मोक्षदं रूपदं राज्यं नित्यमेकादशीव्रतम् । ये कुर्वंति महीपाल श्रद्धया परया युताः
The vow of Ekadashi always grants liberation, beauty, and sovereignty to those who perform it with supreme faith, O protector of the earth.
यथोक्तविधिना लोके ते नरा विष्णुरूपिणः । जीवन्मुक्तास्तु भूपाल दृश्यंते नात्र संशयः
Those men who observe it in the prescribed manner in this world, O King, become like Vishnu in form; they are seen as liberated while living—of this there is no doubt.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- जीवन्मुक्ताः कथं कृष्ण विष्णुरूपाः कथं पुनः । पापरूपाश्च दृश्यंते परं कौतूहलं हि मे
Yudhishthira said: How do they become liberated while living, O Krishna? How do they become like Vishnu? And why are some seen as sinful? I am greatly curious.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- ये च राजन्कलौ भक्त्या निर्जलं व्रतमुत्तमम् । एकादश्याः प्रकुर्वंति विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा
Sri Krishna said: O King, those who in the age of Kali observe the excellent vow of Ekadashi with devotion, fasting even from water, and perform the prescribed acts—
न कथं विष्णुरूपास्ते जीवन्मुक्ताः कथं नहि । सर्वपापहरं पुण्यं व्रतमेकादशीसमम्
How could those who are liberated while living not be of the form of Vishnu? There is no vow equal to Ekadashi for removing all sins and bestowing merit.
न किंचिद्विद्यते राजन्सर्वकामप्रदं नृणाम् । एकाशनं दशम्यां च नंदायां निर्जलं व्रतम्
O King, there is nothing else on earth that grants all desires to people like this: fasting with a single meal on Dashami and observing the Nirjala vow on Nanda.
पारणं चैव भद्रायां कृत्वा विष्णुसमा नराः । श्रद्धावान्यस्तु कुरुते कामदाया व्रतं शुभम्
And by breaking the fast on Bhadrā, men become equal to Vishnu; whoever, with faith, performs the auspicious Kāmadā vow,
वांछितं लभते सोऽपि इहलोके परत्र च । पवित्रा पावनी ह्येषा महापातकनाशिनी
He too attains what he desires, both in this world and the next; this vow is pure, purifying, and destroys great sins.
भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदा चैव कर्तॄणां नृपसत्तम । कामदायां विधानेन पूजयेत्पुरुषोत्तमम्
O best of kings, it grants enjoyment and liberation to those who perform it; on Kāmadā, one should worship the Supreme Person according to the prescribed method.
पुष्पधूपादिभिश्चैव नैवेद्यैर्विविधैस्तथा । कांस्य मांसमसूरांश्च चणकान्कोद्रवांस्तथा
With flowers, incense, and so forth, and with various offerings; but on that day, one should avoid bronze, meat, lentils, chickpeas, and kodrava grains.
शाकं मधु परान्नं च पुनर्भोजन मैथुनम् । वैष्णवो व्रतकर्त्ता च दशम्यां दश वर्जयेत्
Vegetables, honey, food prepared by others, eating again, and sexual union—the Vaishnava observer of the vow should avoid these ten things on Dashami.
द्यूतं क्रीडां तथा निद्रा तांबूलं दंतधावनम् । परापवादं पैशुन्यं स्तेयं हिंसां तथा रतिम्
Gambling, games, sleeping, betel, cleaning the teeth, slander, gossip, theft, violence, and sexual pleasure—
क्रोधं च वितथं वाक्यमेकादश्यां विवर्जयेत् । कांस्यं मांसंमसूरांश्च तैलं वितथभाषणम्
Anger and false speech should be avoided on Ekadashi; as well as bronze, meat, lentils, oil, and speaking untruth.
व्यायामं च प्रवासं च पुनर्भोजनमैथुनम् । वृषपृष्ठं परान्नं च शाकं च द्वादशीदिने
Exercise, travel, eating again, sexual union, sitting on a bull’s back, food prepared by others, and vegetables—these should be avoided on Dwadashi.
अनेन विधिना राजन्विहिता यैश्च कामदा । रात्रौ जागरणं कृत्वा पूजितः पुरुषोत्तमः
O King, those who observe Kāmadā with this procedure, keeping vigil at night and worshipping the Supreme Person,
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तास्ते यांति परमां गतिम् । पठनाच्छ्रवणाद्राजन्गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
Are freed from all sins and attain the highest state; by reciting or hearing this, O King, one obtains the merit of giving a thousand cows.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखण्डे उमापतिनारदसंवादे पुरुषोत्तममासस्य शुक्ला कामदानामैकादशीनाम त्रिषष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the sixty-third chapter, entitled 'The Kāmadā Ekadashīs of the Bright Fortnight of Purushottama Month,' in the dialogue between Umāpati and Nārada, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, comprising fifty-five thousand verses.
नारद उवाच- चातुर्मास्यां तु नियमा ये केचिद्भुवि विश्रुताः । तानहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि कथयस्व महेश्वर
Nārada said: Of the various rules for the Cāturmāsya observed on earth, I wish to hear about them; please tell me, O great Lord.
चातुर्मास्ये हरौ सुप्ते कर्त्तव्यं किं जनार्दने । षड्रसानां परित्यागे नखकेशविधारणे । अन्यैश्च नियमैः स्वामिन्यत्फलं तद् ब्रवीहि मे
During Cāturmāsya, when Hari is asleep, what should be done for Janārdana? What is the result of giving up the six tastes, of keeping hair and nails uncut, and of other rules, O Lord? Please tell me.
सूत उवाच- एतच्छ्रुत्वा त्वसौ देवः प्रहस्योत्फुल्ललोचनः । प्रोवाच तं द्विजवरं नारदं तपसान्निधिम्
Sūta said: Hearing this, that god, his eyes blossoming with delight, smiled and spoke to the best of twice-born, Nārada, the treasury of austerity.
महादेव उवाच- शृणु त्वमिह देवर्षे कथयामि सविस्तरम् । आषाढस्य सिते पक्षे एकादश्यामुपोषितः
Mahādeva said: Listen here, O divine sage, I will tell you in detail: On the Ekadashi of the bright fortnight of Āṣāḍha, having fasted,
चातुर्मास्यव्रतानीह गृह्णीयाद्भक्तिपूर्वकम् । भूमिशय्यासमारूढो योगनिद्रां गते हरौ
One should undertake the Cāturmāsya vows here, with devotion, lying on the ground, when Hari has entered yogic sleep.
नयेत चतुरो मासान्यावद्भवति कार्तिकी । प्रतिष्ठा न प्रवर्त्तंते तथा यज्ञादिकाः क्रियाः
For four months, until the month of Kārtikī arrives, consecrations and sacrificial rites do not proceed.
विवाहव्रतसंबंध अन्यन्माङ्गल्यकर्म च । भूपयानं तथा यात्रा अन्याश्च विविधाः क्रियाः
Marriage, vows, other auspicious ceremonies, royal journeys, expeditions, and various other activities—
प्रसुप्ते च जगन्नाथे अच्युते गरुडध्वजे । व्रतक्रियां चरेद्यस्तु तस्य व्रतफलं शृणु
When the Lord of the universe, Acyuta, the bearer of Garuḍa's banner, is asleep, if someone performs a vow, hear the result of that vow.
अश्वमेधसहस्रैस्तु यत्फलं प्राप्नुयान्नरः । चातुर्मास्यव्रतैश्चीर्णैस्तत्फलं समवाप्नुयात्
The fruit a man attains by performing a thousand horse sacrifices, he attains that same result by observing the four-month vow.
मिथुनस्थे सहस्रांशौ स्वापयेन्मधुसूदनम् । तुलाराशौ गते सूर्ये पुनरुत्थापयेद्धरिम्
When the sun enters the sign of Libra, one should lay Madhusūdana to rest; when the sun moves into Scorpio, one should awaken Hari again.
अधिमासे तु पतिते तदा चैष विधिक्रमः । स्थापयेत्प्रतिमां विष्णोः शंखचक्रगदाधरीम्
If an intercalary month occurs, then this is the prescribed procedure: one should install the image of Viṣṇu holding the conch, discus, and mace.
पीतांबरधरां सौम्यां पर्यंके स्थापयेत्शुचौ । श्वेतवस्त्रसमाच्छन्ने सोपधाने तु नारद
Clad in yellow garments, serene in appearance, the image should be placed on a clean couch, covered with white cloth and provided with a pillow, O Nārada.
इतिहासपुराणज्ञो विष्णुभक्तोऽथवा पुनः । स्नापयित्वा दधिक्षीरमधुलाजघृतस्तथा
A knower of Itihāsa and Purāṇa, or a devotee of Viṣṇu, after bathing the image with curd, milk, honey, grains, and ghee—