Skandapurana 2.7.7

Nārada said:

Having witnessed that wonder, the king of Mithilā, foremost among knowers of dharma,

with folded hands, amazed, spoke to [the sage] who sat comfortably: (1)

The king of Mithilā said:

“This great marvel has been seen, as well as the conduct of the virtuous,

by which duty the king, the descendant of Ikṣvāku, was liberated. (2)

Indeed, I have a curiosity to hear that duty in full detail;

to me who am devoted, O wise one, please speak at length out of compassion.” (3)

Thus well questioned by the king, the noble-minded Śrutadeva,

having praised him saying ‘Excellent! Excellent!’, spoke to the best of kings: (4)

Śrutadeva said:

“Your intellect is rightly resolved, O best of royal sages,

since your mind is inclined to hear the duties dear to Vāsudeva. (5)

Without merit accumulated over many births, for any embodied being,

an inclination toward conversation regarding Vāsudeva simply does not arise. (6)

Since such an inclination has arisen in you, a young sovereign king,

I therefore consider you a pure devotee of the Lord and the best of the virtuous. (7)

Therefore, O gentle one, I shall tell you the auspicious duties of a devotee of the Lord,

knowing which a creature is freed from the bondage of worldly rebirth. (8)

Just as bodily purification, ritual ablution, the twilight prayers, and water libations,

just as the fire sacrifice and ancestral rites, so are the good works of Vaiśākha. (9)

Without performing duties in Vaiśākha, in [the month of] Mādhava, one cannot go to the higher realm;

there is no duty among the varieties of dharma equal to Vaiśākha. (10)

There are indeed many duties, like subjects without a king;

they are destroyed by adversities—here no deliberation is needed. (11)

All the duties prescribed for Vaiśākha are easy to perform:

giving a water jar, establishing a water shed, creating shade on the road and so on; (12)

the gift of shoes and sandals, and likewise of an umbrella and a fan;

the gift of honey mixed with sesamum, and of dairy products which remove fatigue; (13)

constructing step-wells, wells, ponds, and the like, to shelter travelers;

and the gifts of coconuts, sugarcane, camphor, and musk; (14)

fragrant ointment, a bed, and likewise the gift of a cot;

likewise charming mango fruit, cucumber, and restorative tonics; (15)

the gift of damana flowers, and likewise jaggery water in the evening;

various cooked foods on the full moon day, and likewise curd-rice every day; (16)

the constant gift of betel, and bamboo shoots on the new moon of Caitra;

morning ritual ablution day by day before the sun rises; (17)

worship of the Slayer of Madhu, and listening to the sacred story;

abstaining from oil baths, and eating from leaf plates; (18)

now and then fanning those distressed by fatigue with a fan;

daily worship of Hari with fragrant, delicate flowers; (19)

fruit and curd-rice as food offerings, with incense and lamps day by day;

morsels of grass for cows, the bull’s wives, and washing the feet of brahmins; (20)

the gift of jaggery and dry ginger, and offering emblic myrobalan powder;

shelter for travelers, and the gift of rice and vegetables—

these duties are indeed praised in Vaiśākha, which is dear to Mādhava. (21)

And likewise, the offering of flowers to Viṣṇu, worship of Hari with seasonal sprouts and the like,

and presenting an offering of curd-rice is the cause of destroying the entire flood of sins. (22)

Any woman who does not worship Mādhava with flowers born of the season, whether in a temple or at home,

never attains a son or happiness anywhere, and destroys the life of her husband or herself, O noble one. (23)

When Viṣṇu, accompanied by Ramā, goes to a home with sages and deities during the month of Mādhava to test the dike of dharma of his subjects,

whatever fool does not worship him at that time with flowers— (24)

that foolish-minded one, having arrived in Raurava, would later enter a demonic womb five times.

Water and food must always be given during this [month] / as the means of life for creatures tormented by hunger.

From the withholding of water one is born an animal; / from the withholding of food, indeed, one is born a piśāca.

Regarding the non-giving of food, I shall tell you an astonishing story / that was personally experienced, O protector of the earth.

On the bank of the Revā, my father became a piśāca, / eating his own flesh, his limbs exhausted by hunger and thirst;

at the foot of a shade-less silk-cotton tree, / he had lost consciousness due to the lack of food.

Because of his past deed, his hunger and thirst were immense, / and the opening of his throat-pipe was minute;

moreover, the flesh lodged within his throat / caused pain that lasted even unto death.

Seeing water resembling kālakūṭa poison, / whether drawn from a well, cold, or situated in a pond—

[and] I having come to that [river's] bank by the turn of fate, / in the midst of my journey on account of a pilgrimage to the Gaṅgā,

seeing that wonder at the foot of the silk-cotton tree: / tearing off and eating his own flesh piece by piece,

wailing aloud, grieving in many ways, / afflicted with hunger and thirst because of his own actions—

that evil-doer rushed forward to kill me, / but, repelled by my spiritual radiance, he fled.

And I said to him, my mind moistened with compassion: / 'Do not fear, for fearlessness has indeed been granted by me.

Who are you, sir? Tell me at once the cause here. / I shall free you from this distress; do not despair.'

Thus addressed, not recognising me as his son, he said to me: / 'Formerly in Ānarta, in the city called Bhūvara,

I was born in the lineage of Sāṅkṛti, named Maitra, / devoted to austerity, learning, generosity, sacrifices, and the like.

All branches of knowledge were studied and taught by me; / immersion in all sacred fords was performed by me.

Yet in the month known as Vaiśākha, food was not given, / out of greed, even to the extent of mere alms at the proper time.

Having attained the womb of a piśāca, I grieve; / there is no other reason, O dear one; the truth alone has been spoken.

There is now a son living in my home / of great fame, named Śrutadeva.

My condition must be told to that son: / "By the non-giving of food in Vaiśākha he has become a piśāca.

Your father was seen on the bank of the Narmadā; / he has not ascended on high, [but] remains at the foot of a tree,

eating his own flesh, grieving constantly. / For your father's liberation, in the month known as Vaiśākha,

having bathed in the morning and worshipped Viṣṇu, / having sincerely gratified me with offerings of water,

food must be given to an excellent brahmin rich in virtues; / he indeed who is freed goes to the abode of Viṣṇu."

Thus say before him: "Speak!" / And let this compassion be shown for my sake, there is no doubt here.

May there be welfare and auspiciousness for you on all sides.' / Having heard the speech of my father,

falling down like a staff at his feet out of sorrow, / I, exceedingly tormented for a long time,

sobbing repeatedly, my eyes filled with tears, [said]: / 'I am your son, father; I have arrived by fate,

fallen from duty, blameworthy among brahmins, / since the release from suffering of my ancestors has not occurred.

Tell me: by what action will you be liberated? / That indeed I shall do, O best of brahmins!'

Then, his whole inner self delighted, he said: / 'Having completed your pilgrimage, having quickly returned home,

when the month arrives and the sun is in Aries, / having offered food rich in good qualities to Viṣṇu,

give the gift to an excellent brahmin, O noble-minded one; / from that, liberation will come to the entire lineage.'

Instructed by my father, having completed the pilgrimage, having reached my own home, / I performed the gift of food in the month of Mādhava.

Liberated by that, my father approached me, / mounted upon an aerial chariot, having congratulated me with blessings;

he went to the realm of the consort of Śrī, unfathomable, / going to which they do not return again.

Therefore, the gift [of food] has been praised in all the scriptures; / to you has been proclaimed the essence of righteousness, which is wholly righteous.

What else do you desire to hear? Tell [me]; / having heard, I will tell you everything truly."

Thus ends the seventh chapter, named 'Attainment of Liberation for the Piśāca', in the dialogue between Nārada and Ambarīṣa, in the glorification of the month of Vaiśākha, in the second Vaiṣṇava section of the venerable Skanda Purāṇa, in the compilation of eighty-one thousand [verses].