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.
वैशाख्यामपि शक्त्या वा भोजयेद्ब्राह्मणान्दश । त्रिरात्रमुत्थितः स्नात्वा सकृच्च प्रयतः शुचिः
Even in Vaiśākha, according to one's ability, one should feed ten brāhmaṇas, having risen early for three nights, bathed, and being pure and devoted, at least once.
गौरान्वा यदि वा कृष्णांस्तिलान्क्षौद्रेण संयुतान् । दत्वा द्वादशविप्रेभ्यस्तेनैव स्वस्ति वाचयेत्
Or, whether white or black, sesame seeds mixed with honey should be given to twelve brāhmaṇas, and with that, one should utter words of blessing.
प्रीयतां धर्मराजो मे पितॄन्देवांश्च तर्प्पयेत् । यावज्जीवकृतं पापं तत्क्षणादेव नश्यति
May Dharmarāja be pleased with me; may he satisfy the ancestors and the gods; all sins committed throughout life are destroyed at that very moment.
अयुतायुतं च तिष्ठेत्स स्वर्गलोके यथासुखम् । मामेव तु न पश्येत्स पूजितोऽखिल दैवतैः
He dwells in the world of heaven for tens of thousands of years, enjoying as he wishes, but, though worshipped by all the gods, he does not see me.
पाकान्नोदक कुंभादि पितृदैवत तुष्टये । त्रयोदश्यां चतुर्दश्यां पूर्णायां च दिनत्रयम्
Cooked food, water, pots, and the like should be offered for the satisfaction of the ancestors and the gods, on the thirteenth, fourteenth, and full-moon days, for three days.
यो दद्याद्भक्तितो विप्र महापापैः प्रमुच्यते । सुवर्णतिलपात्रैस्तु ब्राह्मणाञ्छक्तितोऽन्वहम्
Whoever gives with devotion to a brāhmaṇa on these days is freed from great sins; daily, according to ability, one should give brāhmaṇas golden or sesame vessels.
तर्प्पयेदुदपात्रैस्तु ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति । वैशाख्यां पौर्णमास्यां च सृष्टाः कमलयोनिना
By offering water vessels, one removes the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa; in Vaiśākha, on the full-moon day, these were established by the Lotus-born One.
तिला देयाश्च भक्त्या च श्रेयः संतति हेतवे । इहार्थे च पुरावृत्तं तदाकर्णय सुव्रत
Sesame seeds should be given with devotion for the sake of prosperity and offspring; for the sake of this world, listen now, O virtuous one, to what happened in ancient times.
फलं माधवमासस्य पूर्णायां परमाद्भुतम् । मेषसंक्रममारभ्य तिथयस्त्रिंशदुत्तमाः
The fruit of the full-moon day in the month of Mādhava is most wonderful; beginning from the entry into Aries, there are thirty excellent lunar days.
सर्वयज्ञाधिकाः पुण्याः पुराणेषु प्रकीर्तिताः । विशेषतोऽपि तास्तिस्रः पवित्राः पापिदुर्लभाः
These are declared in the Purāṇas to be holier than all sacrifices; especially, these three days are pure and hard to obtain for sinners.