सर्वेषां चैव वृक्षाणामादिरोहः प्रकीर्तितः । ब्रह्मणाथ ततः पश्चात्संसृष्टाश्च इमाः प्रजाः
The first ascent of all trees has been proclaimed by Brahmā; thereafter, these beings were created.
देवदानवगंधर्वयक्षराक्षसपन्नगान् । असृजद्भगवान्देवो महर्षींश्च तथामलान्
The blessed Lord, the god, then created the gods, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, serpents, and also the pure great sages.
आजग्मुस्तत्र देवास्ते यत्र धात्री हरिप्रिया । तां दृष्ट्वा ते महाभाग परं विस्मयमागताः
There the gods arrived, where the dhātrī tree, dear to Hari, stood; seeing her, those greatly fortunate ones were filled with supreme wonder.
न जानीम इमं वृक्षं चिंतयंतोऽभिसंस्थिताः । एवं चिंतयतां तेषां वागुवाचाशरीरिणी
They stood there, pondering, 'We do not know this tree.' As they thus reflected, a bodiless voice spoke.
आमलकी नगो ह्येष प्रवरो वैष्णवो मतः । अस्य संस्मरणादेव लभेद्गोदानजं फलम्
This is the Āmalakī tree, regarded as the foremost Vaiṣṇava tree; merely by remembering it, one attains the fruit of gifting a cow.
स्पर्शनाद्द्विगुणं पुण्यं त्रिगुणं धारणात्तथा । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन सेव्या आमलकी सदा
By touching it, merit is doubled; by bearing it, merit is tripled; therefore, the Āmalakī should always be served with every effort.
सर्वपापहरा प्रोक्ता वैष्णवी पापनाशिनी । तस्या मूले स्थितो विष्णुस्तदूर्ध्वे च पितामहः
It is declared to remove all sins, a Vaiṣṇavī, destroyer of evil; Viṣṇu stands at its root, and above him is the Grandfather (Brahmā).
स्कंधे च भगवान्रुद्रः संस्थितः परमेश्वरः । शाखासु मुनयः सर्वे प्रशाखासु च देवताः
On its trunk abides the blessed Rudra, the supreme Lord; on its branches dwell all the sages, and on the smaller branches, the deities.
पर्णेषु चासते देवाः पुष्पेषु मरुतस्तथा । प्रजानां पतयः सर्वे फलेष्वेव व्यवस्थिताः
On its leaves sit the gods, on its flowers the Maruts; and in its fruits are established all the lords of beings.
सर्वदेवमयी ह्येषा धात्री च कथिता मया । तस्मात्पूज्यतमा ह्येषा विष्णुभक्तिपरायणैः
This dhātrī has been described by me as composed of all the gods; therefore, she is most worthy of worship by those devoted to Viṣṇu.
ऋषय ऊचुः - को भवान्न हि जानीमः कस्मात्कारणतां गतः । देवो वा यदि वा चान्यः कथयस्व यथातथम्
The sages said: 'Who are you? We do not know. For what reason have you come? Are you a god or someone else? Tell us truly as it is.'
वागुवाच - यः कर्ता सर्वभूतानां भुवनानां च सर्वशः । विस्मितान्विदुषः प्रेक्ष्य सोऽहं विष्णुः सनातनः
The voice said: 'I am Viṣṇu, the eternal one, the creator of all beings and all worlds; seeing you amazed and inquiring, I have revealed myself.'
तच्छ्रुत्वा देवदेवस्य भाषितं ब्रह्मणः सुताः । अनादिनिधनं देवं स्तोतुं तत्र प्रचक्रमुः
Hearing the words of the god of gods, the sons of Brahmā there began to praise the god who is without beginning or end.
नमो भूतात्मभूताय आत्मने परमात्मने । अच्युताय नमो नित्यमनंताय नमो नमः
'Salutations to the soul of all beings, to the supreme soul; salutations to Acyuta, the eternal, the infinite—again and again, salutations.'
दामोदराय कवये यज्ञेशाय नमो नमः । एवं स्तुतस्तु ऋषिभिस्तुतोष भगवान्हरिः
'Salutations to Dāmodara, the wise, the lord of sacrifice—again and again, salutations.' Thus praised by the sages, the blessed Hari was pleased.
प्रत्युवाच महर्षींस्तानभीष्टं किं ददामि वः । ऋषय ऊचुः यदि तुष्टोऽसि भगवन्नस्माकं हितकाम्यया
He addressed those great sages: 'What boon shall I grant you?' The sages said: 'If you are pleased, O Lord, for the sake of our welfare—'
व्रतं किंचित्समाख्याहि स्वर्गमोक्षफलप्रदम् । धनधान्यप्रदं पुण्यमात्मनस्तुष्टिकारकम्
'Please declare a vow that bestows the fruit of heaven and liberation, that grants wealth and grain, that is meritorious and brings satisfaction to the soul.'
अल्पायासं बहुफलं व्रतानामुत्तमं व्रतम् । कृतेन येन देवेश विष्णुलोके महीयते
'A vow that is easy to perform, yields great results, and is the best of vows; by which, when performed, O Lord of gods, one is honored in Viṣṇu's world.'
विष्णुरुवाच- फाल्गुने शुक्लपक्षे तु पुष्येण द्वादशी यदि । भवेत्सा च महापुण्या महापातकनाशिनी
Viṣṇu said: If, in the bright fortnight of Phālguna, the twelfth day coincides with Puṣya, that day is supremely auspicious and destroys great sins.
विशेषस्तत्र कर्त्तव्यः शृणुध्वं द्विजसत्तमाः । आमलकीं च संप्राप्य जागरं तत्र कारयेत्
A special observance is to be performed then; listen, O foremost twice-born! Upon reaching the Āmalakī tree, one should keep vigil there.
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । एतद्वः कथितं विप्रा व्रतानां व्रतमुत्तमम् । अर्चयित्वाच्युतं तस्यां विष्णुलोकान्न मुच्यते
Freed from all sins, one attains the merit of giving a thousand cows. This, O Brāhmaṇas, is the supreme vow among vows. Worshipping Acyuta there, one is never deprived of Viṣṇu's realm.
ऋषय ऊचुः - व्रतस्यास्य विधिं ब्रूहि परिपूर्णं कथं भवेत् । के मंत्राः के नमस्काराः देवता का प्रकीर्तिता
The sages said: Tell us the complete procedure for this vow—what mantras, what salutations, and which deity is invoked?
कथं दानं कथं स्नानं कश्च पूजाविधिः स्मृतः । अर्घार्चनस्य मंत्रं तु कथयस्व यथातथम्
How is charity given, how is bathing done, and what is the prescribed method of worship? Please explain the mantra for offering and worship, exactly as it is.
विष्णुरुवाच- श्रूयतां यो विधिः सम्यग्व्रतस्यास्य द्विजर्षभाः । एकादश्यां निराहारः स्थित्वा चैव परेऽहनि
Viṣṇu said: Hear the proper procedure for this vow, O best of twice-born! On Ekādaśī, one should fast, and on the following day—
भोक्ष्येऽहं पुंडरीकाक्ष शरणं मे भवाच्युत । इति कृत्वा तु नियमं दंतधावनपूर्वकम्
One should resolve: 'On the next day, I will eat, O lotus-eyed one; be my refuge, O Acyuta.' Having made this vow, preceded by brushing the teeth—
नालपेत्पतितांश्चौरांस्तथा पाषंडिनो नरान् । दुर्वृत्तान्भिन्नमर्यादान्गुरुदारप्रधर्षकान्
One should not converse with fallen people, thieves, heretics, those of evil conduct, violators of boundaries, or those who have violated their teacher's wife.
अपराह्णे ततः स्नानं विधिना कारयेद्बुधः । नद्यां तडागे कूपे वा गृहे वा नियतात्मवान्
In the afternoon, the wise should bathe according to the prescribed method—whether in a river, pond, well, or at home, with self-control.
मृत्तिकालंभनं पूर्वं ततः स्नानं च कारयेत् । अश्वक्रांते रथक्रांते विष्णुक्रांते वसुंधरे
First, one should take up clay, then perform the bath, saying: 'O earth, trodden by horses, chariots, and Viṣṇu—'
मृत्तिके हर मे पापं यन्मया दुष्कृतं कृतम्
'O clay, remove my sin, whatever misdeed I have committed.'
इति मृत्तिकामंत्रः । त्वमंबु सर्वभूतानां जीवनं तनुरक्षकम् । स्वेदजोद्भिज्जजातीनां रसानां पतये नमः
This is the clay mantra: 'You are water, the life of all beings, the protector of bodies. Salutations to you, lord of the juices of those born from sweat and from eggs.'