तुलसीसहितो देव सदा शंखेन संयुतम् । गृहाणार्घं मया दत्तं देवदेव नमोस्तुते
O God, together with tulasi and always accompanied by a conch, accept the arghya offered by me; obeisance to you, O Lord of gods.
अर्घमंत्रः । एवं संपूज्य देवेशं लक्ष्म्या सह जनार्दनम् । प्रार्थयेद्देवदेवेशं व्रतसंपूर्तिसिद्धये
Having thus worshipped Janardana, the Lord of gods, together with Lakshmi, one should pray to the Lord of gods for the fulfillment and completion of the vow.
उपोषितोऽहं देवेश कामक्रोधविवर्जितः । व्रतेनानेन देवेश त्वमेवशरणं मम
O Lord of gods, I have fasted, free from desire and anger; by this vow, O Lord, you alone are my refuge.
गृहीतेऽस्मिन्व्रते देव यदपूर्णं कृतं मया । सर्वं तदस्तु संपूर्णं त्वत्प्रसादाज्जनार्दन
O God, in this vow, whatever has been left incomplete by me, may all that be fulfilled by your grace, O Janardana.
नमः कमलपत्राक्ष नमस्ते जलशायिने । इदं व्रतं मयाचीर्णं प्रसादात्तव केशव
Obeisance to you, lotus-eyed one; obeisance to you who lie upon the waters; this vow has been performed by me through your favor, O Keshava.
अज्ञानतिमिरध्वंसिन्व्रतेनानेन केशव । प्रसादसुमुखो भूत्वा ज्ञानदृष्टिप्रदो भव
O Keshava, destroyer of the darkness of ignorance, by this vow, may you become gracious and bestow the vision of knowledge.
ततो जागरणं रात्रौ गीतपुस्तकवाचनम् । नाद नृत्यकलाभिज्ञैः पुण्याख्यानैः सुभोभनैः
Then, during the night, one should remain awake, singing, reading scriptures, with music and dance by those skilled in the arts, and with auspicious stories of merit.
विभातायां तु शर्वर्यामुदिते विमले रवौ । निमंत्र्य ब्राह्मणान्भक्त्या श्राद्धं कुर्याच्च वैष्णवम्
When the night has passed and the pure sun has risen, one should invite Brahmins with devotion and perform a Vaishnava śrāddha.
भोजयित्वा यथाकामं पायसेन घृतेन च । तांबूलपुष्पगंधादि दक्षिणाभिः समन्वितम्
After feeding them as desired with rice pudding and ghee, along with betel, flowers, fragrance, and other gifts, and with appropriate offerings.
उपवीतानि वासांसि दत्वा मालां च चंदनम् । दांपत्यत्रितयं भोज्यं वस्त्रभूषण कुंकुमैः
Giving them sacred threads, garments, garlands, and sandalwood, one should feed three married couples, along with clothes, ornaments, and saffron.
वंशपात्राणि शक्त्या च विरूढैः परिपूरयेत् । नालिकेरैश्च पक्वान्नैर्वस्त्रैश्च विविधैः फलैः
One should, to the best of one's ability, fill bamboo vessels with sprouted grains, coconuts, cooked food, garments, and various fruits.
सपत्नीकं गुरुं तत्र वस्त्राणि परिधापयेत् । विभूषणानि दिव्यानि गंधमाल्यैः प्रपूजयेत्
There, one should clothe the teacher together with his wife, and worship them with divine ornaments, fragrance, and garlands.
सर्वोपस्करसंयुक्तां गां दद्याच्च पयस्विनीम् । सदक्षिणां सवस्त्रां च तन्मे निगदतः शृणु
One should give a cow, adorned with all necessary ornaments, yielding milk, along with proper gifts and clothing—listen as I declare this to you.
सर्वतीर्थेषु यत्पुण्यं स्नातानां जायते नृणाम् । तत्फलं स लभेत्सर्वं देवदेवप्रसादतः
Whatever merit arises for people who have bathed at all sacred fords, that entire fruit is obtained by him through the grace of the Lord of gods.
भुक्त्वा च विपुलान्भोगान्सर्वकामान्मनोरमान् । वैष्णवं पदमाप्नोति अंते विष्णोः प्रसादतः
After enjoying abundant pleasures and all delightful desires, by the grace of Viṣṇu, he attains the Vaiṣṇava abode at the end.
नारद उवाच- ब्रह्मन्संवत्सराख्यस्य दीपस्य विधिमुत्तमम् । सर्वव्रतप्रधानस्य माहात्म्यं प्रवदस्व मे
Nārada said: O Brahmā, tell me the supreme method of the lamp vow called Saṃvatsara, which is foremost among all vows, and its greatness.
येन व्रतानि सर्वाणि कृतान्येव न संशयः । सर्वकामसमृद्धिश्च सर्वपापक्षयो भवेत्
By which, surely, all vows are as if accomplished, all desires are fulfilled, and all sins are destroyed.
महादेव उवाच - वदामि तव देवर्षे रहस्यं पापनाशनम् । यच्छ्रुत्वा ब्रह्महा गोघ्नो मित्रघ्नो गुरुतल्पगः
Mahādeva said: O divine sage, I will tell you the secret that destroys sin; by hearing which, even a slayer of a Brahmin, a killer of cows, a betrayer of friends, or one who violates the teacher’s bed—
विश्वासघाती क्रूरात्मा मुक्तिमाप्नोति शाश्वतीम् । शतं कुलानामुद्धृत्य विष्णोर्लोकं स गच्छति
A betrayer of trust, one of cruel mind—attains eternal liberation, uplifting a hundred generations, and goes to Viṣṇu’s world.
तदहं कथयिष्यामि दीपव्रतमनुत्तमम् । संवत्सरप्रमाणस्य विधिं माहात्म्यमेव च
Therefore, I shall explain to you the unsurpassed lamp vow, its procedure for a year, and its greatness.
हेमंते प्रथमे मासि प्राप्य ह्येकादशीं शुभाम् । ब्राह्मे मुहूर्त्ते चोत्थाय कामक्रोधविवर्जितः
In the first month of winter, having obtained the auspicious Ekādaśī, one should rise at the Brāhma Muhūrta, free from desire and anger.
नदीसंगमतीर्थेषु तडागेषु सरित्सु च । स्नानं समाचरेत्तत्र गृहे वा नियतात्मवान्
At the confluences of rivers, sacred fords, ponds, or streams, one should bathe there—or at home—with self-control.
स्नातोऽहं सर्वतीर्थे तत्स्नानं देहि मे सदा
Having bathed in all the sacred fords, grant me always that merit of bathing.
स्नानमंत्रः । देवान्पितॄंश्च संतर्प्य कृतजप्यो जितेंद्रियः । ततः संपूजयेद्देवं लक्ष्मीनारायणं प्रभुम् । पंचामृतेन संस्नाप्य ततो गंधोदकेन च
Bathing mantra: Having satisfied the gods and ancestors, having performed japa, with controlled senses, then one should worship the Lord Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, bathing him with the five nectars and then with fragrant water.
स्नातोऽसि लक्ष्म्या सहितो देवदेव जगत्पते । मां समुद्धर देवेश घोरात्संसारबंधनात्
You are bathed, O Lord of gods, accompanied by Lakṣmī, Lord of the universe; O Lord of gods, deliver me from the terrible bondage of worldly existence.
ततः संपूजयेद्देवं लक्ष्म्या सह जनार्दनम् । मंत्रैस्तु वैदिकैर्भक्त्या तथा पौराणिकैरपि
Then, one should worship Janārdana together with Lakṣmī, with Vedic mantras and also with Purāṇic ones, with devotion.
अतो देवेति गंधादि पौरुषेणापि वा पुनः । नमो मत्स्याय देवाय कूर्मदेवाय वै नमः
After this, saying 'O God,' with sandal and other offerings, or with one’s own words: Salutations to the god Matsya, salutations to the god Kūrma.
नमो वाराहदेवाय नरसिंहाय वै नमः । नमोऽस्तु बुद्धदेवाय कल्किने च नमोनमः
Salutations to the god Vārāha, and to Narasiṃha; salutations to the god Buddha, and again, salutations to Kalki.
नमोऽस्तु रामदेवाय विष्णुदेवाय ते नमः । नमः सर्वात्मने तुभ्यं शि रइत्यभिपूजयेत् । केशवादीनि नामानि तैर्वा संपूजयेद्धरिम्
Salutations to the god Rāma, salutations to you, god Viṣṇu; salutations to you, the soul of all—thus one should worship, or worship Hari with the names beginning with Keśava.
वनस्पतिरसो दिव्यः सुरभिर्गंधवाञ्छुचिः । धूपोऽयं देवदेवेश नमस्ते प्रतिगृह्यताम्
This incense, divine, fragrant, pure, and sweet-scented, O Lord of gods, please accept it.