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.
ऐश्वर्यस्याभिजात्यस्य गुणानां सुकृतस्य च । संतः फलं हि गण्यंते यद्भीतपरिरक्षणम्
Of wealth, noble birth, virtues, and merit, only the fruit is counted by the good—that is, the protection of those who are afraid.
यद्यस्ति सुकृतं किंचिन्मम तेनैव जंतवः । स्वर्गे गच्छंतु मुक्तौघाः स्थाने तेषां वसाम्यहम्
If I have any merit at all, by that alone may these beings, freed from bondage, go to heaven; I will remain in their place.
एवं भूपवचः श्रुत्वा तस्य सत्यवतो हि ते । ध्यायंतः सत्यमौदार्यमब्रुवंस्ते वचो नृपम्
Hearing the king’s words, those truthful ones, reflecting on his truthfulness and generosity, spoke these words to the king.
दूता ऊचु- अनेन तव कारुण्यकर्मणा वचसा नृप । बभूव वृद्धिर्धर्मस्य संचितस्य विशेषतः
The messengers said: By this act of compassion and these words of yours, O king, the merit you have accumulated has especially increased.
स्नानं दानं जपो होमस्तपो देवार्चनादिकम् । कृतं यन्माधवे मासि तदनंतफलं विदुः
Bathing, giving, recitation, sacrifice, austerity, worship of the gods, and the like—whatever is done in the month of Mādhava is known to yield endless fruit.
स्वर्गे यज्वा च दाता च क्रीडते त्रिदशैः सह । वापीषु हेमपद्मासु कल्पवृक्षतलेऽपि च
In heaven, the sacrificer and the giver play with the gods, among golden-lotused ponds and beneath the wish-fulfilling trees.
गीयमानो मुदं याति गीर्वाणरमणीगणैः । जलान्नदानतो लोकं लभते वारुणं शुभम्
When it is sung, joy arises among the hosts of celestial maidens; by giving water or food, one attains the auspicious realm of Varuṇa.
कुलानि हेलया सप्त संतारयति गोप्रदः । हयं दत्वा रवेर्लोकं याति विद्याप्रदो नरः
He who gives a cow, even with disregard, delivers seven generations of his family; by giving a horse, a man attains the world of the Sun; by giving knowledge, he reaches the world of learning.
ब्रह्मलोकं तथा हेमदानाद्याति सुरालये । यो ददाति तथा कन्यां विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति
In the same way, by giving gold, one attains the world of Brahmā, the abode of the gods; and he who gives a maiden in marriage thus goes to the world of Viṣṇu.
माधवेमासि यः स्नात्वा दत्वा संपूज्य माधवम् । अवाप्य सकलान्कामान्प्रयाति पदमव्ययम्
He who, having bathed in the month of Mādhava, gives gifts and worships Mādhava, attains all desires and reaches the imperishable abode.