पंचाग्निसाधने पुण्यं यच्च स्यात्तीर्थसाधने । तत्पुण्यं समवाप्नोति विष्णोर्जागरकारणात्
The merit that comes from the practice of the five fires or from pilgrimage to holy places—that same merit is obtained by keeping vigil for Viṣṇu.
पक्षवर्द्धनिका पुण्या पवित्रा पापनाशिनी । उपवासकृता विप्र हत्याकोटिविनाशिनी
The fortnight-increasing vow is meritorious, pure, and destroyer of sins; when performed with fasting by a brāhmaṇa, it destroys even ten million acts of killing.
वसिष्ठेन कृता पूर्वं भारद्वाजेन वै मुने । ध्रुवेण चांबरीषेण कृतेयं विष्णुवल्लभा
This vow, dear to Viṣṇu, was formerly performed by Vasiṣṭha, by Bhāradvāja, by Dhruva, and by Ambarīṣa, O sage.
इयं काशीसमा पुण्या इयं वै द्वारका समा । उपोषिता च भक्तेन वांछितं च ददात्यसौ
This vow is as meritorious as Kāśī, indeed equal to Dvārakā; if observed by a devotee, it grants whatever is desired.
इयं धन्या धन्यतमा हत्यायुतविनाशिनी । कर्त्तव्या तु विशेषेण वैष्णवैर्ज्ञानतत्परैः
This vow is blessed, most blessed, and destroys ten thousand acts of killing; it should especially be performed by Vaiṣṇavas devoted to knowledge.
अहो सर्वेश्वरो देवः संसेव्यो व्रततत्परैः । किमन्यद्बहुनोक्तेन कर्तव्यं व्रतमुत्तमम्
Behold, the Lord of all should be served by those devoted to vows; what more need be said? One should perform this supreme vow.
यथा च वर्द्धते चंद्रः सिते पक्षे विशेषतः । तथा वै वर्द्धते भक्त कारणात्पक्षवर्द्धिनी
Just as the moon waxes especially in the bright fortnight, so too, O devotee, does the fortnight-increasing vow grow in effect when performed.
सूर्योदये यथा ध्वांतं नश्यते तत्क्षणादपि । तथाघं नाशमाप्नोति करणात्पक्षवर्द्धिनी
Just as darkness vanishes instantly at sunrise, so too does sin perish by performing the fortnight-increasing vow.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे उमापतिनारदसंवादे पक्षवर्द्धनी एकादशीमाहात्म्यंनाम षट्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the thirty-sixth chapter, named 'The Greatness of the Fortnight-Increasing Ekādaśī,' in the dialogue between Umāpati and Nārada, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, comprising fifty-five thousand verses.
महादेव उवाच- शृणु नारद वक्ष्यामि माहात्म्यं जागरस्य च । यच्छ्रुत्वा मुक्तिमाप्नोति महापापी न संशयः
Mahādeva said: Hear, O Nārada, I will tell you the greatness of the night vigil; by hearing this, even a great sinner attains liberation, without doubt.
नारद उवाच- अहो विश्वेश्वरो विष्णुः पवित्रीकरणः सदा । तस्योपवासमाहात्म्यं श्रुतं हि त्वन्मुखाच्छिव
Nārada said: O, Viśveśvara Viṣṇu is always the purifier; I have heard the greatness of his fasting from your own mouth, O Śiva.
तथापि श्रोतुमिच्छामि माहात्म्यं जागरस्य तु । कीदृक्जागरमाहात्म्यं रात्रो भक्तिस्तु कीदृशी
Still, I wish to hear about the greatness of the night vigil; what is the greatness of the vigil, and what is the nature of devotion during the night?
प्रहरेषु च या पूजा वद विश्वेश्वर प्रभो । त्वं लोकेषु सदा पूज्यस्त्वं हि देवो जनार्दनः । त्वं हि विश्वेश्वरो देवो यतो भक्तिर्जनार्दने
Tell me, O Lord of the universe, what worship is to be done in each watch of the night; you are always worshipped in the worlds, for you are the god Janārdana; you are indeed the Lord of all, for devotion is directed to Janārdana.
सर्वेषां चैव भक्तानां त्वं च श्रेष्ठ उमापतिः । लोकेस्मिन्सर्वदा भक्त्या तवाख्या वर्त्तते सदा
Of all devotees, you are the foremost, O Lord of Umā; in this world, your fame always endures through devotion.
अतो येन प्रकारेण लोकानां मुक्तिरेव च । विश्वेश्वर वद त्वं तु माहात्म्यं जागरस्य तु
Therefore, O Lord of the Universe, tell by what means and in what manner the liberation of beings occurs, and the greatness of the night vigil.
महादेव उवाच-। एकादश्यां जनो विष्णुं रात्रौ संपूज्य भक्तितः । कुर्याज्जागरणं विष्णोः पुरतो वैष्णवैः सह
Mahadeva said: On Ekadashi, a person should worship Vishnu at night with devotion, and keep vigil before Vishnu together with Vaishnavas.
गीतं वाद्यं तथा नृत्यं पुराणपठनं तथा । धूपं दीपं च नैवेद्यं पुष्पं गंधानुलेपनम्
Singing, instrumental music, and dance, as well as recitation of the Puranas, incense, lamps, offerings of food, flowers, and fragrant ointments—
फलमर्घं तथा श्रद्धा दानमिंद्रियसंयमम् । सत्यान्वितं च विप्रेंद्र वचोयुक्तं क्रियान्वितम्
Fruits, arghya, faith, gifts, control of the senses, truthfulness, speech accompanied by action, and deeds performed—
विनिद्रं च मुदायुक्तो यः करोति नरः सदा । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो जायते विष्णुवल्लभः
Whoever, remaining awake and joyful, always performs these, becomes freed from all sins and is beloved of Vishnu.
रात्रौ जागरणे प्राप्ते निद्रां कुर्वंति वैष्णवाः । हारितं चोपवासं तैर्व्रतं वै विष्णुसंज्ञकम्
When the time for the night vigil arrives, if Vaishnavas sleep, their fasting and vow known as Vishnu's are rendered void.
ये कुर्वंति नराः प्राज्ञ जागरे विष्णुसंज्ञके । जागरं कृष्णभावेन न स्वपंति कदाचन
Those wise men who keep vigil on the night dedicated to Vishnu, never sleep, their minds absorbed in Krishna.
कृष्णस्य नाम मनसा वदंति च पुनः पुनः । ते तु धन्यतमा ज्ञेया अस्यां रात्रौ विशेषतः
Those who repeatedly utter Krishna's name in their minds are to be known as most blessed, especially on this night.
क्षणेक्षणे तु गोदानं घट्यां चैव चतुर्गुणम् । प्रहरे कोटिगुणितं चतुर्यामेष्वसंख्यकम्
In each moment, the gift of a cow yields fourfold merit; in each hour, a crore-fold; and in the four watches, the merit is beyond count.
जागरे निमिषार्द्धे तु केशवाग्रे विशेषतः । तत्फलं कोटिगुणितं तस्य संख्या न विद्यते
During the vigil, even for half a blink before Kesava, the merit is multiplied by crores; its measure cannot be known.
नर्त्तनं कुरुते यस्तु केशवाग्रे नरोत्तमः । न फलं हीयते तस्य आजन्ममरणांतिकम्
Whoever, best of men, dances before Kesava during the vigil, his merit is never diminished from birth to death.
साश्चर्यं चैव सोत्साहं पापालापादिवर्जितम् । प्रदक्षिणसमायुक्तं नमस्कारपुरःसरम्
With wonder, with enthusiasm, free from sinful talk, accompanied by circumambulation and preceded by prostration—
नीराजनसमायुक्तमनिर्विण्णेन चेतसा । यामेयामे महाभाग कुर्यादारार्तिकं हरेः
With mind not dejected, joined with waving of lights, O highly fortunate one, one should perform arati for Hari in each watch of the night.
षड्विंशगुणसंयुक्तमेकादश्यां च जागरम् । यः करोति नरो भक्त्या न पुनर्जायते भुवि
Whoever, with devotion, keeps vigil on Ekadashi, which is endowed with twenty-sixfold merit, is not born again on earth.
य एवं कुरुते भक्त्या वित्तशाठ्यविवर्जितः । जागरं वासरे विष्णोर्लीयते परमात्मनि
Whoever does so with devotion, free from deceit regarding wealth, keeps vigil on Vishnu's day, merges into the Supreme Self.
धनवान्वित्तशाठ्येन यः करोति प्रजागरम् । तेनात्माहारितो नूनं कितवेन दुरात्मना
But the wealthy man who keeps vigil with deceit concerning wealth, surely harms his own soul, like a gambler of evil mind.