न तस्य पुनरावृत्तिर्मया दृष्टा कलिप्रिय । गीतं नृत्यं च वाद्यं च भव्यां विष्णुकथां मुने
He does not return again, as I have seen, O lover of Kali age; song, dance, and music, and the noble story of Vishnu, O sage—
यः करोति स पुण्यात्मा त्रैलोक्योपरि संस्थितः । बहुपुष्पैर्बहुफलैः कर्पूरागुरुकुंकुमैः 6.61.
Whoever performs them is a virtuous soul, established above the three worlds; with many flowers, many fruits, camphor, aloe, and saffron—
हरेः पूजा विधातव्या कार्तिके बोधवासरे । यस्मात्पुण्यमसंख्यातं प्राप्यते मुनिसत्तम
O best of sages, worship of Hari must be performed on the awakening day in Kārtika, for immeasurable merit is thereby attained.
फलैर्नानाविधैर्द्रव्यैः प्रबोधिन्यां तु जागरे । शंखे तोयं समादाय अर्घो देयो जनार्दने
On the night of Prabodhini, one should remain awake, offering various fruits and substances; taking water in a conch, an offering should be given to Janārdana.
यत्फलं सर्वतीर्थेषु सर्वदानेषु यत्फलम् । तत्फलं कोटिगुणितं दत्त्वार्घं बोधवासरे
The fruit obtained from all pilgrimages and all gifts is multiplied a crore times by offering arghya on the awakening day.
गुरुपूजा ततः कार्या भोजनाच्छादनादिभिः । दक्षिणाभिश्च देवर्षे तुष्ट्यर्थं चक्रपाणिनः
Then, worship of the guru should be performed with food, clothing, and other gifts, and with offerings, O divine sage, for the satisfaction of the wielder of the discus.
भागवतं शृणुते यस्तु पुराणं च पठेन्नरः । प्रत्यक्षरं भवेत्तस्य कपिलादानजं फलम्
Whoever listens to the Bhāgavata or recites the Purāṇa, for each syllable, receives the merit arising from the gift made by Kapila.
कार्त्तिके मुनिशार्दूल स्वशक्त्या वैष्णवं व्रतम् । यः करोति यथोक्तं तु मुक्तिस्तस्य सुनिश्चला
O tiger among sages, whoever observes the Vaiṣṇava vow in Kārtika according to his ability, as prescribed, his liberation is certain and unwavering.
केतक्या एकपत्रेण पूजितो गरुडध्वजः । समाः सहस्रं सुप्रीतो भवति मधुसूदनः
If Garuḍa-bannered Madhusūdana is worshipped with a single ketakī leaf, he becomes exceedingly pleased for a thousand years.
अगस्तिकुसुमैर्देवं पूजयेद्यो जनार्दनम् । दर्शनात्तस्य देवर्षे नरकाग्निः प्रणश्यति
Whoever worships Janārdana with agastya flowers, O divine sage, for him, by merely seeing the Lord, the fire of hell is destroyed.
मुनिपुष्पार्चितो विष्णुः कार्तिके पुरुषोत्तमः । ददात्यभिमतान्कामान्शशिसूर्यग्रहे यथा
When Viṣṇu, the supreme person, is worshipped in Kārtika with muni flowers, he grants the desired wishes, just as during the eclipses of the moon and sun.
विहाय सर्वपुष्पाणि मुनिपुष्पेण केशवम् । कार्तिके योऽर्चयेद्भक्त्या वाजिमेधफलं लभेत्
Forsaking all other flowers, whoever worships Keśava with muni flowers in Kārtika with devotion obtains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.
तुलसीदलानि पुष्पाणि ये यच्छंति जनार्दने । कार्तिके सकलं वत्स पापं जन्मायुतं दहेत्
Those who offer tulasī leaves and flowers to Janārdana in Kārtika, O dear one, all their sins of ten thousand births are burned away.
दृष्टा स्पृष्टाथ वा ध्याता कीर्तिता नामतस्तु ता । रोपिता सिंचिता नित्यं पूजिता तुलसी शुभा
Whether seen, touched, meditated upon, praised by name, planted, watered daily, or worshipped, the auspicious tulasī brings merit.
नवधा तुलसीभक्तिं ये कुर्वंति दिनेदिने । युगकोटिसहस्राणि तन्वंति सुकृतं मुने
Those who practice devotion to tulasī in nine ways each day, O sage, produce meritorious deeds for billions of ages.
यावच्छाखाप्रशाखाभिर्बीजपुष्पदलैर्मुने । रोपिता तुलसी पुंभिर्वर्द्धते वसुधातले
As long as the tulasī planted by men grows on earth with its branches, sub-branches, seeds, flowers, and leaves, O sage,
तेषां वंशे तु ये जाता ये भविष्यंति ये गताः । आकल्पवर्षसाहस्रं तेषां वासो हरेर्गृहे
All those born in their lineage, those who will be born, and those who have passed away, dwell in the house of Hari for a thousand ages of Manu.
यत्फलं सर्वपुष्पेषु सर्वपत्रेषु नारद । तुलसीदलेन चैकेन कार्तिके प्राप्यते तु तत्
O Nārada, the merit gained from all flowers and all leaves is attained in Kārtika by offering even a single tulasī leaf.
संप्राप्तं कार्त्तिकं दृष्ट्वा नियमेन जनार्दनः । पूजनीयो महाविष्णुः कोमलैस्तुलसीदलैः
Seeing the arrival of Kārtika, Janārdana must be worshipped with tender tulasī leaves, according to the prescribed rule.
इष्ट्वा क्रतुशतैर्देवान्दत्त्वा दानान्यनेकशः । तुलसीदलैस्तु तत्पुण्यं कार्तिके केशवार्चने
Having worshipped the gods with hundreds of sacrifices and given many gifts, that same merit is gained in Kārtika by worshipping Keśava with tulasī leaves.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच - भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि व्रतानामुत्तमं व्रतम् । सर्वपापहरं विष्णोः फलदं व्रतिनां च यत्
Yudhishthira said: O Blessed One, I wish to hear about the supreme vow among all vows, that which removes all sins, belongs to Vishnu, and bestows rewards upon those who observe it.
पुरुषोत्तममासस्य कथां ब्रूहि जनार्दन । को विधिः किं फलं तस्य को देवस्तत्र पूज्यते
Tell me the account of the Purushottama month, O Janardana. What is its procedure, what is its fruit, and which deity is worshipped therein?
अधिमासे च संप्राप्ते व्रतं ब्रूहि जनार्दन । कस्य दानस्य किं पुण्यं किं कर्त्तव्यं नृभिः प्रभो
When the extra month arrives, O Janardana, tell me about the vow to be observed. What merit arises from which gift, and what should people do, O Lord?
कथं स्नानं च किं जाप्यं कथं पूजाविधिः स्मृतः । किं भोज्यमुत्तमं चान्नं मासेऽस्मिन्पुरुषोत्तमे
How should one bathe, what should be recited, what is the prescribed method of worship, and what is the best food to be eaten in this Purushottama month?
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- कथयिष्यामि राजेंद्र भवतः स्नेहकारणात् । पुरुषोत्तममासस्य माहात्म्यं पापनाशनम्
Shri Krishna said: I shall tell you, O king, out of affection for you, the greatness of the Purushottama month, which destroys sins.
अधिमासे तु संप्राप्ते भवेदेकादशी तु या । कमला नाम सा नाम्ना तिथीनामुत्तमा तिथिः
When the extra month arrives, the Ekadashi that falls within it is called Kamala by name, and among lunar days, it is the most excellent.
तस्या व्रतप्रभावेन कमलाभिमुखी भवेत् । ब्राह्मे मुहूर्त्ते चोत्थाय संस्मृत्य पुरुषोत्तमम्
By the power of observing its vow, one becomes devoted to Kamala. Rising during the Brahma-muhurta, one should remember Purushottama.
स्नात्वा चैव विधानेन नियमं कारयेद्व्रती । गृहे त्वेकगुणं जाप्यं नद्यां तु द्विगुणं स्मृतम्
Having bathed properly, the observer of the vow should undertake discipline. At home, one should recite once; at a river, it is said to be twice as much.
गवां गोष्ठे सहस्रोर्ध्वमग्न्यागारे शतान्वितम् । शिवक्षेत्रेषु तीर्थेषु देवतानां च सन्निधौ
In a cowshed, a thousand times; in a fire-sanctuary, a hundred times; in Shiva's holy places, at sacred fords, and in the presence of deities—
लक्षं तुलस्याः सांनिध्ये ह्यनंतं विष्णुसन्निधौ । अवंत्यामभवत्कश्चिच्छिवशर्मा द्विजोत्तमः
In the presence of Tulasi, a hundred thousand times; in Vishnu's presence, infinite. In Avanti, there was a certain best of twice-born named Shiva Sharma.