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.
तस्यां नारायणं देवं पूजयेच्च यथाविधि । पूर्वेणैव विधानेन कर्त्तव्यैकादशी शुभा
On that day, one should worship the god Narayana according to proper procedure. The auspicious Ekadashi should be performed as prescribed previously.
नागानां च यथा शेषो पक्षिणां पन्नगाशनः । देवानां च यथा विष्णुर्द्विपदानां यथा द्विजः
As Shesha is among the serpents, Garuda among birds, Vishnu among the gods, and the twice-born among humans,
व्रतानां च यथा राजन्श्रेष्ठा चैकादशी तिथिः । ते जनाश्चैव भो राजन्पूज्या वै सर्वदा मम
So, O King, among vows, Ekadashi is the best date. Those people, O King, are always worthy of worship by me.
हरिवासरसंलीनाः कुर्वंत्येकादशीव्रतम् । इहैव धनसंयुक्ता मृता मोक्षं लभंति ते
Those who are absorbed in the day of Hari and observe the Ekadashi vow, here itself, endowed with wealth, if they die, they attain liberation.
सफलायां फलै राजन्पूजयेन्नामतो हरिम् । नारिकेलफलैश्चैव क्रमुकैर्बीजपूरकैः
On Saphala, O King, one should worship Hari by name with fruits: coconuts, betel nuts, and seed-filled offerings.
जंबीरैर्दाडिमैश्चैव तथा धात्रीफलैः शुभैः । लवंगैर्बदरीभिश्च तथाम्रैश्च विशेषतः
With lemons, pomegranates, and auspicious amla fruits, with cloves, jujubes, and especially with mangoes.
पूजयेद्देवदेवेशं धूपदीपैस्तथैव च । सफलायां विशेषेण दीपदानं तु कारयेत्
One should worship the Lord of gods with incense and lamps. On Saphala, especially, one should offer lamps.
रात्रौ जागरणं चैव कर्त्तव्यं सह वैष्णवैः । यावन्निमेषो नेत्रस्य तावज्जागर्ति यो निशि
At night, one should keep vigil together with Vaishnavas. For as long as the blink of an eye, whoever stays awake during the night—
एकाग्रमनसो राजन्तस्य पुण्यं शृणुष्व हि । तत्समो नास्ति यज्ञो वै तीर्थं वा तत्समं नहि
With focused mind, O King, hear the merit of such a person. There is no sacrifice or pilgrimage equal to it.
सर्वव्रतानि राजेंद्र कलां नार्हंति षोडशीम् । एवं वर्षसहस्राणि तपसा नैव यत्फलम्
O King, all vows do not equal even a sixteenth part of it. Nor does the fruit of a thousand years of austerity equal it.