तिथिरेका भवेत्सर्वा पक्षयोरुभयोरपि । उभयैकादशी स्वल्पा ह्यंते चैव त्रयोदशी
The tithi is always Ekadashi in both lunar fortnights; the two Ekadashis are slight, and at the end there is Trayodashi.
मध्ये तु द्वादशी पूर्णा त्रिस्पृशा सा हरिप्रिया । एकामुपोषयेत्तां वै सहस्रैकादशीफलम्
In the middle, Dvadashi is complete, touching three days, and is dear to Hari. One who observes it will obtain the fruit of a thousand Ekadashis.
सहस्रगुणितं ह्येवं द्वादश्यां पारणे कृते । अष्टम्येकादशी षष्ठी तृतीया च चतुर्दशी
When the fast is broken on the twelfth day in this way, its merit is multiplied a thousandfold; the eighth, eleventh, sixth, third, and fourteenth days—
पूर्वविद्धा न कर्तव्या परविद्धामुपोषयेत् । एकादशी ह्यहोरात्रं प्रभाते घटिका भवेत्
—should not be observed if they are joined to the previous day, but one should fast when they are joined to the following day; the eleventh day should last for a full day and night, extending into the morning by a few moments.
सा तिथिः परिहर्तव्या उपोष्या द्वादशीयुता । एवंविधा मया प्रोक्ता पक्षयोरुभयोरपि
That lunar day should be avoided if not accompanied by the twelfth; thus I have explained the proper observance for both halves of the lunar month.
एकादश्यां प्रकुर्वीत ह्युपवासं न संशयः । ते यांति वैष्णवं स्थानं यत्रास्ते गरुडध्वजः
One should certainly undertake the fast on the eleventh day; there is no doubt about this. Those who do so attain the abode of Viṣṇu, where the Lord with Garuḍa as his banner resides.
धन्यास्ते मानवा लोके विष्णुभक्तिपरायणाः । एकादश्याश्च माहात्म्यं सर्वकालेषु यः पठेत्
Blessed are those people in the world who are devoted to Viṣṇu; and whoever recites the greatness of the eleventh day at all times—
गोसहस्रफलं सोऽपि पुण्यं प्राप्नोति मानवः । दिवा वा यदि वा रात्रौ ये वै शृण्वंति भक्तितः
—that person also obtains the merit of giving a thousand cows. Whether by day or by night, those who listen with devotion—
ब्रह्महत्यादिपापेभ्यो मुच्यंते नात्र संशयः । विष्णुधर्मसमं नास्ति गीतार्थं च नृपोत्तम । एकादशीसमं नास्ति व्रतं पापप्रणाशनम्
—are freed from sins such as the killing of a brāhmaṇa; there is no doubt of this. There is nothing equal to the dharma of Viṣṇu, nor to the meaning of the Gītā, O best of kings; and there is no vow equal to the eleventh day for destroying sin.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- वंदे विष्णुं विभुं साक्षाल्लोकत्रयसुखावहम् । विश्वेशं विश्वकर्तारं पुराणं पुरुषोत्तमम्
Yudhiṣṭhira said: I bow to Viṣṇu, the all-pervading Lord, who brings happiness to the three worlds, the Lord of the universe, the creator of all, the ancient one, the supreme person.
पृच्छामि देवदेवेश संशयोऽस्ति महान्मम । लोकानां च हितार्थाय पापानां क्षयहेतवे
I ask you, Lord of gods, for I have a great doubt; for the welfare of the worlds and the destruction of sins—
मार्गशीर्षेसिते पक्षे भवेदेकादशी तु या । किं नाम को विधिस्तस्याः को देवस्तत्र पूज्यते । एतदाचक्ष्व मे स्वामिन्विस्तरेण यथातथम्
—what is the name, what is the rule, and which deity is worshipped on the eleventh day that falls in the bright half of Mārgaśīrṣa? Please tell me this in detail, exactly as it is, O master.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- साधु पृष्टं त्वया राजन्साधु ते विमलं यशः । कथयिष्यामि राजेंद्र हरिवासरमुत्तमम्
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Well asked, O king, your pure fame is praiseworthy. I will tell you, O king of kings, about the supreme day of Hari.
उत्पन्ना चासिते पक्षे द्वादशी मम वल्लभा । मार्गशीर्षोत्पत्तिरिति मम देह समुद्भवा
The twelfth day, which arises in the bright half, is dear to me; the eleventh day of Mārgaśīrṣa, called 'Utpatti,' arose from my own body.
सुरासुरवधार्थाय ह्युत्पन्ना भरतर्षभ । कथिता च मया सा वै तवाग्रे राजसत्तम
It was manifested, O best of the Bharatas, for the destruction of gods and demons; and I have described it to you before, O best of kings.
पूर्वा चैकादशी राजंस्त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे । मार्गशीर्षे सिते पक्षे उत्पत्तिरिति नामतः
The earlier eleventh day, O king, is known throughout the three worlds, both moving and unmoving, as 'Utpatti,' falling in the bright half of Mārgaśīrṣa.
अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि मार्गशीर्षे सिता तु या । यस्याः श्रवणमात्रेण वाजपेयफलं लभेत्
Now I will explain further about the one that falls in the bright half of Mārgaśīrṣa, by hearing of which alone one obtains the merit of a Vājapeya sacrifice.
मोक्षा नामेति सा प्रोक्ता सर्वपापहरा परा । देवं दामोदरं राजन्पूजयेच्च प्रयत्नतः
It is called 'Mokṣadā,' the supreme remover of all sins; O king, one should worship the god Dāmodara with great devotion.
तुलस्या मंजरीभिश्च धूपैर्दीपैः प्रयत्नतः । पूर्वेण विधिना चैव दशम्येकादशी तथा
With basil flower clusters, incense, and lamps, with great care, and according to the prescribed method, on the tenth and eleventh days as well.
मोक्षा चैकादशी नाम्ना महापातकनाशिनी । रात्रौ जागरणं कार्यं नृत्यगीतस्तवैर्मम
The eleventh day called 'Mokṣadā' destroys great sins; during the night, one should keep vigil with dance, song, and hymns to me.
शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि दिव्यां पौराणिकीकथाम् । यस्याः श्रवणमात्रेण सर्वपापक्षयो भवेत्
Hear, O King, I shall relate a divine ancient tale, by merely hearing which all sins are destroyed.
अधोयोनिगतश्चैव पितरो यस्य पापतः । अस्याश्च पुण्यदानेन मोक्षं यांति न संशयः
The ancestors who, due to sin, have fallen into lower wombs, surely attain liberation by the giving of merit from this story—there is no doubt.
चंपके नगरे रम्ये वैष्णवैश्च विभूषिते । वैखानसो नाम नृपः पुत्रवत्पालयेत्प्रजाः
In the beautiful city of Campaka, adorned by devotees of Vishnu, there was a king named Vaikhānasa who protected his subjects as if they were his own children.
वसंति बहवो विप्रा वेदवेदांगपारगाः । ऋद्धिमत्यः प्रजास्तस्य राज्ञो वैखानसस्य हि
Many learned Brahmins, accomplished in the Vedas and their branches, dwelled there, and the subjects of King Vaikhānasa were prosperous indeed.
एवं राज्यं प्रकुर्वाणो रात्रौ स्वप्नस्य मध्यतः । स्वकीयपितरो दृष्ट्वा अधोयोनिगता नृप
While thus ruling his kingdom, in the middle of the night, the king saw his own ancestors in a dream, fallen into lower births.
एवं दृष्ट्वा च तान्सर्वान्विस्मयाविष्टमानसः । कथयामास वृत्तांतं स्वप्नजातं द्विजान्प्रति
Having seen them all in this way, his mind overcome with astonishment, he recounted the dream-born event to the Brahmins.
राजोवाच- मया स्वपितरो दृष्ट्वा नरकोपगता द्विजाः । तारयेति तनूजत्वमस्मान्निरयसागरात्
The king said: 'O Brahmins, I saw my ancestors fallen into hell; as their son, deliver us from the ocean of hell.'
एवं ब्रुवाणास्ते नूनं रोदमाना मुहुर्मुहुः । मया दृष्टा द्विजश्रेष्ठा एतस्माच्च न मे सुखम्
Thus they spoke, weeping again and again; O best of Brahmins, I saw them, and because of this I find no happiness.
एतद्राज्यं मम महत्सुखदायि न विद्यते । अश्वा गजास्तथा सर्वे रोचंते मे न भो द्विजाः
This great kingdom of mine does not give me happiness; neither horses nor elephants please me now, O Brahmins.
न दारा न सुता मह्यं रोचंते द्विजसत्तमाः । किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि हृदयं मेऽवरुध्यते
Neither wives nor sons delight me, O best of Brahmins; what shall I do, where shall I go? My heart is constrained.