केनैव तु विधानेन कर्त्तव्यं तद्व्रतं कदा । कस्माज्जाता च सा राधा तन्मे कथय मूलतः
By what method should that vow be performed, and when? Why was Rādhā born? Tell me this from the beginning.
ब्रह्मोवाच- राधाजन्माष्टमीं वत्स शृणुष्व सुसमाहितः । कथयामि समासेन समग्रं हरिणा विना
Brahmā said: O child, listen attentively to the account of Rādhā's birth on the eighth day. I will briefly tell you everything, except for what pertains to Hari.
कथितुं तत्फलं पुण्यं न शक्नोत्यपि नारद । कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं ब्रह्महत्यादिकं महत्
O Nārada, even I am unable to fully describe the merit and fruit of that observance; it destroys even the great sins accumulated over millions of births, including the killing of a Brāhmaṇa.
कुर्वंति ये सकृद्भक्त्या तेषां नश्यति तत्क्षणात् । एकादश्याः सहस्रेण यत्फलं लभते नरः
Those who perform it even once with devotion have their sins destroyed at that very moment; the merit gained is equal to that of performing a thousand Ekādaśī fasts.
राधाजन्माष्टमी पुण्यं तस्माच्छतगुणाधिकम् । मेरुतुल्यसुवर्णानि दत्वा यत्फलमाप्यते
Therefore, the merit of Rādhā's birth-eighth observance is a hundred times greater than that; it equals the fruit obtained by giving gold equal to Mount Meru.
सकृद्राधाष्टमीं कृत्वा तस्माच्छतगुणाधिकम् । कन्यादानसहस्रेण यत्पुण्यं प्राप्यते जनैः
By performing Rādhā's Aṣṭamī even once, one attains a hundred times the merit gained by giving away a thousand maidens in marriage.
वृषभानुसुताष्टम्या तत्फलं प्राप्यते जनैः । गंगादिषु च तीर्थेषु स्नात्वा तु यत्फलं लभेत्
By observing the eighth day of Vṛṣabhānu's daughter's birth, one attains the merit that comes from bathing at holy places like the Gaṅgā and others.
कृष्णप्राणप्रियाष्टम्याः फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः । एतद्व्रतं तु यः पापी हेलया श्रद्धयापि वा
By observing the eighth day dear to Kṛṣṇa's beloved, a person obtains that fruit; whether a sinner performs this vow carelessly or with faith—
करोति विष्णुसदनं गच्छेत्कोटिकुलान्वितः । पुरा कृतयुगे वत्स वरनारी सुशोभना
—he goes to Viṣṇu's abode, accompanied by countless generations. Long ago, in the Kṛta age, O child, there was a most beautiful and excellent woman.
सुमध्या हरिणीनेत्रा शुभांगी चारुहासिनी । सुकेशी चारुकर्णी च नाम्ना लीलावती स्मृता
She had a slender waist, eyes like a doe, auspicious limbs, a lovely smile, beautiful hair, and charming ears; she was known by the name Līlāvatī.
तया बहूनि पापानि कृतानि सुदृढानि च । एकदा साधनाकांक्षी निःसृत्य पुरतः स्वतः
She had committed many strong sins, but once, desiring spiritual accomplishment, she left her home and went forth on her own.
गतान्यनगरं तत्र दृष्ट्वा सुज्ञ जनान्बहून् । राधाष्टमीव्रतपरान्सुंदरे देवतालये
She went to another city, where she saw many wise people devoted to the observance of Rādhā's Aṣṭamī in a beautiful temple of the gods.
गंधपुष्पैर्धूपदीपैर्वस्त्रैर्नानाविधैः फलैः । भक्तिभावैः पूजयंतो राधाया मूर्तिमुत्तमाम्
Worshipping the excellent image of Rādhā with fragrant flowers, incense, lamps, various garments, diverse fruits, and with devotion.
केचिद्गायंति नृत्यंति पठंति स्तवमुत्तमम् । तालवेणुमृदंगांश्च वादयंति च के मुदा
Some sing, some dance, some recite the supreme hymn; others joyfully play cymbals, flutes, and drums.
तांस्तांस्तथाविधान्दृष्ट्वा कौतूहलसमन्विता । जगाम तत्समीपं सा पप्रच्छ विनयान्विता
Seeing those various such people, filled with curiosity, she approached them and respectfully inquired.
भोभोः पुण्यात्मानो यूयं किं कुर्वंतो मुदान्विताः । कथयध्वं पुण्यवंतो मां चैव विनयान्विताम्
O virtuous souls, what are you doing so joyfully? Please tell me, you who are blessed, and also to me who approaches with humility.
तस्यास्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा परकार्यहितेरताः । आरेभिरे तदा वक्तुं वैष्णवा व्रततत्पराः
Hearing her words, those devoted to the welfare of others and intent on vows began to speak, the Vaiṣṇavas dedicated to observances.
राधाव्रतिन ऊचुः- भाद्रे मासि सिताष्टम्यां जाता श्रीराधिका यतः । अष्टमी साद्य संप्राप्ता तां कुर्वाम प्रयत्नतः
The observers of the Rādhā vow said: 'On the bright eighth day of Bhādra month, Śrī Rādhikā was born; now that the eighth day has arrived, we perform it with effort.'
गोघातजनितं पापं स्तेयजं ब्रह्मघातजम् । परस्त्रीहरणाच्चैव तथा च गुरुतल्पजम्
Sin arising from cow-slaughter, theft, killing a Brāhmaṇa, abducting another's wife, and also from violating the teacher's bed—
विश्वासघातजं चैव स्त्रीहत्याजनितं तथा । एतानि नाशयत्याशु कृता या चाष्टमी नृणाम्
As well as sin from betrayal of trust and from killing a woman—these are quickly destroyed for those who perform the eighth day observance.
तेषां च वचनं श्रुत्वा सर्वपातकनाशनम् । करिष्याम्यहमित्येव परामृष्य पुनः पुनः
Hearing their words, which destroy all sins, she resolved repeatedly, saying, 'I will perform it.'
तत्रैव व्रतिभिः सार्द्धं कृत्वा सा व्रतमुत्तमम् । दैवात्सा पंचतां याता सर्पघातेन निर्मला
There, together with the observers, she performed that excellent vow; by fate, she died, purified by snakebite.
ततो यमाज्ञया दूताः पाशमुद्गरपाणयः । आगतास्तां समानेतुं बबंधुरतिकृच्छ्रतः
Then, by Yama's command, messengers arrived, holding nooses and clubs, to take her away, binding her with great difficulty.
यदा नेतुं मनश्चक्रुर्यमस्य सदनं प्रति । तदागता विष्णुदूताः शंखचक्रगदाधराः
When they intended to lead her to Yama's abode, the messengers of Viṣṇu arrived, bearing conch, discus, and mace.
हिरण्मयं विमानं च राजहंसयुतं शुभम् । छेदनं चक्रधाराभिः पाशं कृत्वा त्वरान्विताः
With a golden chariot adorned with royal swans, swiftly cutting the noose with streams from the discus, they acted with urgency.
रथे चारोपयामासुस्तां नारीं गतकिल्बिषाम् । निन्युर्विष्णुपुरं ते च गोलोकाख्यं मनोहरम्
They placed that sinless woman on the chariot and led her to Viṣṇu's city, called Goloka, enchanting to behold.
कृष्णेन राधया तत्र स्थिता व्रतप्रसादतः । राधाष्टमीव्रतं तात यो न कुर्य्याच्च मूढधीः
There, by the grace of the vow, she remained with Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā; O child, whoever does not perform the Rādhāṣṭamī vow, being dull-minded—
नरकान्निष्कृतिर्नास्ति कोटिकल्पशतैरपि । स्त्रियश्च या न कुर्वंति व्रतमेतच्छुभप्रदम्
There is no deliverance from hell, even after hundreds of thousands of aeons; and women who do not perform this auspicious vow—
राधाविष्णोः प्रीतिकरं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । अंते यमपुरीं गत्वा पतंति नरके चिरम्
The Rādhā-Viṣṇu vow brings delight and destroys all sins; at the end, after reaching Yama's city, they fall into hell for a long time.
कदाचिज्जन्मचासाद्य पृथिव्यां विधवा ध्रुवम् । एकदा पृथिवी वत्स दुष्टसंघैश्च ताडिता
Whenever, after attaining birth on earth, a woman becomes a widow, O child, once the earth was afflicted by wicked groups.