यस्य पुण्यविहीनानि दिनान्यायांति यांति च । स लोहकारभस्त्रेव श्वसन्नपि न जीवति
He whose days pass without merit, though breathing like a blacksmith's bellows, is not truly alive.
अवंध्यं दिवसं कुर्याद्दरिद्रोऽपि नृपोत्तम । सदाचरन्यथाशक्ति स्नानदानादिकाः क्रियाः
O best of kings, even a poor man should make his day fruitful by performing, as he is able, acts of bathing, charity, and other righteous deeds.
होमस्नानजपध्यानसत्रादिपुण्यकर्मणाम् । कर्त्तारो नैव पश्यंति घोरां तां यमयातनाम्
Those who perform meritorious acts such as sacrifice, bathing, recitation, meditation, and rituals do not see the terrible torments of Yama.
दीर्घायुषो धनाढ्याश्च कुलीना रोगवर्जिताः । दृश्यंते मानवा लोके पुण्यकर्त्तार ईदृशाः
In this world, those who perform such meritorious acts are seen to be long-lived, wealthy, noble, and free from disease.
किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन यांत्यधर्मेण दुर्गतिम् । आरोहंति दिवं धर्मैर्नात्रकार्या विचारणा
What need is there for many words? By unrighteousness, people go to misery; by righteousness, they ascend to heaven—there is no need for further deliberation here.
इति ते कथितं राजन्यत्पृष्टोऽहं त्वयानघ । पापांकुशाया माहात्म्यं किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि
Thus I have told you, O sinless one, what you asked me; the greatness of Pāpāṅkuśā—what else do you wish to hear?
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे उमापतिनारदसंवादे आश्विनशुक्लपापांकुशैकादशीमाहात्म्यनामैकोनषष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends, in the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, in the section of fifty-five thousand verses, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa, in the dialogue between Umāpati and Nārada, the fifty-ninth chapter named 'The Greatness of Āśvina Śukla Pāpāṅkuśā Ekādaśī.'
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- कथयस्व प्रसादेन मयि स्नेहाज्जनार्दन । कार्त्तिकस्यासिते पक्षे किंनामैकादशी भवेत्
Yudhiṣṭhira said: Out of your grace and affection for me, O Janārdana, please tell me—what is the name of the Ekādaśī that falls in the dark fortnight of Kārttika?
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- श्रूयतां राजशार्दूल कथयामि तवाग्रतः । कार्त्तिके कृष्णपक्षे तु रमा नाम सुशोभना
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Listen, O tiger among kings, I will tell you before you: In Kārttika, in the dark fortnight, there is an excellent Ekādaśī named Ramā.
एकादशी समाख्याता महापापहरा परा । अस्याः प्रसंगतो राजन्माहात्म्यं प्रवदामि ते
It is called Ekādaśī, the supreme remover of great sins; on this occasion, O king, I will tell you its greatness.
मुचुकुंद इति ख्यातो बभूव नृपतिः पुरा । देवेंद्रेण समं तस्य मित्रत्वमभवन्नृप
There was once a king named Mucukuṇḍa; he had friendship with Indra, the lord of the gods.
यमेन वरुणेनैव कुबेरेणापि सर्वथा । विभीषणेन यस्यैव सखित्वमभवन्नृप
He also had friendship, O king, with Yama, Varuṇa, Kubera, and indeed with Vibhīṣaṇa.
विष्णुभक्तः सत्यसंधो बभूव नृपतिः परः । तस्यैवं शासतो राजन्राज्यं निहतकंटकम्
That supreme king was a devotee of Viṣṇu and true to his word; under his rule, O king, the kingdom was free from thorns (troublemakers).
बभूव दुहिता गेहे चंद्रभागा सरिद्वरा । शोभनाय च सा दत्ता चंद्रसेनसुताय वै
In his house was born a daughter, Candrabhāgā, a river of excellence; she was given in marriage to Śobhana, the son of Candrasena.
स कदाचित्समायातः श्वशुरस्य गृहे नृप । एकादशीव्रतदिनं समायातं सुपुण्यदम्
Once, Śobhana came to his father-in-law's house; it was the day of the Ekādaśī vow, a day that bestows great merit.
समागते व्रतदिने चंद्रभागा त्वचिंतयत् । किं भविष्यति देवेश मम भर्त्तातिदुर्बलः
When the day of the vow arrived, Candrabhāgā thought: 'O Lord of the gods, what will happen? My husband is extremely weak.'
क्षुधां न क्षमते सोढुं पिता चैवोग्रशासनः । पटहस्ताड्यते यस्य संप्राप्ते दशमीदिने
'He cannot endure hunger, and my father is very strict; on the tenth day, the drum is beaten.'
न भोक्तव्यं न भोक्तव्यं न भोक्तव्यं हरेर्दिने । श्रुत्वा पटहनिर्घोषं शोभनस्त्वब्रवीत्प्रियाम्
'On the day of Hari, one must not eat, one must not eat, one must not eat'—hearing the sound of the drum, Śobhana spoke to his beloved.
किं कर्त्तव्यं मया कांते देहि शिक्षां वरानने । चंद्रभागोवाच - मत्पितुर्वेश्मनि प्रभो भोक्तव्यं नाद्य केनचित्
'What should I do, dear one? Instruct me, O lovely-faced one.' Candrabhāgā said: 'In my father's house, O lord, no one may eat today.'
गजैरश्वैश्च कलभैरन्यैः पशुभिरेव च । तृणमन्नं तथा वारि न भोक्तव्यं हरेर्दिने
'Neither elephants, horses, young camels, nor other animals; neither grass, food, nor water may be consumed on the day of Hari.'
मानवैश्च कुतः कांत भुज्यते हरिवासरे । यदि त्वं भोक्ष्यसे कांत ततो गर्हां प्रयास्यसि
'How then, dear one, could humans eat on the day of Hari? If you eat, beloved, you will incur reproach.'
एवं विचार्य मनसा सुदृढं मानसं कुरु । शोभन उवाच- सत्यमेतत्प्रिये वाक्यं करिष्येऽहमुपोषणम्
'Thus, after considering in your mind, make a firm resolve.' Śobhana said: 'Truly, dear, your words are right; I will undertake the fast.'
दैवेन विहितं यद्धि तत्तथैव भविष्यति । इति दृढां मतिं कृत्वा चकार नियमं व्रते
Whatever is ordained by fate will surely come to pass; with this firm resolve, he undertook the vow with discipline.
क्षुधया पीडिततनुः स बभूवातिदुःखितः । इति चिंतयतस्तस्य आदित्योऽस्तमगाद्गिरिम्
Afflicted by hunger, his body tormented, he became exceedingly miserable; while he was thus reflecting, the sun set behind the mountain.
वैष्णवानां नराणां सा निशा हर्षविवर्द्धनी । हरिपूजारतानां च जागरासक्तचेतसाम्
That night brought joy to those men devoted to Viṣṇu, to those absorbed in worship of Hari and intent on keeping vigil.
बभूव नृपशार्दूल शोभनस्यातिदुःखदा । रवेरुदयवेलायां शोभनः पंचतां गतः
But for Śobhana, O best of kings, that beautiful night brought great suffering; at sunrise, Śobhana passed away.
दाहयामास राजा तं राजयोग्यैश्च दारुभिः । चंद्रभागा नात्मदेहं ददाह पतिना सह
The king burned his body with royal funeral wood; Candrabhāgā entered the fire with her husband, burning herself as well.
कृत्वौर्द्ध्वदैहिकं तस्य तस्थौ जनकवेश्मनि । शोभनश्च नृपश्रेष्ठ रमाव्रतप्रभावतः
After performing the funeral rites for him, she remained in her father's house; but Śobhana, O foremost of kings, by the power of the Ramā vow,
प्राप्तो देवपुरं रम्यं मंदराचलसानुनि । अनुत्तममनाधृष्यमसंख्येयगुणान्वितम्
Reached a beautiful divine city on the slopes of Mount Mandara, unrivaled, unassailable, endowed with countless virtues.
हेमस्तंभमयैसौधै रत्नवैडूर्यमंडितैः । स्फाटिकैर्विविधाकारैर्विचित्रैरुपशोभितैः
Adorned with palaces of golden pillars, decorated with jewels and beryl, and embellished with wondrous crystal structures of various forms.