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.
विधिं स राजापि ततश्चकार वैशाखमासस्य मुनिप्रणीतम् । पत्न्यासमं पुण्यधिया तमेव संचिंतयँल्लोकपवित्रकीर्तिः
Then the king performed the rite prescribed by the sage for the month of Vaiśākha, together with his virtuous wife, contemplating that very ceremony, renowned for purifying the world.
ऋषय ऊचुः - सूतसूतमहाप्राज्ञ जीवजीव शतंसमाः । यद्वयं पुण्यसमयं श्राविता जगतो हितम्
The sages said: O Sūta, wise among charioteers, may you live a hundred lifetimes! You have made us hear of the auspicious observance, beneficial to the world.
वद भूयोऽपि भूयिष्ठं पिबामस्तावकं वचः । पायंपायं न तृप्यामो वयं सूत तदुत्तमम्
Speak again, and speak more; let us drink your words. Like a nourishing drink, we do not tire of your excellent speech, O Sūta.
सूत उवाच- अत्राप्युदाहरंतीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । संवादमादिलोकस्य जगतां जगदीशितुः
Sūta said: Here too, an ancient legend is cited—a conversation between the first beings and the Lord of the universe.
षट्सहस्राणिचोच्छ्रायो विस्तारेण पुनस्त्रयम् । एवं नवसहस्राणि योजनानां विधाय च
Its height was six thousand, and its breadth three thousand; thus, nine thousand yojanas were measured out.
वामया दंष्ट्रया गृह्य उद्धृतादौ वसुंधरा । दिव्यवर्षसहस्रं वै दंष्ट्रया धारिता मही
With her left tusk, she lifted the earth at the beginning; for a thousand divine years, the earth was held by the tusk.
धर्माख्यानप्रसंगेन सोवाच विनयाद्विभुम् । पृथिव्युवाच- एते द्वादश मासा वै षष्टिर्दिनशतत्रयम्
In the context of narrating dharma, she spoke humbly to the Lord. The earth said: These are the twelve months, and sixty-three hundred days.
एषां किमुत्तमं पुण्यं प्रियं च तव केशव । पवित्रः कार्तिको मासस्तुलासंस्थे दिवाकरे
Among these, which is the most auspicious and dear to you, O Keśava? The month of Kārtika is pure, when the sun is in Libra.
मकरस्थे रवौ मासः पुराणे पावनः स्मृतः । मेषस्थे माधवो मासो भास्करे पठ्यते बुधैः
When the sun is in Capricorn, the month is remembered as holy in the Purāṇas; when the sun is in Aries, the month of Mādhava is praised by the wise.
मार्गशीर्षोऽपि मासानां पावनः परिकीर्तितः । एवं मासाः पवित्रास्ते वासराः केपि कीर्तिताः
Mārgaśīrṣa too is celebrated as a purifying month among the months; thus, these months are pure, and certain days are also praised.