Hear now the sacred account of the Trispṛśā vow and the greatness of the auspicious lunar observances, as revealed in the ancient Purāṇa. The merit that one amasses by performing the Trispṛśā vow for thousands of aeons, or by bathing in the holy waters of the eastern Yamunā for millions of years, is truly immense. Yet, all this fruit is attained by a person who observes the Trispṛśā vow even once. The same merit that is gained at Kurukṣetra during millions of solar eclipses is also bestowed upon the faithful observer of Trispṛśā. By performing this vow, one accrues the result of giving away hundreds of loads of gold. Even the most grievous sins—thousands of millions of transgressions and hundreds of millions of acts of killing—are destroyed by its observance. A single day’s fast undertaken as part of Trispṛśā quickly burns away all faults, reducing them to ashes. For those who have lost their way, the Trispṛśā vow opens a path where none existed before. O best of sages, even those burdened with hundreds of great sins—so said Kṛṣṇa himself before Vyāsa—find a way forward through Trispṛśā. Whoever writes down and reveals this Vaiṣṇava vow to a twice-born, even if bound by heaps of sins, will surely attain liberation. Yet, even with merit accumulated over hundreds of aeons, the Trispṛśā vow is rare in this world and not easily attained by mortals. Those base men who, having obtained the opportunity to perform Trispṛśā in the Kali age, neglect it—their birth and life are rendered fruitless. But those who observe Trispṛśā even once in this Kali age, O wise one, cross over the fearful state of being a wandering spirit, even if they lack sons or the śrāddha rites. In another time, Mahādeva spoke: “Once, my son, I went before Lord Viṣṇu and inquired about the supreme greatness of Dvādaśī.” Nārada, ever eager for wisdom, asked Mahādeva, “O Lord of all, what is the nature of the highest Mahādvādaśī? What fruit does its observance bring? Please tell me in full.” Śiva replied, “O Brāhmaṇa, this Ekādaśī, when observed rightly, bestows immense merit and auspicious results. It should be practiced by the foremost sages, especially when joined with auspicious lunar mansions and yogas. Of these, Jaya, Vijaya, and Jayantī are renowned—they destroy sin and remove all faults. Those who desire merit and results should carefully observe them. “When the Ekādaśī of the bright fortnight coincides with the lunar mansion Punarvasu, that day is called Jayā, the best among lunar days. By fasting on Jayā, a person is freed from all sins—there is no doubt. When the bright Dvādaśī falls on the day of the Śravaṇa lunar mansion, that day is known as Vijaya, the most excellent among lunar days. On Vijaya, giving gifts or feeding Brāhmaṇas yields a thousandfold result; performing homa and fasting on that day grants a thousand times the merit. “Likewise, when the bright Dvādaśī coincides with the Prājāpatya lunar mansion, it is called Jayantī, the day that removes all sins. Sins accumulated over seven births, whether great or small, are washed away when Govinda is worshipped on Jayantī. And when the bright Dvādaśī aligns with the Puṣya lunar mansion, that day becomes supremely meritorious and a destroyer of all faults. Whoever gives a prastha of sesame or fasts on that day—both are considered equal in merit. On such a day, Hari, the Lord of the world, is pleased and truly manifests Himself. The fruit is said to be infinite, as was attained by Sagara, Kakutstha, and Nahuṣa. On that day, when Kṛṣṇa is worshipped, He bestows all blessings on earth. Sins committed by speech, mind, or body—especially bodily sins—are erased, even those of seven births. Fasting on such a day, joined with an auspicious lunar mansion, yields the merit 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 desire results should carefully observe these sacred times.” After performing his fifth Aśvamedha sacrifice and bathing, the righteous-souled Yudhiṣṭhira approached Kṛṣṇa and inquired, “O Lord, please tell me in detail the merit and fruit that belong to fasting, night-fasting, or eating once a day.” The Blessed Lord Kṛṣṇa replied, “O Pārtha, when the beautiful month of Mārgashīrsha arrives in winter, one should observe a fast on the Dvādaśī that falls in the dark fortnight, with a pure mind and firm resolve, taking only one meal on the tenth day. One should always be restrained on the tenth day, eating at night, when the sun is low in the sky, in the eighth portion of the day. But understand, ‘eating at night’ does not mean eating during the darkness; for householders, it is prescribed to eat when the stars become visible. For ascetics, eating during the eighth portion of the day is prohibited at night; afterwards, at dawn, the vow-holder should perform the prescribed observances. “At midday, the pure one should bathe. Bathing in a well is considered inferior, bathing in a pond is middling, bathing in a lake is superior, and bathing in a river—where creatures are pressed together in the water—is even higher. Bathing at such a place, O Pārtha, makes sin and merit equal. Bathing at home is also excellent, provided the water is purified. Therefore, O best of the Pāṇḍavas, one should bathe at home, on earth trodden by horses, chariots, and by Viṣṇu Himself. “While bathing, one should pray: ‘O clay, remove my sins which I have accumulated previously.’ One must abandon anger and greed, with single-mindedness and firm resolve. One should avoid those who speak falsely, imposters, those devoted to falsehood, and those who revile Brāhmaṇas; also, those of bad conduct, those engaged in forbidden relations, those who steal others’ property, and those who approach others’ wives. “After worshipping Keśava, one should offer food in that place and give a lamp in the house, with a mind filled with devotion.” Thus, the greatness and precise observance of these sacred vows and days are revealed, offering a path to merit, purification, and liberation for all who seek it with faith and devotion.