कृत्वा तूदकदानं तु तथाऽर्घ्यस्य च दापनम्
And having performed the gift of water and likewise the offering of arghya,
वैयाघ्रपादगोत्राय सांकृत्य प्रवराय च 2.4.32.
To one of the lineage of Vaiyāghrapāda, and to one of noble ancestry,
वसूनामवताराय शंतनोरात्मजाय च
To the incarnation of the Vasus and the son of Shantanu,
अश्वमेधसमं पुण्यं प्राप्नोत्यत्र न संशयः
He attains merit equal to an Ashvamedha sacrifice—of this there is no doubt.
पंचाऽहमपि कर्तव्यं नियमं च प्रयत्नतः
The five-day observance must also be performed, and the discipline with care.
उत्तरायणहीनाय भीष्माय प्रददौ हरिः
Hari granted to Bhishma, who lacked the northern course.
ततः संपूजयेद्देवं सर्वपापहरं हरिम्
Then one should worship Hari, the remover of all sins.
स्नापयेत जलैर्भक्त्या मधुक्षीरघृतेन च
He should bathe Him with water in devotion, and with honey, milk, and ghee.
चन्दनेन सुगन्धेन कुमकुमेनाऽथ केशवम्
With fragrant sandalwood and saffron, one should worship Keśava.
अर्चयेद्रुचिरैः पुष्पैर्गंधधूपसमन्वितैः
He should offer worship with beautiful flowers, accompanied by incense and fragrant smoke.
दीपकं तु दिवा रात्रौ दद्यात्पंच दिनानि तु
He should offer a lamp both by day and by night, for five days.
एवमभ्यर्चयेद्देवं संस्मृत्य च प्रणम्य च 2.4.32.
In this way, remembering and bowing, one should worship the Lord.
जुहुयाच्च घृताभ्यक्तैस्तिलव्रीहियवादिभिः
He should make offerings in the fire with ghee-anointed sesame, rice, barley, and the like.
उपास्य पश्चिमां संध्यां प्रणम्य गरुडध्वजम्
After worshipping the western twilight, he should bow to the one whose banner bears Garuḍa.
सर्वमेतद्विधानं तु कार्यं पञ्च दिनानि तु
All this procedure should be performed for five days.
प्रथमेऽह्नि हरेः पादौ पूजयेत्कमलैर्व्रती
On the first day, the votary should worship Hari’s feet with lotuses.
ततोऽनुपूजयेच्छीर्षं मालत्या चक्रपाणिनः
Then, he should worship the head of the discus-bearing Lord with jasmine.
अर्चित्वा तं हृषीकेशमेकादश्यां समासतः
Having thus worshipped Hṛṣīkeśa on the eleventh day, in summary,
गोमूत्रं मन्त्रवद्भूमौ द्वादश्यां प्राशयेद्व्रती
On the twelfth day, the votary should ritually drink cow urine on the ground.
संप्राश्य कायशुद्ध्यर्थं लंघयित्वा चतुर्दिनम् भोजयेद्ब्राह्मणान्भक्त्या तेभ्यो दद्याच्च दक्षिणाम्
After drinking it for bodily purification and fasting for four days, he should devoutly feed brāhmaṇas and give them gifts.
पापबुद्धिं परित्यज्य ब्रह्मचर्येण धीमता
Abandoning sinful intent, the wise one should observe celibacy.
शाकाहारेण मुन्यन्नैः कृष्णार्चनपरो नरः 2.4.32.
Living on vegetables and ascetic food, devoted to worshipping Kṛṣṇa, a man should act thus.
एवं सम्यक्समाप्यं स्याद्यथोक्तं फलमाप्नुयात्
Thus, having completed it properly, he attains the result as stated.
मद्यपो यः पिबेन्मद्यं जन्मनो मरणांऽतिकम्
He who drinks liquor, from birth until death,
स्त्रीभिर्वा भर्तृवाक्येन कर्तव्यं धर्मवर्धनम्
Women too, by their husband’s command, should perform this, which increases righteousness.
अयोध्यायां पुरा कश्चिदतिथिर्नाम वै नृपः भुक्त्वेह निखिलान्भोगानंते विष्णुपुरं ययौ
Once, in Ayodhyā, there was a king named Atithi; having enjoyed all pleasures here, he went at the end to Viṣṇu’s city.
इत्थं कुर्याद्व्रतं नित्यं पञ्चकं भीष्मसंज्ञितम् पयोमूलफलाऽऽहारैर्हविष्यैर्व्रततत्परः
Thus, one should always observe the vow called Bhishma Panchaka, devoted to the vow, subsisting on milk, roots, fruits, or havisya food.
पौर्णमासीदिने प्राप्ते पूजां कृत्वा तु पूर्ववत्
When the full moon day arrives, one should perform worship as before.
यद्भीष्मपञ्चकमिति प्रथितं पृथिव्यामेकादशीप्रभृति पंचदशीनिरुद्धम्
That which is renowned on earth as Bhishma Panchaka begins with Ekadashi and is completed on the fifteenth day.
मुक्तिदं तत्त्वबुद्धीनां शृणुष्व सुरसत्तम
O best of the gods, listen to the means of liberation for those who possess true understanding.