अन्यांश्चैव दुराचारानगम्यागमनेरतान् । परद्रव्यापहारांश्च परदाराभिगामिनः
Also those of bad conduct, those engaged in forbidden relations; those who steal others' property, and those who approach others' wives.
केशवं पूजयित्वा तु नैवेद्यं तत्र कारयेत् । दीपं दद्याद्गृहे तत्र भक्तियुक्तेन चेतसा
Having worshipped Kesava, one should offer food there; one should give a lamp in the house with a mind full of devotion.
तद्दिने वर्जयेत्पार्थ निद्रां चैव तु मैथुनम् । धर्मशास्त्रविनोदेन दिनं सर्वं निवारयेत्
On that day, O Partha, one should avoid sleep and sexual union; one should spend the whole day in delighting in the Dharma scriptures.
रात्रौ जागरणं कृत्वा भक्तियुक्तो नृपोत्तम । विप्रेभ्यो दक्षिणां दद्यात्प्रणिपत्य क्षमापयेत्
At night, keeping vigil with devotion, O best of kings; one should give gifts to Brahmins, bowing and asking forgiveness.
यथा कृष्णा तथा शुक्ला विधिनैवं प्रकारयेत् । एकादशीं द्विजः पार्थ विभेदं नैव कारयेत्
Just as for the dark fortnight, so for the bright, one should perform the rite in this manner; a twice-born, O Partha, should not make any distinction regarding Ekadashi.
एवं हि कुरुते यस्तु शृणु तस्य हि यत्फलम् । शंखोद्धारे नरः स्नात्वा दृष्ट्वा देवं गदाधरम्
Whoever acts thus, hear what result he attains; after bathing at the Shankha-uddhara, seeing the god with the mace.
एकादश्युपवासस्य कलां नार्हति षोडशीम् । संक्रांतिषु चतुर्लक्षं यो ददाति नृपोत्तम
Even giving four hundred thousand at the solstices, O best of kings, does not equal one-sixteenth of the merit of fasting on Ekadashi.
एकादश्युपवासस्य कलां नार्हति षोडशीम् । प्रभासक्षेत्रे यत्पुण्यं ग्रहणे चंद्र सूर्ययोः
The merit gained at Prabhasa, or during the lunar or solar eclipse, does not equal one-sixteenth of the merit of fasting on Ekadashi.
तत्फलं जायते नूनमेकादश्युपवासिनः । केदारे चोदकं पीत्वा पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते
That result surely arises for the Ekadashi faster; drinking water at Kedara, one does not experience rebirth.
तथा चैकादशी पार्थ गर्भवासक्षयंकरी । अश्वमेधस्य यज्ञस्य पृथिव्यां यत्फलं लभेत्
Thus, O Partha, Ekadashi destroys the stay in the womb; the fruit obtained from the horse sacrifice on earth is attained.
तस्माच्छतगुणं पुण्यमेकादश्युपवासिनः । तपस्विनो गृहे यस्य भुंजते च द्विजोत्तमाः
Therefore, the merit of one who fasts on Ekadashi is a hundred times greater than that gained by ascetics in whose house the best of Brahmins partake of food.
तत्फलं जायते नूनमेकादश्युपवासिनः । गोसहस्रेण यत्पुण्यं दत्वा वेदांतपारगे
Certainly, the fruit obtained by one who fasts on Ekadashi equals the merit earned by gifting a thousand cows to a knower of the Vedas.
तस्माच्छतगुणं पुण्यमेकादश्युपवासिनः । येषां देहे त्रयो देवा ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः
Therefore, the merit of one who fasts on Ekadashi is a hundred times greater than that of those in whose bodies the three gods—Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara—reside.
वसंति तेषां ते तुल्या एकादश्युपवासिनः । ते नराः पुण्यकर्माणो ये भक्ता हरिपूजकाः
Those who fast on Ekadashi are equal to them; those men of virtuous deeds who are devoted and worshippers of Hari.
एकादशीव्रतस्यापि पुण्यसंख्या न विद्यते । एतत्पुण्यं भवेत्तस्य यत्सुरैरपि दुर्ल्लभम्
Even the quantity of merit from the vow of Ekadashi cannot be known; this merit is attained by him which is difficult even for the gods to obtain.
एतस्मादर्द्धपुण्यं तु प्राप्यते नक्तभोजनात् । नक्तस्यार्द्धं भवेत्पुण्यमेकभक्तेन देहिनाम्
From eating only at night, one attains half of this merit; and from eating once, embodied beings obtain half of the merit of eating at night.
तावद्गर्जंति तीर्थानि दानानि नियमानि च । यावन्नोपोषयेज्जंतुर्वासरं विष्णुवल्लभम्
So long as a being does not observe the day dear to Vishnu, pilgrimages, gifts, and vows resound in vain.
तस्मात्त्वं पांडवश्रेष्ठ व्रतमेतत्समाचर । पुण्यसंख्यां न जानामि यत्त्वं पृच्छसि पांडव
Therefore, O best of the Pandavas, you should observe this vow; as for the measure of its merit which you ask, O Pandava, I do not know.
एतद्धि कथितं पार्थ यद्गोप्यं व्रतमुत्तमम् । एकादशीसमं नास्ति कृत्वा यज्ञसहस्रकम्
This supreme vow, which is to be kept secret, has been described to you, O Partha; there is nothing equal to Ekadashi, even after performing a thousand sacrifices.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- उत्पन्ना सा कथं देव पुण्या चैकादशी तिथिः । कथं पवित्रा विश्वेऽस्मिन्कथं वै देवताप्रिया
Yudhishthira said: How did that meritorious Ekadashi day arise, O Lord? How did it become pure in this world, and how did it become dear to the gods?
श्रीभगवानुवाच - पुरा कृतयुगे पार्थ मुरनामेति दानवः । अत्यद्भुतो महारौद्र सर्वदेवभयंकरः 6.38.
The Blessed Lord said: In ancient times, in the Krita Yuga, O Partha, there was a demon named Mura, exceedingly wondrous and terribly fierce, a source of fear for all the gods.
इंद्रोऽपि निर्जितस्तेन सर्वदेवास्तथा नृप । महासुरेण तेनैव मृत्युना च दुरात्मना
Even Indra was defeated by him, and all the gods as well, O king, by that great demon, that wicked one who was like death itself.
स्वर्गान्निराकृतास्तेन विचरंति महीतले । सशंका भयभीताश्च सर्वे गत्वा महेश्वरम्
Driven out of heaven by him, they wandered the earth, all filled with doubt and fear, and went to Maheshvara.
इंद्रेण कथितं सर्वमीश्वरस्यापि चाग्रतः । स्वर्गलोकपरिभ्रष्टा विचरंति महीतले
Indra recounted everything before Ishvara; having fallen from the heavenly world, they wandered the earth.
मर्त्येषु संस्थिता देवा न शोभंते महेश्वर । उपायं ब्रूहि मे देव ह्यमरा यांति कां गतिम्
The gods, dwelling among mortals, did not shine, O Maheshvara; tell me a means, O Lord, for the immortals to regain their state.
महादेव उवाच- देवराजसुरश्रेष्ठयत्रास्तेगरुडध्वजः । शरण्यश्च जगन्नाथः परित्राता परायणः
Mahadeva said: Where the lord of Garuda’s banner, the refuge, the lord of the world, the savior, and the supreme goal abides, there, O best of gods and chiefs of demons, you should go.
तत्र गच्छ सुरश्रेष्ठ स वो रक्षां विधास्यति । ईश्वरस्य वचः श्रुत्वा देवराजो महामतिः
Go there, O best of gods; he will provide you protection. Hearing the words of Ishvara, the king of the gods, wise as he was,
त्रिदशैः सहितो यत्र गतस्तत्र युधिष्ठिर । जलमध्ये प्रसुप्तं तं दृष्ट्वा देवं गदाधरम्
Went there with the gods, O Yudhishthira, and, seeing the club-bearing god lying asleep in the waters—
कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा इंद्रः स्तोत्रमुदीरयत्
With hands joined in reverence, Indra began to recite a hymn.
इंद्र उवाच- ॐनमो देवदेवेश देवदानववंदित । दैत्यारे पुंडरीकाक्ष त्राहि नो मधुसूदन
Indra said: Om, obeisance to you, Lord of gods, revered by gods and demons; enemy of the Daityas, lotus-eyed one, Madhusudana, protect us.