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.
एवं शास्त्रोक्तविधिना स्वल्पेनापि न संशयः । पापस्य महतोऽपि स्यात्क्षयः सम्यग्विधानतः
Thus, even with a little, if performed according to scriptural injunction, there is no doubt that even great sin is destroyed by proper observance.
फलाधिक्यं भवेद्विद्वन्नाधिक्याद्भावकर्मणोः । सूक्ष्मा धर्मस्य गतयो दुर्ज्ञेया विबुधैरपि
Greater results arise, O wise one, not from the quantity of action, but from the quality of feeling and deed; the subtle paths of dharma are difficult to discern, even for the gods.
प्रियो माधवमासोऽयं माधवस्य महात्मनः । एकोऽपि त्रिषु लोकेषु समग्रेप्सितदायकः
This month of Mādhava is dear to the great Mādhava; even alone among the three worlds, it grants all desired things.
पुण्येन गांगेन जलेन काले देशे बुधः स्नानपरः कथंचित् । आजन्मनो भावहतोऽपि दाता न शुध्यतीत्येव मतं ममैतत्
Even if a learned person bathes with pure Gaṅgā water at the right time and place, if his heart is impure from birth, he does not become purified—this is my view.
प्रज्वाल्य वह्निं घृततैलसिक्तं प्रदक्षिणावर्तशिखं स्वकाले । प्रविश्य दग्धः किल भावदुष्टो न स्वर्गमाप्नोति फलं न चान्यत्
If one lights a fire soaked with ghee and oil, with the flame turning to the right, and enters it at the proper time, yet is corrupted in heart, he neither attains heaven nor any other fruit.
गंगादितीर्थेषु वसंति देवा देवालये यक्षगणाश्च नित्यम् । विनाशनं यांति कृतोपवासा भावोज्झितास्तेन फलं लभंते
The gods always dwell at the banks of the Gaṅgā and other sacred rivers, and the Yakṣa hosts in temples; those who fast without devotion meet destruction, and thus do not obtain the fruit.
भावं ततो हृत्कमले निधाय श्रीमाधवं माधवमासि भक्त्या । यजेत यः स्नानपरो विशुद्धः पुण्यं न शक्ता वयमस्य वक्तुम्
He who, after placing devotion in the lotus of his heart, worships the glorious Mādhava during the month of Mādhava, being devoted to bathing and purified—of his merit, we are not able to describe.
इहार्थेऽपि पुरावृत्तमाकर्णय महीपते । विचित्रं कथयिष्यामि फलं किमपि कर्मणाम्
Now, O king, listen to an ancient event related to this matter; I will tell you a marvelous result of actions.
तस्य माधवमासस्य प्रसादान्माधवस्य च । यथापि ब्राह्मणी काचित्स्वैरिण्याप शुभं फलम्
By the grace of the month of Mādhava and of Mādhava himself, a certain brahmin woman, though unchaste, obtained an auspicious result.
दिवोदासेति विख्यातः पुरा कांतीश्वरोऽभवत् । तस्यापत्यं महारत्नं नारीणामुत्तमं सदा
In ancient times, there was a renowned lord of beauty named Divodāsa; his offspring was a great jewel, always the foremost among women.