पुरा कथां हि वदतां विप्राणां नर्मदातटे । शुभं यत्सर्वपापघ्नं तदाकर्णय सादरम्
Once, as the Brahmins were telling stories on the banks of the Narmada, listen attentively now to that auspicious tale, which destroys all sins.
यो दिनत्रयमपि प्रयत्नतः स्नाति मेषउपयादि भास्करे । भास्करेऽनुदित एव माधवे मासि सोऽघनिचयैर्विमुच्यते
Whoever, with effort, bathes for even three days when the sun enters Aries, before sunrise in the month of Mādhava, is freed from heaps of sin.
संपूर्णमपि वैशाखे यो बहिः स्नानमाचरेत् । विधिना माधवं देवमर्चयेत्सोपि पापहा
Whoever performs an external bath throughout the month of Vaiśākha, and worships the god Mādhava according to the prescribed method, he too becomes free from sin.
पुण्यतीर्थे विशेषेण स्नानदानक्रियादिभिः । महापापैर्विमुच्येत मानवो मासि माधवे
Especially by bathing, giving gifts, and performing rites at holy places, a person is freed from great sins in the month of Mādhava.
तावन्महापापचयः शरीरे शरीरिणस्तिष्ठति निर्विशंकः । यावन्मुदा चोषसि मेषराशिमुपागते मज्जति नो दिनेशे
The accumulation of great sins remains in the body of the embodied being, without doubt, as long as, with joy, you do not bathe when the sun enters Aries and has not yet set.
एवमाकर्णितस्तेषां विप्राणां वदतां मया । अनेकदुरितांभोधि तरणे पोत उत्तमः
Thus, as I listened to those Brahmins speaking, I found the best boat for crossing the ocean of countless misdeeds.
अदूरे शिवदेहा च वर्ततेऽसौ सरिद्वरा । तत्र स्नातुं गमिष्येऽहं तदाघौघवधाय च
Not far away lies that excellent river, the body of Shiva; I will go there to bathe and to destroy the flood of sins.
यदि ते रोचते कांते विरक्तं वामनो भवेत् । तन्मया त्वं समागच्छ वैशाखस्नानहेतवे
If it pleases you, dear one, or if you are detached, then come with me for the purpose of bathing in Vaiśākha.
अनित्यं जीवितमिदं यौवनं चातिसुंदरम् । हेतुर्नरकवासस्य दुर्वारश्च स नो भवेत्
This life is impermanent, and youth, though exceedingly beautiful, is the cause of dwelling in hell and is difficult to restrain for us.
आराधितस्त्वयाहं च पातितो दुरितार्णवे । महतामपि यत्सत्यं दुष्टस्थितशरीरिणाम्
Though I have been worshipped by you, I have been cast into the ocean of misfortune; this is true even for the great, when they are embodied in a wicked state.
किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन न विलंबोचितः क्षणः । उद्धरिष्येऽपि भवतीं विरक्तिर्यदि ते हृदि
Why say much more? This moment is not fit for delay; I will rescue you, if detachment is in your heart.
चित्रोवाच-। स्वामिन्न दृष्टयोगेन तव संगतिधर्मतः । ध्रुवं विरक्तं मच्चेतो निंद्यमेतद्भवं प्रति
Citrā said: O lord, by seeing you and by the nature of our union, my mind is certainly detached from you; this is blameworthy for you.
नूनमेवं मया शास्त्रे श्रुतं यत्साधुसंगमः । अचिंत्यायै नमस्तस्यै ततो नियतायै पुनः
Surely, I have heard in the scriptures that association with the virtuous is inconceivable; I bow to her, and again to her who is steadfast.
जातूकर्ण उवाच-। इति भाष्यततस्तेन समं चित्रा ययौ तदा । विद्यमानं धनं किंचिदादाय मुनिनोदिता
Jātūkarṇa said: Thus, after he had spoken, Citrā went with him, taking a little wealth as instructed by the sage.
ततः परं सोऽपि पुनर्द्विजन्मा वैशाखमासे शिवदेहदेहम् । अवाप सस्नौ च दिनेशमस्यै स्नानाय सद्योऽथ ददौ दयालुः
Then that twice-born one, in the month of Vaiśākha, at the body of Shiva, bathed and immediately, out of compassion, gave the merit of that bath to her.
हृदयालुरयं विप्रः स्नापयामास तां तदा । यथोचितविधानेन चित्रामुच्चित्रभाषिणीम्
That compassionate Brahmin then bathed her, Citrā of eloquent speech, according to the proper method.
वैशाखस्नानमाहात्म्यं तत्र शुश्राव सा मुदा । पठमानेषु विप्रेषु पुराणानि पृथक्पृथक्
There, with joy, she heard the glory of bathing in Vaiśākha, as the Brahmins recited the Purāṇas, each separately.
यस्य श्रवणमात्रेण क्षीयते दुरितांधकः । यथा सूर्योदये नैव तिमिरौघः प्रणश्यति
By merely hearing it, the darkness of misfortune is destroyed, just as, at sunrise, the mass of darkness is dispelled.
सा शिवे शिवतनूजले पुनः स्नानतोऽजनिकरे विधानतः । स्नानतो विमलमानसोदया सूर्यकांतिरिव निर्मला बभौ
She, after bathing again in the water sanctified by Śiva's presence, according to the prescribed rites, shone with a pure mind, radiant and spotless like the light of the sun.
तत्र मज्जंति रेवायां सेवायां निरता हरेः । वैशाखे विविधा लोका लोकानंत्यमभीप्सवः
There, in the Reva, people devoted to the service of Hari immerse themselves during the month of Vaiśākha, seeking the endless worlds.
ये नर्मदायामिह शर्मदायामशुद्धकायानपि शोधयंति । विशेषतो माधवमासि मर्त्या भवंति मर्त्याधिपलोकलीलाः
Those who, even with impure bodies, bathe here in the Narmadā, the giver of happiness, are purified—especially in the month of Mādhava, mortals become as if lords among mortals, delighting in the worlds.
आजन्मनोऽघस्मरणेन रेवा निहंति दृष्टा दशजन्मजं पुनः । स्नाता कथं चिच्छतयोनिजातं संसेविता यच्छति रुद्रलोकम्
The Reva destroys the sins remembered since birth, and even those accumulated over ten lifetimes; one who bathes there, even if born from a low womb, if devoted, attains the world of Rudra.
सकलं माधवं मासं सा चित्रा नर्मदाजले । सस्नौ किंचिद्ददौ दानं शक्त्या विप्रेषु नित्यशः
Throughout the entire month of Mādhava, Citrā bathed in the waters of the Narmadā, and gave a little charity to the Brāhmaṇas daily, according to her ability.
सर्वपापहरं स्तोत्रं शृणोति श्रद्धया हरेः । विप्राणां तत्र पठतां संगादस्य द्विजन्मनः
Whoever listens with faith to the hymn of Hari that removes all sins, or recites it among the Brāhmaṇas there, gains the merit of a twice-born.
निमज्ज्य सा माधवमासि पूर्णे रेवाजले तत्र महीसुरेभ्यः । अच्छिद्रमासाद्य यथाविधानं तत्रापि चित्रापि चकार मासम्
Immersing herself in the full waters of the Reva during the month of Mādhava, Citrā, following the proper rites, completed the month there as well, among the great sages.
कुटीरकं तं तु नवं विधाय सुदेवनामापि स भूमिदेवः । उवास रेवासलिले निमज्जंश्चित्रोपरोधादनिशं दयातः
Having built a new hut, that king named Sudeva, the lord of the land, stayed by the waters of the Reva, immersing himself day and night out of compassion, because of Citrā's obstruction.
अथ कालेन कियता कालधर्ममुपेयिवान् । विप्रस्तदनु सा चित्रा चिरेणैव मृता नृप
Then, after some time, the Brāhmaṇa, following the law of time, passed away; and after a long while, O king, Citrā also died.
तेन माधवमासस्य सुकृतेन तदैव सा । पुत्री तवाभवन्नूनमदृष्ट्वा यमयातनाम्
Because of the merit she gained in the month of Mādhava, she at once became your daughter, certainly not experiencing the torments of Yama.
तस्य कर्मविपाकोऽयं यदाप्तं भूपतेः कुलम् । वैष्णवं विशदं वीर दुष्प्राप्यं पापकर्मभिः
This is the result of her actions: that she was born into the king's family, O hero, a pure Vaiṣṇava lineage, which is difficult to attain for those who perform sinful deeds.
दिव्यादेवी वरं नाम जातं चास्यां नरोत्तम । यच्च दत्तवती चान्नं भोग्यसौख्यसुखानि च
A divine goddess named Vara was born in her, O best of men; and whatever food she gave, she now enjoys happiness and pleasures.