नारद उवाच कीदृशी स्यान्महादेव महाद्वादशिका परा । तस्या व्रते फलं कीदृग्वद सर्वेश्वर प्रभो
Nārada said: O Mahādeva, what is the nature of the supreme Mahādvādaśī? What is the fruit of its observance? Tell me, O Lord of all, O Master.
शिव उवाच- इयमेकादशी ब्रह्मन्महापुण्यफलप्रदा । ऋक्षयोगैश्च संयुक्ता कर्त्तव्या मुनिसत्तमैः
Śiva said: O Brāhmaṇa, this Ekādaśī bestows great merit and auspicious results. It should be observed by the foremost sages, being joined with auspicious lunar mansions and yogas.
जया च विजया चैव जयंती पापनाशिनी । सर्वपापहराश्चैताः कर्त्तव्याः फलकांक्षिभिः
Jaya, Vijaya, and Jayantī—these destroy sin and remove all faults; those who desire results should observe them.
एकादश्यां यदा ऋक्षं शुक्लपक्षे पुनर्वसुः । नाम्ना सा च जया ख्याता तिथीनामुत्तमा तिथिः
When, on the Ekādaśī of the bright fortnight, the lunar mansion Punarvasu occurs, that day is renowned as Jayā, the best among lunar days.
तामुपोष्य नरः पापान्मुच्यते नात्र संशयः । यदा च शुक्लद्वादश्यां नक्षत्रं श्रवणं भवेत्
By fasting on that day, a person is freed from sins—of this there is no doubt. And when, on the bright Dvādaśī, the lunar mansion Śravaṇa occurs—
विजया सा समाख्याता तिथीनामुत्तमा तिथिः । सहस्रगुणितं दानं यस्यां वै विप्र भोजनम्
That is called Vijaya, the best among lunar days. On that day, giving gifts or feeding Brāhmaṇas yields a thousandfold result.
होमस्तथोपवासश्च सहस्राधिफलप्रदः । यदा च शुक्लद्वादश्यां प्राजापत्यं हि जायते
Likewise, performing homa and fasting on that day grants a thousand times the merit. And when, on the bright Dvādaśī, the lunar mansion Prājāpatya occurs—
जयंती नाम सा प्रोक्ता सर्वपापहरा तिथिः । सप्तजन्मकृतं पापं स्वल्पं वा यदि वा बहु
That day is called Jayantī, the lunar day that removes all sins. Sins committed over seven births, whether small or great—
प्रक्षालयति गोविंदस्तस्यामभ्यर्चितो ध्रुवम् । यदा वै शुक्लद्वादश्यां पुष्यं भवति कर्हिचित्
Govinda, when worshipped on that day, certainly washes them away. And when, on the bright Dvādaśī, the lunar mansion Puṣya occurs at any time—
तदा तु सा महापुण्या भविता पापनाशिनी । यो ददाति तिलप्रस्थं नित्यं संवत्सरं प्रति
Then that day becomes supremely meritorious and a destroyer of sins. Whoever gives a prastha of sesame each year on that day—
उपवासं च यस्तस्यां करोत्येतत्समं स्मृतम् । तस्यां जगत्पतिर्देवस्तुष्टः सर्वेश्वरो हरिः
And whoever fasts on that day—these are considered equal. On that day, the Lord of the world, Hari, is pleased.
प्रत्यक्षतां प्रयात्येव तत्रानंतफलं स्मृतम् । सगरेण ककुत्स्थेन नहुषेण च साधितः
He truly becomes manifest there, and the fruit is said to be infinite. It was accomplished by Sagara, Kakutstha, and Nahuṣa.
तस्यामाराधितः कृष्णो दत्तवानखिलं भुवि । वाचिकान्मानसाद्वापि कायजाच्च विशेषतः
On that day, Kṛṣṇa, when worshipped, granted everything on earth. Whether sins are committed by speech, mind, or especially by body—
सप्तजन्मकृतात्पापान्मुच्यते नात्र संशयः । तामेकां समुपोष्याथ पुण्यनक्षत्रसंयुताम्
One is freed from sins committed over seven births—of this there is no doubt. By fasting on that one day, joined with an auspicious lunar mansion—
एकादशीसहस्रस्य फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः । स्नानं दानं जपो होमः स्वाध्यायो देवतार्चनम्
A person attains the fruit of a thousand Ekādaśīs. Bathing, giving, recitation, homa, self-study, and worship of deities—
यत्तस्यां क्रियते किंचित्तदक्षयफलं स्मृतम् । तस्मादेषा प्रकर्तव्या यत्नेन फलकांक्षिभिः
Whatever is performed on that day is said to yield imperishable fruit. Therefore, those who desire results should carefully observe it.
पंचमेनाश्वमेधेन यदि स्नातो युधिष्ठिरः । पर्यपृच्छत धर्मात्मा कृष्णं यदुकुलोद्वहम्
After bathing for the fifth Aśvamedha, Yudhiṣṭhira, righteous-souled, questioned Kṛṣṇa, the scion of the Yadu line.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- उपवासस्य नक्तस्य त्वेकभुक्तस्य मे प्रभो । किं पुण्यं किं फलं तस्य ब्रूहि सर्वं जनार्दन
Yudhiṣṭhira said: O Lord, tell me fully what merit and fruit belong to fasting, night-fasting, or eating once a day.
श्रीभगवानुवाच- हेमंते चैव संप्राप्ते मासे मार्गे च शोभने । कृष्णपक्षे च या पार्थ द्वादशी तामुपोषयेत् । दशम्यां चैकभक्तश्च शुद्धचित्तो दृढव्रतः
The Blessed Lord said: When the beautiful month of Mārgashīrsha arrives in winter, O Pārtha, one should observe fasting on the Dvādaśī that falls in the dark fortnight, having a pure mind and firm resolve, taking only one meal on the tenth day.
नक्तं चैव तथा ज्ञात्वा दशम्यां नियतः सदा । दिवसस्याष्टमे भागे मंदीभूते दिवाकरे
Knowing this, one should always be restrained on the tenth day, eating at night, when the sun has become faint in the eighth portion of the day.
नक्तं च तद्विजानीयान्न नक्तं निशिभोजनम् । नक्षत्रदर्शनान्नक्तं गृहस्थस्य विधीयते
Understand that 'eating at night' does not mean eating during the night; for householders, eating at night is prescribed when the stars become visible.
यतेर्दिनाष्टमे भागे रात्रौ तस्य निषेधनम् । ततः प्रभातसमये कृत्वा च नियमं व्रती
For ascetics, eating during the eighth portion of the day is prohibited at night; afterwards, at dawn, the vow-holder should perform the prescribed observances.
मध्याह्ने च तथा पार्थ स्नानं शुचिः समाचरेत् । अधमं कूपके स्नानं वाप्यां स्नानं च मध्यमम्
At midday, O Pārtha, the pure one should bathe; bathing in a well is considered inferior, in a pond is middling.
तडागे चोत्तमं स्नानं नद्यां स्नानं ततः परम् । पीड्यंते जंतवो यत्र जलमध्ये व्यवस्थिते
Bathing in a lake is superior, and in a river is even higher; where creatures are pressed together in the water.
तत्र स्नाने कृते पार्थ पापं पुण्यं समं भवेत् । गृहे चैवोत्तमं स्नानं जलं चैव विशोधयेत्
When one bathes there, O Pārtha, sin and merit become equal; bathing at home is also excellent, but the water must be purified.
तस्मात्तु पांडवश्रेष्ठ गृहे स्नानं समाचरेत् । अश्वक्रांते रथक्रांते विष्णुक्रांते वसुंधरे
Therefore, O best of the Pāṇḍavas, one should bathe at home, on earth trodden by horses, chariots, and by Viṣṇu.
मृत्तिके हर मे पापं यन्मया पूर्वसंचितम् । क्रोधलोभौ परित्यज्य चैकचित्तो दृढव्रतः
O clay, remove my sins which I have accumulated previously; abandoning anger and greed, with single-mindedness and firm resolve.
नालापेतांत्यजं चैव तथा पाखंडिनो नरान् । मिथ्यावादरतांश्चैव तथा ब्राह्मणनिंदकान्
One should avoid those who speak falsely, imposters, those devoted to falsehood, and those who revile Brāhmaṇas.
अन्यांश्चैव दुराचारानगम्यागमनेरतान् । परद्रव्यापहारांश्च परदाराभिगामिनः
Also avoid those of bad conduct, those engaged in forbidden relations, those who steal others' property, and those who approach others' wives.
केशवं पूजयित्वा तु नैवेद्यं तत्र कारयेत् । दीपं दद्याद्गृहे तत्र भक्तियुक्तेन चेतसा
After worshipping Keśava, one should offer food there, and give a lamp in the house with a mind filled with devotion.