स्रग्दामलंबितग्रीवं सर्वधूपविधूपितम् । दीपमालाकुलं कुर्यात्सर्वतः सुमनोहरम्
Its neck should be garlanded with a fresh wreath, perfumed with all kinds of incense; one should make it surrounded everywhere by rows of lamps, making it most delightful.
तस्योपरि न्यसेत्पात्रं दिव्यलाजैः प्रपूरितम् । पात्रोपरि न्यसेद्देवं जामदग्न्यं महाप्रभम्
Upon it, one should place a vessel filled with divine roasted grains; above the vessel, one should set the radiant image of Jamadagni.
विशोकाय नमः पादौ जानुनी विश्वरूपिणे । उग्राय च ततोऽप्यूरू कटी दामोदराय च
Obeisance to the sorrowless one at the feet, to the universal form at the knees; then to the fierce one at the thighs, and to Dāmodara at the hips.
उदरं पद्मनाभाय उरः श्रीवत्सधारिणे । चक्रिणे वामबाहुं च दक्षिणं गदिने नमः 6.45.
Obeisance to Padmanābha at the belly, to the bearer of Śrīvatsa at the chest; to the discus-holder at the left arm, and to the mace-bearer at the right.
वैकुंठाय नमः कंठमास्यं यज्ञमुखाय वै । नासां विशोकनिधये वासुदेवाय चाक्षिणी
Obeisance to Vaikuṇṭha at the neck, to the mouth as the face of sacrifice; to the treasure of sorrowlessness at the nose, and to Vāsudeva at the eyes.
ललाटं वामनायेति रामायेति भ्रुवौ नमः । सर्वात्मने तु तच्छीर्षं नम इत्यभिपूजयेत्
Obeisance to Vāmana at the forehead, to Rāma at the brows; to the soul of all at the head—thus one should worship.
इति पूजामंत्रः । ततो देवाधिदेवाय अर्घं चैव प्रदापयेत् । फलेन चैव शुभ्रेण भक्तियुक्तेन चेतसा
Thus is the worship mantra: Then one should offer arghya to the god of gods, with a pure fruit and a mind filled with devotion.
ततो जागरणं कुर्याद्भक्तियुक्तेन चेतसा । नृत्यैर्गीतैश्च वादित्रैर्द्धर्माख्यानैः स्तवैरपि
Then one should keep vigil with a mind full of devotion, with dances, songs, musical instruments, recitations of dharma, and hymns.
वैष्णवैश्च तथाख्यानैः क्षपयेत्सर्वशर्वरीम् । प्रदक्षिणां ततः कुर्याद्धात्र्या वै विष्णुनामभिः
And with Vaiṣṇava stories, one should pass the whole night; then one should circumambulate the tree, reciting the names of Viṣṇu.
अष्टाधिकं शतं चैव अष्टाविंशतिरेव वा । ततः प्रभाते समये कृत्वा नीराजनं हरेः
One should perform one hundred and eight, or twenty-eight, circumambulations; then, at dawn, perform the waving of lights for Hari.
ब्राह्मणं पूजयित्वा तु सर्वं तस्मै निवेदयेत् । जामदग्न्य घटे तत्र वस्त्रयुग्ममुपानहौ
After worshipping a brāhmaṇa, one should offer everything to him: the Jamadagni pot, a pair of garments, and sandals.
जामदग्न्यस्वरूपेण प्रीयतां मम केशवः । ततश्चामलकीं स्पृष्ट्वा कृत्वा चैव प्रदक्षिणाम्
May Keśava be pleased with me in the form of Jamadagni; then, touching the āmalakī tree and circumambulating it—
स्नानं कृत्वा विधानेन ब्राह्मणान्भोजयेत्ततः । ततश्च स्वयमश्नीयात्कुटुंबेन समावृतः
After bathing according to the prescribed rite, one should feed the Brahmins; then, together with one's family, one may eat oneself.
एवं कृतेन यत्पुण्यं तत्सर्वं कथयामि ते । सर्वतीर्थेषु यत्पुण्यं सर्वदानेषु यत्फलम्
I will now tell you all the merit obtained by performing this; it equals the merit gained at all sacred waters and the fruit of all gifts.
सर्वयज्ञाधिकं चैव लभते नात्र संशयः । एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं व्रतानामुत्तमं व्रतम्
Indeed, one attains even more than all sacrifices—of this there is no doubt; I have thus described to you the supreme vow among all vows.
एतावदुक्त्वा देवेशस्तत्रैवांतरधीयत । ते चापि ऋषयः सर्वे चक्रुः सर्वमशेषतः
Having spoken thus, the Lord of the gods vanished there itself; and all those sages performed everything completely.
तथा त्वमपि राजेन्द्र कर्तुमर्हसि सत्तम । व्रतमेतद्दुराधर्षं सर्वपापप्रमोचनम्
In the same way, O best of kings, you too should undertake this difficult vow, which destroys all sins.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- फाल्गुनस्य सिते पक्षे श्रुता चामलकी तथा । चैत्रस्य कृष्णपक्षे तु किं नामैकादशी भवेत्
Yudhishthira said: In the bright fortnight of Phalguna, the Amalaki vow has been heard; in the dark fortnight of Chaitra, what is the name of the Ekadashi?
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- शृणु राजेंद्र वक्ष्यामि आख्यानं पापनाशनम् । यल्लोमशोऽब्रवीत्पृष्टो मांधात्रा चक्रवर्तिना
Shri Krishna said: Listen, O king, I will tell you a story that destroys sin, which Lomasha spoke when asked by Mandhata, the emperor.
मांधातोवाच - भगवन्श्रोतुमिच्छामि लोकानां हितकाम्यया । चैत्रस्य प्रथमे पक्षे का नामैकादशी भवेत् । को विधिः किं फलं तस्याः कथयस्व प्रसादतः
Mandhata said: O Lord, desiring the welfare of all beings, I wish to hear: In the bright fortnight of Chaitra, what is the name of the Ekadashi? What is its rite, and what is its fruit? Please tell me out of your grace.
लोमश उवाच- चैत्रमास्यसिते पक्षे नाम्ना वै पापमोचनी । एकादशी समाख्याता पिशाचत्वविनाशिनी
Lomasha said: In the bright fortnight of the month of Chaitra, the Ekadashi called Papamochani, destroyer of sins and of the state of being a ghost, is renowned.
शृणु तस्याः प्रवक्ष्यामि कामदां सिद्धिदां नृप । कथां विचित्रां शुभदां पापघ्नीं धर्मदायिनीम्
Hear now, O king, the wondrous, auspicious, sin-destroying, and virtue-bestowing story of that Ekadashi, which grants desires and success.
पुरा चैत्ररथोद्देशे अप्सरोगणसेविते । वसंतसमये प्राप्ते षट्पदाकुलिते वने
Long ago, in the region of Chaitraratha, attended by groups of Apsaras, when spring arrived and the forest was filled with bees,
गंधर्वकन्यावादित्रै रमंति सह किंनरैः । पाकशासनमुख्याश्च क्रीडांते त्रिदिवौकसः
Gandharva maidens, skilled in music, enjoyed themselves there with Kinnaras, and the chief of the gods, along with the residents of heaven, played there as well.
नापरं सुखदं किंचिद्विना चैत्ररथाद्वनम् । तस्मिन्वने तु मुनयस्तपंति बहुलं तपः
There is no other place as delightful as the Chaitraratha forest; in that forest, sages performed intense austerities.
मेधावि नामानमृषिं तत्रस्थं ब्रह्मचारिणम् । अप्सरास्तं मुनिवरं मोहनायोपचक्रमे
There, an ascetic named Medhavi, a celibate sage, was present; the Apsaras began to try to enchant that great sage.
मंजुघोषेति विख्याता भावं तस्य वितन्वती । क्रोशमात्रं स्थिता तस्य भयादाश्रमसन्निधौ
One named Manjughosha, spreading her charm, stood at a distance of a krosha from his hermitage, out of fear.
गायंती मधुरं साधु पीडयंती विपंचिकाम् । गायंतीं तामथालोक्य पुष्पचंदनसेविताम्
Singing sweetly and skillfully, playing the Vina, she sang while adorned with flowers and sandalwood, and he saw her thus.
कामोऽपि विजयाकांक्षी शिवभक्तान्मुनीश्वरान् । तस्याः शरीरे संवासमकरोन्मनसः सुतः
Even Kama, desiring victory over the great sages devoted to Shiva, entered her body—the son of the mind.
कृत्वा भ्रुवौ धनुष्कोटिं गुणं कृत्वा कटाक्षकम् । मार्गणौ नयने कृत्वा पक्ष्मयुक्ते यथाक्रमम्
He made her eyebrows into the bow's ends, her sidelong glances into the bowstring, and her eyes, with their lashes, into arrows, just as is proper.