वद भूयोऽपि भूयिष्ठं पिबामस्तावकं वचः । पायंपायं न तृप्यामो वयं सूत तदुत्तमम्
Speak again, and at length, for we wish to drink your words; drinking again and again, we are never satisfied with your excellent speech, O Sūta.
सूत उवाच- अत्राप्युदाहरंतीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । संवादमादिलोकस्य जगतां जगदीशितुः
Sūta said: Here too, I shall relate an ancient legend, a conversation between the Lord of the universe and the first being of the world.
षट्सहस्राणिचोच्छ्रायो विस्तारेण पुनस्त्रयम् । एवं नवसहस्राणि योजनानां विधाय च
Its height is six thousand, and its breadth is three thousand; thus, having made nine thousand yojanas.
वामया दंष्ट्रया गृह्य उद्धृतादौ वसुंधरा । दिव्यवर्षसहस्रं वै दंष्ट्रया धारिता मही
Having lifted the earth at the beginning with his left tusk, he held the earth with his tusk for a thousand divine years.
धर्माख्यानप्रसंगेन सोवाच विनयाद्विभुम् । पृथिव्युवाच- एते द्वादश मासा वै षष्टिर्दिनशतत्रयम्
On the occasion of narrating righteousness, she humbly spoke to the Lord. The Earth said: These are the twelve months and three hundred and sixty days.
एषां किमुत्तमं पुण्यं प्रियं च तव केशव । पवित्रः कार्तिको मासस्तुलासंस्थे दिवाकरे
Of these, which is the most meritorious and dear to you, O Keśava? The month of Kārtika, when the sun is in Libra, is holy.
मकरस्थे रवौ मासः पुराणे पावनः स्मृतः । मेषस्थे माधवो मासो भास्करे पठ्यते बुधैः
When the sun is in Capricorn, that month is called holy in the Purāṇas; when the sun is in Aries, the month of Mādhava is declared by the wise.
मार्गशीर्षोऽपि मासानां पावनः परिकीर्तितः । एवं मासाः पवित्रास्ते वासराः केपि कीर्तिताः
The month of Mārgaśīrṣa is also proclaimed as holy among the months; thus, these months are pure—what days among them are celebrated as holy?
युगादयो युगांताश्च तथा कल्पादयोऽपि च । सर्वेभ्योऽप्यधिकं मासमेतेभ्यो वद पावनम्
The beginnings and ends of the ages, as well as the beginnings of the kalpas—above all these, tell me which month is most pure.
सर्वयज्ञमय श्रीमन्नेकं निश्चित्य मे वद । वराह उवाच- विधिनाविधिनाचैव ये यजंति नराधमाः
Tell me, having determined the one month that is the essence of all sacrifices, O illustrious one. Varaha said: Those lowest among men who worship by both proper and improper means—
माधवे मासि मां भक्त्या तैश्च पूज्योऽस्म्यहं सदा । हिरण्याक्षो वरारोहे माधवे तु मधुर्हत
In the month of Madhava, those who worship me with devotion are always worthy to worship me. O beautiful one, in Madhava, Hiranyaksha was slain.
आदिदैत्यावुभावेतौ हत्वा त्वं तु समुद्धृता । त्रेतायुगे त्रयी धर्मो ज्ञानवर्णव्यवस्थितिः
Both of those primordial demons were slain, and you were uplifted. In the Treta age, the triple Vedic dharma, the order of knowledge and castes, was established.
माधवे मासि संभूता तेन मे माधवःप्रियः । त्रेतायुगं तृतीयायां शुक्लायां मासि माधवे
In the month of Madhava, I was manifested; therefore, Madhava is dear to me. The Treta age began in the third bright fortnight of the month of Madhava.
प्रवृत्तं च त्रयी धर्माः प्रवृत्तास्ते प्रवर्द्धिताः । अक्षया सोच्यते लोके तृतीया हरिवल्लभा
The triple dharmas began and flourished then. The third, beloved of Hari, is called imperishable in the world.
स्नाने दानार्चने श्राद्धे जपे पूर्वजतर्प्पणे । येऽर्चयंति यवैर्विष्णुं श्राद्धं कुर्वंति यत्नतः
In bathing, giving, worship, ancestral rites, recitation, and offerings to ancestors—those who worship Vishnu with barley, and perform shraddha with diligence—
तेषां ददाम्यहं सर्वं यन्मनोऽभीष्टमुत्तमम् । ये ददंत्यपि दानानि धन्यास्ते धार्मिका नराः
To them I grant everything their mind desires, the highest. Those who give gifts are blessed; those men are righteous.
ये यजंति हरेर्नित्यमध्वरैर्विविधैरपि । माधवे यजते यो मां तेभ्यस्तदधिकं फलम्
Those who worship Hari daily with various sacrifices—who worship me in Madhava—receive a greater reward than all others.
स्नानं दानं जपो होमस्तपो यज्ञ व्रतादिकम् । वैशाखे यत्कृतं देवि तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु
Bathing, giving, recitation, oblation, austerity, sacrifice, vows, and the like—whatever is done in Vaisakha, O goddess, hear the merit obtained from it.
मन्वंतराणां कोट्यस्तु दशपंच च सप्त च । मत्सान्निध्यगतास्तेपि तिष्ठंति भयवर्जिताः
The tens, fives, and sevens of crores of manvantaras—even those who come into my presence remain free from fear.
यद्यपि स्युर्ग्रहाः सर्वे क्रूरा जन्मव्ययाष्टकाः । प्रातःस्नानेन वैशाखे सर्वे सौम्या भवंति ते
Even if all the planets are cruel, causing birth and death, by bathing in the morning in Vaisakha, they all become auspicious.
वैशाखे मासि यो विप्रान्भोजयेद्भक्तितत्परः । सिक्थेसिक्थे भवेत्तृप्तिः पितॄणां युगसंख्यया
In the month of Vaisakha, one who feeds Brahmins with utmost devotion—there is satisfaction for the ancestors, equal to the number of ages.
यच्छंति तत्र मधुराधिकभोजनानि ये वायवाशन तिलोदक भोजनानि । छत्रांबराणि चरणोचितरक्षणानि धन्यास्त एव परितोषकराहि विष्णोः
Those who give sweet, abundant meals there, barley food, sesame water, meals, umbrellas, garments, and protection for the feet—those blessed ones are truly pleasing to Vishnu.
विशेषादिह दातव्यास्तिला मधुसमन्विताः । धर्माय बृहते दीर्घ दुरितक्षय हेतवे
Especially here, sesame mixed with honey should be given—for the sake of great dharma, for long life, and for the destruction of sin.
एवंकृते तु यत्पुण्यं प्राप्यते मनुजैश्च तैः । तत्कैर्गणयितुं शक्यं वर्षकोटिशतैरपि
The merit obtained by men who act thus—cannot be counted even by hundreds of crores of years.
पुत्रपौत्रादिसंपत्ति दीर्घायूंषि यथेप्सितम् । इहाप्नोति परत्रापि मामेव प्रतिपद्यते
The desired attainment of sons, grandsons, and other wealth, and long life—one obtains here, and in the next world attains me alone.
अनेकजन्मार्जित पातकावली विलीयते माधव मज्जनेन । जनस्य तत्रोषसि पुण्यतीर्थे यथाविधानं श्रयते तथा वा
The chain of sins accumulated over many births is dissolved by bathing in Madhava; in that holy place, people attain merit according to prescribed rules, or as they are able.
यः परित्यज्य वैशाखं व्रतमन्यदुपाचरेत् । स करस्थं महारत्नं हित्वा लोष्टं हि याचते
Whoever abandons the Vaiśākha vow and observes another instead, is like one who, having a great jewel in his hand, throws it away and begs for a clod of earth.
सूतउवाच- एवं स भगवान्पूर्वमादिदेवो वदद्विभुः । माधवं मासमुद्दिश्य जगत्यां जगतीधरः
Sūta said: Thus, in ancient times, the Blessed Lord, the Primeval God, spoke these words, addressing the month of Mādhava, the Sustainer of the Worlds upon the earth.
किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन न तदस्ति महीसुराः । यदप्राप्यं भवेन्मासि माधवे माधवार्चनात्
Why speak at length? There is nothing, O best of sages, that cannot be attained in the month of Mādhava by worshipping Mādhava.
शृणुध्वं च पुरावृत्तमिहार्थे परमाद्भुतम् । ब्राह्मणस्य च संवादं यमस्य च महात्मनः
Now hear an ancient and most wondrous story related to this matter—the conversation between a brāhmaṇa and the great-souled Yama.