With deep reverence, the ritual began. To Padmanabha, the Lord whose navel is the source of the lotus and all creation, homage was offered at the navel. To Vishvayoni, the universal womb, the offering was placed at the abdomen. To the One who is attainable by knowledge, the heart was honored. To He who journeys to Vaikuntha, the sacred throat received worship. The thousand-armed Lord was venerated at the arms, and the One of yogic form was worshipped at the eyes. With utmost devotion, and following the proper rite, the sacred arghya was offered. A pure coconut, placed upon a conch and wrapped with sacred threads, was presented with both hands in offering. The devotee prayed: “O Janardana, if you are remembered always, you destroy all sins, banish evil dreams, avert ominous signs, and soothe troubling thoughts. O Lord, whatever fear of hell, misfortune, or calamity may arise for me—be it in this world or the next—please, Lord of gods, protect me. Accept this arghya. I bow to you. May your compassionate gaze always rest upon me, O Damodara.” Next, incense, a lamp, and food were offered. The devotee performed the waving of lights, and above the head, a lotus was circled for Hari, the best among rivers. The rite completed, one turned to worship one’s own guru, presenting gifts of gold, garments, a turban, and a tunic. Sandals, an umbrella, a ring, a water pot, food, betel, seven kinds of grains, and other gifts were also given in respect. Having worshipped both the guru and the Lord of gods, the devotee kept vigil for Hari, with singing, dancing, and recitation of sacred scriptures filling the night. At dawn, arghya was again offered to the deity according to the rite, followed by bathing and other purifications. The devotee then took food together with the Brahmins, sharing in the blessings. Shiva declared, “O twice-born, this account of the Trispṛśā vow is wondrous and awe-inspiring. Merely hearing it brings merit equal to bathing in the sacred Ganga. By observing the Trispṛśā fast even once, one attains the merit of a thousand Ashvamedha sacrifices and a hundred Vājapeya sacrifices. One’s paternal and maternal lines and one’s descendants are all freed and honored in the realm of Vishnu. The merit gained at ten million holy places and the fruit of ten million sacred fields—all this is attained by observing the Trispṛśā fast. Brahmins, Kshatriyas of pure mind, Vaishyas, Shudras, and all people—every one of them attains liberation after leaving this earth, just as the twelve-syllabled mantra is the king of all mantras. This vow is the foremost of all, first established by Brahma and later upheld by royal sages. What need is there to speak of others, child? The Trispṛśā grants liberation. Thus is the vow of Trispṛśā established, O Brahmin. Whoever performs it with devotion—hear the fruit I declare: the merit gained by bathing in the Ganga or at Varanasi, the merit of observing Trispṛśā for thousands of aeons, or by bathing in the eastern Yamuna for millions of years, and the fruit gained at Kurukshetra during millions of solar eclipses—all of this is attained by the one who observes the Trispṛśā vow. By performing Trispṛśā, one gains the fruit of giving away hundreds of loads of gold, and destroys thousands of millions of sins and hundreds of millions of acts of killing. With a single fast, all is quickly reduced to ashes; the Trispṛśā vow grants a path to those who have none. Those who seek a path, even with hundreds of great sins—this was spoken by Krishna himself before Vyasa. Whoever writes down and reveals this Vaishnava vow to a twice-born, even if bound by heaps of sins, will attain liberation. Even with hundreds of aeons of merit, Trispṛśā is rare in this world and not easily attained by men. Those base men who, having obtained Trispṛśā in the Kali age, do not perform it—their birth and life are fruitless. But those who perform Trispṛśā even once in the Kali age, O wise one, cross over the state of being a ghost, even without shraddha rites or sons.” Mahadeva then spoke: “Once, my son, I went into the presence of Vishnu and inquired about the greatness of Dvadashi. Nārada, ever eager for knowledge, asked: ‘O Mahadeva, what is the nature of the supreme Mahādvādaśī? What fruit does its observance bring? Please tell me, O Lord of all, O Master.’ Shiva replied: ‘O Brahmin, this Ekadashi bestows great merit and auspicious results. It should be observed by the foremost sages, when it coincides with auspicious lunar mansions and yogas. Jaya, Vijaya, and Jayantī—these days destroy sin and remove all faults; those who desire results should observe them. When, on the Ekadashi of the bright fortnight, the lunar mansion Punarvasu occurs, that day is renowned as Jayā, the best among lunar days. Fasting on that day frees a person from sins—there is no doubt. When, on the bright Dvadashi, the lunar mansion Shravaṇa occurs, it is called Vijaya, the best among lunar days. On that day, giving gifts or feeding Brahmins yields a thousandfold result. Likewise, performing homa and fasting grants a thousand times the merit. When, on the bright Dvadashi, the lunar mansion Prajāpatya occurs, that day is called Jayantī, the lunar day that removes all sins—even those committed over seven births, whether small or great. Govinda, when worshipped on that day, certainly washes them away. And when, on the bright Dvadashi, the lunar mansion Pushya occurs at any time, that day becomes supremely meritorious and a destroyer of sins. Whoever gives a prastha of sesame each year on that day reaps great rewards.’ Thus, the greatness of these vows and observances was revealed, their fruits shining like the sacred rivers, and the path to liberation made clear for all who walk it with faith.