ज्ञात्वा मुनिस्ततो रामं पुराणं पुरुषोत्तमम् । केनापि कारणेनैव प्रविष्टो मानुषीं तनुम्
Then the sage, knowing Rama to be the ancient, supreme person, who for some reason had entered a human form—
उवाच स ऋषिस्तुष्टः कुतो राम तवागमः
That satisfied sage spoke: 'Rama, what is the reason for your coming?'
राम उवाच- त्वत्प्रसादादहं विप्र तीरं नदनदीपतेः । आगतोऽस्मि ससैन्योऽत्र लंकां जेतुं सराक्षसाम्
Rama said: By your grace, O Brahmin, I have come to the shore of the lord of rivers and waters, with my army, to conquer Lanka and all the Rakshasas.
भवतश्चानुकूलत्वात्तीर्यतेऽब्धिर्यथा मया । तमुपायं वद मुने प्रसादं कुरु सांप्रतम्
And by your favor, the ocean will be crossed by me; tell me that means, O sage, and grant your blessing now.
एतस्मात्कारणादेव द्रष्टुं त्वाहमिहागतः । रामस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा बकदाल्भ्यो महामुनिः
For this very reason I have come here to see you; having heard Rama's words, Bakadalbhya, the great sage—
उवाच सुप्रसन्नात्मा रामं राजीवलोचनम् । कर्तव्यमद्य ते राम व्रतानां व्रतमुत्तमम्
With a mind full of grace, he spoke to lotus-eyed Rama: 'Today, Rama, you must perform the supreme of vows.'
कृतेन येन सहसा विजयस्ते भविष्यति । लंकां जित्वा राक्षसांश्च स्वच्छां कीर्तिमवाप्स्यसि
By performing it, you will swiftly obtain victory; having conquered Lanka and the Rakshasas, you will attain pure fame.
एकाग्रमानसो भूत्वा व्रतमेतत्समाचर । फाल्गुनस्यासिते पक्षे विजयैकादशी भवेत्
With a mind fixed in concentration, perform this vow; in the dark fortnight of Phalguna, the Ekadashi of victory occurs.
तस्या व्रतेन हे राम विजयस्ते भविष्यति । निःसंशयं समुद्रं त्वं तरिष्यसि सवानरः
By this vow, O Rama, your victory will be certain; without doubt, you will cross the ocean with the monkeys.
विधिस्तु श्रूयतां राजन्व्रतस्यास्य फलप्रदः । दशम्यां दिवसे प्राप्ते कुंभमेकं तु कारयेत्
Now hear, O king, the rule that grants the fruit of this vow: when the day of the tenth lunar phase arrives, one should prepare a single pot.
हैमं वा राजतं वापि ताम्रं वाप्यथ मृन्मयम् । स्थापयेच्छोभितं चैव जलपूर्णं सपल्लवम्
One should place a pot made of gold, or silver, or copper, or even of clay, adorned and filled with water, along with fresh leaves.
सप्तधान्यान्यधस्तस्य यवानुपरि विन्यसेत् । तस्योपरि न्यसेद्देवं हैमं नारायणं प्रभुम्
Seven kinds of grains should be placed beneath it, with barley on top; above that, one should set a golden image of Lord Nārāyaṇa.
एकादशीदिने प्राप्ते प्रातः स्नानं समाचरेत् । निश्चलं स्थापयेत्कुंभं कंठमाल्यानुलेपनैः
When the eleventh day arrives, one should bathe in the morning, and place the pot steadily, decorating it with garlands for the neck and fragrant ointments.
पूगीफलैर्नालिकेरैः पूजयेच्च विशेषतः । गंधैर्धूपैश्चदीपैश्च नैवेद्यैर्विविधैरपि
One should especially worship with betel nuts, coconuts, perfumes, incense, lamps, and various offerings of food.
कुंभाग्रे तद्दिनं राम नीयते सत्कथादिभिः । रात्रौ जागरणं चैव तस्याग्रे कारयेद्बुधः
O Rāma, that day should be spent at the forefront of the pot with recitation of sacred stories and the like; at night, one should keep vigil before it.
प्रकाशयेद्घृतदीपमखंडव्रतहेतवे । द्वादशीदिवसे प्राप्ते मार्तंडस्योदये सति
A ghee lamp should be kept burning continuously as part of the vow; when the twelfth day arrives and the sun rises—
नीत्वा कुंभं जलोद्देशे नद्याः प्रस्रवणे तथा । तडागे स्थापयित्वा तं पूजयित्वा यथाविधि
One should carry the pot to a body of water, to the source of a river or a pond, and, after placing and worshipping it there according to the proper method—
दद्यात्सदेवं तं कुंभं ब्राह्मणे वेदपारगे । कुंभेन सह राजेंद्र महादानानि दापयेत्
One should give that pot, along with the deity, to a learned Brāhmaṇa; together with the pot, O king, one should also give great gifts.
अनेनविधिना राम यूथपैः सह संगतः । कुरु व्रतं प्रयत्नेन विजयस्ते भविष्यति
O Rāma, following this procedure together with your companions, undertake the vow with effort; you will surely attain victory.
इति श्रुत्वा ततो रामो यथोक्तमकरोत्तदा । कृते व्रते स विजयी बभूव रघुनंदनः
Having heard this, Rāma then did exactly as instructed; having performed the vow, the descendant of Raghu became victorious.
प्राप्ता सीता जिता लंका पौलस्त्यो निहतो रणे । अनेनविधिना पुत्र ये कुर्वंति नरा व्रतम्
Sītā was regained, Laṅkā was conquered, and the son of Pulastya was slain in battle; by this procedure, O son, those men who perform the vow—
इहलोकजयप्राप्तिः परलोकस्तथाक्षयः । एतस्मात्कारणात्पुत्र कर्तव्यं विजयाव्रतम्
They attain victory in this world and imperishable merit in the next; for this reason, O son, the vow of victory should be performed.
विजयायाश्च माहात्म्यं सर्वकिल्बिषनाशनम् । पठनाच्छ्रवणाच्चैव वाजपेयफलं लभेत्
The greatness of the Vijayā vow destroys all sins; by reciting or hearing it, one obtains the fruit of the Vājapeya sacrifice.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे फाल्गुनकृष्णाविजयामाहात्म्यंनाम चतुश्चत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-fourth chapter, entitled 'The Greatness of Vijayā in the Dark Fortnight of Phālguna,' in the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, comprising fifty-five thousand verses.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- माहात्म्यं विजयायाश्च श्रुतं कृष्ण महत्फलम् । फाल्गुनस्यार्जुने पक्षे यन्नाम्नी तां वदाधुना
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: The greatness of Vijayā has been heard, O Kṛṣṇa, with its great fruit; now tell me the name of the vow that occurs in the fortnight of Phālguna.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच-। धर्मपुत्र महाभाग शृणु वक्ष्यामितेऽधुना । योक्ता पृष्टेन मांधात्रा वसिष्ठेन महात्मना
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O Dharmaputra, greatly fortunate one, listen as I now speak; I will tell you what was asked by Māndhātṛ and taught by the great sage Vasiṣṭha.
फाल्गुनस्य विशेषेण विशेषः कथितो नृप । आमलकीव्रतं पुण्यं विष्णुलोकफलप्रदम्
O king, in particular, the special vow of Phālguna has been described—the sacred Āmalakī vow, which bestows the reward of reaching Viṣṇu's abode.
आमलक्यास्तले गत्वा जागरं तत्र कारयेत् । कृत्वा जागरणं रात्रौ गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
Going to the base of the āmalakī tree, one should keep vigil there; by keeping vigil at night, one obtains the merit of giving a thousand cows.
मांधातोवाच - आमलकी कदा ह्येषा उत्पन्ना द्विजसत्तम । एतत्सर्वं ममाचक्ष्व परं कौतूहलं हि मे
Māndhātā said: O best of twice-born, when did this āmalakī arise? Please tell me all of this, for I am greatly curious.
कस्मादियं पवित्रा च कस्मात्पापप्रणाशिनी । कस्माज्जागरणं कृत्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
Why is this tree pure, why does it destroy sin, and why does one who keeps vigil attain the merit of giving a thousand cows?