न तत्रैकादशी कार्या धर्मकामार्थनाशिनी । स्वल्पां च दशमीविद्धां त्यजेदेकादशीं बुधः
Then Ekādaśī should not be observed there, as it destroys dharma, desire, and wealth; a wise person should abandon even a slightly tainted Ekādaśī.
सुराबिंदोस्तु संपर्कात्घृतकुंभं त्यजेद्यथा । संपूर्णैकादशी यत्र द्वादश्यां पुनरेव सा
Just as a pot of ghee is abandoned when touched by a drop of liquor, so too should one abandon an Ekādaśī that is fully joined with Daśamī and again with Dvādaśī.
उत्तरा यतिभिः कार्या पूर्वामुपवसेद्गृही । एकादशीकला यत्र द्वादशीपरतो न चेत्
The later Ekādaśī should be observed by ascetics, while householders should fast on the earlier one; where the Ekādaśī tithi does not extend into Dvādaśī—
तत्र क्रतुशतं पुण्यं त्रयोदश्यां तु पारणम् । एकादशी विलुप्ता चेत्परतो द्वादशीयुता
There, the merit is equal to a hundred sacrifices, but the breaking of the fast should be on Trayodaśī; if Ekādaśī is lost and only Dvādaśī remains—
उपोष्या द्वादशी पूर्णा यदीच्छेत्परमां गतिम् । संपूर्णैऽकादशी यत्र प्रभाते पुनरेव सा
A complete Dvādaśī should be observed by one who desires the highest state; where Ekādaśī is complete and again present in the morning—
सर्वैरेवोत्तरा कार्या परतो द्वादशी यदि । एकादशीव्रते येषां मनः संलीयते नृणाम्
In all such cases, the later Ekādaśī should be observed, if Dvādaśī follows; for those whose minds are devoted to the Ekādaśī vow—
तेषां स्वर्गो हि वासोऽथ यांति ते सदनं हरेः । एकादश्याः परं नास्ति परलोकस्य साधनम्
For them, heaven is their abode, and they go to the house of Hari; beyond Ekādaśī, there is no greater means for attaining the next world.
बहुपापसमायुक्तः करोति हरिवासरम् । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः स याति हरिमंदिरम्
Even one burdened with many sins, if he observes the day of Hari, becomes freed from all sins and goes to the abode of Hari.
पतिसहिता या योषित्करोति हरिवासरम् । सुपुत्रा स्वामिसुभगा याति प्रेत्य हरेर्गृहम्
A woman who observes the day of Hari together with her husband attains good sons, a fortunate husband, and, after death, goes to the house of Hari.
यो यच्छति हरेरग्रे प्रदीपं भक्तिभावतः । हरेर्द्दिने र्द्विजश्रेष्ठ पुण्यसंख्या न विद्यते
Whoever offers a lamp before Hari with devotion, O best of twice-born, on the day of Hari—his merit cannot be measured.
यांगना भर्तृसहिता कुरुते जागरं हरेः । हरेर्निकेतने तिष्ठेच्चिरं पत्या सह द्विज
A woman who keeps vigil for Hari together with her husband, O twice-born, dwells for a long time with her husband in the abode of Hari.
यत्किञ्चिद्धरये वस्तु भक्त्या यच्छति यो द्विज । हरेर्दिने तस्य पुण्यमक्षयं चैव सर्वदा
Whatever thing one offers to Hari with devotion, O twice-born, on the day of Hari, his merit is always inexhaustible.
पुरासीद्वल्लभो नाम्ना नगरे कांचनाह्वये । धनेन पुष्कलेनापि राजते स धनेश्वरः
Long ago, there was a man named Vallabha in the city called Kāñcana; he was a lord of wealth, shining with abundant riches.
तस्य प्रिया महारूपा नाम्ना हेमप्रभा द्विज । गरीयान्मुखरस्तत्र बाधते च कलेर्गुणः
His beloved was of great beauty, named Hemaprabhā, O twice-born; among them, Mukhara was more prominent, and the quality of Kali caused trouble there.
सा सदा कलहं कुर्यात्पत्या सह तपोधन । शश्वद्गुरुजनान्कामं भर्त्सनान्नीचभाषया
She would always quarrel with her husband, O sage, and constantly rebuke elders as she pleased, with harsh words.
पाकपात्रे सदाश्नीयात्गुप्ता सैकांतिकेमला । उच्छिष्टं गुरुजनेभ्यश्च दद्याद्वै प्रतिवासरम्
She would always eat secretly from the cooking pot, alone and in private, and would daily give the elders her own leftovers.
जारे सदा स्थितं चित्तमहं साध्वीति सा वदेत् । स्वामिनः कलहैर्ब्रह्मन्मनोद्वेगकरा सदा
She would always say, 'I am a virtuous woman,' while her mind was fixed on her lover; yet she constantly caused her husband distress through quarrels, O Brahmin.
एकदा चागतां दृष्ट्वा चकार भर्त्सनां च ताम् । भर्त्ता तस्याः प्रहारं च सर्वपापयुतां द्विज
Once, when he saw her return, her husband rebuked her and struck her, O twice-born, for she was full of all sins.
सैव रोषसमायुक्ता गता शून्यगृहे तु वै । सुप्ताऽज्ञाता स्थिता कस्मिन्जलान्नं न चखाद ह
Filled with anger, she went to an empty house, lay down without anyone knowing, and did not eat food or drink water.
दैवात्तत्र दिने विष्णोः पार्श्वस्य परिवर्त्तनम् । एकादशीव्रतं विप्र सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्
By divine arrangement, on that very day, the observance of Ekadashi, which destroys all sins, occurred near Vishnu, O Brahmin.
ततः प्रभाते रजनी द्वादशी श्रवणान्विता । आगता तत्र सा नारी रोषनिर्भरमानसा
Then, at dawn, when the night of Dvadashi arrived, accompanied by the star Shravan, that woman came there, her mind full of anger.
निराहारौ कृतौ द्वौ च निर्मला सा बभूव ह । रात्रौ च पंचतां याता जयंतीवासरे द्विज
Having fasted for two days, she became pure; and at night, on the day of Jayanti, O Brahmin, she passed away.
यमाज्ञया ततो दूता आगतास्तां तथाविधाम् । नेतुं भयंकरास्ते च पाशमुद्गरपाणयः
By the command of Yama, messengers came, terrifying and armed with nooses and maces, to take her away in that condition.
बद्ध्वा नेतुं मनश्चक्रे कृतांतसदनं यदा । तदागता विष्णुदूताः शंखचक्रगदाधराः
When they bound her and prepared to take her to the abode of Death, then the messengers of Vishnu arrived, bearing conch, discus, and mace.
छित्त्वा पाशं ततो दिव्ये स्यंदने तां गतैनसम् । ते वै चारोहयामासु निर्मलां भवनं हरेः
They cut the noose and, placing her purified self in a divine chariot, they made her ascend to the abode of Hari.
गता तैर्वेष्टिता साथ दुर्ल्लभं निर्जरैः शुभम् । विष्णोर्दिवसमाहात्म्यं कथितं ते द्विजर्षभ
Escorted by them, she reached that auspicious place, difficult even for the immortals to attain. Thus, O best of Brahmins, the greatness of Vishnu's day has been told.
अनिच्छयापि यः कुर्यात्स याति हरिमंदिरम् । एकादश्यादिने मर्त्यो दीपं दातुं हरेर्गृहे
Even one who performs it unwillingly attains the abode of Hari—if, on the day of Ekadashi, a mortal offers a lamp in the house of Hari.
गच्छेत्प्रतिपदं सोऽपि चाश्वमेधफलाधिकम् । शृण्वंति च पुराणानि पठंति च हरेर्दिने । प्रत्यक्षरं लभंते ते कपिलादानजं फलम्
He attains, step by step, a result greater than that of an Ashvamedha sacrifice. Those who listen to or recite the Puranas on the day of Hari obtain, for each syllable, the merit arising from the gift of Kapila cows.
शौनक उवाच । कर्मणा केन भोः सूत चैनसां संक्षयो भवेत् । श्रीहरेश्च कृपा भूयात्तद्वदस्वानुकंपया
Shaunaka said: By what action, O Suta, can the destruction of sins occur? And how may the mercy of Shri Hari be obtained? Please tell this out of compassion.
सूत उवाच । शृणु शौनक वक्ष्यामि शृण्वतां पापनाशनम् । येन विष्णोः कृपा स्याद्वै वृजिनक्षयकारिणी
Suta said: Listen, O Shaunaka, I will tell you that which destroys sins for those who hear it, and by which the grace of Vishnu, the remover of sins, is obtained.