विमूर्च्छिका गलग्राह हृद्रोगैर्भूततस्करैः । इत्थं बहुविधै रौद्रैर्नानारूपैर्भयंकरैः
There were fainting fits, throat seizures, heart diseases, and ghostly thieves; thus, with many fierce and terrifying forms of various kinds.
कपालशिरोहस्तैश्च संग्रामे नरके तथा । राक्षसैर्दानवैर्घोरैरुपविष्टैः पुरः स्थितैः
With skulls, heads, and hands, in battle and in hell, demons and dreadful danavas sat before me, stationed in front.
धर्माधिकारिभिश्चात्र चित्रगुप्तादि लेखकैः । व्याघ्र सिंह वराहैश्च शिखासर्पैः सुदुर्द्धरैः
There were also the officials of Dharma, like Citragupta and other scribes, along with tigers, lions, boars, and fierce crested serpents.
वृश्चिकैर्दंष्ट्रिभिर्भूतैः कीटकैर्मत्कुणादिभिः । वृक चित्रादि शुनकैः कंकैर्गृध्रैश्च जंबुकैः
There were scorpions, fanged spirits, insects, beetles, wolves, spotted dogs, crows, vultures, and jackals.
तस्करैर्भूतदारिद्रैर्मारिभिर्डाकिनीग्रहैः । मुक्तकेशैः श्वासकासैर्भ्रुकुटी कुटिलाननैः
There were thieves, poverty-causing spirits, marauders, witches, those with loose hair, those with breathlessness and coughs, those with frowning and crooked faces.
बृहत्प्रतापैर्नोभीतैः शासकैः पापकर्मणाम् । यमः सभायां शुशुभे सेव्यमानः परिग्रहैः
There were great, fearless punishers of evil deeds, and Yama shone in the assembly, attended by his retinue.
भीमाटविकजीवैश्च यथा व्यालांजनो गिरिः । ततो विश्वेश्वरः प्राह समयः किंकरान्प्रति
There were also dreadful forest-dwellers, like wild beasts on a mountain; then the Lord of the Universe spoke to his attendants.
नामभ्रांतैर्भवद्भिश्च समानीतः कथं मुनिः । भीमकस्यात्मजो ग्रामे कौंडिन्ये मुद्गलाभिधः
How was this sage, named Mudgala, son of Bhīma, brought here by you, confused about his name, from the village of Kauṇḍinya?
क्षीणायुः क्षत्रियः सोऽस्ति आनेयो मुच्यतामसौ । श्रुत्वैतत्ते गतास्तस्मादायाताः पुनरेव ते
He is a kṣatriya whose lifespan is exhausted; he should be released and brought back. Hearing this, they departed and returned again.
धर्मराजं पुनः प्राहुः सर्वे ते यमकिंकराः । तत्रास्माभिर्गतैर्देही क्षीणायुर्नोपलक्षितः
All those attendants of Yama spoke again to the Lord of Dharma: 'When we went there, the embodied soul whose lifespan was finished was not found.'
यम उवाच- किं कारणमदृश्यास्ते प्रायेण भवतां नराः । सुकृता द्वादशीयैस्तु ख्याता वैतरणी नदी
Yama said: 'What is the reason that most of your men are unseen? The river Vaitaraṇī is renowned for those who perform the dvādaśī rites.'
उज्जयिन्यां प्रयागे वा यमुनायां च ये मृताः । तिलहस्तिहिरण्यादि दत्तं यैस्तु गवाह्निकम्
Those who died in Ujjayinī, Prayāga, or on the Yamunā, and those who gave sesame, gold, or other offerings daily with cows.
दूता ऊचुः - तद्व्रतं कीदृशं ब्रह्मन्ब्रूहि सर्वमशेषतः । किं तत्र देव कर्त्तव्यं पुरुषैस्तवतोषदम्
The messengers said: 'O Brahman, tell us in detail what kind of vow this is. What must men do there to please the gods?'
येन कृता नरश्रेष्ठ द्वादशी कृष्णपक्षजा । उपवासे च तेनैव कथं पापात्प्रमुच्यते
By which, O best of men, the dvādaśī of the dark fortnight is performed with fasting, and how does one thereby become freed from sin?
तद्व्रतं केन विधिना कर्त्तव्यं च यथा वद । सुप्रसन्नेन वक्तव्यं दयां कृत्वा दयानिधे
Tell me, by what method should that vow be performed, and how? Speak kindly, O ocean of compassion, showing mercy.
श्रीमुद्गल उवाच- दूतानां वचनं श्रुत्वा उवाच मधुरं तदा । सर्वं वदामि भो दूता यथादृष्टं यथाश्रुतम्
Śrī Mudgala said: Hearing the words of the messengers, he then spoke sweetly: 'O messengers, I will tell you everything as I have seen and heard.'
यम उवाच- मार्गशीर्षादि मासे तु या इमाः कृष्णपक्षजाः । तासु पूर्वासु विधिवद्दूता वैतरणीव्रतम्
Yama said: In the months beginning with Mārgaśīrṣa, during the dark lunar phases, the messengers should properly perform the Vaitaraṇī vow in the earlier days.
प्रतिमासं च कर्त्तव्यं यावद्वर्षं भवेद्ध्रुवम् । यां तु कृत्वा तु भो दूता मुच्यते नात्र संशयः
It should be performed every month, throughout the year without fail. O messengers, whoever performs it is freed—there is no doubt about this.
उपवासस्य नियमः कर्त्तव्यो विष्णु तुष्टिदः । अद्य मे देवदेवेश उपवासो भविष्यति
The discipline of fasting must be observed, which pleases Viṣṇu. Today, O Lord of gods, my fast will take place.
द्वादश्यां पूज्य गोविंदं भक्तिभावसमन्वितम् । स्वप्नेंद्रियस्य वैकल्याद्भोजनं यच्च मैथुनम्
On the twelfth day, worship Govinda with devotion. Forgive any faults in eating or sexual activity due to weakness of the senses in sleep.
तत्सर्वं क्षम मे देव कृपां कृत्वा ममोपरि । एवं वै नियमं कृत्वा मध्याह्ने तीर्थमाव्रजेत्
O Lord, pardon all of that, showing your mercy upon me. Having thus observed the discipline, one should go to the sacred place at midday.
मृद्गोमय तिलान्नीत्वा गंतव्यं विधिपूर्वकम् । स्नानं तत्र प्रकर्तव्यं व्रतसंपूर्णहेतवे
Taking clay, cow dung, and sesame, one should proceed according to the prescribed method. There, one must bathe for the completion of the vow.
अश्वक्रांतेति मंत्रेण स्नानं कुर्याद्विशेषतः । अश्वक्रांते रथक्रांते विष्णुक्रांते वसुंधरे
With the mantra 'aśvakrānta', one should especially bathe: 'O earth, trodden by horse, chariot, and Viṣṇu.'
मृत्तिके हर मे पापं यन्मया पूर्वसंचितम् । तया हतेन पापेन सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
O clay, remove my sin, whatever has been accumulated by me before. By destroying that sin, one is freed from all sins.
काश्यां चैव तु संभूतास्तिला वै विष्णुरूपिणः । तिलस्नानेन गोविंदः सर्वं पापं व्यपोहति
Sesame born in Kāśī is indeed in the form of Viṣṇu. By bathing with sesame, Govinda removes all sin.
विष्णुदेहोद्भवा देवि महापापापहारिणी । सर्वं पापं हर त्वं वै सर्वेषां हि नमोऽस्तु ते
O goddess, born from the body of Viṣṇu, remover of great sins, take away all sin; indeed, salutations to you from all.
तुलसीपत्रकं धृत्वा नामोच्चारणपूर्वकम् । स्नानं सुकृतिभिः प्रोक्तं कर्तव्यं विधिपूर्वकम्
Holding a tulasī leaf and reciting the names, bathing should be performed according to the prescribed method, as declared by the virtuous.
एवं स्नात्वा समुत्तीर्य परिधाय सुवाससी । तर्पयित्वा पितॄन्देवांस्ततो विष्णोस्तु पूजनम्
Having bathed thus and emerged, wearing clean garments, and having offered oblations to ancestors and gods, then one should worship Viṣṇu.
संस्थाप्य चाव्रणं कुंभं पंचपल्लवसंयुतम् । पंचरत्नसमोपेतं दिव्यस्रग्गंधवासितम्
One should set up a vessel covered, joined with five leaves, adorned with five gems, and scented with divine garlands and fragrances.
जलपूर्णं सद्रव्यंच ताम्रपात्रसमन्वितम् । तत्रस्थं श्रीधरं देवं देवदेवं तपोनिधिम्
Filled with water and proper substances, equipped with a copper vessel, within it is Śrīdhara, the god of gods, the repository of austerity.