सूत उवाच- इत्येवमाकर्ण्य वचो विचित्रं पुण्यं पवित्रं विधिनंदनस्य । प्रणम्य बद्धांजलिराह राजा सकौतुकी भागवतप्रधानः
Suta said: Thus, hearing the wondrous, meritorious, and pure words of Vidhinandana, the king, foremost among devotees, bowed with joined palms and spoke with eagerness.
अंबरीष उवाच- समस्तभूमीवलयेश्वरोऽहमव्याहताज्ञो विबुधप्रसेवी । गोविंदपादांबुजदत्तचित्तः स्वचित्तसंतोषितभूमिदेवः
Ambarisha said: I am the lord of the entire circle of lands, with unobstructed command, served by the gods; my mind is devoted to the lotus feet of Govinda, and as the king of the land, my heart is satisfied.
विख्यातराजोचितवंशरत्नं निरंतरं धर्मरुचिर्यशस्वी । सौंदर्यशौर्योदयदानशीलः सुपुत्रवानस्मि जितारिवर्गः
I am renowned, born in a royal lineage, continuously inclined toward righteousness and fame; possessing beauty, valor, generosity, good conduct, blessed with sons, and victorious over enemies.
केनापि पुण्येन पवित्रबुद्धिर्जातोहमीदृग्गुणसंतश्रीः । इयं पुनः श्रीरिव पुण्यमूर्तिर्लब्धा कुतः कांतिमती च कांता
By some merit, I have become pure-minded, endowed with such virtues and prosperity; and again, like fortune embodied, I have obtained this radiant and beautiful wife—how did I gain her?
इदं मे सुकृतं सर्वं पुराजन्मनि चेष्टितम् । समादिश मुने सम्यक्सर्वज्ञोसि दयानिधे
All this good fortune of mine, all my actions in previous births—O sage, instruct me rightly, for you are omniscient and a treasure of compassion.
नारद उवाच- इयं रूपवती नाम वेश्यासीदन्यजन्मनि । सांप्रतं तव भार्या या सत्याचारातिसुंदरी
Narada said: In a previous birth, she was named Rupavati, a courtesan; now she is your wife, exceedingly beautiful and true in conduct.
वेश्याधर्मेण वर्तेत यथोद्दिष्टेन भाविनी । कुर्वती किल कर्माणि शुभानि द्विजशासनात्
She lived as a courtesan according to the prescribed way, performing auspicious deeds as instructed by the twice-born.
देवदास इति ख्यातो हेमकारो भवानभूत् । पूर्वजन्मनि वै तस्या रुचेर्भर्ता भुजंगमः
You were known as Devadasa, a goldsmith, in your previous birth; for her, you were the husband named Bhujangama.
इयं भवंतं भजते रुची रूपवती पुनः । व्ययार्थमयनं धर्मं स्थिता विज्ञानमुत्तमम्
Rupavati again worships you, O king, with steadfastness in righteous conduct and supreme wisdom, for the sake of spiritual progress.
आकर्ण्य चैकदा धर्मं वैशाखस्नानसंभवम् । चक्रे धर्मवती तोये स्नानं मेषगते रवौ
Once, hearing of the merit arising from bathing in the month of Vaishakha, Dharmavati performed a bath in water when the sun entered Aries.
दानं दत्तवती दक्षा वेश्या रूपवती सदा । ब्राह्मणाय नमस्कारं भक्त्यादरपुरःसरम्
Rupavati, the courtesan, always gave gifts skillfully, and offered salutations to the Brahmin with devotion and respect.
स तया देवदासस्त्वं बोधितः स्नेहयंत्रितः । कृतवान्बुद्धितः स्नानं माधवे मासि सादरम्
You, Devadasa, were instructed by her, bound by affection, and with understanding, performed the bath in the month of Madhava with reverence.
तत्र त्रेतायुगस्यादौ तृतीयामाप्यनिर्मलाम् । सुवर्णकारं सोवाच देवदासं तमादरात्
There, at the beginning of the Treta age, in the third, still impure, the goldsmith respectfully spoke to Devadasa.
वेश्योवाच- उत्तमं कुरु सौवर्णं मधुसूदनमच्युतम् । पूजयित्वा यवैर्देवमेतैः संतर्प्य चानलम्
The courtesan said: Make an excellent golden image of Madhusudana, the infallible one; worship the deity with barley and satisfy the fire with these.
ब्राह्मणाय च दास्यामि ब्राह्मणानामनुज्ञया । दानमेतत्पुराणेषु कथ्यते तत्र चाक्षयम्
I will give it to a Brahmin, with the permission of the Brahmins; this gift is described in the ancient scriptures, and there it is declared imperishable.
अक्षयेति तृतीयासौ ब्राह्मणेभ्यः श्रुतं मया । शुक्ला वैशाखमासस्य तदक्षयफलप्रदम्
Imperishable, so it is called the third; I have heard this from the Brahmins. In the bright fortnight of the month of Vaisakha, it bestows imperishable fruit.
अस्यां दास्यामि तं हैमं मधुसूदनमव्ययम् । नारद उवाच- इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा मधुरं हेमकारकः
On this occasion, I will give that golden, undecaying Madhusudana. Narada said: Hearing these sweet words, the goldsmith
चक्रे सुवर्णप्रतिमामच्युतस्यापि सुंदरीम् । सत्यभावेन धर्मार्थमिति चौर्यविवर्जितः
made a beautiful golden image of Acyuta, with sincerity and for the sake of righteousness, avoiding theft.
यथोद्दिष्टस्य चंद्रस्य प्रतिमां लक्षणान्विताम् । ददौ सा च विधानेन स्नात्वा विप्राय सुंदरीम्
He gave an image, marked with the prescribed features of the moon, and she, after bathing, gave the beautiful image to the Brahmin according to the proper rite.
पूजयित्वा ततस्तस्यामक्षयायां तिथौ नृप
Then, having worshipped it on the imperishable date, O king,
कालेन कियता वेश्या सा मृता धर्मनिष्ठिता । देवदासोऽपि स ततो मृतः स्वीयायुषक्षये
After some time, that courtesan, established in righteousness, died; and Devadasa also died when his own lifespan ended.
तेन पुण्येन भूपाल हेमकारोऽन्य जन्मनि । स त्वं प्राप्तो महीं राजन्नशेषगुणसंयुतः
By that merit, O king, the goldsmith in another birth became you, arriving on earth endowed with all virtues.
सापि रूपवती वेश्या तेन धर्मेण तेऽभवत् । नाम्ना कांतिमती कांता प्रणयेन परिप्लुता
And that beautiful courtesan, by that righteousness, became your beloved, named Kanti-mati, overflowing with affection.
विविधा वासना वीर कर्मणां पूर्वसंभवाः । विचित्रा गतयस्तात ज्ञायंते न बुधैरपि
Various tendencies, O hero, arise from previous actions; their paths are diverse, and even the wise cannot comprehend them.
तमेनं माधवं मासं प्रतिकार्यं न संशयः । गोपितं तेन देवेन ब्रह्मणा माधवेन च
This Madhava month must be observed without doubt; it is protected by that deity, by Brahma, and by Madhava.
असाधुसंगैरनवाप्तविद्यैरसंयतैराश्रमधर्महीनैः । अभूततीर्थैरकृतव्रतैस्तैर्न लभ्यते माधवमासधर्मः
By those who associate with the wicked, who lack learning, who are undisciplined, who neglect the duties of their ashram, who have not visited holy places, who have not performed vows—by them, the righteousness of the Madhava month is not attained.
गोविंदकेशवमुकुंदहरे मुरारे लक्ष्मीनिवास मधुसूदन कृष्ण विष्णो । वाणी वरा न वदने वसतीति येषां वैशाखमासनियमो भवते न तेषाम्
For those whose mouths do not utter the names Govinda, Keshava, Mukunda, Hari, Murari, Lakshmi's abode, Madhusudana, Krishna, Vishnu, or Vani, the observance of the Vaisakha month does not arise.
ये साधुसाधु वचनानि हिताधिकानि नाकर्णयंति च हरेश्चरितामृतानि । पश्यंति ये न कमलापतिकेतनानि वैशाखमासनियमं न हि ते लभंते
Those who do not listen to the words of the virtuous, which are beneficial, nor to the nectar-like deeds of Hari, and those who do not behold the abodes of the lotus-eyed one, do not attain the observance of the Vaisakha month.
शुश्रूषिता न गुरवो न वराय कन्या दत्ता समाय समये समलंकृता यैः । अध्यापिता न तनया विनयादि धर्मं वैशाखमासनियमं न हि ते लभंते
Those who have not served their teachers, have not given a worthy maiden at the proper time, adorned, have not instructed their children in humility and righteousness—do not attain the observance of the Vaisakha month.
सूत उवाच- इत्येवमादिश्य मुनिर्नरेश मामंत्र्य तं मंत्रविदग्रगण्यः । स्नातुं ययौ माधवमासि गंगामभ्यर्चितस्तेन तदा स विप्राः
Suta said: Thus, having instructed the king, the foremost among those skilled in mantras, the sage went to bathe in the Ganga during the Madhava month, and was worshipped by the Brahmins at that time.