द्वादशैता महानद्यो नित्यं तेनावगाहिताः । वैशाखे विधिना स्नानं नद्यां यः प्रातराचरेत्
These twelve great rivers, always entered by him—whoever bathes in the river at dawn in Vaiśākha, according to the prescribed rule—
सर्वाः समुद्रगाः पुण्याः सर्वे पुण्या नगोत्तमाः । सर्वे चायतनाः पुण्याः सर्वे पुण्या वनाश्रयाः
All those that flow to the ocean are holy, all the best mountains are holy, all shrines are holy, and all forest dwellings are holy.
तेनावगाहिता दृष्टाः प्रणता बहुसेविताः । स्नानमर्द्धोदिते सूर्ये वैशाखे नियतश्चरेत्
Having entered, seen, bowed to, and served them in many ways, one should bathe with restraint at sunrise in Vaiśākha.
तस्य पुण्यं महीदेव कश्चिद्वक्तुं न शक्यते । यदि वक्त्रसहस्राणां सहस्राणि भवंति हि
O lord of the earth, no one is able to describe the merit of such a person, even if there were thousands upon thousands of mouths.
आयुश्च ब्रह्मणा स्वल्पं यदि स्याद्द्विजसत्तम । तदा माधवमासस्य फलं कथयितुं भवेत्
O best of twice-born, if even Brahmā's lifespan were short, then it might be possible to tell the fruit of the month of Mādhava.
महानिरयकर्षाग्नि माधवो माधवो यथा । ब्रह्महत्यादिकं पापमगम्यागमनादिकम्
Just as the fire of great hell drags one away, so Mādhava, Mādhava destroys sins such as the killing of a brāhmaṇa and the like, and those arising from going to forbidden places.
कामाकामकृतं पापमेति पातकमेव च । उपपापरहस्यं च संकरीकरणं परम्
Sins done with or without desire, and even great crimes, and the secret of minor sins, and the highest mixture of them—
जातिभ्रंशकरं घोरमपात्रीकरणं तथा । मलावहं प्रकीर्णं च वाङ्मनः काय संभवम्
That which causes loss of caste, which is terrible, which makes one unfit, which brings impurity, which is scattered, and which arises from speech, mind, or body—
माधवो निर्दहेन्मासो विधिना समुपासितः । कल्पकोटिसहस्राणि कल्पकोटि शतानि च
The month of Mādhava, properly observed, burns all these away; for thousands of millions of aeons, for hundreds of millions of aeons—
वसेद्विष्णुपुरे श्रीमान्माधवे योऽर्चयेद्धरिम्
He who worships Hari in Mādhava dwells in the city of Viṣṇu, resplendent.
सूत उवाच- एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य धर्मराजस्य भूसुरः । पुनः पप्रच्छ मासस्य माधवस्य विधिं शुभम्
Sūta said: Having heard these words of Dharmarāja, the brāhmaṇa again asked about the auspicious observance of the month of Mādhava.
ब्राह्मण उवाच- धर्मराज महाभाग सम्यग्गुह्यं प्रकाशितम् । माधवस्नानजं पुण्यं नराणां मुक्तिदं परम्
The brāhmaṇa said: O Dharmarāja, greatly fortunate one, the secret has been rightly revealed; the merit arising from bathing in Mādhava grants supreme liberation to men.
माधवं माधवे मासि स्नात्वा प्रातः समाहितः । कथं संपूजयेद्देवं कैः पुष्पैस्तद्विधिं वद
After bathing with a focused mind in the month of Mādhava, how should one worship Mādhava? With which flowers? Tell me the proper method.
धर्मराज उवाच- सर्वेषां पत्रजातीनां तुलसी केशवप्रिया । पुष्करादीनि तीर्थानि गंगाद्याः सरितस्तथा
Dharmarāja said: Of all types of leaves, tulasī is dear to Keśava; the sacred places such as Puṣkara and the rivers like Gaṅgā are also so.
वासुदेवादयो देवा वसंति तुलसीदले । सर्वदा सर्वकालेषु तुलसी विष्णुवल्लभा
The gods beginning with Vāsudeva always reside on tulasī leaves; at all times, tulasī is beloved of Viṣṇu.
त्यक्त्वा तु मालती पुष्पं मुक्त्वा च सरसीरुहम् । गृहीत्वा तुलसीपत्रं भक्त्या माधवमर्चयेत्
Setting aside mālatī flowers and lotus blooms, one should take tulasī leaves and worship Mādhava with devotion.
तस्य पुण्यफलं वक्तुमलं शेषोऽपि नो भवेत् । अस्नात्वा तुलसीं छित्त्वा देवार्थं पितृकर्मणि
Even Śeṣa would not be able to describe the merit gained; but if one plucks tulasī without bathing, for the sake of the gods or ancestors,
तत्सर्वं निष्फलं याति पंचगव्येन शुध्यति । दारिद्र्यदुःखभोगादि पापानि सुबहून्यपि
All that becomes fruitless; it is purified by pañcagavya. Tulasi quickly removes many sins such as poverty, suffering, and misfortune.
तुलसी हरते क्षिप्रं रोगानिव हरीतकी । तुलसी कृष्णगौराख्या तयाभ्यर्च्य मधुद्विषम्
Tulasi swiftly removes diseases, just as harītakī does; tulasī is also called Kṛṣṇā and Gaurā. With her, one should worship the enemy of Madhu.
विशेषेण हरेर्भक्तो नरो नारायणो भवेत् । माधवं सकलं मासं तुलस्या योऽर्चयेद्यतः
Especially, a devotee of Hari becomes like Nārāyaṇa; whoever worships Mādhava with tulasī for the entire month,
त्रिसंध्यं मधुहंतारं नास्ति तस्य पुनर्भवः । अलाभे पुष्पपत्राणामन्नाद्येनापि पूजयेत्
He who worships the slayer of Madhu at the three sandhyās has no rebirth. If flowers and leaves are unavailable, one may worship with food and grains.
शालितंडुल गोधूमैर्यवैर्वापि हरिं सदा । प्रातः स्नात्वा विधानेन माधवे माधवप्रिये
With rice, wheat, or barley, one should always worship Hari. After bathing in the morning according to rule, in the month dear to Mādhava,
पितृदेवमनुष्यांश्च तर्प्पयेत्सचराचरम् । योऽश्वत्थमूलं वै सिंचेत्तोयेन बहुना सदा
One should satisfy the ancestors, gods, and humans, as well as all beings, moving and unmoving. Whoever always sprinkles the root of the aśvattha tree with plenty of water,
कुर्यात्प्रदक्षिणां तं तु सर्वदेवमयं ततः । योऽश्वत्थमर्चयेद्देवमुदकेन समंततः । कुलानामयुतं तेन तारितं स्यान्नसंशयः
Should circumambulate it, for it is full of all the gods. Whoever worships the aśvattha tree with water all around, certainly delivers ten thousand of his lineage—there is no doubt.
अलक्ष्मीः कालकर्णी च दुःस्वप्नो दुर्विचिंतितम् । अश्वत्थ तर्प्पणात्तात सर्वदुःखं विलीयते
Misfortune, Kālakarnī, bad dreams, and evil thoughts—all suffering is dissolved, O dear one, by offering to the aśvattha tree.
तर्पिताः पितरस्तेन तेन विष्णुः समर्चितः । योऽश्वत्थमर्चयेद्वीरो ग्रहास्तेनैव पूजिताः
By that, the ancestors are satisfied and Viṣṇu is worshipped; whoever worships the aśvattha tree, the planets are also propitiated by him.
श्वेताश्वपुष्पाणि तथा शमीं च हुताशनं चंदनमर्कबिंबम् । अश्वत्थवृक्षं च समालभेत ततश्च कुर्यान्निज जातिधर्मान्
One should offer white aśvattha flowers, śamī, fire, sandalwood, and the arka flower, and worship the aśvattha tree; then perform the duties of one's own lineage.
कंडूयनं च गोग्रासं स्नात्वा पिप्पलतर्प्पणम् । कृत्वा गोविंदपूजां च न स दुर्गतिमाप्नुयात्
One should do cleaning, give grass to cows, bathe, and offer water to the pippala tree; having worshipped Govinda, he does not meet with misfortune.
त्रयोदश्यां चतुर्दश्यां वैशाख्यां च दिनत्रयम् । सर्वाशक्तोपि विधिना नारी वा पुरुषोपि वा
On the thirteenth and fourteenth days, and for three days in Vaiśākha, whether woman or man, even with limited ability, should perform the rites as prescribed.
पूर्वोक्तनियमैर्युक्तः प्रातः स्नात्वा च शक्तितः । विमुक्तः पातकैः सर्वैः स्वर्गमक्षयमश्नुते
Endowed with the rules previously stated, bathing in the morning as able, one becomes freed from all sins and attains imperishable heaven.