प्रत्युवाच महर्षींस्तानभीष्टं किं ददामि वः । ऋषय ऊचुः यदि तुष्टोऽसि भगवन्नस्माकं हितकाम्यया
He addressed those great sages: 'What boon shall I grant you?' The sages said: 'If you are pleased, O Lord, and wish for our welfare—'
व्रतं किंचित्समाख्याहि स्वर्गमोक्षफलप्रदम् । धनधान्यप्रदं पुण्यमात्मनस्तुष्टिकारकम्
'Please declare to us a vow that grants the fruits of heaven and liberation, that bestows wealth and grain, is meritorious, and brings satisfaction to the self.'
अल्पायासं बहुफलं व्रतानामुत्तमं व्रतम् । कृतेन येन देवेश विष्णुलोके महीयते
'A vow that is easy to perform, yields great results, and is the best among vows, by which, O Lord of gods, one is honored in Viṣṇu’s world.'
विष्णुरुवाच- फाल्गुने शुक्लपक्षे तु पुष्येण द्वादशी यदि । भवेत्सा च महापुण्या महापातकनाशिनी
Viṣṇu said: 'If, in the bright half of Phālguna, the twelfth day coincides with Puṣya, that day is supremely meritorious and destroys great sins.'
विशेषस्तत्र कर्त्तव्यः शृणुध्वं द्विजसत्तमाः । आमलकीं च संप्राप्य जागरं तत्र कारयेत्
'A special observance is to be performed then—listen, best of twice-born. Having obtained an āmalakī (gooseberry) tree, one should keep vigil there.'
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । एतद्वः कथितं विप्रा व्रतानां व्रतमुत्तमम् । अर्चयित्वाच्युतं तस्यां विष्णुलोकान्न मुच्यते
'Freed from all sins, one attains the fruit of giving a thousand cows. This, O brāhmaṇas, is declared to you—the supreme vow among vows. Worshipping Acyuta there, one is never separated from Viṣṇu’s worlds.'
ऋषय ऊचुः - व्रतस्यास्य विधिं ब्रूहि परिपूर्णं कथं भवेत् । के मंत्राः के नमस्काराः देवता का प्रकीर्तिता
The sages said: 'Tell us the full procedure of this vow—what are the mantras, what are the salutations, and which deity is to be invoked?'
कथं दानं कथं स्नानं कश्च पूजाविधिः स्मृतः । अर्घार्चनस्य मंत्रं तु कथयस्व यथातथम्
'How is the offering to be made, how is the bathing done, and what is the prescribed method of worship? Tell us, exactly, the mantra for arghya and worship.'
विष्णुरुवाच- श्रूयतां यो विधिः सम्यग्व्रतस्यास्य द्विजर्षभाः । एकादश्यां निराहारः स्थित्वा चैव परेऽहनि
Viṣṇu said: 'Hear now the proper procedure for this vow, O best of twice-born. On the eleventh day, one should fast, and on the following day—'
भोक्ष्येऽहं पुंडरीकाक्ष शरणं मे भवाच्युत । इति कृत्वा तु नियमं दंतधावनपूर्वकम्
'I shall eat, O lotus-eyed one; be my refuge, O Acyuta'—having made this resolve, after brushing the teeth—'
नालपेत्पतितांश्चौरांस्तथा पाषंडिनो नरान् । दुर्वृत्तान्भिन्नमर्यादान्गुरुदारप्रधर्षकान्
'One should not converse with the fallen, thieves, heretics, the wicked, those who transgress boundaries, or those who violate their teacher’s wife.'
अपराह्णे ततः स्नानं विधिना कारयेद्बुधः । नद्यां तडागे कूपे वा गृहे वा नियतात्मवान्
'In the afternoon, the wise should bathe according to rule—whether in a river, pond, well, or at home, with self-restraint.'
मृत्तिकालंभनं पूर्वं ततः स्नानं च कारयेत् । अश्वक्रांते रथक्रांते विष्णुक्रांते वसुंधरे
'First, take up clay, then perform the bath—O earth, trodden by horses, chariots, and Viṣṇu—'
मृत्तिके हर मे पापं यन्मया दुष्कृतं कृतम्
'O clay, remove my sin, whatever wrong I have done.'
इति मृत्तिकामंत्रः । त्वमंबु सर्वभूतानां जीवनं तनुरक्षकम् । स्वेदजोद्भिज्जजातीनां रसानां पतये नमः
Thus is the mantra for earth: You are water, the life of all beings, the protector of bodies. Homage to you, lord of the essences of those born from sweat, eggs, and sprouts.
स्नातोऽहं सर्वतीर्थेषु ह्रदप्रस्रवणेषु च । नदीषु देवखातेषु इदं स्नानं तु मे भवेत्
I am bathed in all the sacred waters, in lakes and springs, in rivers and divine reservoirs; may this bath be as such for me.
इति स्नानमंत्रः । जामदग्न्यं मुनिं चैव कारयित्वा हिरण्मयम् । माषकस्य सुवर्णस्य तदर्द्धार्द्धेन वा पुनः
Thus is the bathing mantra: One should have an image of the sage Jamadagni made of gold, using a māṣaka weight of gold, or even half of that.
गृहमागत्य पूजायाः पूजाहोमं तु कारयेत् । ततश्चामलकीं गच्छेत्सर्वोपस्करसंयुतः
Having brought it home, one should perform worship and homa; then, equipped with all the necessary items, one should go to the āmalakī tree.
आमलकीं ततो गत्वा परिशोध्य समंततः । स्थापयेत्सततं कुंभमव्रणं मंत्रपूर्वकम्
Having gone to the āmalakī tree, one should thoroughly cleanse the area all around and always place a flawless pot there, preceded by mantra.
पंचरत्नसमोपेतं दिव्यगंधाधिवासितम् । छत्रोपानद्युगोपेतं सितचंदनचर्चितम्
It should be adorned with five kinds of gems, perfumed with divine fragrances, furnished with an umbrella and a pair of sandals, and anointed with white sandalwood.
स्रग्दामलंबितग्रीवं सर्वधूपविधूपितम् । दीपमालाकुलं कुर्यात्सर्वतः सुमनोहरम्
Its neck should be garlanded with a fresh wreath, perfumed with all kinds of incense; one should make it surrounded everywhere by rows of lamps, making it most delightful.
तस्योपरि न्यसेत्पात्रं दिव्यलाजैः प्रपूरितम् । पात्रोपरि न्यसेद्देवं जामदग्न्यं महाप्रभम्
Upon it, one should place a vessel filled with divine roasted grains; above the vessel, one should set the radiant image of Jamadagni.
विशोकाय नमः पादौ जानुनी विश्वरूपिणे । उग्राय च ततोऽप्यूरू कटी दामोदराय च
Obeisance to the sorrowless one at the feet, to the universal form at the knees; then to the fierce one at the thighs, and to Dāmodara at the hips.
उदरं पद्मनाभाय उरः श्रीवत्सधारिणे । चक्रिणे वामबाहुं च दक्षिणं गदिने नमः 6.45.
Obeisance to Padmanābha at the belly, to the bearer of Śrīvatsa at the chest; to the discus-holder at the left arm, and to the mace-bearer at the right.
वैकुंठाय नमः कंठमास्यं यज्ञमुखाय वै । नासां विशोकनिधये वासुदेवाय चाक्षिणी
Obeisance to Vaikuṇṭha at the neck, to the mouth as the face of sacrifice; to the treasure of sorrowlessness at the nose, and to Vāsudeva at the eyes.
ललाटं वामनायेति रामायेति भ्रुवौ नमः । सर्वात्मने तु तच्छीर्षं नम इत्यभिपूजयेत्
Obeisance to Vāmana at the forehead, to Rāma at the brows; to the soul of all at the head—thus one should worship.
इति पूजामंत्रः । ततो देवाधिदेवाय अर्घं चैव प्रदापयेत् । फलेन चैव शुभ्रेण भक्तियुक्तेन चेतसा
Thus is the worship mantra: Then one should offer arghya to the god of gods, with a pure fruit and a mind filled with devotion.
ततो जागरणं कुर्याद्भक्तियुक्तेन चेतसा । नृत्यैर्गीतैश्च वादित्रैर्द्धर्माख्यानैः स्तवैरपि
Then one should keep vigil with a mind full of devotion, with dances, songs, musical instruments, recitations of dharma, and hymns.
वैष्णवैश्च तथाख्यानैः क्षपयेत्सर्वशर्वरीम् । प्रदक्षिणां ततः कुर्याद्धात्र्या वै विष्णुनामभिः
And with Vaiṣṇava stories, one should pass the whole night; then one should circumambulate the tree, reciting the names of Viṣṇu.
अष्टाधिकं शतं चैव अष्टाविंशतिरेव वा । ततः प्रभाते समये कृत्वा नीराजनं हरेः
One should perform one hundred and eight, or twenty-eight, circumambulations; then, at dawn, perform the waving of lights for Hari.