The Greatness of Ekadashi Vrata

1. I shall describe another Vrata well known in all the three worlds, which subdues all sins and which bestows all the desired benefits.

2. О Brahmana, to those who perform this rite with devotion to Vishnu, (whether they are) Brahmanas, or Ksatri- yas, or Vaishyas or Shudras or women, it bestows salvation. It is very pleasing to Vishnu.

3. The holy vow called Ekadafi Vrata1 (holy rite on the eleventh day) verily bestows everything that is desired by men. О Brahmana, it should be performed by all means, since it is very pleasing to Vishnu.

4. One should not take food on the Ekadashi (eleventh) day in either of the fortnights (of a month). He who takes food, is a sinner in this world. In the other world, he shall fall into hell.

5. One who is desirous of attaining the benefit of the fast, should not take four meals, viz. the night meals on the previous (Dashami day) as well as following (Dvadasi day) and both the meals on the (Ekadashi) day in the middle. (vide V.7 below).

6. The man who desires to take food on the Ekadashi day is one who seeks the enjoyment of all sins. There is no doubt about this.

7. If anyone desires salvation, О leading sage, let him take only one meal on the DoS ami (tenth) as well as on the Dvadashi (twelfth) day (in each fortnight). He shall fully abstain from taking food on the Ekadashi (Eleventh) day (in both fortnights).

8. О Brahmana, whatever sins are there, such as Brah- mana-slaughter, etc., they abide in the cooked food on the day of Hari (i.e. the Ekadashi day).2

9. To sins of Brahmajna-slaughter, etc., there may be some means of expiation (with difficulty). But there is no redemption for one who takes food on the Ekadashi day.

10. If one is defiled by great sins or even if he is defiled by all types of sins, he attains the greatest salvation by refraining from food on the Ekddaii day.

11. Ekddaii is a highly meritorious day, the most pleasing to Vishnu. By all means, it must be resorted to by Brahmanas desirous of liberation from the worldly existence.

12. On the Daiami (tenth) day, the devotee should get up very early in the morning (and should take bath) after duly washing the teeth. With purity and control over the sense- organs, he should duly bathe Vishnu and worship him (according to the prescription of the Shastras).

13. On the Ekddaii day, one should go without food and put curbs on the sense-organs. Devoted to Narayana, he should go to bed in the vicinity of Vishnu.

14. On the Ekddaii day, the devotee should take bath and worship Janardana duly with scents, fragrant flowers and other things. Then he should repeat as follows:

15. “O Pundarlkaksa (Lotus-eyed God) after refraining from food today, the Ekadashi day, I shall take food the next day, О Acyuta, be my refuge.’3

16. After uttering properly this Mantra of the Discusbearing lord of Devas, he should be contented in the mind, with emotional feelings and devotion, dedicate fast (unto the Lord).

17. Maintaining the observances and the holy rites, the devoted one should keep awake in front of the Lord, singing songs, playing on instruments and listening to Puranas.

18. Then, he should get up in the morning on the Dvddaii day. After taking the bath duly, he should worship Vishnu keeping sense-organs under control.

19. After bathing Janardana in Pafkdmrta on the Ekddaii day and in milk on the Dvddaii day, О Brahmana, die devotee shall attain Sarupya (sameness of form — a kind of liberation) with Hari.

20. “O Keshava, be pleased with the observance of this holy vow. Be pleased to be gracious-looking. Please be the bestower of the vision of spiritual knowledge to me, blinded as I am by die darkness of ignorance.”4

21. О leading Brahmana, after requesting thus to Madhava with attention and purity, he should feed the Brahmanas according to his ability. He should then give the usual Dakfind-

22. He should thereafter perform the five sacrifices and devoted to Natayana, restrained in speech, he should take food along with his kinsmen.

23. He who thus, with purity and self restraint, performs the observance called the holy Ekadaai goes to Vishnu’s abode, the return from which is rare.

24. A person engaged in the holy fast and absorbed in religious activities should never even cast a glance at Canddlas and fallen persons.

25. A person engaged in the holy observance of fast should never converse with atheists, with those who break the bounds of convention, the censurers and the back-biters.6

26. The observer of the holy rite should never talk to one who nourishes his progeny through a Shudra woman, to the husband of a Shudra woman and to one who performs sacrifices on behalf of those who are not eligible for the same.

27-28. One devoted to the holy observances of this fast should never honour the following even with words, viz. — the pander and the pimp, the professional musicians, one who partakes of the food of a professional worshipper of idols, the physician, the composer of poems, the opposer of Devas and the Brahmanas, one who covets after other men’s food and one who is interested in other man’s wives.

29. Thus remaining pure by these restrictions and other means, the devotee maintaining the Vrata of fast should control himself and be devoted to the well-being of all. He shall then attain the highest Siddki.

30. There is no other sacred water equal to that of the Ganga; there is no other preceptor equal to one’s own mother; there is no other deity equal to Vishnu and there is no greater austerity than the observance of fast.

31. No mother is equal to forbearance; no wealth is equal to renown; no acquisition is equal to perfect knowledge and no father is equal to righteousness.

32. No kinsmen is equal to the power of discrimination; no holy observance is superior to Ekadashi. In this connection they cite this ancient ancedote.

33a. This is in the nature of a dialogue between Bhadra- fila and his father Galava.6

33b. Formerly, there lived on the banks of the Narmada, a sage named Galava who was absolutely devoted to Truth.

34-36. He was a quiescent, self-controlled and a storehouse of austerities. He made his residence for a long time on the bank of the Narmada which was full of many trees and was frequented by elephants and beers, and was attended by Siddhas, Caranas, Gandharvas, Yaksas and Vidyadharas. The place was full of bulbous roots, roots and fruits and was resorted to by groups of sages. Galava had a son named Bhadrasila who was seif-controlled.

37-38. He was highly blessed and could remember his previous births. He was so devoted to Narayana that even at the time of playing with boys, the highly intelligent Bhadrasila used to make an image of Vishnu out of clay and used to worship it. He used to urge and enlighten his playmates saying, “Vishnu must always be worshipped by men.

39-40. The observance of the vow of Ekadashi should be performed even by learned men”. О leading sage, even those children, thus enlightened by him, made idols of Hari out of clay. Collectively and severally, those blessed ones, absorbed in Vishnu’s devotion, used to worship that image joyously.

41. Making obeisance to Vishnu the all-pervading Lord, that boy of good intellect prayed: “May there be the well being of all the worlds.”

42. In the course of the play, he used to allot a Muhurta or half of it, conceiving that it was the Ekadashi vow and used to dedicate it to Keshava.

43. On seeing his son with such a good conduct of life, sage Galava, the storehouse of austerities, embraced him and asked him with great surprise.

44. О highly-blessed Bhadrasila,7 a good observer of religious vows, you are (as implied in your name) a real Bhadra- Hla (of auspicious conduct) since your conduct is auspicious and un-attainable even to the Yogins.

45-46. You are always devoted to the worship of Hari and are interested in the welfare of all living beings. Devoid of all forbidden activities, you are engaged in the observance of Ekddaii Vrata. You are free from Dvandvas (mutually opposed pairs, such as pleasure, pain). You are devoid of the sense of ‘My-ness\ You are serene and absorbed in the meditation on Hari. How did such an inclination originate in you, though you are but a child? Hari’s devotion is difficult to acquire without rendering service to the great ones.

47. О dear one, naturally the mind of the people is diverted towards Avidya (Ignorance), Kama (Passion) and Кarmans (other activities). How is it that your activity has become extra-ordinary and supra-mundanc?

48. It is, due to the superabundance of previous merits, that men become attached to the saintly people and also devoted to the Lord. Hence I am surprised.

49-50. It is out of filial affection that I am asking you. It behoves you to explain it to me. On being urged by his father with these conjectures, Bhadraslla, the leading sage, remembered his previous births. The meritorious soul, being delighted and with his countenance beaming with a smile, narrated to his father everything as it took place and was experienced by him.

51. Listen, О dear father. I know what has been experienced before by me, О excellent sage, because of the faculty of remembering the previous birth. I understand what had been mentioned by Yama.

52. On hearing this, the highly blessed Galava who was surprised said thus with delight to the highly intelligent Bhadrasila.

53. О blessed one, it behoves you to explain everything as to who you were formerly, what was told to you by Yama and what was its reason and basis.

54. О dear father, formerly I was a king born of the lunar race. I was well known by the name Dharmakirti.7 I have been educated by Dattatreya.

55. For nine thousand years, I ruled over the entire Earth. Many evil deeds and virtuous acts were committed by me.

56. Thereafter, becoming intoxicated with the arrogance of wealth, I committed many sins. Due to association with heretics, my conduct became heresy-oriented.

57. Formerly many meritorious activities were pursued by me, but when influenced by heretics I gave up the Vedic path.

58-59. All the sacrifices were destroyed by me who was well-versed in fraudulant arguments. On seeing me engaged in evil and impious deeds, the subjects of my land pursued in wicked deeds continuously. One sixth of those demerits clung to me. Thus I was engaged in sinful deeds and was always indulgent in inordinate addictions.

60-61. On one occasion, engaged in hunting, I entered a forest. I was accompanied by my army. I killed different types of animals. Overwhelmed by hunger and thirst, I reached the banks of the river Reva. Exhausted and oppressed by the severe heat of the sun, I took bath in the Reva.

62-64. The army was not seen anywhere. I was alone and was much afflicted by hunger. In the evening some of the residents on the banks of the Reva who came there were engaged in the Ekadashi Vrata. They were seen by me. I was without food. Unattended by the army, I was alone but in the company of those people, I kept awake that night.

65. I was fatigued due to a long journey. I had been afflicted with hunger and thirst. О father, hence after keeping awake that night I died.

66. Then I was bound by the soldiers of Yama who looked very terrific due to their huge curved fangs. Through a path rendered tedious and painful in many ways, I reached the presence of Yama. I saw Samavartin (god of Death) whose face was terrible due to the curved fangs.

67. Then Kala (the god of Death) called Citragupta (the Chief Accounts Officer of human merits and sins) and spoke thus, “O learned one, tell me precisely, the learning and other attainments as well as the activities of this man”.

68. О excellent one, Citragupta who was thus commanded by Dharmaraja, thought for a long time and then spoke as follows:

69. It is true that this man had been engaged in sinful activities. Still, listen, О king of righteousness, one who abstains from food on the Ekadashi day is liberated from all sins.

70. On the day of Hari (.Ekadashi), on the charming banks of the Reva, he abstained from taking food. By observance of rites of fasting and keeping awake at night (on the Ekadashi day), he became free from sins.

71. Whatever sins had been committed by him, though numerous, all of them have been abolished by the power of the fast.

72. Dharmaraja who was informed thus by the intelligent Citragupta prostrated himself before me like a staff. He was full of sympathy.

73. With devotional feelings, Dharmaraja worshipped me. Then he called all his soldiers and commanded them thus.

74. Listen to my words, О my emissaries, I shall tell you what is excellent and wholesome unto you. Do not bring those men who are engaged in the path of virtue anywhere near me.

75. Let go those persons who are engaged in the worship of Vishnu, are self-controlled and grateful, are devoted to the observance of Ekadashi Vrata, have conquered their sense-organs and those who serenely pray thus continuously — “O Narayana, О Acyuta, О Hari, be my refuge”. Avoid them immediately.

76. О soldiers, avoid from a long distance those persons who repeat the names of God thus — “O Narayana, О Acyuta, О Janardana, О Krishna, О Vishnu, О Lord of goddess Lakshmi, О father of the lotus-born deity, О Shiva, О Sankara”. They are the benefactors of the entire world. They are quiescent. My jurisdiction does not cover them.

77. О emissaries, avoid always those who have dedicated all their actions to Narayana, cherish devotion to Hari; those who are strictly confined to their conventional duties; those who serve their preceptors; those who grant gifts to the good and the deserving; who protect the indigent and are attached and engaged in the repetition of names of Hari.

78. О emissaries, avoid those who have no association with heretics, who are deeply devoted to Brahmanas, covet association with the saintly persons, those who render services to guests (atithis) (those who entertain the same conception of Sambhu and Hari) or those who consider Hari and Sambhu equal and those who render obligations to the people.

79. О soldiers, bring those sinners to my abode — those who have no taste for the nectar of Hari’s stories, whose minds are not directed to the remembrance of Narayana and those who are not delighted with the sprinkling with the water from the feet of leading Brahmanas.

80. О emissaries, bring here those persons who are in the habit of reviling their parents, hate the people, whose activities are injurious to their own benefactors, who are greedy of temple-property and whose activities are detrimental to the public.

81. О emissaries, bring here the person who is averse to the observance of the holy vow of Ekddafi, of fierce temperament, is engaged in slandering the world, who censures others, brings about the ruin of the village, is inimical to excellent men and is greedy of the riches of Brahmanas.

82. Forcibly bring those big fools who turn their faces away from devotion to Vishnu, who never bow to Narayana the protector of those who seek refuge in him and those men who never go to Vishnu’s shrine and indulge in sins extremely.”

83. When what had been recounted by Dharma thus was heard by me, I who was as if burning within myself due to remorse, remembered the despicable activities.

84. Due to my repentance for the evil actions, and listening to righteous ones, all my sins were completely wiped out there automatically.

85. Yama too bowed to me, since I was liberated even from the last traces of sins, and had attained similarity of form with Hari and was refulgent like a thousand suns.

86. On seeing this, the extremely terrible emissaries of Yama were astonished. They completely believed in what was related to them by Yama.

87. Thereafter, worshipping me duly, Kala (god Yama) immediately despatched me to that greatest region of Vishnu, (teeming with hundreds of aerial cars).

88. О Brahmana sage, thanks to that holy observance, I stayed in Vishnu’s region along with crores of aerial chariots equipped with all objects of enjoyment.

89. After residing in Vishnu’s region for thousands and hundreds of crores of Kalpas, I came down to Indra’s region.

90. There too, I who enjoyed richly all pleasures, was bowed to by all Devas. After staying that much time (equal to that spent in Vishnu’s region) in the heaven I came to the Earth.

91. Here too, I am born in the family of Vishnu’s devotees, like you. О great sage, since I have the faculty of remembering previous births, I know all these events.

92. That is why I attempt to worship Vishnu along with the children. Formerly, I did not know that this was Ekadashi Vrata.

93. Due to the faculty of remembering previous births, it has been understood by me now. In this world, this is the fruit of that act which has been done by me here.

94. О Lord, what doubt is there then in the case of those who perform Ekadashi Vrata with great devotion? Hence, О leading Brahmana, I shall also observe this auspicious EkadaM Vrata.

95-96a. Everyday, I shall perform the worship of Vishnu too with a desire for attaining the greatest abode. Those men who devoutly perform Ekadashi Vrata will find Vishnu’s abode which bestows the greatest bliss.”

96b-97a. On hearing thus the words of his son, sage Galava was delighted. He attained the greatest satisfaction. He was extremely delighted in his heart.

97b-98a. (He said:) “My birth is fruitful. My family has been sanctified since you, one deeply interested in devotion to Vishnu, have been born here, in my house.”

98b-99a. Thus delighted in mind, thanks to his son’s activity, he enlightened him in the procedure of the worship of Hari.

99b-c. Thus, О excellent sage, everything has been precisely narrated to you by me succinctly (at some places) or in dptail (at other parts). What more do you wish to hear?

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