The Glory of the Vaishakha Bath

Verse 1 (skanda.2.155.1)

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् । देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत्

nārāyaṇaṁ namaskṛtya naraṁ caiva narottamam devīṁ sarasvatīṁ vyāsaṁ tato jayamudīrayet

Having bowed to Narayana, and to Nara, best among men, and to the goddess Sarasvati, and to Vyasa, one should then utter the word 'Jaya' (victory).

Verse 2 (skanda.2.155.2)

सूत उवाच । भूयोऽप्यंगभुवं राजा ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः । पुण्यं माधवमाहात्म्यं नारदं पर्यपृच्छत

sūta uvāca bhūyo'pyaṁgabhuvaṁ rājā brahmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinaḥ puṇyaṁ mādhavamāhātmyaṁ nāradaṁ paryapṛcchata

Suta said: Again the king asked Narada, born of the body of Brahma Parameshthin, about the sacred greatness of Madhava, the month of Vaishakha.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.155.3)

अंबरीष उवाच । सर्वेषामपि मासानां त्वत्तो माहात्म्यमंजसा । श्रुतं मया पुरा ब्रह्मन्यदा चोक्तं तदा त्वया

aṁbarīṣa uvāca sarveṣāmapi māsānāṁ tvatto māhātmyamaṁjasā śrutaṁ mayā purā brahmanyadā coktaṁ tadā tvayā

Ambarisha said: O brahmin, I have already heard clearly from you the greatness of all the months, as you told it before.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.155.4)

वैशाखः प्रवरो मासो मासेष्वेतेषु निश्चितम् । इति तस्माद्विस्तरेण माहात्म्यं माधवस्य च

vaiśākhaḥ pravaro māso māseṣveteṣu niścitam iti tasmādvistareṇa māhātmyaṁ mādhavasya ca

'Among these months, Vaishakha is certainly the finest' — thus you said; therefore now relate in detail the greatness of Madhava as well.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.155.5)

श्रोतुं कौतूहलं ब्रह्मन्कथं विष्णुप्रियो ह्यसौ । के च विष्णुप्रिया धर्मा मासे माधववल्लभे

śrotuṁ kautūhalaṁ brahmankathaṁ viṣṇupriyo hyasau ke ca viṣṇupriyā dharmā māse mādhavavallabhe

O brahmin, I am eager to hear how this month is dear to Vishnu, and what observances dear to Vishnu are to be kept in this month beloved of Madhava.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.155.6)

तत्राप्यस्य तु कर्तव्याः के धर्मा विष्णुवल्लभाः । किं दानं किं फलं तस्य कमुद्दिश्याऽऽचरेदिमान्

tatrāpyasya tu kartavyāḥ ke dharmā viṣṇuvallabhāḥ kiṁ dānaṁ kiṁ phalaṁ tasya kamuddiśyā''caredimān

What observances dear to Vishnu are to be performed in it? What is the gift? What is its fruit? With whom in mind should one practise these?

Verse 7 (skanda.2.155.7)

कैर्द्रव्यैः पूजनीयोऽसौ माधवो माधवागमे । एतन्नारद विस्तार्य मह्यं श्रद्धावते वद

kairdravyaiḥ pūjanīyo'sau mādhavo mādhavāgame etannārada vistārya mahyaṁ śraddhāvate vada

With what materials is Madhava to be worshipped when the month of Madhava arrives? O Narada, explain all this in detail to me, who am full of faith.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.155.8)

श्रीनारद उवाच । मया पृष्टः पुरा ब्रह्मा मासधर्मान्पुरातनान् । व्याजहार पुरा प्रोक्तं यच्छ्रियै परमात्मना

śrīnārada uvāca mayā pṛṣṭaḥ purā brahmā māsadharmānpurātanān vyājahāra purā proktaṁ yacchriyai paramātmanā

Sri Narada said: Long ago, when I asked him, Brahma related the ancient observances of the months, which the Supreme Self had earlier declared for the sake of Shri (Lakshmi).

Verse 9 (skanda.2.155.9)

ततो मासा विशिष्योक्ताः कार्तिको माघ एव च । माधवस्तेषु वैशाखं मासानामुत्तमं व्यधात्

tato māsā viśiṣyoktāḥ kārtiko māgha eva ca mādhavasteṣu vaiśākhaṁ māsānāmuttamaṁ vyadhāt

Then the months Kartika and Magha were specially declared; but among them, Madhava made Vaishakha the best of the months.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.155.10)

मातेव सर्वजीवानां सदैवेष्ट प्रदायकः । दानयज्ञ्रव्रतस्नानैः सर्वपापविनाशनः

māteva sarvajīvānāṁ sadaiveṣṭa pradāyakaḥ dānayajñravratasnānaiḥ sarvapāpavināśanaḥ

Like a mother to all living beings, it is ever the giver of what is desired; through gifts, sacrifices, vows and ablutions it destroys all sin.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.155.11)

धर्म यज्ञक्रियासारस्तपःसारः सुरार्चितः । विद्यानां वेदविद्येव मंत्राणां प्रणवो यथा

dharma yajñakriyāsārastapaḥsāraḥ surārcitaḥ vidyānāṁ vedavidyeva maṁtrāṇāṁ praṇavo yathā

It is the essence of dharma and of sacrificial rites, the essence of austerity, worshipped by the gods — as knowledge of the Veda is among sciences, as Om is among mantras.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.155.12)

भूरुहाणां सुरतरुर्धेनूनां कामधेनुवत् । शेषवत्सर्वनागानां पक्षिणां गरुडो यथा

bhūruhāṇāṁ suratarurdhenūnāṁ kāmadhenuvat śeṣavatsarvanāgānāṁ pakṣiṇāṁ garuḍo yathā

As the celestial tree is among trees, as the wish-cow is among cows, as Shesha is among all serpents, as Garuda is among birds.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.155.13)

देवानां तु यथा विष्णुर्वर्णानां ब्राह्मणो यथा । प्राणवत्प्रियवस्तूनां भार्येव सुहृदां यथा

devānāṁ tu yathā viṣṇurvarṇānāṁ brāhmaṇo yathā prāṇavatpriyavastūnāṁ bhāryeva suhṛdāṁ yathā

As Vishnu is among the gods, as the Brahmin is among the classes; it is dear like one's own life among dear things, like a wife among well-wishers.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.155.14)

आपगानां यथा गंगा तेजसां तु रविर्यथा । आयुधानां यथा चक्रं धातूनां कांचनं यथा

āpagānāṁ yathā gaṁgā tejasāṁ tu raviryathā āyudhānāṁ yathā cakraṁ dhātūnāṁ kāṁcanaṁ yathā

As the Ganga is among rivers, as the sun is among radiances, as the discus is among weapons, as gold is among metals.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.155.15)

वैष्णवानां यथा रुद्रो रत्नानां कौस्तुभो यथा । मासानां धर्महेतूनां वैशाखश्चोत्तमस्तथा

vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā rudro ratnānāṁ kaustubho yathā māsānāṁ dharmahetūnāṁ vaiśākhaścottamastathā

As Rudra is among devotees of Vishnu, as the Kaustubha is among gems, so among the months that are the causes of dharma, Vaishakha is likewise the best.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.155.16)

नानेन सदृशो लोके विष्णुप्रीतिविधायकः । वैशाखस्नाननिरते मेषे प्रागर्यमोदयात्

nānena sadṛśo loke viṣṇuprītividhāyakaḥ vaiśākhasnānanirate meṣe prāgaryamodayāt

In this world nothing else equals it in producing Vishnu's pleasure. Upon one devoted to bathing in Vaishakha, when the sun is in Aries, before sunrise —

Verse 17 (skanda.2.155.17)

लक्ष्मीसहायो भगवान्प्रीतिं तस्मिन्करोत्यलम् । जंतूनां प्रीणनं यद्वदन्नेनैव हि जायते

lakṣmīsahāyo bhagavānprītiṁ tasminkarotyalam jaṁtūnāṁ prīṇanaṁ yadvadannenaiva hi jāyate

—the Lord, together with Lakshmi, bestows great favour. Just as the satisfaction of creatures comes about through food alone,

Verse 18 (skanda.2.155.18)

तद्वद्वैशाखस्नानेन विष्णुः प्रीणात्यसंशयम् । वैशाखस्नाननिरताञ्जनान्दृष्ट्वाऽनुमोदते

tadvadvaiśākhasnānena viṣṇuḥ prīṇātyasaṁśayam vaiśākhasnānaniratāñjanāndṛṣṭvā'numodate

—so, by bathing in Vaishakha, Vishnu is undoubtedly pleased. Seeing people devoted to the Vaishakha bath, he rejoices.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.155.19)

तावतापि विमुक्तोऽघैर्विष्णुलोके महीयते । सकृत्स्नात्वा मेषसंस्थे सूर्ये प्रातः कृताह्निकः

tāvatāpi vimukto'ghairviṣṇuloke mahīyate sakṛtsnātvā meṣasaṁsthe sūrye prātaḥ kṛtāhnikaḥ

By that much alone, freed of sins, one is honoured in Vishnu's world. Having bathed even once at dawn while the sun stands in Aries, and performed the morning rites —

Verse 20 (skanda.2.155.20)

महापापैर्विमुक्तोऽसौ विष्णोः सायुज्यमाप्नुयात् । स्नानार्थं मासि वैशाखे पादमेकं चरेद्यदि

mahāpāpairvimukto'sau viṣṇoḥ sāyujyamāpnuyāt snānārthaṁ māsi vaiśākhe pādamekaṁ caredyadi

—that person, freed of great sins, attains union with Vishnu. If one walks even a single step for the sake of bathing in the month of Vaishakha,

Verse 21 (skanda.2.155.21)

सोऽश्वमेधायुतानां च फलमाप्नोत्यसंशयम् । अथवा कूटचित्तस्तु कुर्यात्संकल्पमात्रकम्

so'śvamedhāyutānāṁ ca phalamāpnotyasaṁśayam athavā kūṭacittastu kuryātsaṁkalpamātrakam

—he undoubtedly obtains the fruit of ten thousand Ashvamedha sacrifices. Or, even one of unsteady mind, if he merely forms the resolve,

Verse 22 (skanda.2.155.22)

सोऽपि क्रतुशतं पुण्यं लभेदेव न संशयः । यो गच्छेद्धनुरायामं स्नातुं मेषगते रवौ

so'pi kratuśataṁ puṇyaṁ labhedeva na saṁśayaḥ yo gaccheddhanurāyāmaṁ snātuṁ meṣagate ravau

—he too, without doubt, gains the merit of a hundred sacrifices. He who goes even the distance of a bow's length to bathe while the sun is in Aries,

Verse 23 (skanda.2.155.23)

सर्वबंधविनिर्मुक्तो विष्णोः सायुज्यमाप्नुयात् । त्रैलोक्ये यानि तीर्थानि ब्रह्मांडांतर्गतानि च

sarvabaṁdhavinirmukto viṣṇoḥ sāyujyamāpnuyāt trailokye yāni tīrthāni brahmāṁḍāṁtargatāni ca

—is freed from every bond and attains union with Vishnu. Whatever sacred fords exist in the three worlds, within this universe,

Verse 24 (skanda.2.155.24)

तानि सर्वाणि राजेन्द्र संति बाह्येऽल्पके जले । तावल्लिखितपापानि गर्जंति यमशासने

tāni sarvāṇi rājendra saṁti bāhye'lpake jale tāvallikhitapāpāni garjaṁti yamaśāsane

—O king of kings, all of these are present even in a small quantity of ordinary outer water. So long as a creature does not bathe in Vaishakha's water, its recorded sins roar in Yama's realm —

Verse 25 (skanda.2.155.25)

यावन्न कुरुते जंतुर्वैशाखे स्नानमंभसि । तीर्थादिदेवताः सर्वा वैशाखे मासि भूमिप

yāvanna kurute jaṁturvaiśākhe snānamaṁbhasi tīrthādidevatāḥ sarvā vaiśākhe māsi bhūmipa

—until it bathes in Vaishakha's water. O lord of the earth, in the month of Vaishakha all the deities presiding over the sacred fords

Verse 26 (skanda.2.155.26)

बहिर्जलं समाश्रित्य सदा सन्निहिता नृप । सूर्योदयं समारभ्य यावत्षड्घटिकावधि

bahirjalaṁ samāśritya sadā sannihitā nṛpa sūryodayaṁ samārabhya yāvatṣaḍghaṭikāvadhi

—O king, take refuge in the outer waters and remain ever present there, from sunrise up to a span of six ghatikas —

Verse 27 (skanda.2.155.27)

तिष्ठंति चाऽऽज्ञया विष्णोर्नराणां हितकाम्यया । तावन्नागच्छतां पुंसां शापं दत्त्वा सुदारुणम् । स्वस्थानं यांति राजेन्द्र तस्मात्स्नानं समाचरेत्

tiṣṭhaṁti cā''jñayā viṣṇornarāṇāṁ hitakāmyayā tāvannāgacchatāṁ puṁsāṁ śāpaṁ dattvā sudāruṇam svasthānaṁ yāṁti rājendra tasmātsnānaṁ samācaret

—remaining there by Vishnu's command, out of desire for the welfare of men; and, giving a most terrible curse to those men who do not come during that time, O king of kings, they return to their own abodes. Therefore one should perform the bath.