Acts to be Performed in Vaishakha

Suta said:

1. Hearing these words of the high-souled Narada, the royal sage Ambarisha who was amazed, said (these) words;

Ambarisha said:

2-11. О great sage, leaving auspicious months like Marga­te etc. why do you praise Vaishakha as the month superior to all (other) months? Why is Vaishakha most dear to Vishnu? What are the rites (to be done) in it? What are the gifts (to be given)? What is the penance (to be practised) and the deities (to be invoked in it)? О sage, please be graceful by favour of your advice, to me who am purified by the dust of your lotus-like feet. О great sage, you alone know the way of life; you eman­cipate (men) on the ways of religious life. You know the entire truth, you teach the way of life. You are an author, you are an instructor; you are a thinker; you respect (others); you are an employer. О best sage, those who distribute equally, are remem­bered by those who know sacred texts. All that fruit which is obtained by vows, sacrificial sessions, penance, gifts, is obtained by (giving) instruction in the way of life. О sage, he who prom­pts another, is also the sharer of the fruit of a bath at a sacred place, penance, and sacrifices which he (who is prompted) gets. Other people do what the pre-eminent people do. The people follow the authority accepted by them. Therefore, you deserve to teach (i.e. please teach) me that wonderful way of life. The advice of a teacher proper for the place and occasion is difficult to get. There are no other objects such as gaining a kingdom, which cool us (i.e. me) down as a meeting with you.

Suta said:

12. Then the best sage Narada, with his teeth shining due to a gentle, soft smile said to Ambarlsha.

Narada said:

13-19. О king, listen.

I shall narrate, for the good of the world and of you, the rites (performed) in the month of Vaishakha, which I formerly heard from Brahma. It is difficult to get birth in Bharata. (More difficult) than that is to be (bom as) a human being. Proceeding according to one’s own way of life is (more difficult) than being bom as a human being. О king, more difficult than that is devotion to Vasudeva. There also, the month of Vaiakha, dear to Vishgu, is difficult. Those men, who, having come across that month, perform (acts like) bathing, (giving) gifts and muttering prayers according to rules, are blessed and fortunate. Merely by seeing them, sinners, desiring religious merit and purified by devotion to the lord, become free from sins. Those who, with voluntary religious observances, have bathed (according to rules) in the month of Magha, sport for a crore of years in the Nandana grove. As in the world there is no lake like the ocean, in the same way there is no other month like Vaishakha, dear to Vispu.

20-29. Sins remain in the bodies of men till the Vaishakha month, destroying impurity, does not come. The remaining five days of that month, beginning with the eleventh day are equal to the entire month. Those who have, with various articles, wor­shipped god Vi^u, the killer of (the demon) Madhu, have obtained the fruit of their existence. What more and more diffi­cult (gain) is not obtained by means of bathing and properly worshipping the highest lord in the month ofVaifiakha? О king, the existence of those who have not given (gifts), who have not offered oblations into fire, who have not muttered prayers, who have not met with death at a sacred place, who have not at all reflected upon Narayaiia, the destroyer of all sins, is fruitless. The wealth of that man who is a miser, when there is wealth with him and he dies without giving (gifts), is useless. Birth in a good family is obtained by bathing at a holy place etc. and penance. (But) О king, nothing (of these) serves (a man) without (i.e. unless he gives) gifts. Due to the impor­tance of a (regular) bath during the five days in the month of Vaiaakha birth in a good family is obtained, so also wealth of various kinds (is obtained). So also, О king, a good son, a good family, wealth, grains, excellent women, good birth, (painless) death, nice enjoyments and pleasures (are secured).

30-34. О king, by the grace of that god — the high-souled Vishflu-Narayaga, greater love for giving gifts, generosity, excellent courage, and desired accomplishments take place. A man having bathed in the month of Kartika or Magha or Vaishakha and having especially devoutly worshipped Vishau, the killer of (the demon) Madhu, and having given gifts according to his capacity, and having had pleasures of this world, would reach the place of Vish#u. As darkness disappears at sunrise, similarly the series of sins earned (i.e. committed) during many existences would disappear by bathing in the month of Vaishakha. The self-born one (i.e. Brahma) himself told me these words. Vishriu gave a great currency to the month named Madhava (i.e. Vaishakha) and considering secretly Yama’s words, made it go to the human world.

35-40. Therefore, О great king, when this month of Vaishakha has arrived, the devotees of Vishnu should bathe in the holy water, purifying men, of Ganga, or of Reva, or Yamuna or Sarada. О best king, having got up before sunrise, and having worshipped, according to sacred injunction, Mukunda or Madhusudana, the lord of gods, and having enjoyed all desired superior pleasures along with sons, grandsons and wealth, and having practised penance, one would obtain heaven which is inexhaustible. О glorious one, having known like this, having bathed, worship according to proper rites Madhusudana, especially in Vaishakha. Having worshipped Govinda, Narayafla, Anamaya, you will obtain happiness, a son, wealth and Vishnu’s position. О king, having saluted the god of gods, Visou, des­troyer of sins, a man should begin this vow of the full-moon day of Caitra.

41-47. Endowed with curbs and restraints, and having given something according to his capacity, eating food fit to be eaten during these days, sleeping on the (bare) ground, remaining in the vow of celibacy, emaciated due to austerities like bodily mortification, meditating on Narayaga in his heart, he should, when the full-moon day of Vaishakha has arrived, offer honey, Sheshamum seeds etc. He (should also give) food to the chief brahmauas devoutly and a cow along with presents. He should also request the brahmanas for the absence of a defect in the (effect of) the bath. O. king, as Lakshmi is dear to Vishnu, the lord of the world, so is the month ofVaishakha dear to MadhusQdana. A man, having thus bathed (in every Vaifiakha) accord­ing to the rites for twelve years, should, according to his capa­city, bring it to conclusion to please Madhusudana. О king, I have told you this importance of the month of Vaiiakha, which I had formerly heard from the mouth of Brahma.

 

CHAPTER EIGHTYSEVEN

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