अनेन विधिना दद्यान्मासिमासि सदा नरः।। वाससी वृषभं हैमं तद्वद्गां कांचनोद्भवाम्
In this manner, a man should give every month: garments, a golden bull, and likewise a cow born from gold.
संवत्सरांते शयनमिक्षुदंडगुडान्वितम्।। ताम्रपात्रे तिलप्रस्थं सौवर्णं वृषभं तथा
At the end of the year, a bed furnished with a sugarcane staff and jaggery, a copper vessel with a prastha of sesame, and likewise a golden bull.
दद्याद्वेदविदे सर्वं विश्वात्मा प्रीयतामिति।। अनेन विधिना विद्वान्कुर्याद्यः शुभसप्तमीम्
He should give all these to a knower of the Veda, saying, 'May the Soul of the Universe be pleased.' In this way, the learned should perform the auspicious Saptamī.
तस्य श्रीर्विमला कीर्त्तिर्भवेज्जन्मनि जन्मनि।। अप्सरोगणगंधर्वैः पूज्यमानः सुरालये
For him, pure fortune and fame arise in every birth; honored by hosts of Apsarases and Gandharvas in the abode of the gods.
वसेद्गणाधिपो भूत्वा यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्।। कल्पादाववतीर्णश्च सप्तद्वीपाधिपो भवेत्
He dwells as a lord of hosts until the dissolution of beings; at the beginning of the kalpa, he is born as the sovereign of the seven continents.
भ्रूणहत्यासहस्रस्य ब्रह्महत्याशतस्य च।। नाशायालमियं पुण्या पठ्यते शुभसप्तमी
This auspicious Saptamī is recited for the destruction of a thousand acts of abortion and a hundred acts of Brahmin-killing.
इमां पठेद्यः शृणुयान्मुहूर्तं पश्येत्प्रसंगादपि दीयमानम्।। सोप्यत्र सर्वाघविमुक्तदेहः प्राप्नोति विद्याधरनायकत्वम्
Whoever reads, hears, or even sees this being given, even for a moment, is freed from all sins and attains the lordship of the Vidyādharas.
यावत्समास्सप्त नरः करोति यः सप्तमीं सप्तविधानयुक्ताम्।। स सप्तलोकाधिपतिः क्रमेण भूत्वा पदं याति परं मुरारेः
As long as a man performs the Saptamī for seven years with its sevenfold observance, he becomes the lord of the seven worlds in order and attains the supreme abode of Murāri.
भीष्म उवाच वैष्णवा ये तु वै धर्मा यान्रुद्रः प्रोक्तवानिह तान्मे कथय विप्रेंद्र कीदृशास्ते फलं तु किम्
Bhīṣma said: O foremost of Brahmins, tell me about those Vaiṣṇava dharmas which Rudra has spoken here—what are they like, and what is their fruit?
पुलस्त्य उवाच पुरा रथन्तरे कल्पे परिपृष्टो महात्मना मन्दरस्थो महादेवः पिनाकी ब्रह्मणा स्वयम्
Pulastya said: Long ago, in the Rathantara kalpa, the great-souled Brahmā himself questioned Mahādeva, the wielder of Pināka, who was on Mandara.
कथमारोग्यमैश्वर्यमनंतममरेश्वर अल्पेन तपसा देव भवेन्मोक्षः सदा नृणां
O Lord of Immortals, how can health, prosperity, and endless liberation always be attained by men with little austerity, O God?
किं तज्ज्ञानं महादेव त्वत्प्रसादादधोक्षज अल्पकेनापि तपसा महाफलमिहोच्यते
O Mahādeva, what is that knowledge, O Adhokṣaja, by your grace, by which great fruit is said to arise here even from little austerity?
इति पृष्टस्स विश्वात्मा ब्रह्मणा लोकभावनः उमापतिरुवाचेदं मनसः प्रीतिकारकम्
Thus questioned by Brahmā, the creator of the worlds, the Soul of the Universe, the husband of Umā, spoke these words, pleasing to the mind.
ईश्वर उवाच अस्माद्रथंतरात्कल्पाद्भूयो विञ्शतिमो यदा वाराहो भविता कल्पस्तदा मन्वन्तरे शुभे
Īśvara said: From that Rathantara kalpa, when the twentieth kalpa comes again, the Varāha kalpa will arise; then, in that auspicious Manvantara—
वैवस्वताख्ये सम्प्राप्ते सप्तमे सप्तलोकधृक् द्वापराख्यंयुगं तस्मिन्सप्तविंशतिमं यदा
When the seventh Manvantara called Vaivasvata arrives, sustaining the seven worlds, in the Dvāpara yuga, which is the twenty-seventh—
तस्यां ते तु महातेजा वासुदेवो जनार्दनः भारावतरणार्थाय त्रिधा विष्णुर्भविष्यति
Then, in that age, the greatly radiant Vāsudeva Janārdana, for the purpose of relieving the burden of the earth, Viṣṇu will be born in three forms.
द्वैपायन ऋषिस्तत्र रौहिणेयोथ केशवः कंसारिः केशिमथनः केशवः क्लेशनाशनः९ पुरीं द्वारवतीं नाम साम्प्रतं या कुशस्थली दिव्यानुभावसंयुक्तामधिवासाय शार्ङ्गिणः
There were present the sage Dvaipayana, the son of Rohini, and Kesava—slayer of Kamsa, destroyer of Keshi, Kesava, remover of affliction—who now dwells in the city called Dvaravati, formerly known as Kushasthali, endowed with divine splendor, as the abode of the wielder of the Sharnga bow.
त्वष्टा तदाज्ञया ब्रह्मन्करिष्यति जगत्पतेः तस्यां कदाचिदासीनः सभायां सोऽमितद्युतिः
By his command, O Brahman, Tvashta will construct it for the Lord of the world; and there, at some time, that one of immeasurable radiance will be seated in the assembly hall.
भार्याभिर्वृष्णिविद्वद्भिभूरिभिर्भूरिदक्षिणैः कुरुभिर्देवगन्धर्वैरन्वितः कैटभार्दनः
Surrounded by his wives, the learned Vrishnis, many generous ones, Kurus, gods, and Gandharvas, the slayer of Kaitabha will be present.
प्रवृत्तासु पुराणासु धर्मसम्बन्धधिनीषु च कथासु भीमसेनेन परिपृष्टः प्रतापवान्
When ancient tales and stories relating to dharma are being recounted, Bhimasena, full of prowess, will ask questions.
त्वया पृष्टस्य धर्मस्य वक्ष्यत्यस्य च भेददृक् भविता स तदा ब्रह्मन्कर्ता चैव वृकोदरः
When you inquire about dharma, he will speak, discerning its distinctions; at that time, O Brahman, Bhimasena will become both the questioner and the doer.
प्रवर्तकोऽस्य धर्मस्य पाण्डुसूनुर्महाबलः यस्य तीक्ष्णो वृको नाम जठरे हव्यवाहनः
The mighty son of Pandu will be the initiator of this dharma, within whose stomach dwells the fierce fire named Vriko, the consumer of offerings.
सम्भाष्यते स धर्मात्मा तेन चासौ वृकोदरः अतीव स्वादशीलश्च नागायुत बलो महान्
He, steadfast in righteousness, will converse with Bhimasena, who is exceedingly fond of food, possessed of the strength of ten thousand elephants, and great in might.
धार्मिकस्याप्यशक्तस्य तीव्राग्नित्वादुपोषणे इदं व्रतमशेषाणां व्रतानामधिकं यतः
For even the righteous who lack the power to endure intense austerity, this vow surpasses all other vows because of its excellence.
कथयिष्यति विश्वात्मा वासुदेवो जगद्गुरुः अशेषयज्ञफलदमशेषाघविनाशनम्
Vasudeva, the soul of the universe and teacher of the world, will explain it—a vow that grants the fruit of all sacrifices and destroys all sins.
अशेषदुष्टशमनमशेषसुरपूजितम् पवित्राणां पवित्रं यन्मगलानां च मङ्गलम् भविष्यं च भविष्याणां पुराणानां पुरातनम्
It destroys all evil, is worshipped by all the gods, is the purest of the pure, the most auspicious among all that is auspicious, and is the most ancient among all ancient vows.
वासुदेव उवाच यद्यष्टमी चतुर्द्दश्योर्द्वादशीषु च भारत अन्येष्वपि दिनर्क्षेषु नशक्तस्त्वमुपोषितुम्
Vasudeva said: O Bharata, if you are unable to fast on the eighth, fourteenth, or twelfth lunar days, or on other auspicious days,
ततस्त्वग्र्यामिमां भीम तिथिं पापप्रणाशिनीम् उपोष्य विधिनानेन गच्छ विष्णोः परं पदं
Then, Bhima, observe this supreme, sin-destroying lunar day with the prescribed method, and attain the supreme abode of Vishnu.
माघमासस्य दशमी यदा शुक्ला भवेत्तदा घृतेनाभ्यंजनं कृत्वा तिलैः स्नानं समाचरेत्
When the bright tenth day of the month of Magha arrives, one should anoint oneself with ghee and bathe with sesame seeds.
तथैव विष्णुमभ्यर्चेन्नमो नारायणाय च कृष्णाय पादौ संपूज्य शिरःकृष्णात्मनेति च
In the same way, one should worship Vishnu, saying 'Obeisance to Narayana,' and, having worshipped Krishna's feet, bow the head, saying, 'You are Krishna, the Self.'