मंजुघोषा देवलोकगमनायोपचक्रमे । गच्छंती तं प्रत्युवाच रमंतं मुनिसत्तमम् । आदेशो दीयतां ब्रह्मन्स्वदेशगमनाय मे
Mañjughoṣā prepared to depart for the world of the gods; as she was leaving, she spoke to the delighted best of sages: 'Give me permission, O brāhmaṇa, to return to my own abode.'
मेधाव्युवाच- अद्यैव त्वं समायाता प्रदोषादौ वरानने । यावत्प्रभातसंध्या स्यात्तावत्तिष्ठ ममांतिके । इति श्रुत्वा मुनेर्वाक्यं भयभीता बभूव सा
Medhāvin said: 'O beautiful-faced one, you arrived today at the beginning of dusk; remain with me until the morning twilight.' Hearing the sage's words, she became fearful and anxious.
पुनर्वै रमयामास तमृषिं नृपसत्तम । मुनेः शापभयाद्भीता बहुलान्परिवत्सरान्
Again, out of fear of the sage's curse, she continued to delight that seer for many years, O best of kings.
वर्षाणां पंचपंचाशन्नवमासदिनत्रयम् । सा रेमे मुनिना तस्य निशार्द्धमिव चाभवत्
For fifty-five years, nine months, and three days, she enjoyed with the sage; to her, it seemed like only half a night.
सा तं पुनरुवाचाथ तस्मिन्काले गते मुनिम् । आदेशो दीयतां ब्रह्मन्गंतव्यं स्वगृहे मया
Then, when that time had passed, she again spoke to the sage: 'Give me permission, O brāhmaṇa, for I must go to my own home.'
मेधाव्युवाच- प्रभातमधुना चास्ते श्रूयतां वचनं मम । संध्या यावच्च कुर्वेऽहं तावत्त्वं वै स्थिरा भव
Medhāvin said: 'Now it is morning; listen to my words. Remain steady until I complete my morning rites.'
इति वाक्यं मुनेः श्रुत्वा जातानंदसमाकुला । स्मितं कृत्वा तु सा किंचित्प्रत्युवाच शुचिस्मिता
Hearing the sage's words, she became filled with both joy and confusion; smiling a little, that lovely-smiling one replied.
अप्सरा उवाच-। कियत्प्रमाणा विप्रेंद्र तव संध्या गतानघ । मयि प्रसादं कृत्वा तु गतकालो विचार्यताम्
The apsaras said: 'O foremost of brāhmaṇas, how long is your morning rite, O sinless one? Please show me favor and consider how much time has passed.'
इति तस्या वचः श्रुत्वा विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः । गतकालस्य विप्रेंद्र प्रमाणमकरोत्तदा
Hearing her words, his eyes widened in astonishment; O best of Brahmins, he then confirmed the matter of the elapsed time.
समाश्च सप्तपंचाशद्गतास्तस्य तया सह । चुक्रोध सततस्तस्यै ज्वालामाली बभूव ह
Fifty-seven years had passed with her; he became constantly angry at her, and a garland of flames appeared.
नेत्राभ्यां विस्फुलिंगान्स मुंचमानोऽतिकोपनः । कालरूपां तु तां दृष्ट्वा तपसः क्षयकारिणीम्
From his eyes, sparks shot forth as he, filled with great rage, saw her in the form of Time, the destroyer of his austerities.
दुःखार्जितं क्षयं नीतं तपोदृष्ट्वातयासह । सकंपोष्ठो मुनिस्तत्रप्रत्युवाचाकुलेंद्रियः
Seeing that his hard-earned austerities had been brought to ruin by her, the sage trembled, his senses disturbed, and replied there.
तां शशापाथमेधावी त्वं पिशाची भवेति च । धिक्त्वां पापे दुराचारे कुलटे पातकप्रिये
That wise one cursed her: 'Become a piśācī (female ghoul)! Fie upon you, wicked one, of evil conduct, wanton, lover of sin!'
तस्य शापेन सा दग्धा विनयावनता स्थिता । उवाच वचनं सुभ्रूः प्रसादं वांछती मुनिम् । प्रसादं कुरु विप्रेंद्र शापस्यानुग्रहं कुरु
Burned by his curse, she stood humbly, and with beautiful brows spoke, seeking the sage's favor: 'Show me mercy, O best of Brahmins, grant me relief from the curse.'
सतां संगो हि भवति वचोभिः सप्तभिः पदैः । त्वया सह मम ब्रह्मन्नीता वै बहुवत्सराः । एतस्मात्कारणात्स्वामिन्प्रसादं कुरु सुव्रत
'Association with the virtuous is made even by seven steps together; with you, O Brahmin, I have spent many years. For this reason, O steadfast one, show me your grace.'
मुनिरुवाच- शृणु मे वचनं भद्रे शापानुग्रहकारकम् । किं करोमि त्वया पापे क्षयं नीतं महत्तपः
The sage said: 'Hear my words, gentle one, which grant relief from the curse. What can I do, O sinner, when you have destroyed my great austerity?'
चैत्रस्य कृष्णपक्षे तु भवेदेकादशी शुभा । पापमोचनिका नाम सर्वपापक्षयंकरी
'On the eleventh day of the dark fortnight of Caitra, there is an auspicious Ekadashi called Pāpamocanikā, destroyer of all sins.'
तस्या व्रते कृते शुभ्रे पिशाचत्वं प्रयास्यति । इत्युक्त्वा सोऽपि मेधावी जगाम पितुराश्रमम्
'By performing the vow of that day, O fair one, you will be freed from the state of a piśācī.' Having said this, the wise one went to his father's hermitage.
तमागतं समालोक्य च्यवनः प्रत्युवाचतम् । किमेतद्विहितं पुत्र त्वया पुण्यं क्षयं कृतम्
Seeing him arrive, Cyavana addressed him: 'What is this, my son, that you have done, causing your merit to be lost?'
मेधाव्युवाच- पातकं वै कृतं तात रमिता चाप्सरा मया । प्रायश्चित्तं ब्रूहि तात येन पापक्षयो भवेत्
Medhavi said: 'Father, I have committed a sin; I was intimate with an apsaras. Tell me, father, what penance will destroy my sin?'
च्यवन उवाच- चैत्रस्य चासिते पक्षे नाम्ना वै पापमोचनी । अस्या व्रते कृते पुत्र पापराशिः क्षयं व्रजेत्
Cyavana said: 'On the dark fortnight of Caitra, there is a vow called Pāpamocanī. By performing this vow, my son, a heap of sins is destroyed.'
इति श्रुत्वा पितुर्वाक्यं कृतं तेन व्रतोत्तमम् । गतं पापं क्षयं तस्य तपोयुक्तो बभूव सः
Hearing his father's words, he performed that excellent vow; his sin was destroyed, and he became devoted to austerity.
साप्येवं मंजुघोषा च कृत्वैतद्व्रतमुत्तमम् । पिशाचत्वाद्विनिर्मुक्ता पापमोचनिकाव्रतात् । दिव्यरूपधरा सा वै गता नाके वराप्सराः
Likewise, Manjughoṣā performed that supreme vow; freed from the state of a piśācī by the Pāpamocanikā vow, she, assuming a divine form, went to heaven as a foremost apsaras.
लोमश उवाच- पापमोचनिकां राजन्ये कुर्वंति नरोत्तमाः । तेषां पापं च यत्किंचित्तत्सर्वं च क्षयं व्रजेत्
Lomaśa said: 'O king, those best of men who perform the Pāpamocanikā vow, all their sins, whatever they may be, are destroyed.'
पठनाच्छ्रवणाद्राजन्गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । ब्रह्महा हेमहारी च सुरापो गुरुतल्पगः
By reciting or hearing this, O king, one obtains the merit of a thousand cows; even a Brahmin-killer, gold thief, drinker of liquor, or violator of the teacher's bed—
व्रतस्य चास्य करणात्पापमुक्ता भवंति ते । बहुपुण्यप्रदं ह्येतत्करणाद्व्रतमुत्तमम्
By performing this vow, they become freed from sin; for this supreme vow bestows abundant merit.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- वासुदेव नमस्तुभ्यं कथयस्व ममाग्रतः । चैत्रस्य शुक्लपक्षे तु किं नामैकादशी भवेत्
Yudhishthira said: O Vasudeva, I bow to you. Please tell me, right before me, what is the name of the Ekadashi that occurs in the bright fortnight of Chaitra?
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- शृणुष्वैकमना राजन्कथां पुण्यां पुरातनीम् । वसिष्ठो यामकथयत्प्राग्दिलीपाय पृच्छते
Shri Krishna said: Listen attentively, O King, to this ancient and meritorious story, which Vasishtha once told to Dilipa when he inquired.
दिलीप उवाच- भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि कथयस्व प्रसादतः । चैत्रमासि सिते पक्षे किंनामैकादशी भवेत्
Dilipa said: O venerable one, I wish to hear—please tell me graciously—what is the name of the Ekadashi in the bright half of the month of Chaitra?
वसिष्ठ उवाच- साधु पृष्टं त्वया राजन्कथयामि तवाग्रतः । चैत्रस्य शुक्लपक्षे तु कामदा नाम नामतः
Vasishtha said: Well asked, O King; I shall tell you directly. In the bright fortnight of Chaitra, it is called by name Kamada.