प्रारभेत व्रतमिदं पौर्णमास्यां मधोर्नृप । यमैश्च नियमैर्युक्तः शक्त्या किंचित्प्रदाय च
One should begin this vow on the full moon of Madhu, O king, observing the proper restraints and giving something according to one's ability.
हविष्यभुग्भूमिशायी ब्रह्मचर्यव्रते स्थितः । कृच्छ्रादितपसा क्षामो ध्यायन्नारायणं हृदि
Eating only sacrificial food, sleeping on the ground, maintaining the vow of celibacy, emaciated by austerities such as kṛcchra, meditating on Nārāyaṇa in the heart—
एवं प्राप्य च वैशाखीं दद्यान्मधुतिलादिकम् । भोजनं द्विजमुख्येभ्यो भक्त्या धेनुं सदक्षिणाम्
Thus, having reached Vaiśākhī, one should give honey and other foods, and, with devotion, feed the foremost twice-born and give a cow with proper gifts.
अच्छिद्रं प्रार्थयेच्चापि तस्य स्नानस्य भूसुरान् । यथा लक्ष्मीः प्रिया भूप माधवस्य जगत्पतेः
One should also request the brāhmaṇas for an unbroken (faultless) bath, just as Lakṣmī is dear to Mādhava, the Lord of the world, O king.
तथैव माधवो मासो मधुसूदनवल्लभः । एवं विधियुतो मर्त्यः स्नात्वा द्वादशवत्सरम्
In the same way, the month of Mādhava is dear to Madhusūdana; thus, a mortal who bathes for twelve years according to the rule—
उद्यापनं चरेच्छक्त्या मधुसूदनतुष्टये । इदं माधवमासस्य माहात्म्यं कथितं तव
Should perform the concluding rite according to his ability for the satisfaction of Madhusūdana; this is the greatness of the month of Mādhava that has been told to you.
यत्पुरा ब्रह्मणो वक्त्राच्छ्रुतमासीन्मया नृप
Which, in former times, I heard from the mouth of Brahmā, O king.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे वैशाखमासमाहात्म्ये षडशीतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the eighty-sixth chapter in the section on the greatness of the month of Vaiśākha in the glorious Padma Purāṇa, Pātāla-khaṇḍa.
सप्ताशीतितमोऽध्यायः । सूतउवाच- इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा नारदस्य स भूपतिः । प्रणम्य विस्मितः प्राह चिन्तयन्मनसा हरिम्
Chapter Eighty-Seven. Sūta said: Hearing these words of Nārada, the king, bowing and astonished, spoke, reflecting in his mind upon Hari.
अंबरीष उवाच- कथमेतद्विमुह्यामः स्वल्पायासेन वै मुने । प्राप्यते स्नानमात्रेण फलं चैवातिदुर्ल्लभम्
Ambarīṣa said: O sage, how is it that with such little effort, such a rare fruit is attained merely by bathing?
नारद उवाच- सत्यमुक्तं त्वया राजन्नल्पायासेन यन्महत् । फलं संप्राप्यते तत्र श्रद्धत्स्व विधिभाषितम्
Nārada said: O king, what you have spoken is true—that with little effort, a great result is obtained; have faith in what is prescribed by the ordinance.
धर्मस्य गतयः सूक्ष्मा दुर्ज्ञेया हीश्वरैरपि । मुह्यंते चात्र विद्वांसोऽचिंत्यशक्ति हरेः कृतौ
The paths of dharma are subtle, difficult to comprehend even for the gods; even the learned are bewildered here, for the power of Hari's deeds is inconceivable.
विश्वामित्रादयो राजन्धर्माधिक्येन बाहुजाः । ब्राह्मण्यं समुपायाताः सूक्ष्मा धर्मगतिस्त्वतः
O king, Viśvāmitra and others, though born as kṣatriyas, attained brāhmaṇahood through the predominance of dharma; thus, the course of dharma is subtle.
अजामिलोऽपि भूपाल दासीपतिरिति श्रुतः । धर्मपत्नीपरित्यागी नित्यं पापपथिस्थितः
Even Ajāmila, O king, known as the master of a maidservant, who abandoned his lawful wife and always walked the path of sin—
म्रियमाणः सुतस्नेहात्प्रोच्य नारायणेति च । तद्ध्याननामग्रहणात्पदं लेभे सुदुर्ल्लभम्
At the time of death, out of affection for his son, he uttered 'Nārāyaṇa'; by meditating on and uttering that name, he attained the most rare state.
अनिच्छयापि दहति स्पृष्टो हुतवहो यथा । तथा दहति गोविंद नामव्याजादपीरितम्
Just as fire burns even when touched unintentionally, so too does the name of Govinda burn away sin, even if uttered inadvertently.
कानीनस्य मुनेः पौत्रा भ्रातृजायाभिगामिनः । गोलकस्य च वै पंडोः पुत्राः कुंडाः स्वयं तथा
The sons of the sage Kānīna, who approached their brother's wife, and the sons of Golaka, the sons of Paṇḍu—Kuṇḍa and others—
ते पंचापि च भूपाल पांडवा द्रौपदीरताः । तेषां च पुण्यश्लोकत्वं सूक्ष्माधर्मगतिस्ततः
These five, O king, the Pāṇḍavas devoted to Draupadī, are renowned for their virtue; thus, the path of subtle dharma is established.
विचित्राणि च कर्माणि विचित्रा भूतभावनाः । विचित्राणि च भूता निविचित्राः कर्मशक्तयः
Deeds are manifold, the creation of beings is manifold; beings themselves are manifold, and the powers of action are manifold and diverse.
कदाचित्सुकृतं कर्म कूटस्थं यदवस्थितम् । केनचित्कर्मणा भूप शुभेन परिवर्धते
Sometimes a good deed, though dormant and lying in wait, is increased by another auspicious act, O king.
फलं ददाति सुमहत्कस्मिन्नपि च जन्मनि । सूक्ष्मो धर्मोऽतिगहनो मीयते न यथा तथा
It gives a great result, even in some other birth; subtle is dharma, exceedingly deep, and it does not manifest as one might expect.
नैतस्य फलदानस्य श्रूयते भूपनिश्चयः । यत्किंचित्सुकृतं कर्मच्छन्नं पापांतरैरपि
There is no certainty, O king, regarding the giving of results; any good deed, though covered by other sins, is not lost.
तदागत्य कुतः क्वापि स्वं फलं च प्रयच्छति । कृतस्य नेह नाशोऽस्ति पुण्यस्य दुरितस्य च
At some time, from somewhere, it comes and gives its own fruit; there is no destruction here of good or evil deeds performed.
तथापि बहुभिः पुण्यैर्दुरितं याति दारुणम् । यदुक्तं भवता राजन्नायासाधिक्यतो भवेत्
Yet, by many virtuous acts, sin becomes weakened; as you have said, O king, this comes from the predominance of effort.
महत्पुण्यं च तत्रापि कारणं मे निशामय । स्वल्पायासमहायासौ यद्यल्पत्व महत्त्वयोः
Hear from me the reason for great merit even there; if little or great effort determined smallness or greatness—
महापुण्यास्ततस्ते स्युः संततं कर्षकादयः । मंत्रोच्चारं च सिंहादेरायासं बहुलं त्वतः
Then, those who constantly labor, such as farmers, would be supremely meritorious; and the frequent roaring of lions would be great effort.
पंचगव्यं प्रशस्तं हि व्रतांगत्वेन नो भवेत् । इति कर्तव्यबाहुल्यं महत्त्वं च तदल्पता
The five products of the cow are indeed praised, but they are not essential as an element of a vow; thus, the abundance of prescribed acts and their supposed greatness are both insignificant.
जलाग्न्यादिप्रवेशस्य प्रसज्येत व्रतांतरात् । इदमल्पं महच्चैतदिति नैव नियामकम्
Entering water, fire, and so on, may be required in other vows; but whether something is small or great does not serve as a rule here.
फलं यच्चोदितं शास्त्रे तदेव स्यान्महन्नृप । यथाल्पनाशो महता महन्नाशस्तथाल्पतः
O King, whatever result is declared in the scripture, that alone should be considered great; just as a small loss from something great is still great, so too a great loss from something small remains small.
किं त्वल्पविस्फुलिंगेन तृणराशिः प्रदह्यते
But indeed, can a heap of grass be burned up by a tiny spark?