ददर्शाथ ब्रह्मसुतमृषिमांगिरसं नृपः । तेजसा द्योतितदिशं द्वितीयमिव पद्मजम्
There the king saw the sage Āṅgirasa, son of Brahma, whose brilliance illumined the directions, like a second lotus-born.
तं दृष्ट्वा हर्षितो राजा अवतीर्य स्ववाहनात् । नमश्चक्रेऽस्य चरणौ कृतांजलिपुटो वशी
Seeing him, the king was delighted, and descending from his vehicle, he bowed at his feet with hands joined in reverence, self-controlled.
मुनिस्तमभिनंद्याथ स्वस्तिवाचनपूर्वकम् । पप्रच्छ कुशलं राज्ये सप्तस्वंगेषु भूपतेः
The sage then blessed him, preceded by words of auspiciousness, and asked about the well-being of the king in the seven limbs of the kingdom.
निवेदयित्वा कुशलं पप्रच्छानामयं नृपः । दत्तासनो गृहीतार्घ्य उपविष्टोऽस्य संनिधौ
Having reported his well-being, the king asked about the sage's health; after offering a seat and receiving water for hospitality, he sat in his presence.
प्रत्युवाच मुनिं राजा पृष्टो ह्यागमकारणम्
When asked the reason for his arrival, the king replied to the sage.
राजोवाच- भगवन्धर्मविधिना मम पालयतो महीम् । अनावृष्टिश्च संवृत्ता नाहं वेद्म्यत्र कारणम्
The king said: O revered one, while I govern the earth according to the law of dharma, a drought has occurred; I do not know the cause of this.
संशयच्छेदनायात्र आगतोऽहं तवांतिके । योगक्षेमविधानेन प्रजानां कुरु निर्वृतिम्
I have come before you to dispel my doubt; by means of welfare and security, please bring contentment to the people.
ऋषिरुवाच- एतत्कृतयुगं राजन्युगानामुत्तमं मतम् । अत्र ब्रह्मपरा लोका धर्मश्चात्र चतुष्पदः
The sage said: This is the Kṛta Yuga, considered the best of ages; here, people are devoted to Brahman, and dharma stands on four legs.
अस्मिन्युगे तपोयुक्ता ब्राह्मणा नेतरा जनाः । विषये तव राजेंद्र वृषलोऽयं तपस्यति
In this age, only the brāhmaṇas are engaged in austerity, not others; but in your kingdom, O king, a śūdra is practicing austerity.
एतस्मात्कारणाच्चैव न वर्षति बलाहकः । कुरु तस्य वधे यत्नं येन दोषः प्रशाम्यति
For this reason, the clouds do not rain; make an effort to kill him, so that the fault may be pacified.
राजोवाच- नाहमेनं वधिष्यामि तपस्यंतमनागसम् । धर्मोपदेशं कथय उपसर्गविनाशनम्
The king said: I will not kill him, for he is innocent and engaged in austerity; teach me a dharmic remedy that removes affliction.
ऋषिरुवाच- यद्येवं तर्हि नृपते कुरुष्वैकादशीव्रतम् । नभस्यस्य सिते पक्षे पद्मा नामेति विश्रुता
The sage said: If that is so, O king, then undertake the Ekādaśī vow; in the bright fortnight of Nabhasya, it is known as Padmā.
तस्या व्रतप्रभावेन सुवृष्टिर्भविता ध्रुवम् । सर्वसिद्धिप्रदा ह्येषा सर्वोपद्रवनाशिनी
By the power of her vow, there will certainly be good rainfall; this vow grants all accomplishments and destroys all calamities.
अस्या व्रतं कुरु नृप सप्रजः सपरिच्छदः । इति वाक्यमृषेः श्रुत्वा राजा स्वगृहमागतः
O king, perform this vow together with your subjects and attendants; hearing these words of the sage, the king returned to his own house.
भाद्रमासे सिते पक्षे पद्माव्रतमथाकरोत् । प्रजाभिः सह सर्वाभिश्चातुर्वर्ण्यसमन्वितः
In the bright fortnight of the Bhādra month, he performed the Padma vow, accompanied by all his subjects, including people of all four classes.
एवं व्रते कृते राजन्प्रववर्ष बलाहकः । जलेन प्लाविता भूमिरभवत्सस्यशालिनी
When the vow was thus performed, O king, the clouds poured forth rain; the earth was flooded with water and became rich in crops.
ऋषीश्वरप्रभावेन लोकाः सौख्यं प्रपेदिरे । एतस्मात्कारणादेवं कर्त्तव्यं व्रतमुत्तमम्
By the power of the sage-lord, the people attained happiness; for this reason, this excellent vow should be performed.
दध्योदनयुतं तस्यां जलपूर्णं घटं द्विजे । वस्त्रसंवेष्टितं दत्त्वा छत्रोपानहमेव च
On that day, give to a Brahmin a pot filled with water and mixed with curd and rice, wrapped in cloth, along with an umbrella and sandals.
नमो नमस्ते गोविंद बुधश्रवणसंज्ञक । अघौघसंक्षयं कृत्वा सर्वसौख्यप्रदो भव
Salutations to you, Govinda, known as Budhaśravaṇa; having destroyed the mass of sins, grant all happiness.
भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदश्चैव लोकानां सुखदायकः । पठनाच्छ्रवणाद्राजन्सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
He who grants enjoyment and liberation, and gives happiness to the worlds; O king, by reciting and hearing this, one is freed from all sins.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे उमापतिनारदसंवादे भाद्रपदशुक्ला पद्मैकादशीनाम सप्तपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-seventh chapter, named Bhādrapada-śukla Padma-Ekādaśī, in the dialogue between Umāpati and Nārada, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, which contains fifty-five thousand verses.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- कथयस्व प्रसादेन ममाग्रे मधुसूदन । इषस्य कृष्णपक्षे तु किंनामैकादशीभवेत्
Yudhiṣṭhira said: By your grace, tell me, O Madhusūdana, what is the name of the Ekādaśī that occurs in the dark fortnight of Īṣa?
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- आश्विने कृष्णपक्षे तु इंदिरा नाम नामतः । तस्या व्रतप्रभावेन महापापं प्रणश्यति
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: In the dark fortnight of Āśvina, it is called Indirā by name; by the power of its vow, great sin is destroyed.
अधोयोनि गतानां च पितॄणां गतिदायिनी । शृणुष्वावहितो राजन्कथां पापहरां पराम्
It grants passage to ancestors who have gone to lower wombs; listen attentively, O king, to this supreme story that removes sin.
यस्याः श्रवणमात्रेण वाजपेयफलं लभेत् । पुरा कृतयुगे राजन्बभूव नृपनंदनः
By merely hearing it, one obtains the fruit of the Vājapeya sacrifice; formerly, in the Kṛta age, O king, there was a prince.
इंद्रसेन इति ख्यातः पुरा माहिष्मतीपतिः । स राजा पालयामास धर्मेण यशसान्वितः
He was known as Indrasena, the king of Māhiṣmatī; that king ruled with righteousness and was endowed with fame.
पुत्रपौत्रसमायुक्तो धनधान्यसमन्वितः । माहिष्मत्यधिपो राजा विष्णुभक्तिपरायणः
Surrounded by sons and grandsons, possessing wealth and grain, the king of Māhiṣmatī was devoted to Viṣṇu.
जपन्गोविंदनामानि मुक्तिदानि नराधिपः । कालं नयति विधिवदध्यात्मध्यानचिंतकः
The ruler recited the names of Govinda, which grant liberation, and spent his time properly, absorbed in contemplation of the Self.
एकस्मिन्दिवसे राज्ञि सुखासीने सदो गते । अवतीर्यागमत्तत्र ह्यंबरान्नारदो मुनिः
On one day, as the king sat comfortably in his assembly, the sage Nārada descended from the sky and arrived there.
तमागतमभिप्रेक्ष्य प्रत्युत्थाय कृतांजलि । पूजयित्वाथ विधिना चासने संन्यवेशयत्
Seeing him arrive, the king rose and joined his palms; after worshipping him according to the rite, he seated him on a chair.