्
Sin accumulated over millions of births, whether committed knowingly or unknowingly—
प्रसादाद्देवकीसूनोर्यामार्द्धेन विलीयते । जयंतीतिथिसंप्राप्तौ भुंजते ये नराधमाः
By the grace of Devakī’s son, half of it is destroyed; those base men who eat on the Jayantī day—
त्रैलोक्यसंभवं पापं भुंजते ते न संशयः । सागराद्यानि तीर्थानि मुक्तस्थानानि सर्वशः
They consume the sin arising from the three worlds, there is no doubt; all the sacred places, including the ocean and places of liberation—
गृहे तिष्ठंति सर्वांगे जयंतीव्रतकारिणः । तस्य सर्वाणि तीर्थानि देहे तिष्ठंति देवताः
Remain in the home and throughout the body of one who observes the Jayantī vow; all the sacred places and deities reside in his body.
करोति यो नरो भक्त्या जयंतीं कृष्णवल्लभाम् । न वेदेन पुराणेन मया दृष्टं महामुने
Whoever, with devotion, performs the Jayantī dedicated to Krishna, O great sage, I have not seen anything equal or superior to it in the Vedas or Purāṇas.
तत्समं नाधिकं वापि कृष्णराधाष्टमीव्रतम् । न करोति नरो भक्त्या स भवेत्क्रूरराक्षसः
Neither equal nor greater than the Krishna-rādhāṣṭamī vow exists; whoever does not perform it with devotion becomes a cruel demon.
यो नरोऽश्नाति मूढात्मा जयंतीवासरे द्विज । महानरकमश्नाति यथा च हरिवासरे
A man of deluded mind who eats on the Jayantī day, O twice-born, suffers in the great hell, just as on the day dedicated to Hari.
अतीतमागतं यस्तु कुलमेकोत्तरं शतम् । पतेत्तु नरके घोरे जयंत्यां भोजनेन वै
Whoever eats on Jayantī causes a hundred generations, past and future, of his lineage to fall into dreadful hell.