तौ दंपती सुतसमग्रसमृद्धसौख्यं पुण्योदयं समुपयुज्य ततश्चिरेण । स्थानं परं परममीयतुरस्य भक्त्या श्रीमाधवे च सुकृतस्य नृपप्रसादात्
Those two spouses, enjoying happiness and prosperity equal to that of their children, and the rise of merit, after a long time, attained the supreme and highest state of this world through devotion to Śrī Mādhava and by the favor of the virtuous king.
यथैव माधवः साक्षाद्विद्यालक्ष्मी धवः स्मृतः । तथैव माधवो मासो मधुसूदनवल्लभः
Just as Mādhava is remembered as the husband of the goddess of learning and fortune, so too is the Mādhava month dear to Madhusūdana.
इदं माधवमाहात्म्यं किंचित्संक्षेपतोऽनघ । मया ते कथितं वीर यत्पुरा च पितुः श्रुतम्
O sinless one, I have briefly told you this Mādhava month’s greatness, O hero, as I once heard it from your father.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे नारदांबरीषसंवादे वैशाखमासमाहात्म्ये एकनवतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the ninety-first chapter in the Vaiśākha Māhātmya, in the dialogue between Nārada and Ambarīṣa, of the Pātāla section of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
सूत उवाच-। इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा नारदस्य स भूपतिः । प्रणम्य विस्मितः प्राहचिंतयन्मनसा हरिम्
Sūta said: Hearing these words of Nārada, the king, bowing and astonished, spoke while contemplating Hari in his mind.
अंबरीष उवाच-। कथमेतद्विमुह्यामः स्वल्पायासेन यन्मुने । शूद्रः पापसमाचारो लेभे ब्राह्मण्यमुत्तमम्
Ambarīṣa said: O sage, how are we not bewildered, when with little effort, a Śūdra of sinful conduct attained the highest status of a Brāhmaṇa?
ब्राह्मण्यं दुर्ल्लभं तात सुकृतैर्विविधैरपि । कथं माधवमासस्य स्नानेनैवाप सोऽधमः
O father, Brāhmaṇahood is difficult to attain even through various virtuous deeds; how did that lowly man obtain it merely by bathing in the Mādhava month?
न यज्ञदानैर्न तपोभिरुग्रैर्न पुण्यसंज्ञैरपरैरपीश । अस्मादृशो भूपतयोऽर्थवंतो न ते लभंतेऽवनिदैवतत्वम्
Not by sacrifices, gifts, severe austerities, or other acts called meritorious, do wealthy kings like us attain the status of the gods.
स गाधिसूनुर्विविधं तपोऽपि चिरंविधायानिशमेव घोरम् । कृच्छ्रेण लेभे शतवर्षपूर्णैरहो कथंचिद्बहुभिः प्रयत्नैः
The son of Gādhi performed various severe austerities ceaselessly for a long time; with great difficulty, after a hundred years, he attained it somehow through many efforts.
कथं स वर्णाधम एष पापः स्वधर्महीनो धनवान दाता । पुण्यादनायासकृतादमुष्मादल्पादिहावाप स रामतत्त्वम्
How did this sinful one, lowest of his caste, devoid of his own duty, yet wealthy and generous, attain the essence of Rāma through merit gained without effort and so little here?
नारद उवाच-। सत्यमुक्तं त्वया राजन्ब्राह्मण्यमतिदुर्ल्लभम् । तथापि गतयः सूक्ष्मा दुर्ज्ञेया धर्मतत्त्वतः
Nārada said: What you have spoken is true, O king; Brāhmaṇahood is extremely difficult to attain. Yet the paths are subtle and hard to comprehend in the essence of dharma.
विचित्राणि च कर्माणि विचित्रा भूतभावना । विचित्राणि च भूतानि विचित्राः कर्मशक्तयः
Actions are diverse, the creation of beings is diverse; beings themselves are diverse, and the powers of action are diverse.
कदाचित्सुकृतं कर्म कूटस्थं यदवापि तम् । केनचित्कर्मणा भूप शुभेन परिवर्धते
Sometimes, a virtuous deed, though dormant, is increased by some auspicious action, O king.
फलं ददाति सुमहत्तस्मिन्नपि च जन्मनि । धर्मो गहनसूक्ष्मोऽयं नीयते न यथा तथा
It gives a great result even in that birth; this dharma is deep and subtle, and does not proceed as one expects.
न तस्य फलदानस्य श्रूयते कालनिश्चयः । यत्किंचित्सुकृतं कर्मच्छन्नं पापांतरैरपि
There is no fixed time known for the giving of its fruit; any virtuous action, though concealed by sins, is heard to yield results.
तदागत्य कुतः क्वापि सुफलं च प्रयच्छति । कृतस्य नेह नाशोस्ति पुण्यस्य दुरितस्य च
Then, coming from somewhere, it gives a good result; neither merit nor sin is destroyed here.
तथापि बहुभिः पुण्यैर्दुरितं याति दारुणम् । यदुक्तं भवता राजन्नायासाधिक्यतो भवेत्
Yet, by many merits, sin becomes weakened; as you said, O king, it does not depend on the amount of effort.
तत्फलं तत्र तत्रापि शृणु सत्यं मयोदितम् । अनायासमहायासौ यद्यल्पत्व महत्त्वयोः
That fruit, whether small or great, comes accordingly; hear the truth I speak about ease and great effort, and their smallness or greatness.
महाव्रतास्ततस्ते स्युः सततं कर्मकादयः । सिंहव्याघ्रादिमूत्रादौ प्रयासा बहुलास्ततः
Those who undertake great vows, always engaged in ritual actions, endure much hardship, such as from the urine of lions, tigers, and others.
पंचगव्यप्रशस्तत्वं व्रतमध्ये ततो भवेत् । इति कर्तव्यबाहुल्यं महत्त्वं चेत्तदल्पता
Among vows, the use of the five products of the cow is praised; but if greatness is measured by the multitude of acts required, then even small vows would be considered great.
जलाग्न्यादिप्रवेशस्य प्रसज्येत व्रतांतरात् । इदमल्पं महत्त्वं तदिति नैव नियामकः
Entering water, fire, and so on, is prescribed in other vows; but the distinction of greatness or smallness does not depend solely on this.
फलं यथोदितं शास्त्रे तदेव स्यान्महोदयम् । यथाल्पनाशो महता महन्नाशस्तथाल्पतः
The result described in the scripture is indeed the highest; just as a small loss comes from a small cause, and a great loss from a great one.
किंत्वल्पविस्फुलिंगेन तृणनाशः प्रदृश्यते । अजामिलोऽपि भूपाल दास्याः पतिरिति स्मृतः
Yet, even a small spark can be seen to burn grass; O king, even Ajāmila, though husband to a maidservant, is remembered.
धर्मपत्नीपरित्यागी नित्यं पापपथिस्थितः । म्रियमाणः सुताह्वानं चक्रे नारायणेति च
He abandoned his lawful wife and always followed the path of sin; as he was dying, he called out to his son, saying 'Nārāyaṇa.'
तथा यन्नामग्रहणात्पदं लेभे सुदुर्ल्लभम् । अनिच्छयापि दहति स्पृष्टो हुतवहो यथा
Thus, by uttering that name, he attained a state most difficult to reach; even without intention, fire burns when touched.
तथा दहति गोविंदनामव्याजादपीरितम्
In the same way, the name Govinda burns away sin, even if spoken without purpose.
हत्यायुतं शपनहा सहस्रमुग्रं गुर्वंगनाकोटिनिषेवणं च । स्तेयान्यशेषाणि हरेः प्रियेण गोविंदनाम्ना निहतानि सद्यः
Ten thousand killings, a thousand fierce curses, the enjoyment of countless teachers' wives, and all other thefts—these are instantly destroyed by the dear name of Govinda.
विष्णुभक्तिमयं वीर यत्किंचित्क्रियतेऽल्पकम् । सुकृतं साधु विदुषा तदक्षयफलं भवेत्
Whatever small act is performed with devotion to Viṣṇu, the wise know that such good deeds yield inexhaustible fruit.
संदेहो न च कर्तव्यो माधवे मासि माधवम् । समाराध्य जनो भक्त्या तत्तद्वांछितमाप्नुयात्
No doubt should be entertained: in the month of Mādhava, by worshiping Mādhava with devotion, a person attains whatever they desire.
अपत्यं द्रविणं दारा धरा हर्म्यं हया गजाः । सुखानि स्वर्गमोक्षौ च न दूरे हरिभक्तितः
Children, wealth, wives, land, houses, horses, elephants, pleasures, heaven, and liberation—all these are not far from one devoted to Hari.