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!'
यतः पत्नीवशोपेतो गायमानो ममाग्रतः । वचनात्तस्य राजेंद्र रक्षोरूपो बभूव सः
Because, under the sway of your wife, you sang before me—by my words, O king, he assumed the form of a Rakshasa.
रौद्राननो विरूपाक्षो दृष्टमात्रो भयंकरः । बाहूयोजनविस्तीर्णौ मुखं कंदरसन्निभम्
With a fierce face, deformed eyes, terrifying at a glance, his arms stretched a yojana wide, his mouth like a mountain cave.
चंद्रसूर्यनिभे नेत्रे ग्रीवापर्वतसंनिभा । नासारंध्रे तु विवरे अधरौ योजनायतौ
His eyes resembled the moon and sun, his neck like a mountain; his nostrils were gaping holes, his lips a yojana long.
शरीरं तस्य राजेंद्र उत्थितं योजनाष्टकम् । ईदृशो राक्षसो भूत्वा भुंजानः कर्मणः फलम्
His body, O king, rose to eight yojanas in height; thus, having become a Rakshasa, he suffered the fruit of his actions.
ललिता तु तथालोक्य स्वपतिं विकृताकृतिम् । चिंतयामास मनसा दुःखेन महतार्दिता
Lalitā, seeing her husband in such a deformed state, was deeply afflicted with sorrow and began to ponder in her mind.
किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि पतिः शापेन पीडितः । इति संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य मनसा शर्म नालभत्
"What shall I do? Where shall I go? My husband is tormented by a curse." Thinking this over and over in her mind, she found no peace.
चचार पतिना सार्द्धं ललिता गहने वने । बभ्राम विपिने दुर्गे कामरूपी स राक्षसः
Lalitā wandered with her husband in the dense forest; that Rākṣasa, able to assume any form at will, roamed in the wild and difficult woods.
निर्घृणः पापनिरतो विरूपः पुरुषादकः । न सुखं लभते रात्रौ न दिवा पापपीडितः
Cruel, intent on evil, hideous, and a devourer of men, he found no happiness by night or day, afflicted by sin.
ललिता दुःखितातीव पतिं दृष्ट्वा तथाविधम् । बभ्राम तेन सार्द्धं सा रुदती गहने वने
Lalitā, seeing her husband in such a miserable state, wandered with him, weeping, in the dense forest.
दृष्ट्वाश्रमपदं रम्यं मुनिं संशांतविग्रहम् । शीघ्रं जगाम ललिता नमस्कृत्याग्रतः स्थिता
Seeing a beautiful hermitage and a sage of peaceful appearance, Lalitā quickly approached, offered her respects, and stood before him.
तां दृष्ट्वा स मुनिः प्राह दुःखितां हि दयापरः । का त्वं कस्मादिहायाता सत्यं वद ममाग्रतः
Seeing her, the compassionate sage spoke to the sorrowful woman: "Who are you? Why have you come here? Tell me the truth before me."
ललितोवाच- वीरधन्वेति गंधर्वः सुता तस्य महात्मनः । ललितां नाम मां विद्धि पत्यर्थमिह चागताम्
Lalitā said: "Know me as Lalitā, daughter of the great Gandharva Vīradhanvan. I have come here for the sake of my husband."
भर्ता मे पापदोषेण राक्षसोऽभून्महामुने । रौद्ररूपो दुराचारस्तं दृष्ट्वा नास्ति मे सुखम्
"My husband, because of a sinful fault, has become a Rākṣasa, O great sage—terrible in form and wicked in conduct. Seeing him, I have no happiness."
सांप्रतं शाधि मां ब्रह्मन्यत्कृत्यं तद्वद प्रभो । कुरुष्व तद् व्रतं भद्रे विधिपूर्वं मयोदितम्
"Now instruct me, O revered one, on what should be done. Tell me, lord, what vow I should undertake, as prescribed by the rules."
ऋषिरुवाच- चैत्रमासस्य रंभोरु शुक्लपक्षोऽस्ति सांप्रतम् । कामदैकादशीनाम पापघ्नी ललिते परा
The sage said: "O Rambha-hipped one, now is the bright fortnight of the month of Caitra. Among vows, the Kāmada Ekādaśī is supreme, O Lalitā, destroyer of sin."
कुरुष्व तद्व्रतं भद्रे विधिपूर्वं मयोदितम् । अस्य व्रतस्य यत्पुण्यं तत्स्वभर्त्रे प्रदीयताम्
"Perform that vow, O blessed one, as I have prescribed. Let the merit of this vow be given to your husband."
दत्ते पुण्येक्षणात्तस्य शापदोषः प्रयास्यति । इति श्रुत्वा मुनेर्वाक्यं ललिता हर्षिताभवत्
"When the merit is given to him, the fault of the curse will depart." Hearing the sage's words, Lalitā became filled with joy.
उपोष्यैकादशीं राजन्द्वादशीदिवसे तथा । विप्रस्यैव समीपे तद्वासुदेवस्य चाग्रतः
Having observed the Ekādaśī fast, on the following Dvādaśī day, she remained near the sage and before Vāsudeva.
वाक्यमुवाच ललिता स्वपत्युस्तारणाय वै । मया तु तद्व्रतं चीर्णं कामदाया उपोषणम्
Lalitā spoke these words for the deliverance of her husband: "I have performed the vow of Kāmada, observing the fast."
तस्य पुण्यप्रभावेन गच्छत्वस्य पिशाचता । ललितावचनादेव वर्त्तमानोऽपि तत्क्षणे
"By the power of this merit, let his state as a Piśāca depart." Even as Lalitā spoke, at that very moment, though still present, it happened.