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.
पूर्णेन विधिना राजन्कुर्यात्पूजां गरीयसीम् । मृद्गोमयादिरचितं मंडलं कारयेच्छुभम्
With complete ritual, O king, one should perform the most excellent worship. A sacred circle should be made from clay, cow dung, and other materials.
तंडुलैः शुक्लधौतैश्च अश्मपिष्टैश्च कारयेत् । धर्मराजः प्रकर्त्तव्यो हस्ताद्यव यवान्वितः
It should be made with rice grains washed white and ground on stone. The king of righteousness should be fashioned, with barley in the hand and elsewhere.
नदीं वैतरणीं ताम्रां स्थापयित्वा तदग्रतः । पूजयेच्च पृथक्सम्यक्समावाहनपूर्वकम्
Having placed the copper-colored river Vaitaraṇī in front, one should worship it separately and properly, after first invoking it.
आवाहयामि देवेशं यमं वै विश्वरूपिणम् । इहाभ्येहि महाभाग सान्निध्यं कुरु केशव
I invoke the Lord of the gods, Yama, the one of universal form; O illustrious one, come here, O Keśava, and make your presence manifest.
इदं पाद्यं श्रियः कांत सोपविष्टं हरे प्रभो । विश्वोद्यानरतो नित्यं कृपां कुरु ममोपरि
O beloved of Lakṣmī, O Hari, O Lord, this water for washing the feet is offered to you as you are seated; you who delight always in the garden of the universe, show your compassion upon me.
भूतिदाय नमः पादावशोकाय च जानुनी । उरू नमः शिवायेति विश्वमूर्ते नमः कटिम्
Obeisance to the giver of prosperity—at your feet; to the remover of sorrow—at your knees; obeisance to Śiva—at your thighs; and to you, universal form—at your waist.
कंदर्पाय नमो मेढ्रमादित्याय फलं तथा । दामोदराय जठरं वासुदेवाय वै स्तनौ
Obeisance to Kandarpa—at your loins; to the Sun—at your genitals; to Dāmodara—at your abdomen; and to Vāsudeva—at your breasts.
श्रीधराय मुखं केशान्केशवायेति वै नमः । पृष्ठं शार्ङ्गधरायेति चरणौ वरदाय च
Obeisance to Śrīdhara—at your face; to Keśava—at your hair; to Śārṅgadhara—at your back; and to Varada—at your feet.
स्वनाम्ना शंखचक्रासिगदापरशुपाणये । सर्वात्मने नमस्तुभ्यं शिर इत्यभिधीयते 6.66.
To you, who bear the conch, discus, sword, mace, and axe in your hands, each by their own name; to you, the soul of all, obeisance—this is said for the head.
मत्स्यं कूर्मं च वाराहं नारसिंहं च वामनम् । रामं रामं च कृष्णं च बुधं कल्किं नमोऽस्तु ते
Obeisance to you as Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Narasiṃha, Vāmana, Rāma, Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, Buddha, and Kalki.