विष्णुरूपो यतो विप्रो वैष्णवः स इह स्मृतः । पंचत्वे यस्य तिलकं गोपीचंदनसंभवम्
Because the brāhmaṇa is in the form of Viṣṇu, he is remembered here as a Vaiṣṇava; whose tilaka is fivefold, made from gopīcandana.
विमानं स समारुह्य याति विष्णोः परं पदम् । कलौ नारद वक्ष्यामि तिलकं गोपिचंदनम्
Ascending the celestial vehicle, he goes to the supreme abode of Viṣṇu; in the age of Kali, O Nārada, I will speak of the tilaka of gopīcandana.
ये कुर्वंति नरश्रेष्ठा न तेषां दुर्गतिः क्वचित् । शंखं चैव तथा चक्रं दक्षिणे चापि सव्यके
Those best among men who perform it never meet with misfortune; the conch and likewise the discus, on the right and also on the left.
हस्ते धृत्वा विशेषेण महापापैः प्रमुच्यते । मद्यपानरता ये च ये च स्त्रीबालघातकाः
Holding them especially in the hand, one is freed from great sins; those who indulge in drinking, and those who harm women or children.
अगम्यागमका ये वै दृश्यंते भुवि वाडव । भक्तानां दर्शनादेव मुक्तिस्तेषां न संशयः
Those who associate with the forbidden, seen on earth as wicked; by merely seeing devotees, they are liberated—there is no doubt.
संसारे तुच्छसारेस्मिन्कुतो वै वैष्णवा जनाः । अहं हि वैष्णवो जातो विष्णोर्भक्तिप्रसादतः
In this world of insignificant essence, whence indeed are Vaiṣṇava people? I myself have become a Vaiṣṇava by the grace of devotion to Viṣṇu.
काश्यां निवसतां ह्यत्र रामरामेति संजपन् । तेन पुण्यादियोगेन शिवो वै नात्र संशयः
For those residing in Kāśī, reciting 'Rāma Rāma,' by the merit of that practice, one becomes Śiva—there is no doubt here.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायां उत्तरखण्डे उमापतिनारदसंवादे गोपीचंदनमाहात्म्यं नामैकोनत्रिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the thirty-ninth chapter named 'The Glory of Gopīcandana,' in the dialogue between Umāpati and Nārada, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the revered Padma Mahāpurāṇa, in the section of fifty-five thousand verses.
नारद उवाच- ब्रह्मन्संवत्सराख्यस्य दीपस्य विधिमुत्तमम् । सर्वव्रतप्रधानस्य माहात्म्यं प्रवदस्व मे
Nārada said: O Brahman, please tell me the supreme method for the lamp called the 'yearly vow', which is foremost among all vows, and its greatness.
येन व्रतानि सर्वाणि कृतान्येव न संशयः । सर्वकामसमृद्धिश्च सर्वपापक्षयो भवेत्
By which all vows are as if accomplished, without doubt; and all desires are fulfilled, and all sins are destroyed.
महादेव उवाच - वदामि तव देवर्षे रहस्यं पापनाशनम् । यच्छ्रुत्वा ब्रह्महा गोघ्नो मित्रघ्नो गुरुतल्पगः
Mahādeva said: I shall tell you, O sage among the gods, a secret that destroys sin; hearing which, even one who has killed a Brahmin, a cow, a friend, or violated the teacher's bed—
विश्वासघाती क्रूरात्मा मुक्तिमाप्नोति शाश्वतीम् । शतं कुलानामुद्धृत्य विष्णोर्लोकं स गच्छति
One who betrays trust, one of cruel nature, attains eternal liberation; having uplifted a hundred families, he goes to the world of Viṣṇu.
तदहं कथयिष्यामि दीपव्रतमनुत्तमम् । संवत्सरप्रमाणस्य विधिं माहात्म्यमेव च
Therefore I shall describe the unsurpassed lamp-vow, its procedure measured by a year, and its greatness.
हेमंते प्रथमे मासि प्राप्य ह्येकादशीं शुभाम् । ब्राह्मे मुहूर्त्ते चोत्थाय कामक्रोधविवर्जितः
In the first month of winter, upon attaining the auspicious Ekādaśī, rising during the Brahma-muhūrta, free from desire and anger—
नदीसंगमतीर्थेषु तडागेषु सरित्सु च । स्नानं समाचरेत्तत्र गृहे वा नियतात्मवान्
At river confluences, holy banks, ponds, and lakes, one should bathe there, or at home, with self-restraint.
स्नातोऽहं सर्वतीर्थे तत्स्नानं देहि मे सदा
I am bathed in all sacred waters; grant me that bath always.
स्नानमंत्रः । देवान्पितॄंश्च संतर्प्य कृतजप्यो जितेंद्रियः । ततः संपूजयेद्देवं लक्ष्मीनारायणं प्रभुम् । पंचामृतेन संस्नाप्य ततो गंधोदकेन च
Bathing mantra: Having satisfied the gods and ancestors, having performed japa, with controlled senses, then one should worship the Lord Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa; bathing him with five nectars, then with fragrant water.
स्नातोऽसि लक्ष्म्या सहितो देवदेव जगत्पते । मां समुद्धर देवेश घोरात्संसारबंधनात्
You are bathed, O Lord of gods, master of the world, together with Lakṣmī; lift me up, O Lord of gods, from the terrible bondage of worldly existence.
ततः संपूजयेद्देवं लक्ष्म्या सह जनार्दनम् । मंत्रैस्तु वैदिकैर्भक्त्या तथा पौराणिकैरपि
Then one should worship the Lord Janārdana together with Lakṣmī, with Vedic mantras in devotion, and also with Purāṇic mantras.
अतो देवेति गंधादि पौरुषेणापि वा पुनः । नमो मत्स्याय देवाय कूर्मदेवाय वै नमः
Thus, O Lord, with fragrant substances and also with human effort, again: Salutations to the god Matsya, salutations to the god Kūrma.
नमो वाराहदेवाय नरसिंहाय वै नमः । नमोऽस्तु बुद्धदेवाय कल्किने च नमोनमः
Salutations to the god Vārāha, salutations to Narasiṃha; salutations to the god Buddha, and again, salutations to Kalki.
नमोऽस्तु रामदेवाय विष्णुदेवाय ते नमः । नमः सर्वात्मने तुभ्यं शि रइत्यभिपूजयेत् । केशवादीनि नामानि तैर्वा संपूजयेद्धरिम्
Salutations to the god Rāma, salutations to you, O god Viṣṇu; salutations to you, the soul of all; one should worship you with these names, such as Keśava, and thus worship Hari.
वनस्पतिरसो दिव्यः सुरभिर्गंधवाञ्छुचिः । धूपोऽयं देवदेवेश नमस्ते प्रतिगृह्यताम्
This incense is divine, fragrant, pure, and from the essence of trees; O Lord of gods, accept this incense, salutations to you.
धूपमंत्रः । दीपस्तमो नाशयति दीपः कांतिं प्रयच्छति । तस्माद्दीपप्रदानेन प्रीयतां मे जनार्दनः
Incense mantra: The lamp destroys darkness, the lamp bestows radiance; therefore, by offering the lamp, may Janārdana be pleased with me.
दीपमंत्रः । नैवेद्यमिदमन्नाद्यं देवदेव जगत्पते । लक्ष्म्या सह गृहाण त्वं परमामृतमुत्तमम्
Lamp mantra: This food offering, O Lord of gods, master of the world, together with Lakṣmī, accept it; it is supreme nectar.
नैवेद्यमंत्रः । अर्घ्यं दद्यात्ततो भक्त्या एवं ध्यात्वा जनार्दनम् । फलेन चैव हस्तेन शंखेनादाय चोदकम्
Offering mantra: Then one should give arghya with devotion, thus meditating on Janārdana; with fruit in hand, and water taken with a conch.
जन्मांतरसहस्रेण यन्मया पातकं कृतम् । तत्सर्वं नाशमायातु प्रसादात्तव केशव
O Keśava, by your grace, may all the sins I have committed over thousands of lifetimes be destroyed.
इति अर्घमंत्रः । ततः कुंभं नवं शुभ्रं घृतपूर्णं समानयेत् । लक्ष्मीनारायणस्याग्रे तैलपूर्णमथापि वा
This is the arghya mantra. Then, one should bring a new, spotless pot filled with ghee, or else filled with oil, and place it before Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa.
तस्योपरि न्यसेत्पात्रं ताम्रं मृन्मयमेव च । नवतंतुसमां वर्तिं तस्मिन्पात्रे तु निर्वपेत्
Upon that, one should set a vessel, either copper or clay, and in that vessel place a wick made of nine threads.
ततः प्रबोधयेद्दीपं स्थाप्य कुंभं सुनिश्चलम् । पुष्पगंधादिभिः पूज्य ततः संकल्पयेच्छुचिः
Then, having kindled the lamp and set the pot firmly, one should worship it with flowers, fragrance, and the like, and then, being pure, make a resolve.