वैशाखांतानि पापानि सूर्यांतानि तमांसि च । परापकारपैशुन्य प्रांतानि सुकृतानि च
At the end of Vaishakha, sins, darkness caused by the sun, malice, and deceit depart, and virtuous deeds prevail.
कार्तिके मासि यत्किंचित्तुलासंस्थे दिवाकरे । स्नानदानादिकं राजंस्तत्परार्धगुणं भवेत्
Whatever is done in Kartika month when the sun is in Libra—bathing, giving, and so forth—O king, its merit is doubled.
तस्मात्सहस्रगुणितं माघे मकरगे रवौ । ततोऽपि शतसंख्यातं वैशाखेमेषगे रवौ
Therefore, when the sun is in Capricorn in Magha, the merit is multiplied a thousandfold; when the sun is in Aries in Vaishakha, it is multiplied by hundreds.
ते धन्यास्ते सुकृतिनो नरा वैशाख मासि ये । प्रातः स्नात्वा विधानेन पूजयंति मधुद्विषम्
Blessed and virtuous are those people who, in the month of Vaishakha, bathe in the morning according to the rite and worship the enemy of Madhu.
प्रातःस्नानं च वैशाखे यज्ञदानमुपोषणम् । हविष्यं ब्रह्मचर्यं च महापातकनाशनम्
Bathing in the morning during Vaiśākha, performing sacrifices, giving gifts, fasting, eating consecrated food, and practicing celibacy — all these destroy great sins.
पुनः कलियुगे राजन्नेतद्गोप्यं भविष्यति । अश्वमेधादिकं यस्मान्माहात्म्यं माधवस्य यत्
Again, in the Kali age, this will become a secret, O King, because the glory of Mādhava in this month surpasses even the Aśvamedha and other great rites.
अश्वमेधमखः पुण्यः कलौ नैव प्रवर्तते । एष माधवमासस्य हयमेध समो विधिः
The meritorious Aśvamedha sacrifice is not performed in the Kali age; this observance of Mādhava month is declared to be equal to the horse sacrifice.
अश्वमेधस्य यत्पुण्यं स्वर्गमोक्षफलप्रदम् । न वेत्स्यंति कलौ पापा जना दुरितबुद्धयः
The merit of the Aśvamedha, which grants heaven and liberation, will not be known in Kali by people whose minds are clouded by sin.
तस्मिन्भवैर्नरैः पापैर्गंतव्यं नरकार्णवे । अतस्तु विरलस्तस्य प्रचारो येन निर्मितः
Such sinful people, bound by worldly inclinations, must go to the ocean of hell; therefore, the practice established by him is rare in this world.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे वैशाखमासमाहात्म्ये पंचाशीतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the eighty-fifth chapter in the section on the greatness of the month of Vaiśākha in the Pātāla-khaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
सूत उवाच- इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा नारदस्य महात्मनः । अंबरीषश्च राजर्षिर्विस्मितो वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Sūta said: Having heard these words of the great sage Nārada, King Ambarīṣa, the royal seer, spoke in amazement.
अंबरीष उवाच- मार्गशीर्षादिकान्मासान्हित्वा पुण्यान्महामुने । सर्वमासाधिकं मासं वैशाखं किं प्रशंससि
Ambarīṣa said: O great sage, leaving aside the other auspicious months beginning with Mārgaśīrṣa, why do you especially praise the month of Vaiśākha above all?
सर्वेभ्योऽप्यधिकः कस्मान्माधवो माधवप्रियः । को विधिस्तत्र किं दानं किं तपः का च देवता
Why is Mādhava, dear to Mādhava, superior to all the others? What is the rite there, what gift, what austerity, and which deity is worshipped?
त्वत्पादांभोजरजसा पावितस्य च मे मुने । उपदेशप्रसादेन प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि
O sage, purified by the dust of your lotus feet, you should grant me your favor through the grace of your instruction.
धर्मज्ञो धर्ममार्गाणामुद्धर्तासि महामुने । त्वमेकोऽखिलतत्त्वार्थवेत्ता धर्मोपदेशकः
You know dharma and uplift the paths of righteousness, O great sage; you alone know the meaning of all truths and are the teacher of dharma.
कर्तोपदेष्टा मंता वानुमंतापि प्रयोजकः । शास्त्रविद्भिर्मुनिवर स्मर्यंते समभागिनः
The doer, the instructor, the adviser, the approver, and the instigator — O best of sages, all these are regarded as equal sharers by those who know the scriptures.
व्रतसत्रतपोदानैर्यत्फलं समवाप्यते । धर्मोपदेशनेनैव तत्सर्वमुपलभ्यते
Whatever fruit is obtained by vows, sacrifices, austerities, and gifts, all that is attained simply by instruction in dharma.
तीर्थस्नानं तपोयज्ञकर्म यत्कुरुते मुने । अपि तत्फलभागीस्याद्यः प्रवर्तयिता भवेत्
O sage, whoever causes others to bathe at holy places, perform austerities, sacrifices, or rites, also partakes of that merit.
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः । स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते
Whatever a superior person does, others follow; the standard he sets, the world pursues.
तदर्हति भवान्धर्ममुपदेष्टुं तदद्भुतम् । दुर्ल्लभो गुरुसंबोधो देशकालोपपत्तयः
Therefore, you are worthy to instruct us in that wondrous dharma; the understanding imparted by a teacher is rare, as are the right place and time.
न केचन तथा भावाश्चेतः शीतलयंतिनः । राज्यलाभादयोऽप्येते यथा तव समागमः
No other attainments, such as gaining a kingdom, bring such peace to the heart as meeting with you.
सूत उवाच-। अथ मंदमृदुस्मेरस्फुरद्दंतप्रभानुगः । अंबरीषं प्रत्युवाच नारदो मुनिसत्तमः
Sūta said: Then the best of sages, Nārada, whose teeth shone as he smiled gently and softly, replied to Ambarīṣa.
नारद उवाच-। शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि हिताय जगतस्तव । विधिर्माधवमासस्य यच्छ्रुतो ब्रह्मणः पुरा
Nārada said: O King, listen as I tell you, for the good of the world and yourself, what I once heard from Brahmā regarding the observance for the month of Mādhava.
दुर्ल्लभं भारते वर्षे जन्म तस्मान्मनुष्यता । मानुष्ये दुर्ल्लभे लोके स्वस्वधर्मप्रवर्त्तनम्
Birth in the land of Bhārata is rare, and thus human birth is precious; even among humans, it is difficult to follow one's own dharma in this world.
ततोऽपि भक्तिर्भूपाल वासुदेवेऽतिदुर्ल्लभा । तत्रापि दुर्ल्लभो मासो माधवो माधवप्रियः
Even rarer than that, O King, is devotion to Vāsudeva; and among all, the month of Mādhava, dear to Mādhava, is most difficult to attain.
तमवाप्य ततो मासं स्नानदानजपादिकम् । कुर्वंति विधिना ये तु धन्यास्ते कृतिनो नराः
Those fortunate and accomplished people who, having obtained that month, perform bathing, charity, recitation, and other rites according to rule, are truly blessed.
तेषां दर्शनमात्रेण पापिनोऽपि विकिल्बिषाः । भवंति भगवद्भावभाविता धर्मकांक्षिणः
By merely seeing such people, even great sinners become purified, their minds filled with devotion to the Lord and a desire for righteousness.
माधवे मासि यैः स्नातं प्रातर्नियमसंयुतैः । ते कोटिवर्षपर्यंतं क्रीडंते नंदने वने
Those who bathe in the month of Mādhava at dawn, with self-control and discipline, play in the Nandana forest for ten million years.
यथा न वारिधिसमो लोके कोऽपि जलाशयः । तथा मासो न वैशाखसदृशो माधवप्रियः
Just as there is no reservoir of water in the world equal to the ocean, so there is no month equal to Vaiśākha, beloved of Mādhava.
तावत्पापानि तिष्ठंति मनुष्याणां कलेवरे । यावत्किलमलध्वंसी मासो नायाति माधवः
The sins of humans remain in their bodies until the month of Mādhava arrives, which destroys all impurities.