The Glory of the Ashvina Full-Moon Offering

Verse 1 (padma.4.16.1)

शौनक उवाच । कर्मणा केन भोः सूत चैनसां संक्षयो भवेत् । श्रीहरेश्च कृपा भूयात्तद्वदस्वानुकंपया ।

śaunaka uvāca karmaṇā kena bhoḥ sūta cainasāṁ saṁkṣayo bhavet śrīhareśca kṛpā bhūyāttadvadasvānukaṁpayā

Shaunaka said: O Suta, by what act does the destruction of sins occur? And how is the grace of Shri Hari obtained? Tell me this out of compassion.

Verse 2 (padma.4.16.2)

सूत उवाच । शृणु शौनक वक्ष्यामि शृण्वतां पापनाशनम् । येन विष्णोः कृपा स्याद्वै वृजिनक्षयकारिणी ।

sūta uvāca śṛṇu śaunaka vakṣyāmi śṛṇvatāṁ pāpanāśanam yena viṣṇoḥ kṛpā syādvai vṛjinakṣayakāriṇī

Suta said: Listen, Shaunaka, I shall tell that which destroys the sins of those who hear it, and by which the sin-destroying grace of Vishnu is obtained.

Verse 3 (padma.4.16.3)

पौर्णमास्यां तु यो विप्र भक्तिभावसमन्वितः । कुर्य्यान्नानाविधानेन सपर्य्यां श्रीजगद्विभोः ।

paurṇamāsyāṁ tu yo vipra bhaktibhāvasamanvitaḥ kuryyānnānāvidhānena saparyyāṁ śrījagadvibhoḥ

Whatever Brahmin, filled with devotion, worships Shri Hari, Lord of the universe, with various offerings on the full-moon day,

Verse 4 (padma.4.16.4)

कलुषं तस्य नश्येत कोटिजन्मार्जितं मुने । तस्मिन्श्रीरमणस्यास्य कृपा जाता भवेद्ध्रुवम् ।

kaluṣaṁ tasya naśyeta koṭijanmārjitaṁ mune tasminśrīramaṇasyāsya kṛpā jātā bhaveddhruvam

— his sins, accumulated over a hundred million births, O sage, are destroyed; the grace of that Lord of Lakshmi is surely won by him.

Verse 5 (padma.4.16.5)

द्वादश्यामन्नदानं यो भक्त्या कुर्याद्द्विजातये । तस्य नश्यंति पापानि तमांसी वारुणोदये ।

dvādaśyāmannadānaṁ yo bhaktyā kuryāddvijātaye tasya naśyaṁti pāpāni tamāṁsī vāruṇodaye

Whoever, with devotion, gives food to a Brahmin on the twelfth tithi — his sins, even the darkness accumulated from time immemorial, are destroyed.

Verse 6 (padma.4.16.6)

यो नरः श्रीहरिं कुर्यात्स्नपनं पयसा द्विज । तत्प्रीतिः श्रीहरेः सद्यो द्वादश्यां शर्करादिभिः ।

yo naraḥ śrīhariṁ kuryātsnapanaṁ payasā dvija tatprītiḥ śrīhareḥ sadyo dvādaśyāṁ śarkarādibhiḥ

Whatever man bathes Shri Hari with milk on the twelfth, O Brahmin, and with sugar and the like — he wins Shri Hari's pleasure at once.

Verse 7 (padma.4.16.7)

मंत्रं विना तु यो विप्र दद्याच्छ्रीहरये किल । पाषाणसदृशं पुष्पं दाता याति अधोगतिम् ।

maṁtraṁ vinā tu yo vipra dadyācchrīharaye kila pāṣāṇasadṛśaṁ puṣpaṁ dātā yāti adhogatim

O Brahmin, whoever offers a flower to Shri Hari without its mantra — that flower is as good as a stone; whoever gives it thus goes to a lower state.

Verse 8 (padma.4.16.8)

क्ष्मासुराय च मूर्खाय पाषाणसदृशं तु यत् । दद्याद्दानं नरो यो वै तस्य पुण्यं न विद्यते ।

kṣmāsurāya ca mūrkhāya pāṣāṇasadṛśaṁ tu yat dadyāddānaṁ naro yo vai tasya puṇyaṁ na vidyate

And whatever man gives a gift as worthless as a stone to a foolish, unworthy Brahmin — for him there is no merit at all.

Verse 9 (padma.4.16.9)

विद्याहीनो द्विजो मोहाद्दानं गृह्णाति मूढधीः । कालानलं यथा जीर्णं तेन स निरयं व्रजेत् ।

vidyāhīno dvijo mohāddānaṁ gṛhṇāti mūḍhadhīḥ kālānalaṁ yathā jīrṇaṁ tena sa nirayaṁ vrajet

A Brahmin devoid of learning, dull of mind, foolishly accepts gifts out of delusion — like decayed wood consumed by the fire of time, he goes to hell for it.

Verse 10 (padma.4.16.10)

यथा दारुमयो हस्ती मृगश्चित्रमयो यथा । विद्याहीनो द्विजो विप्र त्रयस्ते नामधारकाः ।

yathā dārumayo hastī mṛgaścitramayo yathā vidyāhīno dvijo vipra trayaste nāmadhārakāḥ

Just as a wooden elephant, or a painted deer, are such only in name — so too, O Brahmin, is a Brahmin devoid of learning; these three bear only the name, not the substance.

Verse 11 (padma.4.16.11)

यथाध्वनिस्थितं वारि पवनार्केण शुद्ध्यति । भक्त्या तु पार्षदं दृष्ट्वा तस्य नश्यति कल्मषम् ।

yathādhvanisthitaṁ vāri pavanārkeṇa śuddhyati bhaktyā tu pārṣadaṁ dṛṣṭvā tasya naśyati kalmaṣam

Just as water lying on a road is purified by wind and sun, so too, by devotedly beholding an attendant of Vishnu, one's sin is destroyed.

Verse 12 (padma.4.16.12)

यो नरश्चाश्विने मासि सघृतान्पूर्णिमा दिने । दद्याच्छ्रीहरये लाजान्क्रीडार्थं तु वराटिकाम् ।

yo naraścāśvine māsi saghṛtānpūrṇimā dine dadyācchrīharaye lājānkrīḍārthaṁ tu varāṭikām

Whatever man, on the full-moon day of the month of Ashvina, offers to Shri Hari roasted grains together with ghee, and cowrie shells for his play,

Verse 13 (padma.4.16.13)

भक्त्या याति हरेः स्थानं पुनरावृत्तिवर्जितः । न दद्याद्यो नरो मोहात्तस्मिन्न तुष्टिदो हरिः ।

bhaktyā yāti hareḥ sthānaṁ punarāvṛttivarjitaḥ na dadyādyo naro mohāttasminna tuṣṭido hariḥ

— goes with devotion to Hari's abode, freed from return to rebirth. Whatever man, out of delusion, fails to make this offering, Hari is not pleased with him.

Verse 14 (padma.4.16.14)

वराटिकां यावतीं यो हरये पौर्णिमादिने । तावद्दिनं हरेः स्थानं चाश्विने संवसेद्ध्रुवम् ।

varāṭikāṁ yāvatīṁ yo haraye paurṇimādine tāvaddinaṁ hareḥ sthānaṁ cāśvine saṁvaseddhruvam

For as many cowrie shells as a man offers to Hari on the full-moon day, for that many days he shall surely dwell in Hari's abode during the month of Ashvina.

Verse 15 (padma.4.16.15)

करवीरपुरे ह्यासीत्पुरा शूद्रोऽपि निर्द्दयः । कालद्विजो द्विजश्रेष्ठ नाम्ना पापी भयंकरः ।

karavīrapure hyāsītpurā śūdro'pi nirddayaḥ kāladvijo dvijaśreṣṭha nāmnā pāpī bhayaṁkaraḥ

Formerly, in the city of Karavirapura, there lived a merciless Shudra named Kaladvija, O best of Brahmins, a fearsome sinner.

Verse 16 (padma.4.16.16)

स्वकार्यनिरतः सोऽपि स्वामिकार्यप्रणाशकः । एकदा पंचतां यातो यमदूता भयंकराः ।

svakāryanirataḥ so'pi svāmikāryapraṇāśakaḥ ekadā paṁcatāṁ yāto yamadūtā bhayaṁkarāḥ

He was devoted only to his own affairs, and one who ruined his master's business. Once, when he died, the terrifying messengers of Yama —

Verse 17 (padma.4.16.17)

आगतास्तं समानेतुं यमस्यतु निकेतनम् । बद्ध्वा निन्युश्च तं दृष्ट्वा पृष्टवान्सचिवं यमः ।

āgatāstaṁ samānetuṁ yamasyatu niketanam baddhvā ninyuśca taṁ dṛṣṭvā pṛṣṭavānsacivaṁ yamaḥ

— came to take him to Yama's abode. Binding him and bringing him there, Yama, seeing him, questioned his minister.

Verse 18 (padma.4.16.18)

यम उवाच । अस्य किं विद्यतेऽमात्य कर्मापि च शुभाशुभम् । कथयस्व समूलं तु चित्रगुप्त विचक्षण ।

yama uvāca asya kiṁ vidyate'mātya karmāpi ca śubhāśubham kathayasva samūlaṁ tu citragupta vicakṣaṇa

Yama said: "O minister, what deeds, good or bad, does this man have? Tell me in full detail, O discerning Chitragupta."

Verse 19 (padma.4.16.19)

चित्रगुप्त उवाच । असौ पापी दुराचारः स्वामिकार्यप्रणाशकः । नास्ति पुण्यं चाणुमात्रं नरके परिपच्यताम् ।

citragupta uvāca asau pāpī durācāraḥ svāmikāryapraṇāśakaḥ nāsti puṇyaṁ cāṇumātraṁ narake paripacyatām

Chitragupta said: "This is a sinner of evil conduct, one who ruined his master's affairs; he has not even an atom's worth of merit — let him be cooked in hell,

Verse 20 (padma.4.16.20)

शतमन्वन्तरं राजन्नागयोनौ च निष्ठुरः । पाषाणे जन्म चासाद्य गृहे स्थातुं निरंतरम् ।

śatamanvantaraṁ rājannāgayonau ca niṣṭhuraḥ pāṣāṇe janma cāsādya gṛhe sthātuṁ niraṁtaram

"— O king, for a hundred manvantaras; then, harshly, let him take birth in the womb of a serpent, and then, born in the form of a stone, let him remain fixed there without end."

Verse 21 (padma.4.16.21)

सूत उवाच । तावत्कालं ततो विप्र निरये स पपात ह । ततोऽप्यश्मगृहे नागयोनौ जातः सुदुःखितः ।

sūta uvāca tāvatkālaṁ tato vipra niraye sa papāta ha tato'pyaśmagṛhe nāgayonau jātaḥ suduḥkhitaḥ

Suta said: For that length of time, O Brahmin, he lay fallen in hell; then, greatly suffering, he was born as a serpent within a house of stone.

Verse 22 (padma.4.16.22)

एकदा चाश्विने मासि पौर्णमासीदिने द्विज । लाजान्वराटिका नागो बिलात्प्राक्षेपयद्बहिः ।

ekadā cāśvine māsi paurṇamāsīdine dvija lājānvarāṭikā nāgo bilātprākṣepayadbahiḥ

Once, O Brahmin, on the full-moon day of the month of Ashvina, that serpent flung some roasted grains and a cowrie shell out from its hole.

Verse 23 (padma.4.16.23)

पतिता सा हरेरग्रे पापमस्य स्वयं हरिः । तूर्णं तु नाशयामास दयालुर्दुःखनाशकः ।

patitā sā hareragre pāpamasya svayaṁ hariḥ tūrṇaṁ tu nāśayāmāsa dayālurduḥkhanāśakaḥ

It fell before Hari; and Hari himself, compassionate, destroyer of sorrow, at once destroyed that creature's sin.

Verse 24 (padma.4.16.24)

कदाचित्प्राप्तकालस्तु पंचत्वं स जगाम ह । यमदूतास्तमानेतुं चागता बहुशो द्विज ।

kadācitprāptakālastu paṁcatvaṁ sa jagāma ha yamadūtāstamānetuṁ cāgatā bahuśo dvija

After some time, when his hour had come, he died. Yama's messengers came repeatedly, O Brahmin, to take him away.

Verse 25 (padma.4.16.25)

बद्ध्वा नेतुं यदा चक्रुर्यमस्य सदनं प्रति । तदागता विष्णुदूताः शंखचक्रगदाधराः ।

baddhvā netuṁ yadā cakruryamasya sadanaṁ prati tadāgatā viṣṇudūtāḥ śaṁkhacakragadādharāḥ

When, having bound him, they resolved to take him to Yama's abode, Vishnu's own messengers, bearing conch, discus and mace, arrived there.

Verse 26 (padma.4.16.26)

पाशं छित्त्वा रथे दिव्ये तमाशुगतकिल्बिषम् । तत्र चारोपयामासुः यमदूताः पलायिताः ।

pāśaṁ chittvā rathe divye tamāśugatakilbiṣam tatra cāropayāmāsuḥ yamadūtāḥ palāyitāḥ

Cutting the noose, they seated him, now instantly freed of sin, upon a divine chariot; Yama's messengers fled.

Verse 27 (padma.4.16.27)

ततो निकेतनं विष्णोर्नागस्तैर्वेष्टितो ययौ । तत्र तस्थौ हरेरग्रे पुनरावर्त्तिवर्जितः ।

tato niketanaṁ viṣṇornāgastairveṣṭito yayau tatra tasthau hareragre punarāvarttivarjitaḥ

Then, surrounded by them, that serpent went to Vishnu's abode; there he remained before Hari, freed from further return to rebirth.

Verse 28 (padma.4.16.28)

भक्त्या यो हरये दद्याल्लाजांश्च सघृतान्द्विज । वराटिकां तस्य पुण्यं न जाने किं भवेद्ध्रुवम् ।

bhaktyā yo haraye dadyāllājāṁśca saghṛtāndvija varāṭikāṁ tasya puṇyaṁ na jāne kiṁ bhaveddhruvam

Whatever Brahmin offers to Hari, with devotion, roasted grains together with ghee and a cowrie shell — I cannot even say what merit shall surely be his, so vast is it!

Verse 29 (padma.4.16.29)

य इमं शृणुयाद्विप्र चाध्यायं पापनाशनम् । तस्य नश्यंति पापानि श्रीहरेः कृपयापि च ।

ya imaṁ śṛṇuyādvipra cādhyāyaṁ pāpanāśanam tasya naśyaṁti pāpāni śrīhareḥ kṛpayāpi ca

Whoever, O Brahmin, hears this sin-destroying chapter — his sins are destroyed by the very grace of Shri Hari.