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.
एकतोऽपि तपो दान क्रतु सुत्यादिकाः क्रियाः । एकतो विधिवन्मासो माधवश्चरितो महान्
On one side are austerity, charity, sacrifices, Soma rituals, and other rites; on the other side is the great Mādhava month observed according to rule.
तस्य माधवमासस्य दिनैकस्यापि भूपते । कृतं यत्सुकृतं तत्ते सर्वदानाधिकं पुरा
Of that Mādhava month, O king, whatever good deed is done even on a single day, that surpasses all gifts formerly given.
कारुण्येन दिनैकस्य पुण्यं देहि धरापते । निरये पच्यमानेभ्यो दुःखितेभ्यो दयानिधे
Out of compassion, O lord of the earth, grant the merit of a single day to those suffering and being tormented in hell, O ocean of mercy.
न दयासदृशो धर्मो न दयासदृशं तपः । न दयासदृशं दानं न दयासदृशः सखा
There is no righteousness like compassion, no austerity like compassion, no charity like compassion, and no friend like compassion.
पुण्यदः पुण्यमाप्नोति नरो लक्षगुणं सदा । कारुण्येन विशेषात्ते धर्मवृद्धिस्ततो भवेत्
He who gives merit attains merit multiplied a hundred thousand times; by compassion especially, there is an increase of righteousness.
दुःखितानां हि भूतानां दुःखोद्धर्त्ता नरो हि यः । स एव सुकृती लोके ज्ञेयो नारायणांशजः
He who relieves the suffering of afflicted beings is truly known in the world as virtuous, a portion of Nārāyaṇa.
वैशाखे मासि पूर्णायां स्नानदानादिकं त्वया । यत्तीर्थे विहितं वीर सर्वाघविनिषूदनम्
Whatever bathing, charity, and other rites you performed at the holy place on the full moon of the month of Vaiśākha, O hero, are destroyers of all sins.
तदेभ्यो देहि विधिवत्कृत्वा साक्ष्ये हरिं प्रभुम् । त्रिवाचिकं च निरयाद्येनामी स्वर्गमाप्नुयुः
Give those merits to these beings, having performed the rites properly, with Lord Hari as witness, so that by this triple declaration, they may attain heaven from hell.
कपोतार्थं स्वमांसानि कारुण्येन पुरा शिबिः । दत्वा दयानिधिः स्वर्गे राजते कीर्तिवारिधिः
Formerly, King Śibi, out of compassion, gave his own flesh for the sake of a dove; being a treasure of compassion, he shines in heaven, an ocean of fame.
दधीचिरपि राजर्षिर्दत्वास्थि च यमात्मनः । त्रैलोक्यकौमुदीं कीर्तिं लब्धवान्स्वर्गमक्षयम्
The royal sage Dadhīci also, having given his own bones, attained imperishable heaven and fame that illuminates the three worlds.
सहस्रजिच्च राजर्षिः प्राणानिष्टान्महायशाः । ब्राह्मणार्थे परित्यज्य गतो लोकाननुत्तमान्
And the royal sage Sahasrajit, renowned, gave up his life for the sake of a brāhmaṇa and attained unsurpassed worlds.
न स्वर्गे नापवर्गेऽपि तत्सुखं लभते नरः । यदार्तजंतुनिर्व्वाणदानोत्थमिति नो मतिः
A man does not obtain such happiness in heaven or liberation as arises from giving relief to suffering creatures—this is our conviction.
सर्वेषु दातृजातेषु पुरा जातोसि भूपते । कर्मणानेन संख्यासु धीर धैर्यं नियोज्य च
In all classes of givers, O king, you were born in former times; by this very act, be steadfast and resolute.
दृष्ट्वा तवधियं धर्म दया दानं सुनिश्चलम् । अस्माभिरपि तूत्साहः क्रियते धर्म्मवादिभिः
Seeing your firm understanding, righteousness, compassion, and unwavering charity, we too, who speak of dharma, are inspired to act.
यदि ते रोचते राजन्न विलंबतया ततः । तदेभ्यो देहि तत्पुण्यं यातनादुःखदाहकम्
If it pleases you, O King, do not delay; give to these beings that merit which burns away the pain of torment.
इत्युक्तः स तदा देवं कृत्वा साक्ष्ये गदाधरम् । तेभ्यस्त्रिवाचिकं पुण्यं दयावान्विधिना ददौ
Thus addressed, he then made Gadadhara the witness, and, moved by compassion, gave them the merit of three fasts according to the proper rite.
दत्ते माधवमासस्य तस्मिन्नेकदिनोद्भवे । स्वकृते जंतवो याम्ययातनापरिवर्जिताः
When, on that single day arising in the month of Madhava, the gift was made, the creatures, by his act, were freed from the torments of Yama.
विमानवरमारूढाः सर्वे ते त्रिदिवं ययुः । प्रणमंतः स्तुवंतश्च पश्यंतस्तं प्रहर्षिताः
All of them, ascending splendid aerial chariots, went to heaven, bowing, praising, and joyfully beholding him.
नृपेण दत्तं तदवाप्य पुण्यं वैशाखमासैकदिनाभिजातम् । सर्वे ययुस्ते नरकाद्विमुक्ता दिवं विमानाधिगता हि चित्रम्
Having obtained that merit, given by the king and born of a single day in the month of Vaishakha, all, freed from hell, went to heaven, wondrously attaining aerial chariots.
नूनं विचित्रो भुवि भूतवर्गः संभूतभावो बहुधा विचित्रः । तथा विचित्रोऽखिलकर्मयोगस्तत्कर्मशक्तिप्रचयो विचित्रः
Indeed, the multitude of beings on earth is wondrous and their origins are manifold; likewise, the totality of actions is diverse, and the accumulation of karmic power is truly varied.