Keeping Awake on Ekadasl and Dvadasi

1. О Narada, listen to the importance of keeping awake, having listened to which (even) a great sinner undoubtedly obtains salvation.

2-6. Vishnu, the lord of all, is always a purifier. О Shiva, I have heard from your mouth the importance of a fast (in honour) of him. Still I desire to hear about the importance of keeping awake. Of what kind is the importance of keeping awake? Of what kind is the nocturnal devotion? О lord of the universe, О master, tell (me) about the worship (offered) during the various watches. You are always adored in the worlds. You are god Janardana (i.e. Vishnu). You are the god, the lord of the universe, since you are devoted to Vishriu. You, the lord of Uma, are the greatest among all devotees. In this world you are known by means of your devotion. Therefore, О lord of the universe, tell (me) in which manner people will be emancipated, so also (tell me about) the importance of keeping awake.

7-18. On the Ekadashi day a man, after having devoutly worshipped Vishnu at night, should keep awake along with Vishnu’s devotees in front of (the image of) Visflu. The man who always sings, plays upon musical instruments, dances, listens to the Puranas, offers incense, waves lights (before the image), offers eatables, flowers, sandal and unguents, fruits, respectful offering, presents with devotion, and controls his senses, and О best brahmana, speaks truthful and proper words followed by action, and who always keeps awake gladly, is free from all sins and becomes dear to Vishnu. When keeping awake at night has become (necessary), those devotees of Vishshu who sleep, have lost (the fruit of) the fast and (that of) the vow called Vishiju(vrata).Those men, О wise one, who keep awake on the (night of the Vishnuvrata) called Vi^u-jagara through devotion forVisiju and do not at all sleep, and repeat mentally (i.e. to themselves) Vigil’s name, should be known to be most blessed. Especially on this night (the repetition of Vishnu’s name gives the fruit of) the gift of a cow every moment; (the fruit) is fourfold (if the name is repeated) for a ghatika; it is crorefold (if the name is repeated) for a watch (i.e. three hours); it is countless (if the name is repeated) for four watches. By keeping awake (just) for a twinkling of the eye (i.e. a moment), and that too especially in front of Vishnu, the fruit (obtained) is crorefold; it is countless. The fruit of (i.e. obtained by) the best man who dances in front of Vishnu, is never lost from his birth to his death. He should, with his mind free from dejection, wave lights before Vishnu, with wonder, energy, without sinful talk etc., accompanied by going round (the deity keeping it to his right) and preceded by a salutation.

19-27a. That man, who devoutly keeps awake on Ekadashi, which is twentysixfold fruitful, is not reborn on the earth. He who thus without egotism born of wealth devoutly keeps awake on Vishnu’s day, is merged into the supreme soul. That wealthy man who through egotism born of wealth keeps awake, (is) a rogue and a wicked man (and) has indeed lost his soul. He, when the (occasion for) keeping awake (in honour) of Vishnu has come, ridicules it, is born as an insect in feces (and remains as such) for sixty thousand years. That brahmaria knowing the Vedas who, especially through dancing, indulges in ridicule is called a candala. He who for a moment or half a moment(?) keeps awake, obtains the best position (as far as) righteousness, material welfare and sensual pleasures (are concerned). He who is always devoted to the Vedic and scriptural injunctions and who every day performs sacrifices, goes down (to hell if) he ridicules when keeping awake at night has come (to be practised). He who worshipping me, is given to ridiculing Vishnu goes to hell with twentyone (members of) his family. Vishnu is Shiva and Shiva is Vishnu. They have the same form, (but) remain (separately) in two forms.

27b-30. Therefore, a man should not in any way ridicule (the vow). Bitten by the serpent of Kali the destroyers of honey sleep by day(?); deluded by illusion they do not at all keep awake. Those to whom Ekadashi has come (and is passed by them) without keeping themselves awake in the Kali age have perished, since life is uncertain. There is no doubt about this. He raised the couple of eyes after having given the position of Vishnu (iobscurel). Sinners do not see the awakening done (in honour) of Vishnu. In the absence of a public reader of a Purana, he should get done singing and dancing. If there is a public reader, (then) О divine sage, he should first read the Purana.

31-37a. О child, on doing the awakening (in honour) of Vishnu, the religious merit (that is obtained) is a crorefold more than that of a horse-sacrifice or a Vajapeya sacrifice. A man having kept awake (in honour) of Visflu, emancipates the families on the side of father, on the side of mother and on the wife's side. Obrahmana, on keeping awake in honour of Vishnu he emancipates (the members of) his family. On a day of fast that is ‘pierced' (i.e. that is mixed with another day) the keeping awake (in honour) of Vishnu, worshipping him, giving gifts — all this is useless as (a good) turn done to the ungrateful. When keeping awake is begun on such a ‘pierced’ day — the day of the fast — Vishnu leaves that place and goes after giving a curse. Among those who keep awake on a day that is not ‘pierced' (i.e. not mixed with another day), Vishnu being pleased remains in their midst and dances. For as many days as he keeps awake in front of Vishnu for so many yugas he is honoured in Vishnu’s world.

37b-41. For as many days as he remains without keeping awake (in honour) of Vishnu, for those many thousands of years he does not return from (i.e. lives in) Raurava hell. He who on the Ekadaii day sleeps without keeping awake or who remains like a dumb man and does not practise singing or does not read (the Purana text), has dumbness for seven existences for want of keeping awake (in honour) of Visflu. О brahmana, one should know that he who, the foolish one, does not dance in front of Vishnu by keeping awake, has lameness for seven existences. But he who sings, dances and keeps awake (in honour) of Vishnu, gets Brahma's position, my position and truly that of Vishnu (also).

42-50. That devotee of Vishiju who (himself) being engaged in keeping awake (in honour) of Vishnu, enlightens people, would live along with his manes and for a long time in Vaiku^tha. The man who gives (others) the idea about keeping awake(in honour) of Vishnu, would live for sixty thousand years in Sveta Dvipa. О brahmana, all that sin which men commit during crores of existences, perishes during the night on keeping awake (in honour) of SrlKrishna. For those who keep awake in front of a Salagrama stone the fruit for every watch is said to be that which is had (by keeping awake on) a crore of lunar months. Those who do not keep awake when the day (of the vow) of Vishnu has come, their observance of the vow is in vain due to the censure of the devotees. Even by (the performance of) myriads of sacrifices pleasures of senses, wealth, sons, fame, eternal worlds are not obtained without keeping awake on the DvadasI (day). He who does not have a mind to keep awake on the DvadasI day, has no right to worship Vishnu. The number of footsteps of him who goes to Vishnu’s temple for keeping awake has the merit of an equal number of horse-sacrifices. For as many years a man keeping awake lives in heaven as the number of dust (particles) fallen there on the road from the feet (of those who) walk (along it).

51-58. Therefore, from one's house one should go to Visiju’s temple for keeping awake. In the Kali (age) to destroy sins this DvadasI is (the best) among Dvadasis. Keeping awake is said to be of nine types: Full of censure of others, with the mind void of tranquillity, bereft of sacred precepts, without music, so also without light (to be waved before the image of the deity), without the necessary articles (obtainable) according to one’s capacity, indifferent, full of censure, and especially full of quarrels. That keeping awake which is according to the scriptural injunctions, is full of dance and music with musical instruments, with the beating of time in music, with light and honey, is accompanied by proper utterances produced with devotion, is pleasing and causing delight, and amuses the enchanted people — (such) keeping awake having these twelve merits and dear to Vishnu should be done with efforts in the bright and the dark halves (of the month). What is the use of observing many vows and living at a sacred place to him who does not keep awake when the twelfth day of (i.e. sacred to) Vishshu has come? He who even while travelling and though full of perspiration, does not give up keeping awake on the twelfth day of (i.e. sacred to) Vishflu, is dear to me, О brahmana.

59-62a. That devotee of me who deluded by sm does not keep awake (in honour) of Vishnu, has his worship in vain, (as) he would not (i.e. does not) worship him who is venerable to me. He who eats on the day of (i.e. sacred to) Vishnu, is not a devotee of!shiva, is not a worshipper of the Sun, is not a devotee of Sakti, nor the votary of (Shiva’s) attendant. He should be known to be inferior to a beast. He, a wicked and sinful person, who eats on the day of (i.e. sacred to) Vishriu, has, after having resorted to the strength of my devotion, acted disagreeably.

62b-64. His body is wrapped inside and outside with crores of sins. Those who keep awake on the day of (i.e. sacred to) Vishnu, are freed. He who having kept awake, has observed the vow of Dvadasi that is not mixed (with another day), has given an elbow to (i.e. has avoided) the messengers of Yama. О best sage, they, expecting (to go to) heaven are undoubtedly freed. (On the contrary) those who observe the vow of (i.e. sacred to) Vishshu on a day mixed (with another day) have longed for happiness in hell.

65-69. He (i.e. such a man) has killed his manes, and has murdered gods; has given (his kingdom to demons by observing the day of (i.e. sacred to) Vishnu which is mixed (with another day). For a man who keeps awake with such dispositions on the day of (i.e. sacred to) Vishnu, who clapping his hands and with a delighted mind dances, who sings songs with his mouth, manifests (many kinds of) joy, who remaining awake on the night stands before Vishnu, reads Krishna’s accounts, amuses the groups of Vishnu’s devotees, who with his hair standing on end produces musical sounds from his mouth, presents many kinds of food, and causes (others) to talk freely, the fruit at every moment is said to be the same as got by visiting crores of holy places.

70-74. He who without a dejected mind presents incense and waves lights in front (of the image) of Vishnu on the night of keeping awake (i.e. on which he keeps awake) would be the lord of the seven islands (i.e. of the earth). Due to keeping awake on the day of (i.e. sacred to) Vishshu, all those sins like (the ones due to) the murder of a brahmana, perish piece by piece. On one hand are all the sacrifices concluded with (the offering of) excellent presents, and on the other there is keeping awake (in honour) of the god of gods. Which is dear to Vishnu? Kashi, Pushkara, Prayaga, Naimisa, Gaya, the great holy place of Salagrama, the Arbuda forest, Paushkara (i.e. the holy Pushkara), Mathura, and all (other) sacred places, so also sacrifices and all the four Vedas go to (i.e. attend) the keeping awake (in honour of) Visflu.

75-78. О best brahmana, all rivers (like) Ganga, Sarasvatl, Tapi, Yamuna, Satadruka, Candrabhaga, Vitasta, so also ponds, deep lakes, all seas go there on the Ekadashi (day for) keeping awake (in honour) of Vishnu. These men desirable to gods, being delighted by the musical instrument like the lute, dance and sing (at the time of) keeping awake (in honour) of Vishnu. In this way having kept awake, having worshipped great Vishnu, he should, along with Vishnu’s devotees, break his fast on the Dvadasi (day).

79-84. О brahmana, listen. I shall explain (to you) the excellent importance of Dvadasi. Dvadasi should always be known to give sons and to give salvation. Having bathed in the morning, having worshipped Vishnu, one should observe a fast. ‘O Vispu, by means of this vow of me who am blind due to the darkness of ignorance, be pleased, favour me and give me the sight of knowledge’. Then, after this, he should break fast as is possible for him. After this he should duly get done (proper rites) as desired. О brahmaoa, when the DvadaSt (lasts) shorter for breaking the fast, then he who desires salvation, should break the fast at night. Then there would be no blemish due to (breaking the fast at) night and there would be nothing that is prohibited. He should get the duty done (i.e. should do it) as by day in the first and the next watches of the night, since it is said that a man should not bathe at night and should not eat at midnight.

85-92. When on the day of breaking the fast Dvadasi lasts for a short time, then he should do both the morning and the mid-day rites in the morning.

I am not able to describe the religious merit especially of that man who has always observed Dvadasi on the earth. Great men having accomplised all desired objects, would obtain (salvation). Those devotees like Ambarisha and others who are well-known in the world, have gone to VisQu’s abode after having observed (the vow of) Dvadashi.

What I told is the truth, the truth again, viz. that there is no god like Vishnu, and no day like Dvadasi. Whatever is given on this day, whatever is eaten, and the worship etc. (offered on this day) — all that is complete when Vishriu is worshipped. What is the use of talking much? Vishnu dear to his devotees, gives them all their desired objects till the final destruction of the world. All that is given on the Dvadasi would become fruitful. Whatever is given on the Kurukshetra is never fruitless. In the same way, О best sage, whatever is given on Dvadasi would become like that.

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