युधिष्ठिर उवाच- श्रावणस्य सिते पक्षे किंनामैकादशीभवेत् । तन्नः कथय गोविंद वासुदेव नमोऽस्तु ते
Yudhishthira said: In the bright fortnight of Shravana, what is the name of the Ekadashi? Tell us that, Govinda. O Vasudeva, I bow to you.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि आख्यानं पापनाशनम् । यत्प्रोक्तं ब्रह्मणा पूर्वं पृच्छते नारदाय वै
Sri Krishna said: Listen, O King, I will tell you the story that destroys sin, which was formerly spoken by Brahma to Narada when he asked.
नारद उवाच- भगवन्श्रोतुमिच्छामि त्वत्तोऽहं कमलासन । श्रावणस्यासिते पक्षे किं नामैकादशी भवेत्
Narada said: O Lord, I wish to hear from you, O Lotus-seated One, what is the name of the Ekadashi in the dark fortnight of Shravana?
को देवः को विधिस्तस्याः किं पुण्यं कथय प्रभो । इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मा वचनमब्रवीत्
Which deity is worshipped, what is its procedure, and what is its merit? Tell me, O Lord. Hearing these words, Brahma spoke the following.
ब्रह्मोवाच- शृणु नारद ते वच्मि लोकानां हितकाम्यया । श्रावणैकादशी कृष्णा कामिका नाम नामतः
Brahma said: Listen, Narada, I will tell you for the welfare of the worlds. The Krishna Ekadashi of Shravana is called Kamika by name.
अस्याः श्रवणमात्रेण वाजपेयफलं लभेत् । अस्यां यजति देवेशं शंखचक्रगदाधरम्
By merely hearing about it, one obtains the fruit of a Vajapeya sacrifice; on this day, one should worship the Lord of gods, bearer of conch, discus, and mace.
श्रीधराख्यं हरिं विष्णुं माधवं मधुसूदनम् । पूजयेद्ध्यायते यो वै तस्य पुण्यंफलं शृणु
Hear now the merit gained by one who worships and meditates upon Hari, known as Śrīdhara, Viṣṇu, Mādhava, and Madhusūdana.
न गंगायां न काश्यां च नैमिषे न च पुष्करे । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति यत्फलं कृष्णपूजनात्
The fruit obtained by worshipping Kṛṣṇa cannot be equaled by that gained at Gaṅgā, Kāśī, Naimiṣa, or Puṣkara.
गोदावर्यां गुरौ सिंहे व्यतीपाते च दंडके । यत्फलं समवाप्नोति तत्फलं कृष्णपूजनात्
Nor is that fruit attained at Godāvarī, during the sun's transit into Leo, at the time of Vyatīpāta, or in Daṇḍaka; such fruit is gained by worshipping Kṛṣṇa.
ससागरवनोपेतां यो ददाति वसुंधराम् । कामिकाव्रतकारी च ह्युभौ समफलौ स्मृतौ
One who gives land endowed with forests and seas, and one who performs the Kāmikā vow—both are said in tradition to obtain equal results.
प्रसूयमानां यो धेनुं दद्यात्सोपस्करां नरः । तत्फलं समवाप्नोति कामिकाव्रतकारकः
A man who gives a cow about to calve, along with its accessories, attains the same fruit as one who performs the Kāmikā vow.
श्रावणे श्रीधरं देवं पूजयेद्यो नरोत्तमः । तेनैव पूजिता देवा गंधर्वोरगपन्नगाः
Whoever, being the best among men, worships the god Śrīdhara in the month of Śrāvaṇa, thereby worships the gods, Gandharvas, serpents, and Nāgas as well.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन कामिकादिवसे हरिः । पूजनीयो यथाशक्ति मानुषैः पापभीरुभिः
Therefore, on the day of Kāmikā and with all effort, Hari should be worshipped by humans, as much as they are able, especially by those who fear sin.
ये संसारार्णवे मग्नाः पापपंकसमाकुले । तेषामुद्धरणार्थाय कामिकाव्रतमुत्तमम्
For those who are sunk in the ocean of worldly existence, filled with the mire of sin, the supreme Kāmikā vow is for their deliverance.
नातः परतरा काचित्पवित्रा पापहारिणी । एवं नारद जानीहि स्वयमाह परो हरिः
There is no vow more purifying or more effective in destroying sin than this; thus, O Nārada, know that the Supreme Hari himself has declared so.
अध्यात्मविद्या निरतैर्यत्फलं प्राप्यते नरैः । ततो बहुतरं विद्धि कामिकाव्रतसेविनाम्
Know that the fruit attained by those devoted to the Kāmikā vow is far greater than that gained by men engaged in spiritual knowledge.
रात्रौ जागरणं कृत्वा कामिकाव्रतकृन्नरः । न पश्यति यमं रौद्रं नैव गच्छति दुर्गतिम्
A man who keeps vigil at night, performing the Kāmikā vow, does not see the fierce Yama, nor does he go to a bad destination.
न पश्यति कुयोनिं च कामिकाव्रतसेवनात् । कामिकाया व्रते चीर्णे कैवल्यं योगिनो गताः
By observing the Kāmikā vow, one does not enter an evil womb; when the Kāmikā vow is performed, yogis attain liberation.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन कर्तव्या नियतात्मभिः । तुलसीप्रभवैः पत्रैः यो नरः पूजयेद्धरिम्
Therefore, with all effort, those of disciplined mind should perform it; whoever worships Hari with leaves born of Tulasī,
न लिप्यते स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवांभसा । सुवर्णभारमेकं तु रजतं च चतुर्गुणम्
He is not tainted by sin, just as a lotus leaf is not wetted by water; the fruit of offering one measure of gold or four times that in silver,
तत्फलं समवाप्नोति तुलसीदलपूजनात् । रत्न मौक्तिक वैडूर्य प्रवालादिभिरर्चितः
That fruit is obtained by worshipping with Tulasī leaves; even when Viṣṇu is worshipped with jewels, pearls, beryl, coral, and the like,
न तुष्यति तथा विष्णुस्तुलसीदलतो यथा । तुलसीमंजरीभिश्च पूजितो येन केशवः
Viṣṇu is not as pleased as he is by Tulasī leaves; and by whomever Keśava is worshipped with Tulasī flower clusters,
या दृष्टा निखिलाघसंघशमनी स्पृष्टा वपुः पावनी। रोगाणामभिवंदितानि रसिनी सिक्तांतकत्रासिनी । प्रत्यासत्तिविधायिनी भगवतः कृष्णस्य संरोपिता। न्यस्ता तच्चरणे विमुक्तिफलदा तस्यै तुलस्यै नमः
Salutation to that Tulasī, who, when seen, dispels all heaps of sin; when touched, purifies the body; when bowed to, cures diseases; when tasted, is sweet; when sprinkled, cuts off death; when placed near, brings closeness; when planted for Lord Kṛṣṇa, and when laid at his feet, bestows the fruit of liberation.
दीपं ददाति यो मर्त्यो दिवारात्रं हरेर्दिने । तस्य पुण्यस्य संख्यातुं चित्रगुप्तो न वेत्त्यलम्
The mortal who offers a lamp day and night on Hari's day—Citragupta himself cannot reckon the merit of that person.
कृष्णाग्रे दीपको यस्य ज्वलत्येकादशीदिने । पितरस्तस्य तृप्यंति अमृतेन दिवि स्थिताः
On the eleventh day, whoever has a lamp burning before Krishna, their ancestors dwelling in heaven are satisfied with nectar.
घृतेन दीपं प्रज्वाल्य तिलतैलेन वा पुनः । प्रयाति सूर्यलोकं च दीपकोटिशतार्चितः
By lighting a lamp with ghee, or again with sesame oil, one attains the world of the sun, worshipped by hundreds of millions of lamps.
अयं तवाग्रे कथितः कामिकामहिमा मया । अतो नरैः प्रकर्त्तव्या सर्वपातकहारिणी
I have explained to you this desired glory; therefore, it should be performed by people, for it destroys all sins.
ब्रह्महत्यापहरणी भ्रूणहत्याविनाशिनी । वैष्णवस्थानदात्री च महापुण्यफलप्रदा
It removes the sin of killing a Brahmin, destroys the sin of killing an embryo, grants the status of Vishnu, and bestows the fruit of great merit.
श्रुत्वा माहात्म्यमेतस्या नरः श्रद्धासमन्वितः । विष्णुलोकमवाप्नोति सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
Hearing this greatness, a person endowed with faith attains the world of Vishnu and is freed from all sins.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे उमामहेश्वरसंवादे श्रावणकृष्णैकादशीनाम चतुष्पंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-fourth chapter, named 'Śrāvaṇa Kṛṣṇa Ekādaśī', in the dialogue between Umā and Maheśvara, in the Uttara Khanda of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, comprising fifty-five thousand verses.