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.
गतपापः स ललितो दिव्यदेहो बभूव ह । राक्षसत्वं गतं तस्य प्राप्ता गंधर्वता पुनः
Freed from sin, Lalita's husband attained a divine body; his Rākṣasa state vanished, and he regained his Gandharva form.
हेमरत्नसमाकीर्णो रेमे ललितया सह । विमानवरमारूढौ पूर्वरूपाधिकौ च तौ
Surrounded by gold and jewels, he rejoiced together with Lalitā; both, surpassing their former forms, ascended the excellent celestial chariot.
दंपती अत्यशोभेतां कामदायाः प्रभावतः । इति ज्ञात्वा नृपश्रेष्ठ कर्तव्यैषा प्रयत्नतः
The husband and wife shone exceedingly by the power of Kāmadā. Knowing this, O foremost of kings, this should be performed with diligence.
लोकानां तु हितार्थाय तवाग्रे कथिता मया । ब्रह्महत्यादि पापघ्नी पिशाचत्वविनाशनी
For the welfare of the worlds, I have spoken this before you; it destroys sins such as killing a Brahmin and eradicates the state of being a ghost.
नातः परतरा काचित्त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे । पठनाच्छ्रवणाद्राजन्वाजपेयफलं लभेत्
There is nothing superior to this in the three worlds, among moving and unmoving beings; by reciting or hearing it, O king, one attains the fruit of the Vājapeya sacrifice.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे उमापतिनारदसंवादे चैत्रशुक्ला कामदानाम सप्तचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-seventh chapter called 'Kāmadā' in the dialogue between Umāpati and Nārada, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa, comprising fifty-five thousand verses.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- वैशाखस्यासिते पक्षे किंनामैकादशी भवेत् । महिमानं कथय मे वासुदेव नमोऽस्तु ते
Yudhiṣṭhira said: In the dark fortnight of Vaiśākha, what is the name of the Ekādaśī? Tell me its greatness, O Vāsudeva, salutations to you.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- सौभाग्यदायिनी राजन्निहलोके परत्र च । वैशाखकृष्णपक्षे तु नाम्ना चैव वरूथिनी
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O king, it bestows good fortune in this world and the next; in the dark fortnight of Vaiśākha, it is called Varūthinī by name.
वरूथिन्या व्रतेनैव सौख्यं भवति सर्वदा । पापहानिश्च भवति सौभाग्यप्राप्तिरेव च
By the observance of Varūthinī, happiness always arises; sins are destroyed and good fortune is attained.
दुर्भगा या करोत्येनां सा स्त्री सौभाग्यमाप्नुयात् । लोकानां चैव सर्वेषां भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनी
Any woman who is unfortunate and observes this will obtain good fortune; it grants enjoyment and liberation to all beings.
सर्वपापहरा नॄणां गर्भवासनिकृंतनी । वरूथिन्या व्रतेनैव मांधाता स्वर्गतिं गतः
It removes all sins of men and cuts off the bondage of the womb; by the observance of Varūthinī, Māndhātā attained heaven.
धुंधुमारादयश्चान्ये राजानो बहवस्तथा । ब्रह्मकपालनिर्मुक्तो बभूव भगवान्भवः
Dhuṃdhumāra and many other kings likewise, and the blessed Bhava became freed from the sin of Brahmin-slaying.
दशवर्षसहस्राणि तपस्तप्यति यो नरः । कुरुक्षेत्रे रविग्रहे स्वर्णभारं ददाति यः । तत्तुल्यंफलमाप्नोतिवरूथिन्याव्रतंचरन्
A man who performs austerity for ten thousand years, or who gives a load of gold at Kurukṣetra during a solar eclipse, attains the same fruit by observing the Varūthinī vow.
श्रद्धावान्यस्तु कुरुते वरूथिन्या व्रतं नरः । वांछितं लभते सोऽपि इहलोके परत्र च
Any faithful man who observes the Varūthinī vow attains whatever he desires, both in this world and the next.
पवित्रा पावनी ह्येषा महापातकनाशिनी । भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदा चैव कर्तॄणां नृपसत्तम
This is pure and purifying, indeed, and destroys great sins; it grants enjoyment and liberation to those who perform it, O best of kings.
अश्वदानान्नृपश्रेष्ठ गजदानं विशिष्यते । गजदानाद्भूमिदानं तिलदानं ततोऽधिकम्
O foremost of kings, giving a horse surpasses giving an elephant; giving land surpasses giving elephants, and giving sesame is greater still.
तस्माच्च स्वर्णदानं वै अन्नदानं ततोऽधिकम् । अन्नदानात्परं दानं न भूतं न भविष्यति
From that, giving gold is greater, and giving food is greater still; there has never been, nor will there be, a gift superior to giving food.
पितृदेवमनुष्याणां तृप्तिरन्नेन जायते । तत्समं कविभिः प्रोक्तं कन्यादानं नृपोत्तम
Satisfaction for ancestors, gods, and humans arises from food; giving a daughter is declared by poets to be equal to that, O best of kings.
धेनुदानं च तत्तुल्यमित्याह भगवान्स्वयम् । प्रोक्तेभ्यः सर्वदानेभ्यो विद्यादानं विशिष्यते
Giving a cow is also said to be equal, thus declares the Lord himself; among all gifts mentioned, giving knowledge is the highest.
तत्फलं समवाप्नोति नरः कृत्वा वरूथिनीम् । कन्यावित्तेन जीवंति ये नराः पापमोहिताः
A man attains that fruit by performing Varūthinī; those men deluded by sin live by the wealth of daughters.