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.
भवेत्संनिहिता तत्र गंगा त्रिपथगामिनी । सप्तवाराभि जप्तेन करसंपुटयोजिते
There, the Ganges, the traverser of three paths, becomes present; by reciting seven times with hands joined in reverence.
मूर्ध्नि कृत्वा जलं भूपश्चतुर्वा पंच सप्त वा । स्नानं कृत्वा मृदा तद्वदामंत्र्य तु विधानतः
Placing water on the head, O king, four, five, or seven times, having bathed with earth accordingly, one should recite as prescribed.
अश्वक्रांते रथक्रांते विष्णुक्रांते वसुंधरे । मृत्तिके हर मे पापं यन्मया दुष्कृतं कृतम्
O earth, trodden by horses, by chariots, by Viṣṇu, O soil, remove my sin, whatever evil I have committed.
उद्धृतासि वराहेण विष्णुना शतबाहुना । नमस्ते सर्वलोकानां प्रभवारणि सुव्रते
You were lifted by Viṣṇu in the form of a boar, with a hundred arms; I bow to you, O virtuous one, origin of all worlds, O remover of obstacles.
एवं स्नात्वा ततः पश्चादाचम्य तु विधानतः । उत्थाय वाससी शुक्ले शुद्धे तु परिधापयेत्
Having bathed in this manner, then afterwards, performing ācamana according to the prescribed method, one should rise and put on clean, white garments.
ततस्तु तर्प्पणं कुर्य्यात्त्रैलोक्याप्यायनाय वै । ब्रह्माणं तर्प्पयेत्पूर्वं विष्णुं रुद्रं प्रजापतिम्
Then one should perform the offering of water for the nourishment of the three worlds, first offering to Brahmā, then to Viṣṇu, Rudra, and Prajāpati.
देवान्यक्षांस्तथा नागान्गंधर्वाप्सरसोसुरान् । क्रूरान्सर्पान्सुपर्णांश्च तरून्वै जंतुकान्खगान्
One should offer to the gods, yakṣas, nāgas, gandharvas, apsarases, asuras, fierce serpents, garuḍas, trees, living beings, and birds.
विद्याधराञ्जलधरांस्तथैवाकाशगामिनः । निराधाराश्च ये जीवाः पापकर्मरताश्च ये
To the vidyādharas, jaladharas, those who move in the sky, and to all beings without support, and those devoted to sinful deeds.
तेषामाप्यायनार्थाय दीयते सलिलं मया । कृतोपवीती देवेषु निवीती च भवेन्नरः
For their nourishment, water is given by me; having performed the upavīta among the gods, a man becomes nivīta.
मनुष्यांस्तर्प्पयेद्भक्त्या ब्रह्मपुत्रानृषींस्तथा । सनकः सनंदनश्चैव तृतीयश्च सनातनः
One should offer to humans with devotion, and also to the sons of Brahmā, the sages: Sanaka, Sanandana, and the third, Sanātana.