न माधवसमो देवो यथा देवेषु निश्चितम् । तथा मासेषु सर्वेषु न मासो माधवप्रियः
There is no deity equal to Mādhava, as is certain among the gods; likewise, among all months, none is dearer than Mādhava.
तस्य माधवमासस्य माहात्म्यमपि भक्तितः । श्रुत्वा विमुच्यते प्रेतयोनितः किं विधानतः
The greatness of the Mādhava month, when heard with devotion, frees one from the spirit birth—even without ritual observance.
सतां संभाषणादेव पुण्यतीर्थनिषेवणात् । नारायणेति पठनात्तन्नामश्रवणादपि
By merely conversing with the virtuous, by visiting holy pilgrimage sites, by reciting the name 'Nārāyaṇa,' or even by hearing that name—
मुच्यते पातकैः सर्वैर्जनो भक्तिपरायणः । यतिष्ये तदहं प्रेता भवतामपि मुक्तये
—a person devoted to faith is freed from all sins. I will strive, even as a spirit, for your liberation as well.
परोपकारजं पुण्यं यतो न स्यान्मखैरपि । प्रेता यामि ततः स्नातुं रेवावारिणि माधवे
Since merit arising from helping others cannot be gained even by sacrifices, therefore, as a spirit, I go to bathe in the waters of the Revā in the month of Mādhava.
मासि मेषस्थिते भानावेतैरनुगतो नरैः । पंचैव ते पुनर्मोहाज्जातपातकसंचयाः
When the sun is in Aries, accompanied by these men, five of them, again due to delusion, have accumulated sins.
स्नातुमायांति वचसा ममैव करुणावतः
They come to bathe, moved by my own compassionate words.
तावद्भवंतस्तु निदेशतो मे तिष्ठंतु तत्रैव वने विशोकाः । श्रीनर्मदावारिणि यावदेव गत्वा निजस्नानविधिं विहाय
Therefore, by my instruction, remain there in the forest, free from sorrow, until you have gone to the waters of the sacred Narmadā, abandoning your own bathing rites.
निर्माय पुरुषानपि नाम तस्मात्कुशस्वरूपानिह नर्मदा के । विधानतो माधवमासि दीनान्निमज्जयामीति दया निबद्धः
There, according to the prescribed rule, I will compassionately fashion figures of men from kuśa grass and immerse them in the Narmadā during the Mādhava month, saying, 'Let these be delivered.'
एवं दिनत्रयेणैव मुक्तिर्वः प्रेतयोनितः । न दर्भबटुकस्नानमात्रेणैव न संशयः
Thus, within three days, you will be liberated from the state of spirits—not merely by bathing kuśa effigies, without doubt.
नारद उवाच- एवमुक्तस्ततस्तैस्तु प्रतीतैरपि पूजितः । मुनिशर्मा ययावेतैरनुयातस्तु पंचभिः
Nārada said: Thus addressed, and honored by them though they were convinced, Muniśarman set out, accompanied by those five.
तत्र गत्वा ततः प्रातः स्नात्वा कृत्वा तथाविधिम् । स्नापयामास तान्प्रेतान्नामतो दर्भनिर्मितान्
Having arrived there, in the morning, after bathing and performing the prescribed rites, he bathed those spirits, represented by figures made of kuśa grass, in name.
स्मृताश्च मुनिना तीर्थे स्नापिता नामतस्तथा । प्रेताः पुण्यवता तेन सद्यो मुक्ता दिवं ययुः
Remembered by the sage at the holy site, and bathed in name, those spirits, through his merit, were instantly liberated and ascended to heaven.
ते पापिनः पंच यदैव रेवाजले निमग्ना वचसैव तस्य । श्रीमाधवे मासि विवर्णदेहाः सद्यः सुवर्णैकरुचो बभूवुः
Those five sinners, as soon as they were immersed in the waters of the Revā by his words, in the Mādhava month, their pale bodies immediately became radiant like gold.
पापप्रशमनं स्तोत्रं श्राविता मुनिशर्मणा । समक्षं सर्वलोकानां जातास्ते वरकांतयः
The hymn that destroys sin was recited by Muniśarman; in the presence of all worlds, they became handsome and radiant.
तत्रस्था मानवास्तांस्तु विरजान्स्नानमात्रतः । न स्पृशंति च राजेंद्र पापिसंसर्गशंकथा
The people present there, O King, do not touch those purified ones merely by bathing, nor do they fear contact with sinners.
मुनिशर्मानुरोधेन ततो धर्मप्रमाणतः । सद्यो दिव्याभवद्वाणी यदेते विगतैनसः
By the request of Muniśarman, and according to the authority of dharma, a divine voice immediately declared that these were now free from sin.
स्नातानां माधवेमासि मुकुंदहृदयात्मनाम् । पापप्रशमनं स्तोत्रं शृण्वतामिह सादरम्
For those who have bathed in the Mādhava month, whose hearts are devoted to Mukunda, the hymn that destroys sin is to be heard here with reverence.
चित्रं किमत्र या शुद्धिर्जायते पापसंचयात् । सर्वेषामेव पापानां प्रायश्चित्तमिदं परम्
What wonder is there in this, that such purity arises from a heap of sin? For all sins, this is the supreme atonement.
यत्प्रातर्माधवे मासि भक्त्या तीर्थेऽवगाहनम् । यतः प्रेतास्तु ते पापाः स्नापिता नाममात्रतः
That morning immersion in the holy place during the Mādhava month, performed with devotion, is the reason those sinful spirits were purified, even by name alone.
स्मृताः पुण्यवता तेन मोचिता मुनिशर्मणा
Those remembered by the virtuous were freed by Muni Sharma.
इत्येवमाकर्ण्य गिरं नभःस्थामत्यद्भुतामाशु ततो मनुष्याः । शशंसुरेतानपि पंचपुण्यान्वैशाखमासं च मुनिं च रेवाम्
Hearing these wondrous words spoken from the sky, the people quickly reported about these five virtuous ones, the month of Vaiśākha, the sage, and the river Revā.
अथ चाकर्ण्य भूपालः स्तवं दुरितनाशनम् । यदाकर्ण्य नरो भक्त्या मुच्यते पापराशिभिः
Then, upon hearing the hymn that destroys sin, O king, whenever a person listens with devotion, he is freed from heaps of sin.
यस्य श्रवणमात्रेण पापिनः शुद्धिमागताः । अन्येऽपि बहवो मुक्ताः पापादज्ञानसंभवात्
By merely hearing it, even sinners attain purity; many others too are freed from sin arising from ignorance.
परदार परद्रव्य जीवहिंसादिके यदा । प्रवर्तते नृणां चित्तं प्रायश्चित्तं स्तुतिस्तदा
Whenever the mind of people turns toward adultery, theft, violence, and such acts, then reciting this hymn is the atonement.
विष्णवे विष्णवे नित्यं विष्णवे विष्णवे नमः । नमामि विष्णुं चित्तस्थमहंकारगतं हरिम्
To Viṣṇu, to Viṣṇu always, to Viṣṇu, to Viṣṇu, I bow; I bow to Viṣṇu, who dwells in the mind, to Hari, who resides in the sense of self.
चित्तस्थमीशमव्यक्तमनंतमपराजितम् । विष्णुमीड्यमशेषाणामनादिनिधनं विभुम्
I bow to the Lord who dwells in the mind, unmanifest, infinite, unconquered; to Viṣṇu, revered by all, beginningless, endless, and all-pervading.
विष्णुश्चित्तगतो यन्मे विष्णुर्बुद्धिगतश्च यत् । यच्चाहंकारको विष्णुर्यो विष्णुर्मयि संस्थितः
Viṣṇu who is present in my mind, Viṣṇu who is present in my intellect, Viṣṇu who is present in my ego, that Viṣṇu abides in me.
करोति कर्तृभूतोऽसौ स्थावरस्य चरस्य च । तत्पापं नाशमायाति तस्मिन्नेव हि चिंतिते
He acts as the agent for both the immovable and the moving; whatever sin is contemplated upon him, that sin is destroyed.
ध्यातो हरति यत्पापं स्वप्ने दृष्टस्तु भावनात् । तमुपेंद्रंमहं विष्णुं प्रणमामि नतिप्रियम्
Meditated upon, he removes sin; even seen in a dream through contemplation, he does so; I bow to Upendra, to Viṣṇu, who delights in reverence.