Skandapurana 2.7.25

Śrutadeva said:

The three meritorious lunar days at the end of the bright fortnight,

in the month of Vaiśākha, ending with the full moon, O best of kings, bring auspiciousness. // 1

These final [days] are known as the Puṣkariṇī, and they bring about the destruction of all sins.

One who is unable to perform the ritual ablution for the complete month of Mādhava (Vaiśākha), // 2

should bathe on these lunar days; he will obtain the complete fruit.

All the gods, abiding [there] on the thirteenth day, purify creatures. // 3

Present with Viṣṇu along with the sacred fords on festival days up to the full moon,

and accompanied by sacrifices on the fourteenth day, the gods purify these [beings]. // 4

Whether one is a slayer of a brahmin or a drinker of liquor, they purify all of them.

In ancient times, on the eleventh day of the month of Vaiśākha, the auspicious nectar arose; // 5

on the twelfth, it was protected by the all-powerful Viṣṇu;

on the thirteenth, Hari made the gods drink the nectar; // 6

and on the fourteenth, he slew the Daityas who opposed the gods.

On the full moon day, the attainment of sovereignty indeed took place for all the gods. // 7

Then the greatly pleased gods granted a boon to these

three lunar days, their eyes wide open with delight: // 8

“These three auspicious lunar days of the month of Vaiśākha

shall grant the fruit of sons, grandsons, and the like, and grant the destruction of men's sins. // 9

The basest of men who has not bathed during this whole month,

having bathed on this triad of lunar days, shall obtain the complete fruit. // 2.7.25.10

A man who does not perform ritual ablution, gifting, and the like even on this triad of lunar days,

reaches an outcast womb and afterwards experiences Raurava hell. // 11

He who bathes with hot water during the triad of lunar days in the month of Mādhava,

goes to the Raurava hell for as long as the fourteen Indras [rule]. // 12

He who does not offer curd-rice intending it for the ancestors and the gods,

attains a ghostly womb and remains [there] until the dissolution of all beings. // 13

When an observance is undertaken in the month of Mādhava for desires that have arisen,

absorption into Viṣṇu is inevitably attained; there is no doubt about this. // 14

If one devoted to observances for the month performs them during the three days,

he attains the full reward thereby and rejoices in the temple of Viṣṇu. // 15

The human being who, intending the gods, the ancestors, Viṣṇu, and the guru,

does not perform ritual ablution and the like—truly, we shall bestow a curse on him: // 16

‘Let him be childless, bereft of lifespan, and deprived of the ultimate good!’”

Having thus granted the boon in ancient times, the gods went to their own abodes. // 17

Therefore the triad of lunar days is holy, destroying the flood of all sins.

The final [triad] is called Puṣkariṇī, which increases sons and grandsons.

A fortunate woman who, on the full moon day, [gives] cakes and milk-rice

To a brahmin even once, shall obtain a glorious son.

And he who performs the recitation of the Gītā during the last three days

Day after day obtains the fruit of horse sacrifices, without a doubt.

And he who performs the recitation of the Thousand Names during the three days—

Who is able to state the fruit of his merit in heaven or on earth?

Bathing the god Madhusūdana with milk on the full moon day

With the Thousand Names, one goes indeed to the stainless world of Viṣṇu.

He who worships Madhusūdana with all riches—

His worlds do not perish at the turn of yugas, kalpas, and the like.

And if [the month of] Vaiśākha is spent without bathing and without giving gifts,

He is a slayer of a brahmin, a slayer of his guru, and likewise a murderer of his ancestors.

Reciting daily half a verse or a quarter of a verse arising from the Bhāgavata

In Vaiśākha, a mortal attains the state of Brahman.

He who hears the scripture of the Bhāgavata during these three days

Is not tainted by sins anywhere, like a lotus leaf by water.

Divinity has been attained by some men, and perfection indeed by some;

By some, the state of Brahman has been attained through the observance of the three days.

Liberation [is gained] indeed through knowledge of Brahman, or through dying at Prayāga,

Or from regularly bathing in water in the month of Vaiśākha.

By releasing a dark bull and bathing in water on the full moon of Vaiśākha,

A man, freed from all bondage, goes to the supreme abode.

[Giving] a cow with its calf to an eminent brahmin who is distressed and has a family,

Freed from untimely death in this world, he shall go to the supreme in the next.

But he who passes the full moon of Vaiśākha devoid of ritual ablution and giving,

Having attained a hundred canine wombs, is born as a worm in excrement.

The three and a half crores of sacred fords in the three worlds,

Having assembled together, took counsel, apprehensive of the mass of sins:

“Most sinful people cast off their own dirt into us.

How then may that depart from us?” Thus filled with anxiety,

They went for refuge to the omnipresent Hari, whose feet are sacred fords, worthy of refuge;

And having praised him with many hymns, they petitioned him straightforwardly:

“O God of gods! O Lord of the universe! O destroyer of the flood of all sins!

Most sinful people, having bathed in us, casting off all their sins completely,

Go to your abode, carrying out your command on earth.

How, O Janārdana, may that sin of ours depart?

Tell that means to us who seek refuge at your feet!”

Thus petitioned by the sacred fords, the blessed Creator of beings,

Smiling, spoke to the sacred fords in a voice deep as a thundercloud:

The Blessed Lord said:

“In the bright fortnight, when the sun is in Aries, in the final three days of Vaiśākha,

Which consist of all sacred fords, are holy, and dear to me as my very life,

Bathing in the waters situated outside before sunrise,

May you quickly become free from sin, endowed with merit, and very pure!

And by you freed from sin—those who have not bathed during the three days,

Let that sin purged by people from you remain upon them!”

Thus Viṣṇu, whose feet are sacred fords, granted the boon to the sacred fords.

And having bid them farewell, he disappeared right there through yoga.

Having reached their own abodes again, those sacred fords constantly,

Every year in Vaiśākha, in that very manner during the final three days,

Casting off the flood of sin by that means, attain purity. Oh, the wonder!

“Those who do not perform a ritual ablution during the final three days of Vaiśākha,

Let them become the receptacles of the sins of all people!”

Thus the sacred fords indeed utter a curse upon those who do not bathe.

There is no sinner equal to him who has not bathed during the three days;

None has been seen nor indeed heard of in the scriptures that have been examined.

Therefore, during the three days, ritual ablution, giving of gifts, worship, and the like must be done;

Otherwise, one goes to hell for as long as fourteen Indras [endure].

Thus all this has been told [to you], O noble-minded Śrutakīrti!

The māhātmya of Vaiśākha that was asked has been told, just as seen and heard,

and this record of the māhātmya of Mādhava has been described. (48)

Even Brahmā would not be able to declare it completely, even in hundreds of years.

Formerly, on the peak of Kailāsa, Śaṃkara himself (49)

spoke the māhātmya of Mādhava for a hundred years to Pārvatī who asked.

Even then he did not reach the end; being unable, he indeed ceased. (50)

Who indeed is capable of fully describing the supreme māhātmya,

except Viṣṇu, the Lord of the World, the faultless Nārāyaṇa? (51)

Anciently, all the seers, desiring the welfare of people,

explained only a fraction of a fraction of this sin-destroying māhātmya. (52)

Its end has been expounded by no one, O king, on account of inability.

You too, perform good acts such as gifting during the month of Vaiśākha. (53)

Thereby you will attain worldly enjoyment and liberation, without doubt.”

Having thus instructed that king of Mithilā named Janaka, (54)

Śrutadeva took leave of him and then made up his mind to depart.

Filled with joy, his eyes moist and filled with tears, that royal seer (55)

arranged a delightful festival for his own prosperity.

Having circumambulated the town, having mounted him on a palanquin, (56)

accompanied by his fourfold army, he himself then followed behind.

Having returned again to the inner quarters, with all wealth, (57)

with garments, ornaments, cows, land, sesame seeds, and gold,

having bowed down and circumambulated, he stood before him with joined palms. (58)

Then that glorious sage Śrutadeva, of great splendour,

contented and extremely pleased, went to his own abode. (59)

On the thirteenth, the fourteenth, and the full moon day of Mādhava,

ritual ablution, giving gifts, worship, and listening to the narrative— (60)

one devoted to the duties of Vaiśākha indeed attains liberation,

just as the brahmin Dhanaśarman and the spirits did formerly. (61)

Nārada said:

“Thus, O Ambarīṣa, has this supreme narrative been told to you,

which destroys all sins by hearing and bestows all prosperity. (62)

Through it one obtains enjoyment, liberation, knowledge, and release.”

Having heard his words, the renowned Ambarīṣa, (63)

with his inner mind overjoyed and detached from outward activity,

prostrated himself with his head, falling like a rod upon the ground. (64)

He worshipped him again with all his riches.

Having been worshipped, the blessed sage, wise Nārada, took leave of him (65)

and went to another realm, since because of a curse he could not remain in one place.

The royal seer Ambarīṣa too, having practiced these auspicious (66)

duties declared by Nārada, became merged into the supreme, attribute-free Brahman.

Sūta said:

Whoever listens to or recites this supreme narrative, (67)

which destroys sin and increases merit, reaches the highest destination.

O respectful ones, in whose house a written book of it remains, (68)

liberation is indeed in their hand; how much more so for those devoted to hearing it! (69)

Thus ends the twenty-fifth chapter, titled 'The Declaration of the Fruit of Hearing', in the dialogue between Nārada and Ambarīṣa, in the Māhātmya of the Month of Vaiśākha, in the second section, the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, of the glorious Skandapurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.

Thus ends the Māhātmya of the Month of Vaiśākha in the second section, the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, of the glorious Skandapurāṇa.

May it be dedicated to the glorious Sītā and Rāmacandra.