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.
तस्यात्मजास्तु पंचासन्कनिष्ठो दोषवानभूत् । तदा पित्रा परित्यक्तस्त्यक्तः स्वजनबांधवैः
He had fifty sons, the youngest of whom was faulty. Then, because of his misdeeds, he was abandoned by his father and forsaken by his relatives.
कुकर्मणः प्रभावेन गतो दूरतरं वनम् । एकदा दैवयोगेन तीर्थराजं समागतः
Due to the influence of his bad actions, he went far into the forest. Once, by the will of fate, he came to the king of sacred fords.
क्षुत्क्षामो दीनवदनस्त्रिवेण्यां स्नानमाचरत् । मुनीनामाश्रमांस्तत्र विचिन्वन्क्षुधयार्दितः
Emaciated by hunger, with a dejected face, he bathed at the confluence of three rivers. Afflicted by hunger, he wandered among the hermitages of sages there.
हरिमित्रमुनेस्तत्र ददर्शाश्रममुत्तमम् । पुरुषोत्तममासे वै जनानां च समागमे
There he saw the excellent hermitage of the sage Harimitra, during the gathering of people in the Purushottama month.
तत्राश्रमे कथयतां कथां कल्मषनाशिनीम् । ब्राह्मणानां मुखात्तेन श्रद्धया कमला श्रुता
In that hermitage, as stories that destroy sin were being recited, he heard with faith about the Kamala Ekadashi from the mouths of Brahmins.
एकादशी पुण्यतमा भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनी । जयशर्मा विधानेन श्रुत्वेमां कमला तिथिम्
The Kamala Ekadashi is most holy, bestowing enjoyment and liberation. Having heard about this lunar day according to the procedure, Jayasharma observed it.
एकादशीपुण्यतमा भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनी । व्रतं कृतं च तैः सार्द्धं स्थित्वा शून्यालये तदा
The Kamala Ekadashi, most holy, bestows enjoyment and liberation. He performed the vow together with them, staying then in an empty dwelling.
निशीथे समनुप्राप्ते लक्ष्मीस्तत्र समागता । वरं ददामि भो विप्र कमलायाः प्रभावतः
When midnight arrived, Lakshmi herself appeared there. 'O Brahmin, I grant you a boon by the power of Kamala.'
जयशर्मोवाच - का त्वं कस्यासि रंभोरु प्रसन्ना च कथं मम । इंद्राणी सुरनाथस्य भवानी शंकरस्य वा
Jayasharma said: Who are you, whose thighs are like the trunk of a tree? Whose daughter are you, and how have you become gracious to me? Are you Indrani, wife of the lord of the gods, or Bhavani, wife of Shankara?
गंधर्वी किन्नरी वाथ वधूर्वा चंद्रसूर्ययोः । त्वत्सदृक्षा न दृष्टा च न श्रुता च शुभानने
Are you a Gandharvi, a Kinnari, or perhaps the bride of the moon or the sun? O beautiful-faced one, none like you have been seen or heard of.