जायते तद्वपुस्पर्शवायुस्पर्शः सुखावहः । यम उवाच- इति दूतवचः श्रुत्वा स राजा करुणानिधिः
The touch of that body and the touch of its breath bring pleasure. Yama spoke: Upon hearing the messenger’s words, the king, a reservoir of compassion,
प्रत्युवाच हतान्दूतान्विष्णोरद्भुतकर्मणः । कोमलं हृदयं नूनं साधूनां नवनीतवत्
replied to the slain messengers of Vishnu, whose deeds are wondrous: The hearts of the virtuous are surely as soft as freshly churned butter.
वह्निसंतापसंतप्तं तद्यथा द्रवति स्फुटम् । राजोवाच- नार्तं जंतुमहं हित्वा पीडितुं गंतुमुत्सहे
Just as butter melts when heated by fire, so does their heart melt clearly. The king spoke: I cannot bear to abandon a suffering creature and go to inflict pain.
तं पापिष्ठं धिगार्तानामार्तिं शक्तो न हंति यः । मदंगसंगमोच्छिष्टवायुस्पर्शेन ते यदि
He who is most wicked, who cannot destroy the suffering of the afflicted, deserves reproach. If, by the touch of the breath left from my body’s contact,
जंतवः सुखिनो जातास्तस्मात्तत्र नयंतु माम् । पवित्रयंति जननीमवनीमपि ते नराः
creatures become happy, then let me be taken there. By such men, even their mother and the earth are purified.
परतापच्छिदो ये तु चंदना इव चंदनम् । परोपकृतये ये तु पीड्यंते कृतिनो हि ते
Those who remove the suffering of others are like sandalwood to sandalwood itself. Those who endure pain for the sake of helping others are truly accomplished.
संतस्त एव ये लोके परदुःखविदारणाः । आर्तानामार्तिनाशार्थं प्राणा येषां तृणोपमाः
Only those who are distressed by the pain of others in this world are truly compassionate. For the sake of ending the suffering of the afflicted, their lives are as insignificant as grass.
तैरियं धार्यते भूमिर्नरैः परहितोद्यतैः । मनसो यत्सुखं नित्यं तत्स्वर्गो नरकोपमः
By such men, devoted to the welfare of others, this earth is sustained. The happiness that arises in the mind is heaven, even if it resembles hell.
तस्मात्परसुखेनैव सुखिनः साधवः सदा । वरं निरयपातोऽत्र वरं प्राणवियोजनम्
Therefore, the virtuous are always happy only through the happiness of others. Better to fall into hell here, better even to lose one’s life,
न पुनः क्षणमार्तानामार्तिनाशमृते सुखम् । दूता ऊचु- जंतवो निरये घोरे पच्यंते तेत्र पापिनः
than to experience happiness for a moment without relieving the suffering of the afflicted. The messengers said: Creatures are cooked in the terrible hell there, O sinner,
स्वकर्मैवोपजीवंति मोहस्थानं न विद्यते । यैर्न दत्तं न च हुतं तीर्थे स्नानं न वा कृतम्
they subsist only on their own actions; there is no place for delusion. Those who have not given, nor offered oblations, nor bathed at holy places,
पुनर्नोपकृतं भक्त्या सुकृतं न कृतं परम् । नेष्टं न तप्तं नो जप्तं यैर्न हृष्टतया नृप
nor served others with devotion, nor performed any supreme good deed, nor made offerings, nor practiced austerity, nor recited prayers with joy, O king,
परस्मिन्निह घोरेषु पच्यंते निरयेषु ते । दुःशीला ये दुराचारा विहाराहारनिंदिताः
such people are cooked in these terrible hells. Those of bad conduct, evil ways, blameworthy in their pleasures and food,
परापकारिणः पापकारिणो दुर्विहारिणः । विदारिणो हि मर्मोक्त्या पापाः परहृदां हि ये
those who harm others, commit sins, indulge in improper pleasures, those who wound others with harsh words, and those who are sinful in the hearts of others,
निरये ते विपच्यंते ये परस्त्रीविहारिणः । एहि नूनं महीपाल गच्छामो हरिमंदिरम्
those who consort with other men’s wives are roasted in hell. Come now, O king, let us go to the abode of Hari.
न ते पुण्यवता युक्तमिहस्था तु मतः परम् । राजोवाच- यद्यहं सुकृती दूताः कस्मादस्मिन्महाभये
It is not proper for those endowed with virtue to remain here, this is the highest opinion. The king spoke: If I am virtuous, O messengers, why am I led on this dreadful path,
नारके पथि वा नीतः किं वा मे सुकृतं परम् । मयापि न कृतं तादृक्सुकृतं कामशालिना
or taken to hell? What supreme good have I done? I too, driven by desire, have not performed such great deeds.
कथं पुरि हरेर्गंता संशयानोऽहमस्मि वै । दूता ऊचु- सुकृतं न कृतं सत्यं त्वया कामवशात्मना
How can I go to the city of Hari? I am indeed doubtful. The messengers said: It is true, you have not performed good deeds, being subject to desire.
नेष्टं यज्ञैर्न वा यज्ञावशिष्टं भवताशितम् । किंतु माधवमासे यद्विधिना वत्सरत्रयम्
Neither what is offered in sacrifice nor what remains from the sacrifice, eaten by you, is desired; but rather, what is performed according to rule in the month of Mādhava for three years.
प्रातः स्नात्वा गुरुवचः प्रेरितेन पुरा त्वया । भक्त्या संपूजितो विष्णुर्विश्वेशो मधुसूदनः
Having bathed in the morning, as formerly instructed by your teacher, with devotion you worshipped Viṣṇu, Lord of the universe, the slayer of Madhu.
महापापातिपापौघ निहंता भक्तवत्सलः । सर्वधर्मैकसारेण तेनैकेन नरेश्वर
He, who is devoted to his devotees, destroys even the greatest and most terrible heaps of sin; by that one act, which is the very essence of all dharma, O king.
नीयते पुण्यभवनं पूज्यमानो मरुद्गणैः । महतामपि पापानां निहंता माधवोऽर्चितः
He is led to the abode of merit, honored by the hosts of wind-gods; Mādhava, when worshipped, destroys even the sins of the great.
तथैव माधवो मासो मर्त्यानां विधिनोदितः । यथैव विस्फुलिंगेन ज्वाल्यते तृणसंचयः
In the same way, the month of Mādhava, prescribed for mortals, burns up sins just as a heap of grass is set aflame by a single spark.
प्रातःस्नानेन वैशाखे तथाघौघोऽपि दह्यते । तावद्वपुषि पापानि प्रभवंति महान्त्यपि
By bathing in the morning during Vaiśākha, the mass of sins is likewise burned away; even great sins arise in the body only until then.
यावन्न माधवे मासि तीर्थे मज्जति चोषसि । वैशाखे मासि यो युक्तो यथोक्तनियमैर्नरः
Until one bathes in a sacred place during the month of Mādhava, sins remain; but in the month of Vaiśākha, a man who observes the prescribed rules—
हरिभक्त्यैव पापौघैर्मुक्तोऽच्युतगृहं व्रजेत् । आजन्मनो हि सुकृतं यत्त्वया न पुरा कृतम्
Freed from the mass of sins by devotion to Hari alone, he goes to the abode of Acyuta; for whatever good deed you did not do from birth—
तेन त्वं निरयस्थानमार्गं नीतो नरेश्वर । अथ भूमिपते तूर्णमस्माभिस्तु मरुद्गणैः
Because of that, O king, you were led on the path to the place of torment; but now, O lord of the earth, quickly, by us and the hosts of wind-gods—
स्तूयमानो विमानेन गच्छ गोविंदमंदिरम्
Praised, ascend in the celestial chariot and go to the abode of Govinda.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे वैशाखमासमाहात्म्ये । एकोत्तरशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the Padma Purāṇa, in the Pātāla Section, in the Glory of the Month of Vaiśākha, the one hundred and first chapter.
यम उवाच- ततस्तु करुणावार्धिस्तेषां शोकेन पीडितः । भूपतिः श्रीहरेर्दूतान्विनयेनाह वाडव
Yama said: Then, filled with compassion and afflicted by their sorrow, the king humbly addressed the messengers of Śrī Hari, O Vāḍava.