परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पवित्रं परमं च यत् । तस्मिन्प्रकीर्तिते विष्णौ यत्पापं तत्प्रणश्यतु
That Supreme Brahman, the highest abode, the purest and most exalted—when Viṣṇu is praised, may whatever sin there is be destroyed.
यत्प्राप्य न निवर्त्तंते गंधस्पर्शादिवर्जिताः । सूरयस्तत्पदं विष्णोस्तत्सर्वं शमयत्वयम्
That state of Viṣṇu, which, once attained, the sages do not return from, being free from scent, touch, and the like—may that state dispel all this.
पापप्रशमनं स्तोत्रं यः पठेच्छृणुयान्नरः । शारीरैर्मानसैर्वाग्जैः कृतैः पापैः स मुच्यते
Whoever recites or hears this hymn that removes sin is freed from sins committed by body, mind, or speech.
मुक्तः पापग्रहादिभ्यो याति विष्णोः परं पदम् । तस्मात्पापे कृतं जप्यं स्तोत्रं सर्वाघमर्दनम्
Freed from the grip of sin and other evils, he attains the supreme abode of Viṣṇu; therefore, this hymn, recited for sin, destroys all offenses.
प्रायश्चित्तमघौघानां पठितव्यं नरोत्तमैः । प्रायश्चित्तैः स्तोत्रवरैर्व्रतैर्नश्यति पातकम्
This should be recited by the best of men as atonement for heaps of sin; by hymns, vows, and acts of expiation, sin is destroyed.
ततः कार्याणि संसिद्ध्यै तानि वै भुक्तिमुक्तये । पूर्वजन्मार्जितं पापमैहिकं च नरेश्वर
Therefore, these acts should be performed for success, for enjoyment and liberation, O king, to remove sins accumulated in previous births and in this life.
स्तवस्य श्रवणादस्य सद्य एव विलीयते । पापद्रुमकुठारोऽयं पापेंधनदवानलः
By hearing this hymn, it is immediately dissolved; it is the axe for the tree of sin, the forest fire for the fuel of sin.
पापराशितमः स्तोम भानुरेष स्तवो नृप । मया प्रकाशितस्तुभ्यं तथा लोकानुकंपया
This hymn is the sun that dispels the darkness-mass of sin, O king; I have revealed it to you out of compassion for the worlds.
स्तवो योऽयं मया प्राप्तो रहस्यं पितुरादरात् । इतिहासमिमं पुण्यं यः शृणोति नराधिप
This hymn, which I have received as a secret from my father with affection—whoever hears this sacred history, O lord of men,
तस्यापि पुण्यमाहात्म्यं वक्तुं शक्तः स्वयं हरिः । स्वस्ति तेस्तु महाराज गंगायामथ सत्वरम्
Even for him, Hari himself is able to declare the greatness of its merit. Farewell to you, great king; now, quickly—
स्नातुं यामि समायातो मासोऽयं माधवो महान्
I go to bathe in the Ganges, for this great Mādhava month has arrived.
सूत उवाच- यातुं तमुद्यतं नत्वा मुनिं राजा ततो मुदा । विधिं पप्रच्छ संक्षिप्तं स्नानदानक्रियोचितम्
Sūta said: Bowing to the sage who was about to depart, the king joyfully asked him briefly about the proper rules for bathing, giving, and ritual acts.
अंबरीष उवाच- मुने वैशाखमासेऽस्मिन्को विधिः किं तपोऽधिकम् । किं च दानं कथं स्नानं कथं केशवपूजनम्
Ambarīṣa said: O sage, in this month of Vaiśākha, what is the proper rule, what is the highest penance? What is the proper gift, how should one bathe, and how should Keśava be worshipped?
कृपया वद विप्रर्षे सर्वज्ञस्त्वं हरिप्रियः । विशेषतोऽपि पूजाया विधिं तीर्थपदे वद
Out of compassion, tell me, O best of Brāhmaṇas, you who know all and are dear to Hari; especially, tell me the rule for worship at the holy place.
नारद उवाच-। मेषसंक्रमणे भानोर्माधवे मासि सत्तम । महानद्यां नदीतीरे नदे सरसि निर्झरे
Nārada said: At the entry of the sun into Aries, in the month of Mādhava, O excellent one, on the bank of a great river, by a river, in a lake, or at a spring—
देवखातेऽथवा स्नायाद्यथाप्राप्ते जलाशये । दीर्घिका कूप वापीषु नियतात्मा हरिं स्मरन्
Or one should bathe in a divine reservoir, or in any available body of water—a pond, well, or tank—with a controlled mind, remembering Hari.
मधुमासस्य शुक्लायामेकादश्यामुपोषितः । पंचदश्यां च वा वीर मेषसंक्रमणेऽपि वा
Having fasted on the eleventh day of the bright half of the month of Madhu, or on the fifteenth, O hero, or even at the time of the sun's entry into Aries,
वैशाखस्नाननियमं ब्राह्मणानामनुज्ञया । मधुसूदनमभ्यर्च्य कुर्यात्सुस्नानपूर्वकम्
With the permission of the Brahmins, one should observe the vow of bathing in Vaiśākha, worship Madhusūdana, and perform the bath with proper purification.
वैशाखं सकलं मासं मेषसंक्रमणे रवेः । प्रातः सनियमः स्नास्ये प्रीयतां मधुसूदनः
Throughout the entire month of Vaiśākha, from the sun's entry into Aries, I will bathe in the morning with self-restraint; may Madhusūdana be pleased.
मधुहंतुः प्रसादेन ब्राह्मणानामनुग्रहात् । निर्विघ्नमस्तु मे पुण्यंवैशाखस्नानमन्वहम्
By the grace of the destroyer of Madhu and the favor of the Brahmins, may my meritorious act of daily bathing in Vaiśākha proceed without obstacles.
माधवे मेषगे भानौ मुरारे मधुसूदन । प्रातःस्नानेन मे नाथ यथोक्तफलदो भव
In the month of Mādhava, when the sun is in Aries, O slayer of Mura, O Madhusūdana, by my morning bath, O Lord, grant me the fruits as declared.
यथा ते माधवो मासो वल्लभो मधुसूदन । प्रातःस्नानेन मे तस्मिन्फलदः पापहा भव
As the month of Mādhava is dear to you, O Madhusūdana, by my morning bath in that month, be the giver of results and the remover of sins for me.
एवमुच्चार्य तत्तीर्थे पादौ प्रक्षाल्य वाग्यतः । स्मरन्नारायणं देवं स्नानं कुर्याद्विधानतः
Having recited thus at that sacred place, washing the feet and being restrained in speech, remembering the god Nārāyaṇa, one should perform the bath according to the rite.
तीर्थं प्रकल्पयेद्धीमान्मूलमंत्रमिमं पठन् । ॐनमोनारायणायमूलमंत्र उदाहृतः
The wise should prepare the sacred place, reciting this root mantra: 'Om namo Nārāyaṇāya'—this is declared as the root mantra.
दर्भपाणिस्तु विधिवदाचांतः प्रणतो भुवि । चतुर्हस्तसमायुक्तं चतुरस्रं समंततः
Holding darbha grass in hand, performing proper purification, bowing on the ground, one should prepare a square area, equal on all sides, measuring four hands.
प्रकल्प्यावाहयेद्गंगां मंत्रेणानेन मानवः । विष्णुपादप्रसूतासि वैष्णवी विष्णुदेवता
Having prepared it, a person should invoke the Ganges with this mantra: 'You are born from the feet of Viṣṇu, you are Vaiṣṇavī, the goddess of Viṣṇu.'
त्राहि नस्त्वेनसस्तस्मादाजन्ममरणांतिकात् । तिस्रःकोट्योर्द्धकोटी च तीर्थानां वायुरब्रवीत्
'Protect us from sin, from birth until death; there are three crores and more of sacred waters,' so spoke Vāyu.
दिवि भुव्यंतरिक्षे च तानि ते संति जाह्नवि । नंदिनीत्येव ते नाम वेदेषु नलिनीति च
In heaven, on earth, and in the atmosphere, O Jāhnavī, those sacred waters are present; your names in the Vedas are Nandinī and Nalinī.
दक्षा पृथ्वी च विहगा विश्वगाथा शिवप्रिया । विद्याधरी महादेवी तथा लोकप्रसादिनी
Dakṣā, Pṛthvī, Vihagā, Viśvagāthā, Śivapriyā, Vidyādharī, Mahādevī, and Lokaprasādinī as well.
क्षेमंकरी जाह्नवी च शांता शांतिप्रदायिनी । एतानि पुण्यनामानि स्नानकाले प्रकीर्तयेत्
Kṣemaṃkarī, Jāhnavī, Śāntā, and Śāntipradāyinī—these are the auspicious names that should be recited at the time of bathing.