परद्रव्यापहाराश्च परव्यसनमोहिताः । कथं न यांति नरकं ब्रह्मंस्तद्ब्रूहि तत्त्वतः
Some steal others' wealth, some are deluded by others' vices; how do they not go to hell? O Brahman, tell me this truthfully.
अनायासेन भगवन्दानेनाल्पेन केनचित् । पापं प्रशमनं याति एतन्मे वक्तुमर्हसि
By what effortless means, O Lord, or by what small gift, can sin be destroyed? You ought to tell me this.
पुलस्त्य उवाच- साधुसाधु महाभाग गुह्यमेतत्सुदुर्ल्लभम् । यन्न कस्यचिदाख्यातं विष्णुब्रह्मेंद्रदैवतैः
Pulastya said: Excellent, excellent, O great one! This secret is very rare, not revealed to anyone by Vishnu, Brahma, Indra, or the gods.
तदहं कथयिष्यामि त्वया पृष्टो द्विजोत्तम । माघमासे तु संप्राप्ते शुचिस्नातो जितेंद्रियः
But since you have asked, I shall tell you, O best of twice-born. When the month of Magha arrives, one who is pure, bathed, and self-controlled—
कामक्रोधाभिमानेर्ष्यालोभ पैशुन्य वर्जितः । देवदेवं च संस्मृत्य पादौ प्रक्षाल्य वारिभिः
—free from desire, anger, pride, envy, greed, and slander, remembering the Lord of gods, and washing his feet with water—
भूमावपतितं गृह्य गोमयं तत्र मानवः । तिलान्प्रक्षिप्य कार्पांसं पिंडिकाश्चैव कारयेत्
—should take cow-dung fallen on the ground, mix it with sesame seeds and a piece of cloth, and make small balls.
अष्टोत्तरशतं चैव नात्र कार्या विचारणा । ततो माघे च संप्राप्ते ह्याषाढर्क्षं भवेद्यदि
There is no need for further deliberation regarding the one hundred and eight; then, when the month of Māgha arrives, if the constellation Āṣāḍhā is present—
मूलं वा कृष्णपक्षस्यैकादशी नियमांस्ततः । गृह्णीयात्पुण्यकाले च विधानं तत्र मे शृणु
Or if it is the root of the dark fortnight, or the eleventh day with its observances, then, at the auspicious time, one should undertake the rite; hear from me the procedure therein.
देवदेवं समभ्यर्च्य सुस्नातः प्रयतः शुचिः । कृष्णनामानि संकीर्त्य पुनः प्रस्खलितादिषु
Having worshipped the Lord of gods, having bathed thoroughly, with mind intent and pure, one should recite the names of Kṛṣṇa, especially in cases of error or omission.
रात्रौ जागरणं कुर्यादादौ होमं च कारयेत् । अर्चयेद्देवदेवेशं द्वितीयेऽह्नि पुनर्हरिम्
One should keep vigil through the night, first performing a fire offering, and worship the Lord of lords; on the second day, worship Hari again.
चंदनागुरुकर्पूरैर्नैवेद्यं कृसरं तथा । संस्मृत्य नाम्ना च ततः कृष्णाख्येन पुनः पुनः
With sandalwood, aguru, and camphor, and likewise with the offering of kṛsara, remembering and repeatedly invoking the name of Kṛṣṇa—
कूष्मांडैर्नारिकेरैश्च ह्यथवा बीजपूरकैः । सर्वाभावेऽपि विप्रेंद्र शस्तपूगफलैर्वृतम् । अर्घं दद्याद्विधानेन पूजयित्वा जनार्दनम्
With gourds, coconuts, or else with vessels filled with seeds, and if none of these are available, O best of the twice-born, with suitable areca nuts, one should offer arghya according to the rite, having worshipped Janārdana.
कृष्णकृष्ण कृपालुस्त्वमगतीनां गतिर्भव । संसारार्णव मग्नानां प्रसीद पुरुषोत्तम
O Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, compassionate one, be the refuge of those who have none; O Supreme Person, have mercy on those immersed in the ocean of worldly existence.
नमस्ते पुंडरीकाक्ष नमस्ते विश्वभावन । सुब्रह्मण्य नमस्तेऽस्तु महापुरुषपूर्वज । गृहाणार्घ्यं मया दत्तं लक्ष्म्या सह जगत्पते
Salutations to you, O lotus-eyed one; salutations to you, creator of the universe; O Subrahmaṇya, salutations to you, ancient great person; accept the arghya offered by me together with Lakṣmī, O Lord of the world.
इत्यर्घमंत्रः । ततस्तु पूजयेद्विप्रमुदकुंभं प्रदापयेत् । छत्रोपानहवस्त्रैश्च कृष्णो मे प्रीयतामिति
Thus is the arghya-mantra. Then one should worship a brāhmaṇa and give him a water-pot, along with an umbrella, sandals, and cloth, saying, 'May Kṛṣṇa be pleased with me.'
कृष्णा धेनुः प्रदातव्या यथाशक्ति द्विजोत्तमे । तिलपात्रं द्विजश्रेष्ठ दद्यात्पात्रविचक्षणः
A black cow should be given, according to one's ability, to the best of the twice-born; O best of brāhmaṇas, one who is discerning should give a vessel filled with sesame seeds.
स्नाने प्राशनके शस्तास्तथा कृष्णतिला मुने । तान्प्रदद्यात्प्रयत्नेन यथाशक्ति द्विजोत्तमे । तिलप्ररोहजाः क्षत्रे यावत्संख्यास्तिला द्विज
For bathing and for consumption, black sesame seeds are best, O sage; these should be given with care, according to one's ability, to the best of the twice-born; as many sesame seeds as have sprouted, O brāhmaṇa, should be given to kṣatriyas.
तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । तिलस्नायी तिलोद्वर्ती तिलहोमी तिलोदकी
For as many thousands of years is one honored in heaven as the number of sesame seeds given for bathing, anointing, fire offering, and water offering.
तिलदाता च भोक्ता च षट्तिलाः पापनाशनाः । नारद उवाच- कृष्णकृष्ण महाबाहो नमस्ते विश्वभावन
One who gives, consumes, bathes with, anoints with, offers in fire, and offers water with sesame—these six uses of sesame destroy sin. Nārada said: 'O Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, mighty-armed, salutations to you, creator of the universe.'
षट्तिलैकादशीभूतं कीदृशं फलमस्ति वै । सोपाख्यानं मम ब्रूहि यदि तुष्टोऽसि यादव । श्रीकृष्ण उवाच शृणु राजन्यथावृत्तं दृष्टं तत्कथयामि ते । मर्त्यलोके पुरा ह्यासीद्ब्राह्मण्येका च नारद । व्रतचर्यारता नित्यं देवपूजारता सदा
'What is the result of observing the Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādaśī? Tell me, with its story, if you are pleased, O descendant of Yadu.' Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: 'Hear, O king, as it happened; I will tell you what I saw. Long ago, on earth, there was a brāhmaṇī, O Nārada, always devoted to vows and ever intent on worshipping the gods.'
मासोपवासनिरता मम भक्ता च सर्वदा । कृष्णोपवाससंयुक्ता मम पूजापरायणा
'She was always engaged in monthly fasts, ever devoted to me, always observing Kṛṣṇa-fasts, and wholly dedicated to my worship.'
शरीरं क्लेशितं चैव उपवासैर्द्विजोत्तम । देवानां ब्राह्मणानां च कुमारीणां च भक्तितः
'Her body was afflicted by austerities, O best of brāhmaṇas, through her devotion to the gods, brāhmaṇas, and maidens.'
गृहादिकं प्रयच्छंती सर्वकालं महासती । अतिकृच्छ्ररता सा तु सर्वकालं तु वै द्विज
'She constantly gave away household goods, O great sage, always devoted to severe austerities at all times.'
न दत्ता भिक्षुके भिक्षा ब्राह्मणा न च तर्पिताः
'But she did not give alms to beggars, nor did she satisfy the brāhmaṇas.'
ततः कालेन महता मया वै चिंतितं द्विज । शुद्धमस्याः शरीरं हि व्रतैः कृच्छ्रैर्न संशयः
Then, after a long time, O twice-born, I reflected: surely her body has become pure through severe vows and austerities, without doubt.
अर्चितो वैष्णवो लोकः कायक्लेशेन वै तया । न दत्तमन्नदानं हि येन तृप्तिः परा भवेत्
The world of Viṣṇu has indeed been worshipped by her through bodily hardship; but she did not give the gift of food, by which supreme satisfaction is attained.
एवं ज्ञात्वा अहं ब्रह्मन्मर्त्यलोकमुपागतः । कापालं रूपमास्थाय भिक्षापात्रे च याचिता
Knowing this, O Brahmin, I came to the mortal world, assuming the form of a skull-bearer, and begged with a mendicant’s bowl.
कस्मात्त्वमागतो ब्रह्मन्क्व यासि वद मेऽग्रतः । पुनरेव मया प्रोक्तं देहि भिक्षां च सुंदरि
She asked me, 'Why have you come, O Brahmin? Where are you going? Tell me before me.' Again I said to her, 'Give alms, O beautiful one.'
तया कोपेन महता मृत्पिंडस्ताम्रभाजने । क्षिप्तो यावदहं ब्रह्मन्पुनः स्वर्गं गतो द्विज
Overcome by great anger, she threw a lump of clay into the copper vessel; and while this happened, O Brahmin, I returned again to heaven.
ततः कालेन महता तापसी सुमहाव्रता । सदेहा स्वर्गमायाता व्रतचर्या प्रभावतः
Then, after a long time, that ascetic woman of great vows, by the power of her observances, ascended to heaven in her own body.