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.
अवशिष्टदिनान्येव पंचमासस्य तस्य वै । एकादशीं समारभ्य सर्वमाससमानि वै
Only the remaining days of that fifth month, beginning from the eleventh day, are considered equal to an entire month.
वैशाखे पूजितो देवो माधवो मधुहा तु यैः । नानोपचारै राजेंद्र तैः प्राप्तं जन्मनः फलम्
O King, those who worship the god Mādhava, the slayer of Madhu, in Vaiśākha with various offerings, attain the fruit of human birth.
किं किं न दुर्ल्लभतरं प्राप्यते मासि माधवे । स्नानेन परमेशस्य पूजनेन यथाविधि
What is there that cannot be attained in the month of Mādhava by bathing and properly worshipping the Supreme Lord?
न दत्तं न हुतं जप्तं न तीर्थे मरणं कृतम् । यैर्हि नारायणो नैव ध्यातो निखिलपापहा
Those who have not meditated on Nārāyaṇa, the destroyer of all sins, have not given, offered oblations, recited, or died at a holy place.
तेषां जन्म नृणां लोके ज्ञातव्यं निष्फलं नृप । द्रव्येषु विद्यमानेषु कृपणो यो भवेन्नरः
O King, the birth of such people in this world should be known as fruitless—those who, though possessing wealth, are miserly.
अदत्वा म्रियते यो हि तस्य द्रव्यं निरर्थकम् । तीर्थस्नानादि तपसा सत्कुले जन्म लभ्यते
For one who dies without giving, his wealth is useless; birth in a noble family is obtained through austerity, bathing at holy places, and the like.
न दानेन विना भूप किंचिदप्युपतिष्ठति । वैशाखस्नानमाहात्म्यादपि पंचदिनात्मकात्
O King, nothing is achieved without charity, not even by the merit of bathing in Vaiśākha for five days.
सत्कुले प्राप्यते जन्म वैभवं विविधं तथा । सुपुत्रः सुकुलं भूप धनधान्यं वरस्त्रियः
Birth in a noble family, various kinds of prosperity, good sons, a virtuous family, wealth, grain, and excellent wives are attained.
सुजन्ममरणं चापि सुभोगाः सुखमेव च । सदा दानेऽधिका प्रीतिरौदार्यं धैर्यमुत्तमम्
Good birth and death, enjoyment, happiness, constant delight in giving, generosity, and supreme courage are also attained.
प्रसादात्तस्य देवस्य विष्णोश्चैव महात्मनः । नारायणस्य जायंते सिद्धयो भूप वांच्छिताः
By the grace of that great god Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa, O King, all desired perfections arise.