Skandapurana 2.7.13

Brahmā said:

What wonder have you seen? Why are you distressed?

Torment inflicted on the virtuous ends only in death.

By the mere utterance of his name, the supreme state is obtained.

Why should they not go to the realm of Hari by the king's order?

Even a single bow made to Govinda is equal to the concluding bath of a hundred horse-sacrifices;

the performer of a sacrifice returns to birth again, but a bow to Hari leads to no rebirth.

What use has he for Kurukṣetra, and likewise what use for the Sarasvatī,

upon the tip of whose tongue rests the two-syllable word 'Hari'?

Even if a brahmin consorting with an outcaste woman, especially one in her menstrual course,

should remember Viṣṇu at death, would he not attain that state?

Casting away the heap of sin produced by eating inedible food,

he goes to union with Viṣṇu, because remembrance is dear to Viṣṇu.

So too, O Yama, the month named Vaiśākha is dear to Viṣṇu,

by merely hearing whose duties one is freed from all sins.

What need is there to mention that one devoted to its observance goes [to heaven]?

In it Puruṣottama is sung, and he is pleased;

how could one intent upon its observance not attain that goal?

Puruṣottama is the Lord of the worlds and our father.

Let him perform these duties that are pleasing to Him in the month of Mādhava;

Viṣṇu, gracious in mind, stands always to assist him.

And you are not capable, O son of Sūrya, of punishing that king.

For the devotees of Vāsudeva there is nowhere any misfortune;

fear of birth, death, old age, and disease never arises for them.

As long as a servant strives in his master's tasks according to his ability,

so far has he fulfilled his purpose; he does not go to hell.

When a task has exceeded his ability, he should report it to his master;

by doing so, the servant and servant-official becomes free from debt and enjoys happiness.

Therefore, for one who has reported the matter, there is neither debt nor sin;

when effort has been made in one's duty, an embodied being incurs no fault.

Therefore, you ought not to grieve over this impossible task.

Thus addressed by Brahmā, the son of Sūrya, his mind deeply grieved again,

spoke with a plaintive voice, his eyes dimmed with flowing tears:

Everything has been obtained by me, O father, through worship of your feet.

I will not go again to carry out my duty, O lotus-born one!

While this king of great valor rules the earthly orb,

having caused that single sovereign to deviate from his duties, O Lord,

I shall have fulfilled my purpose, like a son offering a funeral cake at Gayā.

O compassionate one, therefore accomplish this imperishable purpose of mine!

Freed from fever [of distress], I will then again execute your command."

Hearing what was spoken by Yama, Brahmā was once again overcome with worry.

Brahmā spoke to him again, consoling him in many ways:

Brahmā said:

"You must not restrain this king who is devoted to the righteousness of Viṣṇu.

If you act deceitfully out of anger, let us go indeed to the presence of Hari.

Having reported the whole matter to him, then whatever is spoken by him [shall be done].

He alone is the creator of the world and the protector of righteousness;

he is our bearer of punishment, ruler, creator, and ordainer.

No counter-reply to what is spoken by him is ordained for us, O bull of justice!

Indeed, no reply to a king’s command is seen anywhere on earth."

Having thus comforted Yama, he went with him to the Ocean of Milk.

Brahmā praised the supreme lord, pure consciousness alone and devoid of attributes,

the one without a second, the Puruṣottama [attainable] through Sāṃkhya and Yoga.

Then Viṣṇu, Hari, praised by Brahmā, manifested himself.

Yama and Brahmā quickly bowed down to him.

Mahāviṣṇu spoke to the two of them with a voice deep like a thundercloud:

"Why have you two come here? What distress has arisen on account of the Danujas?

Why is the face of Yama faded, or why is his neck bent low?

Tell me this, O Brahmā!" Thus addressed, the lotus-born one said:

"While that king, the best among your servants, is ruling the earth, indeed men,

intent upon the observances of the month of Vaiśākha, attain the supreme, imperishable state.

Therefore, the city of Yama is desolate, and he is exceedingly distressed on that account.

He waged battle against him and took up his rod to slay him;

defeated by your discus, he has come today to my presence.

We are not capable of inflicting punishment upon the great-souled ones who are devoted to you.

Therefore we have sought refuge only with you, O mighty Lord!

Therefore, having punished the king, protect this Yama, your own [servant]."

Thus addressed, [Viṣṇu] said with a gentle laugh to Brahmā and Yama:

"I might abandon even Lakṣmī, my life breaths, or even my body,

the Śrīvatsa mark, the Kaustubha jewel, or even the garland Vaijayantī;

Śvetadvīpa, Vaikuṇṭha, and the Ocean of Milk;

Śeṣa and even Garuḍa—yet I cannot bear to abandon a devotee.

Having given up all pleasures, having surrendered their lives for my sake,

possessing their very self in me—how can I bear to abandon those exalted ones?

Therefore, I shall devise an expedient to appease your distress:

A lifespan of ten thousand years on earth was granted by me to that king.

Eight thousand years have passed by now, O destroyer of mortals!

When the rest of his lifespan has been spent by him, and he has reached union with me,

there will then be an evil-minded king named Vena.

He will destroy all these great duties taught by the Vedic scriptures.

Then the observances of the month of Vaiśākha will be discontinued without a doubt.

By his very own sin, Vena will be consumed.

Afterwards, having become Pṛthu, I shall set the sacred duties in motion again.

Then I shall make widely known among people the practices enjoined for Vaiśākha.

He who is devoted to me, whose life is dedicated to me, who has renounced all hoardings—

one in a thousand will be such, and to him [the teacher] should proclaim them.

Only a rare one on earth will know these duties belonging to me.

Then your purpose will be accomplished; do not despond, O destroyer of mortals!

I will cause your portion to be given, even in this month of Mādhava,

by all the great-souled men dedicated to the duties of Vaiśākha,

and by the king in due course; by that, dispel your distress!

One receives your portion as a tribute of valor from an enemy of superior strength.

Accepting his own due share again and again, one entitled to a share does not deserve grief.

Those men on earth who do not perform [rites] daily addressing you—

[do not perform] ritual ablution and [offer] an arghya with a water jar, and curd-rice on the final day,

all their rites in Vaiśākha become fruitless.

Therefore, renounce your anger toward the king who grants shares and is devoted to me.

And whatever people in the world grant those shares,

do not place any obstacle in their great religious duties prescribed for Vaiśākha.

Indeed, those who worship only me, abandoning you, the guardian of dharma,

upon them, O highly fortunate one, you may inflict punishment by my command.

And I shall send Sunanda to cause the king to give your share.

Having gone by my command, he will surely cause your share to be given to you.”

While Yama thus stood in his presence, he whose seat is Garuḍa,

the Lord, sent Sunanda to enlighten the king.

He too went, enlightened [the king], and came back to [the Lord's] side.

Having thus comforted Yama, Viṣṇu vanished right there.

Having himself consoled Yama and swiftly granted him leave,

filled with immense wonder, he went to his abode along with his attendants.

Yama also set out for his own city, his mind somewhat delighted.

Afterward, by Viṣṇu's command, instructed by Sunanda,

all the people devoted to Vaiśākha became givers of [Yama's] share.

Those mortals who do not act having honored Dharmarāja—

he himself takes away their merit arising from Vaiśākha.

One should perform ritual ablution daily and indeed offer an arghya to Yama;

otherwise, all merit in Vaiśākha becomes fruitless.

And on the full moon day in the month of Mādhava, a water jar and curd-rice

should be given first by people intended for Dharmarāja.

Afterward, a man [should give] intended for the ancestors, intended for the guru,

and then intended for Madhusūdana, God Janārdana.

Curd-rice with cool water, betel, along with a sacrificial fee,

and with fruit, placed in a bronze vessel, one should offer to a brahmin.

And one should give a divine image of the deity Madhusūdana;

and one should give to the proclaimer of the month's religious duties, to an impoverished brahmin.

One should worship that very speaker of dharma with one's own resources.

Thus instructed by Sunanda, the king acted accordingly.

Having spent the remainder of his life and enjoyed desired pleasures,

accompanied by sons, grandsons, and others, he went to the abode of Hari.

When that king had gone to Vaikuṇṭha, Vena became a vile king.

All religious duties, and especially the duties of Vaiśākha,

were completely destroyed by that evil-minded one alone;

they, the causes of liberation, were no longer widely known on earth.

Scarcely anyone knows these auspicious [duties] taught for Vaiśākha;

only when the ripening of merit accumulated over many births has arrived

does one's mind become utterly devoted to the duties taught for Vaiśākha.

The king of Mithilā said:

King Vena, that evil-minded one, belonged to a previous Manvantara,

whereas this king, the joy of Ikṣvāku, belongs to the Vaivasvata [Manvantara].

Thus was it heard by me formerly, yet now it is spoken by you

that after this [king] went to Vaikuṇṭha, King Vena will exist.

Cut through this doubt, O noble-minded Śrutadeva!

Śrutadeva said:

Discrepancy in the Purāṇas is due to the arrangement of yugas and kalpas;

you should have no doubt about the authority [of the Purāṇas] when there is an inversion in a story anywhere.

When the daily kalpa passed, just as this eternal and auspicious [narrative]

was spoken to me by Mārkaṇḍeya, it has been told to you, O king.

Therefore, the religious duties arising in Vaiśākha do not attain fame;

hardly anyone knows them, [except one who is] dispassionate and devoted to Viṣṇu.

Thus ends the thirteenth chapter, named 'The Consolation of Yama's Grief,' in the dialogue between Nārada and Ambarīṣa, in the Vaiśākhamāsamāhātmya, in the second section, the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, in the Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.