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?
हत्यायुतं पापसहस्रमुग्रं गुर्वंगनाकोटिनिषेवणं च । स्तेयादि पापानि च कृष्णभक्तैरज्ञानजातानि लयं ह्रियंते
The killing of ten thousand, a thousand severe sins, the repeated union with the wives of teachers, and sins like theft—if committed out of ignorance by devotees of Krishna—are all destroyed.
विष्णुभक्तिमतावीर यत्किंचित्क्रियतेऽल्पकम् । सुकृतं साधुविदुषा तदक्षयफलं लभेत्
O hero, whatever little meritorious act is performed by a devotee of Vishnu, the wise know that such good deed yields inexhaustible fruit.
संदेहो नात्र कर्त्तव्यो माधवेमासि माधवम् । समाराध्य नरो भक्त्या तत्तद्वांच्छितमाप्नुयात्
No doubt should be entertained here: in the month of Madhava, by worshipping Madhava with devotion, a person attains whatever he desires.
अपत्यं द्रविणं रत्नं दाराहर्म्यं हया गजाः । सुखानि स्वर्गमोक्षौ च न दूरे हरिभक्तितः
Children, wealth, jewels, wives, houses, horses, elephants, pleasures, heaven, and liberation—all these are not far from one devoted to Hari.
एवं शास्त्रोक्तविधिना स्वल्पेनापि न संशयः । पापस्य महतोऽपि स्यात्क्षयो वृद्धिः सुकर्मणः
Thus, even with a small act performed according to the scriptural rule, there is no doubt: even great sin is destroyed, and good deeds increase.
फलाधिक्यं भवेद्भूप त्वाधिक्याद्भावकर्मणोः । सूक्ष्मा धर्मस्य विज्ञेया गतिस्तु विविधैरपि
O King, the abundance of results arises from the intensity of feeling and action; the subtle course of righteousness is to be understood as manifold.
प्रियो माधवमासोऽयं माधवस्य महात्मनः । एकोप्यनुष्ठितो लोकैः समग्रेप्सितदायकः
This month of Madhava is dear to the great-souled Madhava; even if observed once by people, it grants all desired things.
पुण्येन गांगेन जलेन काले देशेऽपि यः स्नानपरोऽपि भूप । आजन्मतो भावहतोऽपि दाता न शुद्धिमेतीति मतं ममैतत्
O King, even one who bathes with the meritorious water of the Ganges at the right time and place, though devoted from birth and of pure intent, is not considered purified if he is not a giver—this is my view.
गंगादितीर्थेषु वसंति जीवा देवालये पक्षिगणाश्च नित्यम् । विनाशमायांति कृतोपवासा भावोज्झिता नैव गतिं लभंते
Creatures dwell on the banks of the Ganges and other sacred rivers, and birds always in temples; but those who fast without devotion meet destruction and do not attain the goal.
भावं ततो हृत्कमले निधाय श्रीमाधवं माधवमासि भक्त्या । यजेत यः स्नानपरो विशुद्धः पुण्यं न शक्ता वयमस्य वक्तुम्
Therefore, placing devotion in the lotus of the heart, one should worship the glorious Madhava with devotion in the month of Madhava; one who bathes with such intent is purified—of his merit, we are unable to speak.