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.
एकादशी पुण्यतमा पापेंधनदवानलः । शृणु राजन्कथामेतां पापघ्नीं पुण्यदायिनीम्
This Ekadashi is supremely meritorious, a wildfire consuming the wealth of sin. Listen, O King, to this story, which destroys sin and bestows merit.
पुरा नागपुरे रम्ये हेमरत्नविभूषिते । पुंडरीकमुखा नागा निवसंति महोत्कटाः
Long ago, in the beautiful city of Nagapura, adorned with gold and jewels, mighty serpents with faces like lotuses resided.
तस्मिन्पुरे पुंडरीको राजा राज्यं चकार सः । गन्धर्वैः किन्नरैश्चैव अप्सरोभिश्च सेव्यते
In that city, Pundarika was king, ruling his realm, attended by Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and Apsaras.
वराप्सरास्तु ललिता गंधर्वो ललितस्तथा । उभौ रागेण संरक्तौ दंपती कामपीडितौ
Among the best Apsaras was Lalita, and among the Gandharvas, Lalita as well; both were bound by passion, a couple afflicted by desire.
रेमाते स्वगृहे रम्ये धनधान्ययुते तदा । ललितायाश्च हृदये पतिर्वसति सर्वदा
They delighted in their splendid home, filled with wealth and grain; and in Lalita’s heart, her husband always dwelled.
हृदये तस्य ललिता नित्यं वसति भामिनी । एकदा पुंडरीकोऽथ क्रीडते सदसि स्थितः
And in his heart, Lalita, the radiant one, always resided. One day, as Pundarika played in the assembly hall—
गीतं गानं प्रकुरुते ललितो दयितां विना । पदबंधस्खलज्जिह्वो बभूव ललितां स्मरन्
Lalita sang a song, but without his beloved; his tongue faltered in the arrangement of words, for he was thinking of Lalita.
मनोभावं विदित्वास्य कर्कटो नागसत्तमः । पदबंधच्युतिं तस्य पुंडरीके न्यवेदयत्
Perceiving his state of mind, Karkata, the foremost of serpents, reported his lapse in song to Pundarika.
श्रुत्वा कर्कोटकवचः पुंडरीको भुजंगराट् । क्रोधसंरक्तनयनो बभूवातिभयंकरः
Hearing Karkotaka’s words, Pundarika, king of serpents, his eyes red with anger, became exceedingly terrifying.
शशाप ललितं तत्र गायंतं मदनातुरम् । राक्षसो भव दुर्बुद्धे क्रव्यादः पुरुषादकः
He cursed Lalita there, who was singing, maddened by love: 'Become a Rakshasa, you fool, a flesh-eating, man-devouring demon!'