लोका ऊचुः - पुण्यात्पापं क्षयं याति पुराणे श्रूयते मुने । पुण्योपदेशं कथय येन पापक्षयो भवेत् । यथा भवत्प्रसादेन पुत्रो भवति भूपतेः
The people said: O sage, it is heard in the Purāṇas that sin is destroyed by merit. Please teach us a meritorious instruction by which sin may be destroyed, just as, by your grace, a king gains a son.
लोमश उवाच- श्रावणे शुक्लपक्षे तु पुत्रदा नाम विश्रुता । एकादशी वांच्छितदा कुरुध्वं तद्व्रतं जनाः
Lomaśa said: In the bright fortnight of Śrāvaṇa, there is a renowned Ekādaśī called Putradā, the giver of sons. O people, perform that vow which grants all desires.
इति श्रुत्वा नमस्कृत्य मुनिमेत्य पुरं व्रतम् । यथाविधियथान्यायं कृतं तैर्जागरान्वितम्
Hearing this, they bowed and, approaching the sage, performed the vow in the city according to proper rules and procedures, accompanied by a night vigil.
तस्य पुण्यं सुविमलं दत्तं नृपतये जनैः । दत्ते पुण्येऽथ सा राज्ञी गर्भमाधत्त शोभनम्
The pure and excellent merit thus accrued was offered to the king by the people; and when this merit was given, the queen conceived a beautiful child.
प्राप्तो प्रसवकाले सा सुषुवे पुत्रमूर्जितम् । श्रावणस्य सिते पक्षे कर्कटस्थे दिवाकरे
When the time of birth arrived, she gave birth to a strong son, during the bright fortnight of Śrāvaṇa, when the sun was in Cancer.
द्वादश्यां वासुदेवाय पवित्रारोपणं स्मृतम् । हेम रौप्य ताम्र क्षौमैः सूत्रैः कौशेयपद्मजैः
On the twelfth day, the rite of pavitrāropaṇa for Vāsudeva is prescribed, using threads of gold, silver, copper, linen, silk, and lotus fiber.
कुशैः काशैश्च कार्पासैर्ब्राह्मण्या कर्तितैः शुभैः । स्नात्वा त्रिगुणितं सूत्रं त्रिगुणीकृत्य शोधयेत्
With sacred threads made of kuśa grass, kāśa grass, and cotton, prepared by a brāhmaṇī, one should bathe and then purify a threefold-twisted thread by twisting it three times.
गोदोहांतरिते काले पूर्वेद्युरधिवासनम् । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नमस्कृत्य गुरुपादौ प्रणम्य च
On the previous day, during the time between the two milkings of the cows, the rite of consecration is performed; after bowing to the brāhmaṇas and reverently saluting the guru's feet.
गीतमंगलनिर्घोषः कुर्याज्जागरणं ततः । ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्या भिल्लाः शूद्रास्तथैव च
With auspicious songs and music, one should then keep vigil; brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, bhillas, and śūdras alike,
स्वधर्मावस्थिताः सर्वे भक्त्या कुर्युः पवित्रकम् । ततः पवित्रं गुरवे दद्याद्वै विधिपूर्वकम्
All, established in their own duties, should perform the pavitra rite with devotion; then, the pavitra should be given to the guru according to prescribed rules.
ब्राह्मणान्वैष्णवांश्चैव गंधपुष्पादिनार्चयेत् । अतो देवेति मंत्रेण द्विजो विष्णौ निवेदयेत्
Brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas should worship with fragrance and flowers; then, with the mantra 'Ato deve', the twice-born should offer it to Viṣṇu.
शूद्रस्तु मूलमंत्रेण यथा विष्णौ तथा शिवे । वर्षेवर्षे प्रकर्त्तव्यं पवित्रारोपणं नरैः
A śūdra should use the root mantra, and offer it to Śiva as to Viṣṇu; every year, the rite of pavitrāropaṇa should be performed by men.
भुक्तिं मुक्तिं च इच्छद्भिः संसारे शोकसागरे । न करोति विधानेन पवित्रारोपणं तु यः
Those who desire enjoyment or liberation, who are in the ocean of worldly sorrow—if they do not properly perform the pavitrāropaṇa rite,
तस्य सांवत्सरी पूजा निष्फला वैष्णवस्य तु । श्रुत्वा माहात्म्यमेतस्या नरः पापात्प्रमुच्यते । इह पुत्रसुखं प्राप्य परत्र स्वर्गतिं भवेत्
For such a Vaiṣṇava, the annual worship is fruitless; but hearing the greatness of this, a man is freed from sin, attains the joy of a son in this world, and reaches heaven hereafter.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहिता। यामुत्तरखंडे उमापतिनारदसंवादे श्रावणशुक्लापवित्रारोपणी पुत्रदैकादशीनाम पंचपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-fifth chapter, named 'The Śrāvaṇa Bright Fortnight Pavitrāropaṇī and Putradā Ekādaśī', in the dialogue of Umāpati and Nārada, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, comprising fifty-five thousand verses.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- भाद्रस्य कृष्णपक्षे तु किंनामैकादशीभवेत् । एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं कथयस्व जनार्दन
Yudhiṣṭhira said: In the dark fortnight of Bhādra, what is the name of the Ekādaśī? I wish to hear this; please tell me, O Janārdana.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- शृणुष्वैकमना राजन्कथयिष्यामि विस्तरात् । अजेति नामतः प्रोक्ता सर्वपापप्रणाशिनी
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Listen attentively, O king; I will tell you in detail. It is called Aja, and is declared to destroy all sins.
पूजयित्वा हृषीकेशं व्रतमस्यां करोति यः । पापानि तस्य नश्यंति व्रतस्य श्रवणादपि
Whoever worships Hṛṣīkeśa and observes this vow, his sins are destroyed—even by merely hearing about this vow.
नातः परतरा राजन्लोकद्वयहिताय वै । सत्यमुक्तं मया ह्येतन्नासत्यं मम भाषितम्
O King, nothing is greater than this for the welfare of both worlds; I have spoken the truth, and my words are not false.
हरिश्चन्द्र इति ख्यातो बभूव नृपतिः पुरा । चक्रवर्ती सत्यसंधः समस्ताया भुवः पतिः
There was once a king renowned as Harishchandra, a sovereign devoted to truth, the lord of the entire earth.
कस्यापि कर्मणः प्राप्तौ राज्यभ्रष्टो बभूव सः । विक्रीतौ वनितापुत्रौ स चकारात्मविक्रयम्
Due to the result of some deed, he lost his kingdom; he sold his wife and son, and even sold himself.
पुल्कसस्य च दासत्वं गतो राजा स पुण्यकृत् । सत्यमालंब्य राजेंद्र मृतचैलापहारकः
That virtuous king became the servant of a Chandala, O king, relying upon truth, and took away the garments of the dead.
सोऽभवन्नृपतिश्रेष्ठो न सत्याच्चलितस्तथा । एवं च तस्य नृपतेर्बहवो वत्सरा गताः
He became the foremost of kings, never swerving from truth; thus, many years passed for that ruler.
ततश्चिंतापरो राजा स बभूवातिदुःखितः । किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि निष्कृतिर्मे कथं भवेत्
Then the king became absorbed in worry and was greatly distressed: 'What shall I do? Where shall I go? How will I find atonement?'
इति चिंतयतस्तस्य मग्नस्य वृजिनार्णवे । आजगाम मुनिः कश्चिज्ज्ञात्वा राजानमातुरम्
As he pondered thus, sunk in the ocean of affliction, a certain sage, knowing the king's suffering, arrived.
परोपकारणार्थाय निर्मिता ब्रह्मणा द्विजाः । स तं दृष्ट्वा द्विजवरं ननाम नृपसत्तमः
For the sake of helping others, Brahma created the Brahmins; seeing that excellent Brahmin, the noble king bowed.
कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा गौतमस्याग्रतः स्थितः । कथयामास वृत्तांतमात्मनो दुःखसंयुतम्
With hands joined in reverence, standing before Gautama, he began to recount his own story, full of sorrow.
श्रुत्वा नृपतिवाक्यानि गौतमो विस्मयान्वितः । उपदेशं नृपतये व्रतस्यास्य ददौ मुनिः
Hearing the king's words, Gautama was filled with wonder; the sage gave the king instruction regarding this vow.
मासि भाद्रपदे राजन्कृष्णपक्षेति शोभना । एकादशी समायाता अजा नामेति पुण्यदा
O King, in the month of Bhādrapada, during the dark fortnight, the auspicious Ekadashi arrives, called Ajā, bestowing merit.
अस्याः कुरु व्रतं राजन्पापस्यांतो भविष्यति । तव भाग्यवशादेषा सप्तमेऽह्नि समागता
Perform this vow, O King; the end of your sin will come. By your good fortune, it has arrived on the seventh day.