यस्तु श्रोष्यति भक्त्यैनमितिहासं मयोदितम् । सोऽपि पापविनिर्मुक्तो न मामालोकयिष्यति
Whoever hears this legend narrated by me with devotion, he too will be freed from sin and will not see me.
ब्रह्महत्यादि पापानि बहुशोऽपि कृतान्यपि । वैशाखस्य विधानेन तानि नश्यंति निश्चितम्
Even sins such as killing a Brahmin, committed many times, are certainly destroyed by the observance of Vaiśākha.
त्रिंशत्पूर्वान्परांस्त्रिंशत्त्रिंशच्चैव परावरान् । वैशाखे विधिना स्नातो नरकादुद्धरेत्पितॄन्
By bathing in Vaiśākha according to the prescribed method, a man lifts thirty ancestors from the past and thirty from the future out of hell.
एकतः सर्वतीर्थानि सर्वेयज्ञाः सदक्षिणाः । एकतो माधवो मासो नियमादनुपालितः
On one side are all holy places and all sacrifices with proper gifts; on the other, the Mādhava month observed with discipline.
यतो भगवतस्तस्य हरेरुत्कृष्टकर्मणः । प्रियोऽसौ माधवोमासः सर्वेभ्यः प्रवरोऽधिकः
Because this Mādhava month is dear to the Lord Hari, who performs exalted deeds, it is superior and foremost among all.
संशयं नो विधेहीति महीदेव कथंचन । वैशाखं प्रति वै मासं समासाद्यन्मयोदितम्
Do not entertain any doubt, O king; I have briefly told you about the Vaiśākha month.
इहार्थे यत्पुरावृत्तं तदाकर्णय चाद्भुतम् । अनाख्येयमपीदं ते कथयिष्ये कथानकम्
Hear now the wondrous story of what happened in ancient times for this purpose; though unspoken before, I shall tell you this tale.
यम उवाच- बभूव भूपतिः पूर्वं ख्यातो नाम्ना महीरथः । पूर्वपुण्यफलावाप्त प्रभूतैश्वर्यसंपदः
Yama said: There was once a king named Mahīratha, renowned, who attained abundant wealth and power as the fruit of previous merit.
केवलं कामकलना ललना ललितस्थितः । तदेकव्यसनासक्तिर्न धर्मार्थ व्यवस्थितः
He dwelled solely in the delight of desire, absorbed in the play of passion, attached to a single vice, and not established in righteousness or wealth.
मंत्रिणि न्यस्य राज्यश्रीर्बुभुजे विषयान्नृपः । स कामिनी सहचरो राज्यकार्यपराङ्मुखः
The king entrusted the splendor of his kingdom to his minister and indulged in pleasures; with his beloved companion, he turned away from the duties of governance.
न प्रजा न धनं धर्मं नार्थं कार्यं च पश्यति । केवलं कामिनीकेलि कलनोचितवासनः
He regards neither his subjects, nor wealth, nor righteousness, nor any duty; his mind is fixed only on the pleasures of dalliance with women.
अथ कालेन महता पुरोधास्तस्य कश्यपः । वचः प्रोवाच तं धर्म्यमिति चेतस्यचिंतयत्
Then, after a long time, his priest, Kashyapa, spoke to him words of righteousness, pondering thus in his mind.
न वारयति यो मोहादधर्मान्नृपतिं गुरुः । सोपि तत्पापभुक्तस्माद्बोधनीयः पुरोधसा
If a teacher, out of delusion, does not restrain the king from unrighteous acts, he too must be corrected by the priest, for he partakes of that sin.
बोधितोऽप्यवजानाति स चेद्वाक्यं पुरोधसः । पुरोधास्तत्र निर्दोषो राजा स्यात्सर्वदोषभाक्
If, even after being instructed, the king disregards the priest's words, then the priest is blameless, and the king bears all the faults.
शृणु राजन्मम गुरोर्वचो धर्मार्थसंहितम् । अभिन्नार्थमुपेतार्थमिच्छारागादि वर्जितम्
Hear, O king, the words of my teacher, imbued with righteousness and wealth, unified in meaning, free from desire and attachment.
अयमेव परो धर्मो यद्गुरोर्वचसि स्थितिः । गुर्वाज्ञायालवो राज्ञामायुः श्री सौख्यवर्द्धनः
This alone is the highest righteousness: to abide in the words of the teacher; by obeying the teacher's command, a king's life, prosperity, and happiness increase.
न विप्रास्तर्पिता दानैर्विष्णुर्नाराधितस्त्वया । न व्रतं न तपः किंचिन्न तीर्थं हि कृतं त्वया
You have not satisfied the Brahmins with gifts, nor have you worshipped Vishnu; you have performed no vow, no austerity, nor visited any holy place.
हरिनाम त्वया कामवशगेन न चिंतितम् । हा त्वया भीरुसंगत्या न विद्वत्संगतिः कृता
You have not contemplated the name of Hari, being led by desire; alas, through association with the fearful, you have not sought the company of the wise.
स्मरचामरवाहिन्यो वल्लभाः कस्य न प्रियाः । किंतु ताः पवनोल्लोलकदलीदलवच्चलाः
Who does not cherish beloveds adorned with fans and fly-whisks? Yet they are as fickle as banana leaves stirred by the wind.
तरंगतरलैरर्थैर्भोगैर्भ्रूभंगभंगुरैः । मुहूर्तपेयैस्तारुण्यैर्न तृप्यंते महाशयाः
Great souls are not satisfied by fleeting pleasures, unstable wealth, or momentary youth, all as transient as the waves and the arch of an eyebrow.
किं विद्यया च तपसा किं त्यागेन नयेन वा । किं विविक्तेन मनसा स्त्रीभिर्यस्य हृतं मनः
What use is learning, austerity, renunciation, or good conduct? What use is a mind withdrawn in solitude, for one whose heart is seized by women?
एक एव सुहृद्धर्मो निधनेष्वनुयाति यः । सर्वमन्यच्छरीरेण समं नाशं गमिष्यति
Righteousness alone is the true friend, for it follows one even in death; all else, along with the body, will perish together.
धर्मं शनैः संचिनुयाद्वल्मीकमिव पुत्तिकाः । धर्मेण हि सहायेन तमस्तरति दुस्तरम्
One should gradually accumulate righteousness, as ants build up an anthill; with righteousness as a companion, one crosses the difficult darkness.
अनिलोल्लासितोत्ताल जलकल्लोल चंचलम् । किं न जानासि राजेंद्र नृणां जीवित विभ्रमम्
Do you not know, O king, the instability of human life, like the restless waves stirred by the wind?
विनयो रत्नमुकुटः सत्यधर्मौ च कुंडले । त्यागश्च कंकणो येषां किं तेषां जडमंडनैः
For those whose humility is a jeweled crown, whose truth and righteousness are earrings, and whose renunciation is a bracelet, what need have they for dull ornaments?
मृतं शरीरमुत्सृज्य काष्ठलोष्टसमं भुवि । विमुखा बांधवा यांति धर्मस्तमनुगच्छति
When the body, dead, is cast aside like wood or clay upon the earth, relatives turn away, but righteousness follows him.
गम्यमानेषु सर्वेषु क्षीयमाणे तथायुषि । जीविते लुप्यमाने च किमुत्थाय न धावसि
As all are departing, and your lifespan is being spent, and as life itself is slipping away, why do you not rise up and hasten?
कुटुंबं पुत्रदारादि शरीरं द्रव्यसंचयः । पारक्यमध्रुवं किंतु स्वीये सुकृतदुष्कृते
Family, children, wife, body, and the accumulation of wealth—these are all impermanent and belong to others; only your own good and bad deeds are truly yours.
यदा सर्वं परित्यज्य गंतव्यमवशेन ते । अनर्थे किं प्रसक्तस्त्वं स्वधर्मं नानुतिष्ठसि
When you must inevitably leave everything behind, why are you attached to what is worthless, and why do you not practice your own duty?
अविश्राममनालंबमपाथेयमदेशिकम् । मृतः कांतारमध्वानं कथमेको गमिष्यसि
How will you travel alone, after death, on a path that is without rest, without support, without provisions, and without a guide, through a desolate wilderness?