तद्व्रतं तं तपोयोगं येनैव मम पूर्वजाः । मोक्षं प्रयांति सद्यो वै कथ्यतां च द्विजोत्तमाः
Therefore, tell me, O best of Brahmins, that vow or austerity by which my ancestors may immediately attain liberation.
पुत्रे तु जीवितप्राये बलीयसि महात्मनि । पितास्ति नरके घोरे तस्य पुत्रस्य किं फलम्
If, though the son is mighty and noble and still alive, the father remains in dreadful hell, what is the use of such a son?
ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः - पर्वतस्य मुने राजन्निकटे चाश्रमो महान् । गम्यतां राजशार्दूल भूतं भव्यं विजानतः
The Brahmins said: 'O King, near the mountain is a great hermitage; go there, O tiger among kings, knowing the past and the future.'
तेषां श्रुत्वा ततो वाक्यं राजा वैखानसो महान् । जगाम चाशु तत्रैव चाश्रमं पर्वतस्य च
Hearing their words, the great King Vaikhānasa quickly went to that very hermitage by the mountain.
ब्राह्मणैर्वेष्टितो राजा राजभिश्च समन्वितः । आश्रमं विपुलं तस्य संप्राप्तो राजसत्तमः
Surrounded by Brahmins and accompanied by other kings, the best of kings reached that vast hermitage.
तत्रर्ग्वेद यजुर्वेद सामाध्ययनकोविदैः । वेष्टितं मुनिभिश्चैव द्वितीयं ब्रह्मणो यथा
There, surrounded by sages skilled in the study of the Rigveda, Yajurveda, and Sāma Veda, it appeared like a second Brahmaloka.
दृष्ट्वा तं मुनिशार्दूलं राजा वैखानसस्तथा । दंडवत्प्रणतिं कृत्वा पस्पर्श चरणौ मुनेः
Seeing that foremost sage, King Vaikhānasa bowed down in prostration and touched the feet of the sage.
पप्रच्छ कुशलं तस्य सप्तस्वंगेष्वसौ मुनिः । राज्ये निष्कंटकत्वं च राज्ञः सौख्यसमन्वितम्
The sage inquired about his well-being in the seven limbs, and about the kingdom's freedom from obstacles and the king's happiness.
राजोवाच - तव प्रसादाद्भो स्वामिन्कुशलं मेऽङ्गसप्तसु । भक्ता ये विष्णुविप्रेषु कथं तेषां च विघ्नता
The king said: By your grace, O revered one, I am well in all seven limbs. How can there be obstacles for those who are devoted to Vishnu and the Brahmins?
मया स्वपितरो दृष्टाः स्वप्ने च नरके स्थिताः । कस्य पुण्यस्य सामर्थ्यान्मोक्षं यांति द्विजोत्तम
In a dream, I saw my ancestors dwelling in hell. By the power of what merit do they attain liberation, O best of twice-born?
अयं मे संशयः स्वामिन्प्रष्टुं तं त्वामुपागतः । उपायः कश्चिदेवात्र कर्तव्यो मुनिसत्तम
This is my doubt, O master; I have come to ask you about it. Is there any means here that must be undertaken, O eminent sage?
एतद्वाक्यं ततः श्रुत्वा पर्वतो मुनिसत्तमः । ध्यानस्तिमितनेत्रोऽभूत्तपस्वी ब्रह्मसंनिभः
Hearing these words, the sage Parvata, foremost among ascetics, became still-eyed in meditation, resembling Brahma in austerity.
मुहूर्तमेकं ध्यानस्थो भूपतिं प्रत्युवाच ह । ज्ञातं हि तव राजेंद्र पितॄणां पूर्वचेष्टितम्
After remaining in meditation for a moment, he addressed the king: It is known to me, O king, the previous actions of your ancestors.
पूर्वजन्मनि तातस्ते क्षत्रियो राज्यगर्वितः । सपत्न्या ऋतुकाले तु राजधर्मप्रवर्तितः
In a former birth, your father was a Kshatriya, proud of his sovereignty, and at the proper time, engaged in royal duties with his co-wife.
गतो ग्रामे तु तां त्यक्त्वा कार्यार्थी निजयोषितम् । तव पित्रा तु तस्याश्च न दत्तमृतुदानकम्
Leaving her in the village for the sake of some task, your father did not give her the gift due at the proper time.
तेन पापप्रभावेन नरके पितृभिः सह । पतितो राजशार्दूल तव तातः सुदारुणे
Because of the influence of that sin, your father, O tiger among kings, has fallen into a dreadful hell along with his ancestors.
ततः पुनरुवाचेदं राजा वैखानसो मुनिम् । केन व्रतप्रभावेन मोक्षस्तेषां भवेन्मुने
Then the king again spoke to the sage Vaikhānasa: By the power of what vow can liberation come to them, O sage?
मुनिरुवाच- मार्गशीर्षे सिते पक्षे मोक्षा नामेति नामतः । सर्वैश्चेतद्व्रतं कार्यं पित्रे पुण्यं प्रदीयताम्
The sage said: In the bright fortnight of Mārgaśīrṣa, there is a vow called Moksha Ekadashi. Let all perform this vow, and merit will be offered to the father.
तेन पुण्यप्रभावेन मोक्षस्तेषां भविष्यति । सत्यमेतन्महाभाग ब्रह्मणो वचनं यथा
By the power of that merit, liberation will come to them. This is true, O fortunate one, just as spoken by Brahma.
मुनेर्वाक्यं ततः श्रुत्वा स्वगृहं पुनरागतः । मार्गशीर्षस्तथा मासः प्राप्तः कष्टेन तेन वै
Hearing the sage's words, he returned to his own house. With difficulty, the month of Mārgaśīrṣa arrived for him.
मुनेर्वाक्येन तत्कृत्वा व्रतं वैखानसो नृपः । अददत्पुण्यमखिलैः सार्द्धं पित्रे स भूमिपः
Following the sage's instructions, the king Vaikhānasa performed the vow and, together with all, offered merit to his father.
दत्ते पुण्यक्षणेनैव पुष्पवृष्टिरभूद्दिवि । वैखानसस्य तातो वै पितृभिर्मोक्षमाविशत्
As soon as the merit was given, there was a shower of flowers from the sky. The father of Vaikhānasa entered liberation along with the ancestors.
राजानं चांतरिक्षे स गिरं पुण्यामुवाच ह । स्वस्तिस्वस्तीति ते पुत्र प्रोच्य चैवं दिवं गतः
In the sky, he spoke a blessed message to the king: 'Blessings, blessings to you, my son,' and thus, he departed to heaven.
एवं यः कुरुते राजन्मोक्षामेकादशीं शुभाम् । तस्य पापानि नश्यंति मृतो मोक्षमवाप्नुयात्
Thus, O king, whoever performs the auspicious Moksha Ekadashi, his sins are destroyed, and after death, he attains liberation.
नातः परतरा काचित्मोक्षदैकादशी भवेत् । पुण्यसंख्यां न जानामि राजन्मे प्रियकृद्व्रतम्
There is no other Ekadashi that grants liberation greater than this. I do not know the count of its merits, O king; this vow is dear to me.
चिंतामणिसमा ह्येषा नृणां मोक्षप्रदायिनी । पठनाच्छ्रवणादस्या वाजपेयफलं लभेत्
Indeed, this vow is like a wish-fulfilling jewel, bestowing liberation upon people. By reciting or hearing it, one obtains the fruit of a Vājapeya sacrifice.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- पौषस्य कृष्णपक्षे तु किं नामैकादशी भवेत् । किं नाम को विधिस्तस्या एतद्विस्तरतो वद । एतदाख्याहि भो स्वामिन्को देवस्तत्र पूज्यते
Yudhishthira said: In the dark fortnight of Pausha, what is the name of the Ekadashi? What is its name, what is its observance, and which deity is worshipped on that day? Please tell me all this in detail, O Lord.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- कथयिष्यामि राजेंद्र भवतः स्नेहबंधनात् । तुष्टिर्मे न तथा राजन्यज्ञैर्बहुलदक्षिणैः
Shri Krishna said: I will tell you, O King, because of the bond of affection with you. My satisfaction is not as great from royal sacrifices with abundant gifts.
यथा मे तुष्टिरायाति ह्येकादशीव्रतेन वै । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन कर्त्तव्यो हरिवासरः
As satisfaction comes to me through the observance of Ekadashi, therefore, with all effort, one should perform the day of Hari.
सत्यमेतन्न वै मिथ्या धर्मिष्ठानां विशारद । पौषस्य कृष्णपक्षे या सफला नाम नामतः
This is true, not false, O expert among the righteous. The Ekadashi in the dark fortnight of Pausha is called Saphala by name.