भवतामपि सश्रेयो नूनं दास्यति केशवः । ब्रह्मण्यो भगवान्विष्णुस्तुष्टोमय्यनुकंपया
Surely Keśava will grant you welfare as well; the blessed Viṣṇu, devoted to brāhmaṇas, is pleased with me out of compassion.
अतसीपुष्पसंकाशो विष्णुः पीतांबरो हरिः । यस्य श्रवणमात्रेण नाम्नो याति महा तमः
Viṣṇu, resembling the flower of the flax plant, wearing yellow garments, Hari, whose mere hearing of the name dispels great darkness.
अनादिनिधनो देवः शंख चक्र गदाधरः । अक्षयः पुंडरीकाक्षः प्रेतमोक्षप्रदायकः
The god without beginning or end, bearing conch, discus, and mace; imperishable, lotus-eyed, giver of liberation to the departed.
यम उवाच- नामश्रवण मात्रेण विष्णोस्ते परितोषिताः । पिशाचाः पुण्यभावस्था दया दाक्षिण्य यंत्रिताः
Yama said: By merely hearing Viṣṇu's name, they are satisfied; the spirits, established in merit, are restrained by compassion and generosity.
प्रीणितास्तस्यवचसा तदादिष्टेन नोदिताः । इदमूचुर्द्विजं प्रेताः क्षुत्तृष्णापूरपीडिताः
Pleased by his words, as instructed, they did not attack; those ghosts, afflicted by hunger and thirst, spoke to the brāhmaṇa.
प्रेता ऊचु- दर्शनेनैव ते विप्र नामश्रवणतो हरेः । भावमन्यमनुप्राप्ता वयं जाता दयालवः
The ghosts said: By your mere sight, O brāhmaṇa, and by hearing the name of Hari, we have attained another state and become compassionate.
अपाकरोति दुरितं श्रेयश्च योजयत्यपि । यशो विस्तारयत्याशु नूनं वैष्णवसंगमः
Association with devotees of Vishnu surely removes misfortune, brings about welfare, and swiftly spreads one's fame.
रसायनमयी शीता परमानंददायिनी । नानंदयति कं नाम वैष्णवामृतचंद्रिका
The nectar-moon of devotion to Vishnu is cooling, like an elixir, and bestows supreme joy; whom does it not delight?
अयं कृतघ्न नामास्ति द्वितीयोऽयं विदैवतः । अवैशाखस्तृतीयोऽयं त्रयाणामपि पापकृत्
There is one called Ingratitude, a second called Vidaivata, and a third called Avaishakha; all three are doers of evil.
सदैवानुष्ठितानेन पापेनाति कृतघ्नता । तेनास्य कर्मजं नाम कृतघ्नाख्यं व्यवस्थितम्
By always performing this sin, one becomes extremely ungrateful; thus, the karmic name 'Ingratitude' is established for him.
सुदास इति नाम्नायं शूद्रो ऽभूत्पूर्वजन्मनि । कृतघ्नस्तेन पापेन प्राप्तोऽवस्थामिमां द्विज
In a previous birth, this person was a Shudra named Sudasa; because of that sin of ingratitude, he has attained this state, O twice-born.
अतिपापिनि धूर्ते च गुरुस्वाम्यहितेऽपि च । निष्कृतिर्विद्यते विप्र कृतघ्ने नास्ति निष्कृतिः
For the extremely sinful, the deceitful, and those hostile to teacher or master, atonement exists, O Brahmin; but for the ungrateful, there is no expiation.
नानानिरयसंघातं शरीरैर्यातना क्षमैः । अनुभूयतांत्ववस्थामंत्यामेतां गतो द्विज
Having reached this final state, O Brahmin, he experiences various hells, suffering torments with bodies capable of enduring pain.
अनेनान्नं सदा भुक्तमकृत्वा देवतार्चनम् । अदत्वा गुरुविप्रेभ्यस्तेनैवायं विदैवतः
He always ate food without worshipping the gods, and did not give to teachers or Brahmins; thus, he is called Vidaivata.
अयं दशसहस्राणां ग्रामाणामीश्वरो नृपः । हरिवीर इति ख्यातो नाम्नासीत्पूर्वजन्मनि
This one was lord of ten thousand villages, a king known by the name Harivira in a previous birth.
रोषाहंकारनास्तिक्यैर्गुर्वाज्ञालंघनोद्यतः । अकृत्वैव महायज्ञान्भुक्तवान्विप्र निंदकः
Driven by anger, pride, and disbelief, intent on violating the commands of his teachers, he ate without performing great sacrifices and reviled Brahmins.
कर्मणा तेन पापेन महानरकसंकटम् । अनुभूय ततः प्रेतो जातो नाम्ना विदैवतः
Because of that sinful deed, he endured the great torment of hell, and then was born as a preta, known by the name Vidaivata.
अवैशाखस्तृतीयोऽहं त्रयाणामपि पापकृत् । तेन मे कर्मजं नाम ब्राह्मणोऽहं व्यवस्थितः
I am the third, called Avaishakha, a doer of evil among the three; thus, by my karma, I am established as a Brahmin.
मध्यदेशे भवं नाम्ना गौतमो गोत्रतोऽप्यहम् । विप्रो वासपुरेवासी यज्वाऽऽसं पूर्वजन्मनि
In the Madhyadesha, I was known by the name Gautama and belonged to that lineage; I was a Brahmin living in Vasapura, a performer of sacrifices in a previous birth.
मया केवलमेवैकं श्रौतमार्गानुसारिणा । उद्दिश्य माधवं देवं न स्नातं मासि माधवे
I alone, following only the Vedic path, did not bathe in the month of Madhava with intent to worship the god Madhava.
न दत्तं न हुतं किंचिद्वैशाख्यां चाविशेषतः । नार्चितो मधुहा तत्र तोषिता न मनीषिणः
I gave nothing, offered no oblations, especially in the month of Vaishakha; I did not worship Madhusudana there, nor did I please the wise.
मणिकोदककुंभैश्च न दानैः पितृदेवताः । तर्पिता न तिला दत्ताः सक्षौद्राः श्रोत्रियेषु च
With jeweled water-pots, I did not satisfy the ancestors or gods by gifts; nor did I give sesame with honey to the learned.
न पुष्पफलतांबूल चंदन व्यजनांबरैः । विद्वांसो नार्चितास्तत्र पितृदैवततुष्टये
I did not honor the learned there with flowers, fruits, betel, sandalwood, fans, or garments for the satisfaction of ancestors and deities.
मया नैकापि वैशाखी पूर्णा पूर्णफल प्रदा । स्नानदानक्रियापूजा सुकृतैः परिपालिता
Not even one complete Vaishakha, fruitful in full merit, did I observe with bathing, giving, ritual, or worship, protected by good deeds.
तेन मे वैदिकं कर्म सर्वं चैव तु निष्फलम् । ततोऽवैशाखनामाहं प्रेतो जातोऽस्मि सर्वतः
Because of this, all my Vedic rituals have become fruitless; therefore, I have been born as a preta called Avaiśākha in every way.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं त्रयाणामपि कारणम् । त्वं नो भव समुद्धर्ता पापाद्विप्रोसि वै यतः
All this has been told to you, including the reason for all three; you must become our deliverer from sin, for you are indeed virtuous.
विमुक्तं ब्रह्मतीर्थं च साधवः परमं यतः । तारयंति महापापान्निरयेभ्योऽपि संश्रितान्
The sacred Brahma-tīrtha, being supremely pure, is where the noble ones rescue those who have taken refuge there from even the greatest sins and from hells.
गंगादि पुण्यतीर्थेषु यो नरः स्नाति सर्वदा । यः करोति सतां संगं तयोः सत्संगमो वरः
Among those who always bathe at holy places like the Ganga, and those who associate with the virtuous, the company of the good is superior.
अथवा मम पुत्रोऽस्ति धनशर्मेति विश्रुतः । तं गत्वा बोधय स्वामिन्नस्मदर्थे कृतोद्यमः
Or else, I have a son named Dhanaśarman, who is well known; go to him, O master, and inform him—let him make an effort for our sake.
कार्ये समुद्यमं कृत्वा परेषां समुपस्थिते । पुष्कलं फलमाप्नोति यज्ञदानक्रियाधिकम्
When one makes a determined effort for the benefit of others in their time of need, one obtains abundant fruit, greater than that of sacrifices, gifts, or rituals.