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.
गुणरूपसमायुक्ता सुशीला चारुमंगला । दिव्यादेवीति विख्याता रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि ३७ (द्र. पद्मपुराण [https://sa.wikisource.org/s/fwm भूमिखण्ड, अध्यायः ८५.५४])। पित्रा त्वालोकिता सा तु रूपलावण्यसंयुता । स तां दृष्ट्वा दिवोदासो दिव्यां देवीं सुतां तदा
Endowed with virtues and beauty, of noble character and auspicious, she was famed as Divyādevī, unrivaled in beauty on earth.
कस्मै च दीयते कन्या सुवराय महात्मने । इति चिंतापरो भूत्वा समालोक्य नरोत्तमः
Her father beheld her, endowed with beauty and charm; seeing his divine daughter Divyādevī, Divodāsa then wondered:
रूपदेशस्य राजानं सम्यग्ज्ञात्वा महीपतिः । चित्रसेनं महात्मानं समाहूय ततो नृपः
Knowing well the king of that region, the wise king summoned the great-souled Citraseṇa.
कन्यां ददौ दिवोदासश्चित्रसेनाय धीमते । तस्या विवाहकालस्य संप्राप्ते समये नृप
Divodāsa gave his daughter to the intelligent Citraseṇa; when the time for her marriage arrived, O king,
मृतोऽसौ चित्रसेनस्तु कालधर्मेण वै किल । दिवोदासश्च धर्मात्मा चिंतयामास भूपतिः
Citraseṇa died, indeed, by the law of time; and Divodāsa, righteous king, began to ponder.
ब्राह्मणांश्च समाहूय पप्रच्छ नृपनंदन । अस्या विवाहकाले तु चित्रसेनो दिवं गतः
Summoning the brāhmaṇas, the king’s son asked them: 'At the time of her marriage, Citraseṇa has gone to heaven.'
अस्यास्तु कीदृशं कर्म भविष्यति ब्रुवंतु मे । ब्राह्मण उवाच-। विवाहो जायते राजन्कन्यायास्तु विधानतः
'What should be done in her case? Tell me,' he said. The brāhmaṇa spoke: 'Marriage is to be performed for the maiden according to ordinance.'
पतिर्मृत्युं प्रयात्येव यो वा त्यागं करोति च । महाधिव्याधिना भीतस्त्यागं कृत्वा प्रयाति च
'If the husband dies, or abandons her, or departs out of fear of great disease, having renounced, he goes away.'
प्रव्राजितो भवेद्राजन्धर्मशास्त्रेषु दृश्यते । तस्यां रजस्वलायां च अन्यः पतिर्विधीयते
'If he becomes a renunciant, O king, as seen in the scriptures of dharma, and if she is in her period, another husband is prescribed for her.'
विवाहं तु प्रधानेन पिता कुर्यान्न संशयः । एवं राजन्समादिष्टं धर्मशास्त्रे शुभैर्जनैः
'The father should perform the marriage with a principal man—there is no doubt; thus, O king, it is enjoined in the dharma-śāstra by the virtuous.'
विवाहः क्रियतामस्या इत्यूचुस्ते द्विजोत्तमाः । दिवोदासश्च धर्मात्मा ब्राह्मणैस्तु प्रणोदितः
'Let her marriage be performed,' so said the best of the twice-born; and Divodāsa, righteous king, was urged by the brāhmaṇas.
विवाहार्थं महाराज मानसं कृतवान्नृप । पुनर्दत्ता प्रदानेन दिव्यादेवी नृपोत्तम
For the sake of marriage, O great king, the king made up his mind; Divyādevī was again given in marriage, O best of kings.
पुष्पसेनाय पुण्याय तस्मै राज्ञे महात्मने । मृत्युधर्मं गतो राजा विवाहसमयेऽपि सः
To Puṣpasena, the virtuous and great-souled king, she was given; her former husband had died even at the time of marriage.
यदा यदा महाभागो दिव्यादेव्याश्च भूपतिः । करोति स पितोद्योगं विवाहस्यातिदुःखितः
Whenever the blessed king, father of Divyādevī, undertook the efforts for her marriage, he was exceedingly distressed.
भर्तापि म्रियते काले प्राप्तलग्नस्तदा तदा । एकविंशतिभर्तारः कालेकाले मृतास्ततः
Her husband too died in due course, each time at the appointed moment; thus, twenty-one husbands died one after another.
ततो राजा महादुःखी संजातः ख्यातविक्रमः । समालोक्य तमाहूय मंत्रिभिः सह निश्चलः
Then the king, renowned for his valor, became deeply afflicted with sorrow; seeing this, he summoned his ministers and remained steadfast.
स्वयंवरे महाबुद्धिं चकार पृथिवीपतिः । अथ तेन समाहूता राजानो विविधा नृपाः
The lord of the earth, possessing great wisdom, arranged a svayamvara; then, at his invitation, various kings and rulers assembled.
स्वयंवरार्थं वै तस्या बहवो धर्मतत्पराः । तस्यास्तु रूपसंक्षुब्धा मृत्युना प्रेषिता नृपाः
Many kings, intent on righteousness, came for her svayamvara; but, agitated by her beauty and sent by death, those kings—
संग्रामं चक्रिरे मूढा मृतास्तेऽथ परस्परम् । एवं तेषां क्षयो जातः क्षत्त्रियाणां नरेश्वर
Foolish, they engaged in battle with one another and perished; thus, O lord of men, destruction befell those Kshatriyas.
दिव्यादेवी च दुःखार्ता रुरोद करुणं ततः । बालामालोक्य तां राजा रुदंतीं चातिदुःखिताम्
The divine lady, overwhelmed by grief, wept bitterly; seeing the young girl crying and deeply distressed, the king—