Adhyaya 95

PP.5.95 begins with King Ambarīṣa asking Nārada for the proper Vaiśākha discipline—what to give in charity, how to bathe, and how to worship Keśava. Nārada teaches dawn bathing in rivers or any available water source, especially at Meṣa-saṅkrānti, supported by saṅkalpa-style vows, invocation of Gaṅgā, and earth-purifying mantras. He then sets out tarpaṇa offerings for devas, sages, and pitṛs, specifying sacred-thread positions (upavīta/nivīta/apasavya/savya), and the solar arghya with praise of Sūrya. Next comes a concise yet technical manual for Mādhava-pūjā—Vedic, Tantric, or mixed—covering pratimā types, nyāsa, kalaśa preparation, offerings, homa, bali, and udvāsa. The chapter closes with an exemplum: a former courtesan (Rūpavatī/Dharmavatī) and a goldsmith perform Akṣayā-tṛtīyā gifts and Vaiśākha bathing, gaining royal rebirth and liberation-oriented merit. Thus it reinforces that disciplined worship ripens into bhakti-yoga.