नारद उवाच- सत्यमुक्तं त्वया राजन्नल्पायासेन यन्महत् । फलं संप्राप्यते तत्र श्रद्धत्स्व विधिभाषितम्
Nārada said: Truly spoken by you, O king, that with little effort a great result is obtained; therefore, have faith in what is prescribed by the rules.
धर्मस्य गतयः सूक्ष्मा दुर्ज्ञेया हीश्वरैरपि । मुह्यंते चात्र विद्वांसोऽचिंत्यशक्ति हरेः कृतौ
The paths of dharma are subtle, difficult to comprehend even for the gods; and here, the learned are bewildered by the inconceivable power of Hari's actions.
विश्वामित्रादयो राजन्धर्माधिक्येन बाहुजाः । ब्राह्मण्यं समुपायाताः सूक्ष्मा धर्मगतिस्त्वतः
O king, Viśvāmitra and others, through the abundance of dharma, attained Brahminhood; thus, the path of dharma is subtle.
अजामिलोऽपि भूपाल दासीपतिरिति श्रुतः । धर्मपत्नीपरित्यागी नित्यं पापपथिस्थितः
Even Ajāmila, O king, known as the master of a slave-woman, abandoned his lawful wife and always remained on the sinful path.
म्रियमाणः सुतस्नेहात्प्रोच्य नारायणेति च । तद्ध्याननामग्रहणात्पदं लेभे सुदुर्ल्लभम्
While dying, out of affection for his son, he uttered 'Nārāyaṇa'; through meditation and recitation of that name, he attained a state exceedingly difficult to obtain.
अनिच्छयापि दहति स्पृष्टो हुतवहो यथा । तथा दहति गोविंद नामव्याजादपीरितम्
Just as fire burns even when touched unintentionally, so Govinda's name burns away sin even when spoken casually.
कानीनस्य मुनेः पौत्रा भ्रातृजायाभिगामिनः । गोलकस्य च वै पंडोः पुत्राः कुंडाः स्वयं तथा
The grandsons of the sage Kānīna, those who approached their brothers' wives, and the sons of Golaka and Paṇḍu, and likewise Kuṇḍa himself.
ते पंचापि च भूपाल पांडवा द्रौपदीरताः । तेषां च पुण्यश्लोकत्वं सूक्ष्माधर्मगतिस्ततः
All five of them, O king, the Pāṇḍavas devoted to Draupadī, their fame as the virtuous is due to the subtle path of dharma.
विचित्राणि च कर्माणि विचित्रा भूतभावनाः । विचित्राणि च भूता निविचित्राः कर्मशक्तयः
Deeds are diverse, the creation of beings is diverse; beings themselves are diverse, and the powers of action are not uniform.
कदाचित्सुकृतं कर्म कूटस्थं यदवस्थितम् । केनचित्कर्मणा भूप शुभेन परिवर्धते
Sometimes a virtuous deed remains dormant, and by some other auspicious action, O king, it increases.
फलं ददाति सुमहत्कस्मिन्नपि च जन्मनि । सूक्ष्मो धर्मोऽतिगहनो मीयते न यथा तथा
It gives a great result in some birth; subtle dharma is exceedingly profound and is not measured as one might expect.
नैतस्य फलदानस्य श्रूयते भूपनिश्चयः । यत्किंचित्सुकृतं कर्मच्छन्नं पापांतरैरपि
No definite rule is heard, O king, regarding the giving of results; any virtuous deed, though concealed by sins, still bears fruit.
तदागत्य कुतः क्वापि स्वं फलं च प्रयच्छति । कृतस्य नेह नाशोऽस्ति पुण्यस्य दुरितस्य च
Then, arriving from somewhere, it gives its own result; there is no destruction here of what is done, whether virtuous or sinful.
तथापि बहुभिः पुण्यैर्दुरितं याति दारुणम् । यदुक्तं भवता राजन्नायासाधिक्यतो भवेत्
Yet, by many virtuous deeds, sin becomes weakened; as you have said, O king, this happens due to the preponderance of effort.
महत्पुण्यं च तत्रापि कारणं मे निशामय । स्वल्पायासमहायासौ यद्यल्पत्व महत्त्वयोः
Now hear from me the great merit and its cause in this matter: whether the effort is little or great, whether the act is small or large.
महापुण्यास्ततस्ते स्युः संततं कर्षकादयः । मंत्रोच्चारं च सिंहादेरायासं बहुलं त्वतः
Those who are always engaged in plowing and similar labors attain great merit; but for reciting mantras or for lions and others, the effort is much greater than yours.
पंचगव्यं प्रशस्तं हि व्रतांगत्वेन नो भवेत् । इति कर्तव्यबाहुल्यं महत्त्वं च तदल्पता
Even the esteemed panchagavya, as a component of a vow, is not always required; thus, the abundance of prescribed acts and their greatness may be insignificant.
जलाग्न्यादिप्रवेशस्य प्रसज्येत व्रतांतरात् । इदमल्पं महच्चैतदिति नैव नियामकम्
Entering water or fire and similar acts may pertain to other vows; this is not necessarily small or great—such distinctions are not binding.
फलं यच्चोदितं शास्त्रे तदेव स्यान्महन्नृप । यथाल्पनाशो महता महन्नाशस्तथाल्पतः
O King, the result prescribed in the scripture alone is great; just as a small loss can lead to a great loss, so too can a small act yield a great result.
किं त्वल्पविस्फुलिंगेन तृणराशिः प्रदह्यते
Indeed, a heap of grass is burned even by a small spark.
हत्यायुतं पापसहस्रमुग्रं गुर्वंगनाकोटिनिषेवणं च । स्तेयादि पापानि च कृष्णभक्तैरज्ञानजातानि लयं ह्रियंते
The killing of ten thousand, a thousand dreadful sins, or the enjoyment of countless teachers' wives, and sins like theft—if committed by devotees of Krishna out of ignorance, are destroyed.
विष्णुभक्तिमतावीर यत्किंचित्क्रियतेऽल्पकम् । सुकृतं साधुविदुषा तदक्षयफलं लभेत्
O hero, whatever little good deed is performed by one devoted to Vishnu, the wise know that it yields inexhaustible fruit.
संदेहो नात्र कर्त्तव्यो माधवेमासि माधवम् । समाराध्य नरो भक्त्या तत्तद्वांच्छितमाप्नुयात्
No doubt should be entertained here: worship Madhava, O Madhava, and by worshiping Him with devotion, a person attains whatever he desires.
अपत्यं द्रविणं रत्नं दाराहर्म्यं हया गजाः । सुखानि स्वर्गमोक्षौ च न दूरे हरिभक्तितः
Children, wealth, jewels, wives, houses, horses, elephants, pleasures, heaven, and liberation—all these are not far from one devoted to Hari.
एवं शास्त्रोक्तविधिना स्वल्पेनापि न संशयः । पापस्य महतोऽपि स्यात्क्षयो वृद्धिः सुकर्मणः
Thus, by even a little act, performed according to scriptural injunction, there is no doubt: even great sin is destroyed and good deeds increase.
फलाधिक्यं भवेद्भूप त्वाधिक्याद्भावकर्मणोः । सूक्ष्मा धर्मस्य विज्ञेया गतिस्तु विविधैरपि
O King, the abundance of results comes from the intensity of feeling and action; the subtle course of dharma is to be understood in many ways.
प्रियो माधवमासोऽयं माधवस्य महात्मनः । एकोप्यनुष्ठितो लोकैः समग्रेप्सितदायकः
This month of Madhava is dear to the great-souled Madhava; even if observed once by people, it grants all desired things.
पुण्येन गांगेन जलेन काले देशेऽपि यः स्नानपरोऽपि भूप । आजन्मतो भावहतोऽपि दाता न शुद्धिमेतीति मतं ममैतत्
O King, one who bathes with holy Ganges water at the proper time and place—even if he is a giver, born with a bad disposition—does not attain purity; this is my view.
गंगादितीर्थेषु वसंति जीवा देवालये पक्षिगणाश्च नित्यम् । विनाशमायांति कृतोपवासा भावोज्झिता नैव गतिं लभंते
Creatures dwell at the banks of the Ganges and other sacred rivers, and birds always in temples; but those who fast without devotion perish and do not attain the goal.
भावं ततो हृत्कमले निधाय श्रीमाधवं माधवमासि भक्त्या । यजेत यः स्नानपरो विशुद्धः पुण्यं न शक्ता वयमस्य वक्तुम्
Therefore, placing devotion in the lotus of the heart, one should worship Shri Madhava with devotion in the month of Madhava; one who bathes with such intent is purified—his merit is beyond our capacity to describe.