युधिष्ठिर उवाच - भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि व्रतानामुत्तमं व्रतम् । सर्वपापहरं विष्णोः फलदं व्रतिनां च यत्
Yudhishthira said: O Blessed One, I wish to hear about the supreme vow among all vows, that which removes all sins, belongs to Vishnu, and bestows rewards upon those who observe it.
पुरुषोत्तममासस्य कथां ब्रूहि जनार्दन । को विधिः किं फलं तस्य को देवस्तत्र पूज्यते
Tell me the account of the Purushottama month, O Janardana. What is its procedure, what is its fruit, and which deity is worshipped therein?
अधिमासे च संप्राप्ते व्रतं ब्रूहि जनार्दन । कस्य दानस्य किं पुण्यं किं कर्त्तव्यं नृभिः प्रभो
When the extra month arrives, O Janardana, tell me about the vow to be observed. What merit arises from which gift, and what should people do, O Lord?
कथं स्नानं च किं जाप्यं कथं पूजाविधिः स्मृतः । किं भोज्यमुत्तमं चान्नं मासेऽस्मिन्पुरुषोत्तमे
How should one bathe, what should be recited, what is the prescribed method of worship, and what is the best food to be eaten in this Purushottama month?
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- कथयिष्यामि राजेंद्र भवतः स्नेहकारणात् । पुरुषोत्तममासस्य माहात्म्यं पापनाशनम्
Shri Krishna said: I shall tell you, O king, out of affection for you, the greatness of the Purushottama month, which destroys sins.
अधिमासे तु संप्राप्ते भवेदेकादशी तु या । कमला नाम सा नाम्ना तिथीनामुत्तमा तिथिः
When the extra month arrives, the Ekadashi that falls within it is called Kamala by name, and among lunar days, it is the most excellent.
तस्या व्रतप्रभावेन कमलाभिमुखी भवेत् । ब्राह्मे मुहूर्त्ते चोत्थाय संस्मृत्य पुरुषोत्तमम्
By the power of observing its vow, one becomes devoted to Kamala. Rising during the Brahma-muhurta, one should remember Purushottama.
स्नात्वा चैव विधानेन नियमं कारयेद्व्रती । गृहे त्वेकगुणं जाप्यं नद्यां तु द्विगुणं स्मृतम्
Having bathed properly, the observer of the vow should undertake discipline. At home, one should recite once; at a river, it is said to be twice as much.
गवां गोष्ठे सहस्रोर्ध्वमग्न्यागारे शतान्वितम् । शिवक्षेत्रेषु तीर्थेषु देवतानां च सन्निधौ
In a cowshed, a thousand times; in a fire-sanctuary, a hundred times; in Shiva's holy places, at sacred fords, and in the presence of deities—
लक्षं तुलस्याः सांनिध्ये ह्यनंतं विष्णुसन्निधौ । अवंत्यामभवत्कश्चिच्छिवशर्मा द्विजोत्तमः
In the presence of Tulasi, a hundred thousand times; in Vishnu's presence, infinite. In Avanti, there was a certain best of twice-born named Shiva Sharma.
तस्यात्मजास्तु पंचासन्कनिष्ठो दोषवानभूत् । तदा पित्रा परित्यक्तस्त्यक्तः स्वजनबांधवैः
He had fifty sons, the youngest of whom was faulty. Then, because of his misdeeds, he was abandoned by his father and forsaken by his relatives.
कुकर्मणः प्रभावेन गतो दूरतरं वनम् । एकदा दैवयोगेन तीर्थराजं समागतः
Due to the influence of his bad actions, he went far into the forest. Once, by the will of fate, he came to the king of sacred fords.
क्षुत्क्षामो दीनवदनस्त्रिवेण्यां स्नानमाचरत् । मुनीनामाश्रमांस्तत्र विचिन्वन्क्षुधयार्दितः
Emaciated by hunger, with a dejected face, he bathed at the confluence of three rivers. Afflicted by hunger, he wandered among the hermitages of sages there.
हरिमित्रमुनेस्तत्र ददर्शाश्रममुत्तमम् । पुरुषोत्तममासे वै जनानां च समागमे
There he saw the excellent hermitage of the sage Harimitra, during the gathering of people in the Purushottama month.
तत्राश्रमे कथयतां कथां कल्मषनाशिनीम् । ब्राह्मणानां मुखात्तेन श्रद्धया कमला श्रुता
In that hermitage, as stories that destroy sin were being recited, he heard with faith about the Kamala Ekadashi from the mouths of Brahmins.
एकादशी पुण्यतमा भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनी । जयशर्मा विधानेन श्रुत्वेमां कमला तिथिम्
The Kamala Ekadashi is most holy, bestowing enjoyment and liberation. Having heard about this lunar day according to the procedure, Jayasharma observed it.
एकादशीपुण्यतमा भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनी । व्रतं कृतं च तैः सार्द्धं स्थित्वा शून्यालये तदा
The Kamala Ekadashi, most holy, bestows enjoyment and liberation. He performed the vow together with them, staying then in an empty dwelling.
निशीथे समनुप्राप्ते लक्ष्मीस्तत्र समागता । वरं ददामि भो विप्र कमलायाः प्रभावतः
When midnight arrived, Lakshmi herself appeared there. 'O Brahmin, I grant you a boon by the power of Kamala.'
जयशर्मोवाच - का त्वं कस्यासि रंभोरु प्रसन्ना च कथं मम । इंद्राणी सुरनाथस्य भवानी शंकरस्य वा
Jayasharma said: Who are you, whose thighs are like the trunk of a tree? Whose daughter are you, and how have you become gracious to me? Are you Indrani, wife of the lord of the gods, or Bhavani, wife of Shankara?
गंधर्वी किन्नरी वाथ वधूर्वा चंद्रसूर्ययोः । त्वत्सदृक्षा न दृष्टा च न श्रुता च शुभानने
Are you a Gandharvi, a Kinnari, or perhaps the bride of the moon or the sun? O beautiful-faced one, none like you have been seen or heard of.
लक्ष्मीरुवाच- प्रसन्ना सांप्रतं जाता वैकुंठादहमागता । प्रेरिता देवदेवेन कमलायाः प्रभावतः
Lakshmi said: I have now become gracious and have come from Vaikuntha, sent by the Lord of the gods, through the power of Kamala.
पुरुषोत्तममासस्य या पक्षे प्रथमे भवेत् । तस्या व्रतं त्वया चीर्णं प्रयागे मुनिसंनिधौ
In the first fortnight of the month of Purushottama, the vow which you observed at Prayaga in the presence of sages—
व्रतस्यास्य प्रभावेन वशगाहं न संशयः । तववंशे भविष्यंति मानवा द्विजसत्तम
By the power of this vow, I am under your control, without doubt. In your lineage, O best of twice-born, there will be men.
मत्प्रसादादवाप्स्यंति सत्यं ते व्याहृतं मया । ब्राह्मण उवाच- प्रसन्ना यदि मे पद्मे व्रतं विस्तरतो वद
By my grace, they will attain it; what I have spoken to you is true. The Brahmana said: If you are gracious to me, O Padma, tell me the vow in detail.
यत्कथासु प्रवर्तंते साधवो ये जना द्विजाः । लक्ष्मीरुवाच- श्रोतॄणां परमं श्राव्यं पवित्राणामनुत्तमम्
About which the virtuous, those twice-born people, speak in their stories. Lakshmi said: It is supremely worthy of hearing for listeners, most pure and unsurpassed.
दुःस्वप्ननाशनं पुण्यं श्रोतव्यं यत्नतस्ततः । उत्तमः श्रद्धया युक्तः श्लोकं श्लोकार्द्धमेव वा
It destroys evil dreams, is meritorious, and should be listened to with effort. Even one who recites a verse or half a verse with utmost faith—
पठित्वा मुच्यते सद्यो महापातककोटिभिः । मासानां परमो मासः पक्षिणां गरुडो यथा
Having recited, is immediately freed from millions of great sins. Of months, it is the supreme month, as Garuda is among birds.
नदीनां च यथा गंगा तिथीनां द्वादशी तिथिः । अद्यापि निर्जराः सर्वे भारते जन्मलिप्सवः
As Ganga is among rivers, and Dvadashi among lunar days. Even today, all the immortals in Bharata desire birth.
तमर्चयंति विविधा नारायणमनामयम् । ये यजंति सदा भक्त्या देवं नारायणं प्रभुम्
They worship in various ways Narayana, the flawless one. Those who always worship the lord Narayana with devotion—
तानर्चयंति सततं ब्रह्माद्या देवतागणाः । येऽपि नामपरा ये च हरिकीर्त्तनतत्पराः
They are constantly worshipped by Brahma and the hosts of gods. Those who are devoted to his name, and those intent on Hari's praise—