The Fruit of the Gopis' Margashirsha Bathing

Verse 1 (skanda.2.134.1)

।। सूत उवाच ।। ।। देवकीनन्दनं कृष्णं जगदानन्दकारकम् ।। भु्क्तिमुक्तिप्रदं वन्दे माधवं भक्तवत्सलम्

sūta uvāca devakīnandanaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ jagadānandakārakam bhuktimuktipradaṁ vande mādhavaṁ bhaktavatsalam

Salutation to Shri Ganesha. Here begins the glory of the month of Margashirsha. Suta said: I bow to Madhava, son of Devaki, Krishna, the giver of joy to the whole world, the bestower of both worldly enjoyment and liberation, ever affectionate toward his devotees.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.134.2)

श्वेतद्वीपे सुखासीनं देवदेवं रमापतिम् ।। चतुर्वक्त्रो नमस्कृत्य पप्रच्छ पितरं तदा

śvetadvīpe sukhāsīnaṁ devadevaṁ ramāpatim caturvaktro namaskṛtya papraccha pitaraṁ tadā

Then the four-faced Brahma, bowing to the God of gods, the Lord of Lakshmi, seated at ease on the Shvetadvipa, asked his father this question.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.134.3)

।। ब्रह्मोवाच ।। ।। हृषीकेश जगद्धातः पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तन ।। पृष्टं यद्ब्रूहि देवेश सर्वज्ञ सकलेश्वर

brahmovāca hṛṣīkeśa jagaddhātaḥ puṇyaśravaṇakīrtana pṛṣṭaṁ yadbrūhi deveśa sarvajña sakaleśvara

Brahma said: O Hrishikesha, sustainer of the universe, whose very hearing and praise bestow merit! O Lord of gods, all-knowing, ruler of all, tell me what I have asked.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.134.4)

मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमित्युक्तं भवता पुरा ।। तस्य मासस्य माहात्म्यं ज्ञातुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः

māsānāṁ mārgaśīrṣo'hamityuktaṁ bhavatā purā tasya māsasya māhātmyaṁ jñātumicchāmi tattvataḥ

You once said, 'Among the months, I am Margashirsha.' I wish to know the true glory of that month.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.134.5)

को देवस्तस्य किं दानं कथं स्नानं विधिश्च कः ।। पुरुषैस्तत्र किं कार्यं भोक्तव्यं किं रमापते

ko devastasya kiṁ dānaṁ kathaṁ snānaṁ vidhiśca kaḥ puruṣaistatra kiṁ kāryaṁ bhoktavyaṁ kiṁ ramāpate

O Lord of Lakshmi! Who is its presiding deity? What gift should be given in it? How, and by what rule, should one bathe? What should people do during it, and what should they eat?

Verse 6 (skanda.2.134.6)

वक्तव्यं किं तथा पूजाध्यानमंत्रादिकं च यत् ।। तत्र यत्क्रियते कर्म तत्सर्वं ब्रूहि मेऽच्युत

vaktavyaṁ kiṁ tathā pūjādhyānamaṁtrādikaṁ ca yat tatra yatkriyate karma tatsarvaṁ brūhi me'cyuta

Likewise, what should be recited, and whatever belongs to its worship, meditation, mantras and the rest — whatever rite is performed in it, tell me all of it, O Achyuta.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.134.7)

।। श्रीभगवानुवाच ।। ।। साधु पृष्टं त्वया ब्रह्मन्सर्वलोकोपकारिणा ।। यस्मिन्कृते कृतं सर्वमिष्टापूर्तादिकं भवेत

śrībhagavānuvāca sādhu pṛṣṭaṁ tvayā brahmansarvalokopakāriṇā yasminkṛte kṛtaṁ sarvamiṣṭāpūrtādikaṁ bhaveta

The Blessed Lord said: Well have you asked, O Brahma, you who benefit all the worlds — for by observing this alone, all acts of sacrifice and charity are as good as accomplished.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.134.8)

सर्वयज्ञेषु यत्पुण्यं सर्वतीर्थेषु यत्फलम् ।। तत्फलं समवाप्नोति मार्गशीर्षे कृते सुत

sarvayajñeṣu yatpuṇyaṁ sarvatīrtheṣu yatphalam tatphalaṁ samavāpnoti mārgaśīrṣe kṛte suta

O son! Whatever merit lies in all sacrifices, whatever fruit lies in all sacred fords — that same fruit is obtained by observing the vow of Margashirsha.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.134.9)

तुलापुरुषदानाद्यैर्यत्फलं लभते नरः ।। तत्फलं प्राप्यते पुत्र माहात्म्यश्रवणात्किल

tulāpuruṣadānādyairyatphalaṁ labhate naraḥ tatphalaṁ prāpyate putra māhātmyaśravaṇātkila

Whatever fruit a man obtains through the gift of tulapurusha and the like — that same fruit, O son, is gained merely by hearing this glory.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.134.10)

यज्ञाध्ययनदानाद्यैः सर्वतीर्थावगाहनैः ।। संन्यासेन च योगेन नाऽहं वश्योऽभवं नृणाम्

yajñādhyayanadānādyaiḥ sarvatīrthāvagāhanaiḥ saṁnyāsena ca yogena nā'haṁ vaśyo'bhavaṁ nṛṇām

By sacrifice, study, gift-giving, by bathing in all sacred fords, by renunciation, and even by yoga, I have never come under the sway of men.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.134.11)

स्नानेन दानेन च पूजनेन ध्यानेन मौनेन जपादिभिश्च ।। वश्यो यथा मार्गशिरे च मासि तथा न चान्येषु च गुह्यमुक्तम्

snānena dānena ca pūjanena dhyānena maunena japādibhiśca vaśyo yathā mārgaśire ca māsi tathā na cānyeṣu ca guhyamuktam

As I am won over by bathing, giving, worship, meditation, silence and japa in the month of Margashirsha, I am not so won over in any other month — this secret I have declared.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.134.12)

अन्यैर्धर्मादिभिः कृत्वा गोपितं मार्गशीर्षकम् ।। मत्प्राप्तेः कारणं मत्वा देवैः स्वर्गनिवासिभिः

anyairdharmādibhiḥ kṛtvā gopitaṁ mārgaśīrṣakam matprāpteḥ kāraṇaṁ matvā devaiḥ svarganivāsibhiḥ

Even the gods dwelling in heaven, knowing this to be the cause of attaining me, have kept the observance of Margashirsha hidden, above other forms of dharma.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.134.13)

ये केचित्पुण्यकर्माणो मम भक्तिपरायणाः ।। तेषामवश्यं कर्तव्यो मार्गशीर्षो मदापनः

ye kecitpuṇyakarmāṇo mama bhaktiparāyaṇāḥ teṣāmavaśyaṁ kartavyo mārgaśīrṣo madāpanaḥ

Whoever performs meritorious deeds and is devoted to my bhakti must certainly observe this Margashirsha vow, which leads to attaining me.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.134.14)

मार्गशीर्षं न कुर्वंति ये नरा भारताऽजिरे ।। पापरूपाश्च ते ज्ञेयाः कलिकालविमोहिताः

mārgaśīrṣaṁ na kurvaṁti ye narā bhāratā'jire pāparūpāśca te jñeyāḥ kalikālavimohitāḥ

Those men on the soil of Bharata who do not observe Margashirsha should be known as embodiments of sin, deluded by the age of Kali.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.134.15)

अष्टस्वपि च मासेषु यत्फलं लभते नरः ।। तत्फलं प्राप्यते वत्स माघे मकरगे रवौ

aṣṭasvapi ca māseṣu yatphalaṁ labhate naraḥ tatphalaṁ prāpyate vatsa māghe makarage ravau

O child, whatever fruit a man gains across the other eight months, that same fruit is obtained in the month of Magha, when the sun stands in Makara.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.134.16)

माघाच्छतगुणं पुण्यं वैशाखे मासि लभ्यते ।। तस्मात्सहस्रगुणितं तुलासंस्थे दिवाकरे

māghācchataguṇaṁ puṇyaṁ vaiśākhe māsi labhyate tasmātsahasraguṇitaṁ tulāsaṁsthe divākare

A hundred times the merit of Magha is gained in the month of Vaishakha, and a thousand times that again when the sun stands in Tula.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.134.17)

तस्मात्कोटिगुणं पुण्यं वृश्चिकस्थे दिवाकरे ।। मार्गशीर्षोऽधिकस्तस्मात्सर्वदा च मम प्रियः

tasmātkoṭiguṇaṁ puṇyaṁ vṛścikasthe divākare mārgaśīrṣo'dhikastasmātsarvadā ca mama priyaḥ

A crore times that merit is gained when the sun stands in Vrishchika; yet Margashirsha surpasses even that, and is ever dear to me.

Verse 18 (skanda.2.134.18)

उषस्युत्थाय यो मर्त्यः स्नानं विधिवदाचरेत् ।। तुष्टोऽहं तस्य यच्छामि स्वात्मानमपि पुत्रक

uṣasyutthāya yo martyaḥ snānaṁ vidhivadācaret tuṣṭo'haṁ tasya yacchāmi svātmānamapi putraka

O son, whatever mortal rises at dawn and bathes according to the rule — pleased with him, I grant him even my own very Self.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.134.19)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीदं शृणु पुत्र कथानकम् ।। नन्दगोपो महात्मा वै ख्यातो यो भूतलेऽभवत्

atrāpyudāharantīdaṁ śṛṇu putra kathānakam nandagopo mahātmā vai khyāto yo bhūtale'bhavat

On this point, too, they tell this tale — listen, O son. There lived on this earth a great soul renowned as Nandagopa.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.134.20)

तस्य वै गोकुले रम्ये गोपकन्याः सहस्रशः ।। तासां चित्तं च मद्रूपे लग्नमासीत्पुराऽनघ

tasya vai gokule ramye gopakanyāḥ sahasraśaḥ tāsāṁ cittaṁ ca madrūpe lagnamāsītpurā'nagha

O sinless one, in his lovely Gokula there were thousands of cowherd maidens, and long ago all their hearts were fixed upon my very form.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.134.21)

तासां बुद्धिर्मया दत्ता मागशीर्षाऽवगाहने ।। ततस्ताभिः कृतं स्नानं प्रातःकाले यथाविधि

tāsāṁ buddhirmayā dattā māgaśīrṣā'vagāhane tatastābhiḥ kṛtaṁ snānaṁ prātaḥkāle yathāvidhi

I myself inspired in them the resolve to bathe in the month of Margashirsha. Thereupon they bathed at dawn according to the proper rule.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.134.22)

पूजा कृता हविष्यान्नं भुक्तं ताभिः कृता नतिः ।। एवं कृतेन विधिना प्रसन्नोऽहं ततोऽनघ

pūjā kṛtā haviṣyānnaṁ bhuktaṁ tābhiḥ kṛtā natiḥ evaṁ kṛtena vidhinā prasanno'haṁ tato'nagha

They performed worship, ate the sanctified havishya food, and offered obeisance. O sinless one, by this rite so performed, I was pleased with them.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.134.23)

वरो दत्तो मयाऽऽत्मा हि तासां तुष्टेन वै किल ।। तस्मान्नरैस्तु कर्तव्यो मार्गशीर्षो यथाविधि

varo datto mayā''tmā hi tāsāṁ tuṣṭena vai kila tasmānnaraistu kartavyo mārgaśīrṣo yathāvidhi

Pleased indeed, I granted them my own very Self as a boon. Therefore men must certainly observe Margashirsha according to the proper rule.