एकादश्यां न भुंजीत पक्षयोरुभयोरपि । एकादश्यां सिते पक्षे ज्येष्ठेमास्युदकं विना
One should not eat on Ekādaśī, on either fortnight; especially in the bright fortnight of Jyeṣṭha, one should fast without water.
पुण्यं फलमवाप्नोति तच्छृणुष्व वृकोदर । संवत्सरे तु या प्रोक्ताः शुक्लः कृष्णा वृकोदर
He attains the holy fruit—listen, Vṛkodara—of all the Ekādaśīs, both bright and dark, that are prescribed in the year.
उपोषिता हि सर्वाः स्युरेकादश्यो न संशयः । धनधान्यप्रदा पुण्या पुत्रारोग्यशुभप्रदा
All the Ekādaśīs that are observed yield merit without doubt; they bestow wealth and grain, virtue, sons, health, and auspiciousness.
उपोषिता नरव्याघ्र इति सत्यं ब्रवीमि ते । यमदूता महाकायाः करालाः कृष्णरूपिणः
O tiger among men, I speak the truth to you: when Ekādaśī is observed, the dreadful, dark, huge messengers of Yama do not approach that man.
दंडपाशधरा रौद्रा नोपसर्पंति तं नरम् । पीतांबरधरा सौम्याश्चक्रहस्ता मनोजवाः
Instead, gentle ones clad in yellow garments, swift, holding the discus, approach him; those Vaiṣṇavas take him to the city of Viṣṇu at the end of his life.
अंतकालेन यंत्येते वैष्णवान्वैष्णवीपुरीम् । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन उपोष्योदकवर्जिता
Therefore, with all effort, one should observe the fast on Ekādaśī, abstaining from water.
जलधेनुं तदा दत्त्वा सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते । ततस्त्वमस्यां कौंतेय सोपवासोऽर्चनं हरेः
By giving a water-cow at that time, one is freed from all sins; therefore, O son of Kuntī, you should worship Hari with a fast on this day.
कुरु सर्वप्रयत्नेन सर्वपापप्रशांतये । स्वप्नेन मेऽपराधोस्ति दंतरागतयापि वा
Perform it with all effort for the pacification of all sins; even if there is offense in dream or by inadvertence, let it be removed.
भोक्ष्येपरेऽह्नि देवेश ह्यशनं वासराद्धरेः । इत्युच्चार्य ततो मंत्र उपवासपरो भवेत्
On the following day, O Lord of the gods, one should say, 'I will eat tomorrow, for today is the fast of Hari,' and thus, reciting this mantra, one should observe the vow of fasting.
सर्वपापविनाशाय श्रद्धा दम समन्वितः । मेरुमंदरमात्राघं स्त्रिया पुंसा च यत्कृतम्
With faith and self-restraint, for the destruction of all sins, whatever sin as weighty as Mount Meru or Mandara has been committed by a woman or a man—
सर्वं तद्भस्मतां याति एकादश्याः प्रभावतः । न शक्नुवंति ये दातुं जलधेनुं नराधिप
All of that is reduced to ashes by the power of Ekadashi; O king, those who are unable to give a cow with water—
सकांचनः प्रदातव्यो घटको वस्त्रसंयुतः । तोयस्य नियमं योऽस्या कुरुते वै स पुण्यभाक्
Should give, along with a vessel and clothing, a pot filled with water and a coin; whoever observes the water-restriction of this vow obtains merit.
फलं कोटिसुवर्णस्य यामेयामे श्रुतं फलम् । स्नानं दानं जपं होमं यदस्यां कुरुते नरः
The fruit of bathing, giving, reciting, or making offerings on this day is said to be equal to the merit of giving ten million pieces of gold during the auspicious period.
तत्सर्वं चाक्षयं प्राप्तमेतत्कृष्णप्रभाषितम् । किं वापरेण धर्मेण निर्जलैकादशीं विना
All of that becomes inexhaustible, as spoken by Krishna; what need is there for any other dharma without observing Nirjala Ekadashi?
उपोष्य सम्यग्विधिवद्वैष्णवं पदमाप्नुयात् । सुवर्णमन्नं वासो वा यदस्यां संप्रदीयते
Having properly fasted according to the rules, one attains the Vaishnava abode; whatever gold, food, or clothing is given on this day—
तदस्य कुरुशार्दूल सर्वं चाप्यक्षयं भवेत् । एकादश्यां दिने योऽन्नं भुंक्ते पापं भुनक्ति सः
O tiger among the Kurus, all of that becomes inexhaustible; whoever eats food on Ekadashi day partakes of sin.
इहलोके स चांडालो मृतः प्राप्नोति दुर्गतिम् । ये च दास्यंति दानानि द्वादश्यां समुपोषिताः
In this world, he becomes an outcaste, and after death, he attains a miserable state; but those who, having fasted, give gifts on Dwadashi—
ज्येष्ठमासे सिते पक्षे प्राप्स्यंति परमं पदम् । ब्रह्महा मद्यपः स्तेनो गुरुद्वेषी सदानृती
In the bright fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha, they attain the supreme abode; even a slayer of a Brahmin, a drinker of wine, a thief, one hostile to his teacher, or a habitual liar—
मुच्यंते पातकैः सर्वैर्निर्जलायैरुपोषिता । विशेषं शृणु कौंतेय निर्जलैकादशी दिने
Are freed from all sins by observing the Nirjala fast; now hear especially, O Kaunteya, what should be done on the day of Nirjala Ekadashi.
यत्कर्त्तव्यं नरैः स्त्रीभिर्दानं श्रद्धासमन्वितैः । जलशायी च संपूज्यो देया धेनुस्तथाम्मयी
Men and women, endowed with faith, should give gifts; the deity who lies on water should be worshipped, and a cow made of clay should be given.
प्रत्यक्षा वा नृपश्रेष्ठ घृतधेनुरथापि वा । दक्षिणाभिः सुपुष्टाभिर्मिष्टान्नैश्च पृथग्विधैः
Or, O best of kings, an actual cow, or a cow of ghee may be given, along with abundant gifts and various kinds of sweet foods.
तोषणीयाः प्रयत्नेन द्विजा धर्मभृतां वर । तुष्टा भवंति वै विप्रास्तैस्तुष्टैर्मोक्षदो हरिः
With effort, the twice-born should be satisfied, O best of the righteous; when the Brahmins are pleased, Hari, the giver of liberation, is also pleased.
आत्मद्रोहः कृतस्तैर्हि यैरेषा न ह्युपोषिता । पापात्मानो दुराचारा मुष्टास्ते नात्र संशयः 6.51.
Those by whom this fast is not observed commit self-harm; they are sinful, of bad conduct, and stingy—of this there is no doubt.
कुलानां शतमागामि अतीतानां तथा शतम् । आत्मना सह तैर्नीतं वासुदेवस्य मंदिरम्
A hundred generations of one's family, both future and past, along with oneself, are led to the abode of Vasudeva.
शांतैर्दांतैर्दानपरैरर्चयद्भिस्तथा हरिम् । कुर्वद्भिर्जागरं रात्रौ यैरेषा समुपोषिता
By those who are peaceful, self-controlled, devoted to giving, and who worship Hari, and who keep vigil at night, this vow is observed.
अन्नं वस्त्रं तथा गावो जलं शय्यासनं शुभम् । कमंडलुं तथा छत्रं दातव्यं निर्जला दिने
On the day of Nirjala, one should give food, clothing, cows, water, a good bed and seat, a water pot, and an umbrella.
उपानहौ यो ददाति पात्रभूते द्विजोत्तमे । स सौवर्णेन यानेन स्वर्गलोके महीयते
Whoever gives sandals to a worthy and excellent twice-born, is honored in heaven, riding in a golden chariot.
यश्चेमां शृणुयाद्भक्त्या यश्चापि परिकीर्तयेत् । उभौ तौ स्वर्गमाप्नोति नात्र कार्या विचारणा
Whoever listens to this with devotion, and whoever recites it as well—both surely attain heaven; there is no doubt about this.
यत्फलं संनिहत्यायां राहुग्रस्ते दिवाकरे । कृत्वा श्राद्धं लभेन्मर्त्यस्तदस्याः श्रवणादपि
The fruit that a mortal gains by performing śrāddha during a solar eclipse, is also obtained by hearing this.
नियमं च प्रकर्त्तव्यं दंतधावनपूर्वकम् । एकादश्यां निराहारो वर्जयिष्यामि वै जलम्
One should undertake a vow, beginning with brushing the teeth; on the eleventh day, I will fast, abstaining even from water.