केशवप्रीणनार्थाय अन्यदाचमनादृते । द्वादश्यां देवदेवेशः पूजनीयस्त्रिविक्रमः
For the sake of pleasing Keśava, except for sipping water, on the twelfth day, the Lord of gods, Trivikrama, should be worshiped.
गंधैर्धूपैस्तथा पुष्पैर्वासोभिः प्रियदर्शनैः । पूजयित्वा विधानेन मंत्रमेतमुदीरयेत्
Having worshiped with fragrances, incense, flowers, and pleasing garments, according to the proper method, one should recite this mantra:
देवदेव हृषीकेश संसारार्णवतारक । उदकुंभप्रदानेन नय मां परमां गतिम्
"O Lord of gods, Hṛṣīkeśa, deliverer from the ocean of worldly existence, by the gift of a water-pot, lead me to the supreme state."
ज्येष्ठे मासि तु वै भीम या शुक्लैकादशी शुभा । निर्जला समुपोष्यात्र जलकुंभान्सशर्करान्
In the month of Jyeṣṭha, O Bhīma, the auspicious bright Ekādaśī called Nirjalā should be fully observed here, with water-pots containing sugar.
प्रदाय विप्रमुख्येभ्यो मोदते विष्णुसन्निधौ । ततः कुंभाः प्रदातव्या ब्राह्मणानां च भक्तितः
Having given them to foremost Brāhmaṇas, one rejoices in the presence of Viṣṇu; then, the water-pots should be given to Brāhmaṇas with devotion.
भोजयित्वा ततो विप्रान्स्वयं भुंजीत तत्परः । एवं यः कुरुते पूर्णां द्वादशीं पापनाशिनीम्
After feeding the Brāhmaṇas, one should eat oneself, intent on this; whoever thus observes the complete, sin-destroying Dvādaśī—
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो पदं गच्छत्यनामयम् । ततः प्रभृति भीमेन कृता ह्येकादशी शुभा । पांडवद्वादशी नाम्ना लोके ख्याता बभूव ह
Freed from all sins, he attains the flawless state. From then on, O Bhīma, the auspicious Ekādaśī performed by you became known in the world as Pāṇḍava Dvādaśī.
युधिष्ठिरउवाच- आषाढकृष्णपक्षे तु किं वै एकादशी भवेत् । कथयस्व प्रसादेन वासुदेव ममाग्रतः
Yudhiṣṭhira said: In the dark fortnight of Āṣāḍha, what is the Ekādaśī? Tell me, O Vāsudeva, by your grace, in my presence.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- व्रतानामुत्तमं राजन्कथयामि तवाग्रतः । सर्वपापक्षयकरं सर्वमुक्तिप्रदायकम्
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O king, I will tell you, in your presence, of the supreme vow, which destroys all sins and grants all liberation.
आषाढस्यासिते पक्षे योगिनी नाम नामतः । एकादशी नृपश्रेष्ठ महापातकनाशिनी
In the dark fortnight of Āṣāḍha, it is called Ekādaśī by the name Yoginī, O best of kings, destroyer of great sins.
संसारार्णवमग्नानां पोतभूता सनातनी । जगत्त्रये सारभूता योगिनी व्रतकारिणाम्
It is the eternal boat for those immersed in the ocean of worldly existence, the essence among the three worlds, and the best among vows for practitioners.
कथयामि तवाग्रेऽहं कथां पौराणिकीं शुभाम् । अलकायां राजराजः शिवभक्तिपरायणः
I will tell you, here and now, the auspicious ancient story: In Alakā, there was a king of kings, devoted to the worship of Śiva.
तस्यासीत्पुष्पबटुको हेममालीति नामतः । तस्य पत्नी सुरूपा च विशालाक्षीति नामतः
He had a servant named Puṣpabaṭuka, called Hemamālī; his wife, beautiful and wide-eyed, was named Viśālākṣī.
स तस्यां चासक्तमना कामपाशवशं गतः । मानसात्पुष्पनिचयमानीय स्वगृहे स्थितः
He became infatuated with her, bound by the noose of desire, and, gathering flowers in his mind, remained at home.
पत्नीप्रेमरसासक्तो न कुबेरालयं गतः । कुबेरो देवसदने करोति शिवपूजनम्
Absorbed in the nectar of his wife's love, he did not go to Kubera's abode; Kubera, in the divine assembly, was performing worship of Shiva.
मध्याह्नसमये राजन्पुष्पागमसमीक्षकः । हेममाली स्वभवने रमते कांतया सह
At midday, O King, as he watched for the arrival of flowers, Hemamali enjoyed himself at home together with his beloved.
यक्षराट्प्रत्युवाचाथ कालातिक्रमकोपितः । कस्मान्नायाति भो यक्षा हेममाली दुरात्मवान् । निश्चयः क्रियतामस्य इत्युवाच पुनः पुनः
Then the lord of the Yakshas, angered by the delay, spoke: 'Why does that wicked Yaksha Hemamali not come? Decide what is to be done with him,' he said again and again.
यक्षा ऊचुः - वनिताकामुको गेहे रमते स्वेच्छया नृप । तेषां वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य कुबेरः कोपपूरितः
The Yakshas said: 'He, enamored with his wife, delights at home as he pleases, O King.' Hearing their words, Kubera was filled with rage.
आह्वयामास तं तूर्णं बटुकं हेममालिनम् । ज्ञात्वा कालात्ययं सोऽपि भयव्याकुललोचनः
He immediately summoned that attendant, Hemamali; realizing his delay, Hemamali came, his eyes anxious with fear.
अस्नात एव आगत्य कुबेरस्याग्रतः स्थितः । तं दृष्ट्वा धनदः क्रुद्धः क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः
Without bathing, he came and stood before Kubera; seeing him, the lord of wealth, his eyes red with anger, was enraged.
प्रत्युवाच रुषाविष्टः कोपप्रस्फुरिताधरः । धनद उवाच- आः पाप दुष्ट दुर्वृत्त कृतवान्देवहेलनम्
Seized by wrath, his lips quivering with rage, the lord of wealth spoke: 'Ah! Wicked, evil, ill-behaved one, you have shown disrespect to the gods.'
अष्टादशकुष्ठवृतो वियुक्तः कांतया तया । अस्मात्स्थानादपध्वस्तो गच्छ स्वप्नमथाधम
Afflicted with eighteen kinds of leprosy, separated from that wife, cast out from this place—go, wretched one, and sleep elsewhere.
इत्युक्ते वचने तस्य तस्मात्स्थानात्पपात सः । महादुःखाभिभूतश्च कुष्ठैः पीडितविग्रहः
When these words were spoken, he fell from that place, overwhelmed by great sorrow, his body tormented by leprosy.
न सुखं दिवसे तस्य न निद्रां लभते निशि । छायायां पीडिततनुर्निदाघेऽत्यंतपीडितः
He found no happiness by day, nor could he sleep at night; his body, afflicted, suffered in the shade and was tormented in the heat.
शिवपूजाप्रभावेन स्मृतिस्तस्य न लुप्यते । पातकेनाभिभूतोऽपि पूर्वं कर्म स्मरत्यसौ
By the power of his worship of Shiva, his memory was not lost; though overcome by sin, he remembered his former deeds.
भ्रममाणस्ततो गच्छन्हिमाद्रिं पर्वतोत्तमम् । तत्रापश्यन्मुनिवरं मार्कंडेयं तपोनिधिम्
Wandering thus, he went to the supreme mountain, Himalaya, and there he saw the great sage Markandeya, a treasury of austerity.
यस्यायुर्विद्यते राजन्ब्रह्मणो वयसा समम् । ववंदे चरणौ तस्य दूरतः पापकर्मकृत्
Whose lifespan, O King, is equal to that of Brahma himself; from a distance, the sinner bowed to his feet.
मार्कंडेयो मुनिवरो दृष्ट्वा तं कंपितं तथा । परोपकरणार्थाय समाहूयेदमब्रवीत्
The eminent sage Markandeya, seeing him trembling so, called him near for the sake of helping others and spoke these words:
कस्मात्कुष्ठाभिभूतस्त्वं कुतो निंद्यतरो ह्यसि । इत्युक्तः स प्रत्युवाच मार्कंडेयं महामुनिम्
'Why are you afflicted with leprosy? How have you come to such a wretched state?' Thus addressed, he replied to the great sage Markandeya.
हेममाल्युवाच- राजराजस्यानुचरो हेममालीति नामतः । मानसात्पद्मनिचयमानीय प्रत्यहं मुने
Hemamali said: 'I am an attendant of the king of kings, known by the name Hemamali; each day, O sage, I would bring a collection of lotuses from Lake Manasa.'