At the close of the sacred night, the devotee is instructed to offer arghya to the deity, following the proper rites, and then to perform the ritual bath and other prescribed acts. Only after these observances should one take food, sharing the meal in the company of Brahmins. Lord Shiva then spoke, his voice filled with reverence: “O twice-born, the account of the Trispṛśā vow is truly wondrous and awe-inspiring. Simply by hearing it, one gains merit equal to that of bathing in the holy Ganga. To observe the Trispṛśā fast even once bestows the merit of a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices and a hundred Vājapeya sacrifices. Not only does the performer attain such merit, but together with their paternal and maternal lines, as well as their descendants, they are honored in the realm of Viṣṇu. The fruits of visiting ten million sacred places and the rewards of ten million holy fields are all attained by observing the Trispṛśā fast. This vow is open to all—Brahmins, Kṣatriyas of pure mind, Vaiśyas, Śūdras, and people of other castes. Each and every one who observes it is granted liberation after leaving this world, just as the twelve-syllabled mantra reigns supreme among mantras. This vow is the foremost among all vows, established first by Brahmā himself and later observed by royal sages. What need is there to speak of other vows, my child? The Trispṛśā alone grants liberation. This is the method by which the vow is established. Whoever performs the Trispṛśā with devotion—hear now of its fruits: the merit of bathing in the Ganga or at Vārāṇasī, the merit of observing Trispṛśā for thousands of aeons, or of bathing in the eastern Yamunā for millions of years—all these fruits are gained by the one who faithfully observes this vow. Even the merit accrued at Kurukṣetra during millions of solar eclipses is attained thereby. By performing Trispṛśā, one receives the fruit of giving away hundreds of loads of gold, and the vow destroys countless millions of sins and innumerable acts of killing. A single fast quickly reduces all sins to ashes; the Trispṛśā vow opens a path to those who have none. Those who seek a path, even if burdened with hundreds of grave sins, should know that this was spoken by Kṛṣṇa himself to Vyāsa. Whoever writes down and reveals this Vaiṣṇava vow to a twice-born, even if weighed down by mountains of sin, will attain liberation. Yet, O wise one, even with merit amassed over hundreds of aeons, the Trispṛśā is rare in the world and not easily attained by mortals. Those base men who, having found the Trispṛśā in the age of Kali, do not perform it—their birth and life are rendered fruitless. But those who perform Trispṛśā even once in this Kali age, O wise one, cross over the state of being a restless spirit, even without the śrāddha rites or sons to perform them. Once, Mahādeva recounted, “My son, I went into the presence of Viṣṇu and there I inquired about the greatness of Dvādaśī.” Nārada, ever eager for knowledge, asked: “O Mahādeva, what is the nature of the supreme Mahādvādaśī? What fruits come from its observance? Please tell me, O Lord of all.” Shiva replied: “O Brāhmaṇa, this Ekādaśī grants great merit and auspicious results. It is to be observed by the foremost sages, when joined with auspicious lunar mansions and yogas. The days known as Jaya, Vijaya, and Jayantī destroy sin and remove all faults; those who desire results should carefully observe them. On the Ekādaśī of the bright fortnight, when the lunar mansion Punarvasu is present, that day is called Jayā, the best among lunar days. Fasting on that day surely frees a person from sin. When, on the bright Dvādaśī, the lunar mansion Śravaṇa occurs, that day is called Vijaya, the foremost among lunar days. On that day, giving gifts or feeding Brahmins yields a thousandfold reward. Similarly, performing homa and fasting then grants a thousand times the merit. When the bright Dvādaśī coincides with the lunar mansion Prājāpatya, that day is known as Jayantī, the lunar day that removes all sins—whether committed over seven births, great or small. Worshipping Govinda on that day certainly washes them all away. If, on the bright Dvādaśī, the lunar mansion Puṣya occurs at any time, that day is supremely meritorious, a destroyer of sins. Whoever gives a prastha of sesame each year on that day, or fasts on that day, are considered equal in merit. On that day, Hari, the Lord of the world, is truly pleased and becomes manifest, and the fruit is said to be infinite. This was accomplished by Sagara, Kakutstha, and Nahuṣa of old. On such a day, Kṛṣṇa, when worshipped, granted all things on earth. Whether sins were committed by speech, mind, or especially by the body, one is freed from them, even those accumulated over seven births. Fasting on that one day, joined with an auspicious lunar mansion, bestows the fruit of a thousand Ekādaśīs. Bathing, giving, recitation, homa, self-study, and worship of the deities—whatever is performed on that day yields imperishable fruit. Therefore, those who seek results should carefully observe this day. After completing his fifth Aśvamedha sacrifice and bathing, righteous-souled Yudhiṣṭhira approached Kṛṣṇa and asked: ‘O Lord, tell me fully the merit and fruit of fasting, night-fasting, or eating once a day.’ The Blessed Lord replied: ‘When the beautiful month of Mārgashīrsha arrives in winter, O Pārtha, one should observe fasting on the Dvādaśī that falls in the dark fortnight, with a pure mind and firm resolve, taking only one meal on the tenth day. Knowing this, one should always be restrained on the tenth day, eating at night, when the sun has faded into the eighth part of the day.’ Thus, the greatness of these vows and their observance was revealed, promising profound merit and liberation to those who undertake them with devotion and sincerity.