चंदनागुरुकर्पूरैर्नैवेद्यं कृसरं तथा । संस्मृत्य नाम्ना च ततः कृष्णाख्येन पुनः पुनः
With sandalwood, aguru, and camphor, and likewise with the offering of kṛsara, remembering and repeatedly invoking the name of Kṛṣṇa—
कूष्मांडैर्नारिकेरैश्च ह्यथवा बीजपूरकैः । सर्वाभावेऽपि विप्रेंद्र शस्तपूगफलैर्वृतम् । अर्घं दद्याद्विधानेन पूजयित्वा जनार्दनम्
With gourds, coconuts, or else with vessels filled with seeds, and if none of these are available, O best of the twice-born, with suitable areca nuts, one should offer arghya according to the rite, having worshipped Janārdana.
कृष्णकृष्ण कृपालुस्त्वमगतीनां गतिर्भव । संसारार्णव मग्नानां प्रसीद पुरुषोत्तम
O Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, compassionate one, be the refuge of those who have none; O Supreme Person, have mercy on those immersed in the ocean of worldly existence.
नमस्ते पुंडरीकाक्ष नमस्ते विश्वभावन । सुब्रह्मण्य नमस्तेऽस्तु महापुरुषपूर्वज । गृहाणार्घ्यं मया दत्तं लक्ष्म्या सह जगत्पते
Salutations to you, O lotus-eyed one; salutations to you, creator of the universe; O Subrahmaṇya, salutations to you, ancient great person; accept the arghya offered by me together with Lakṣmī, O Lord of the world.
इत्यर्घमंत्रः । ततस्तु पूजयेद्विप्रमुदकुंभं प्रदापयेत् । छत्रोपानहवस्त्रैश्च कृष्णो मे प्रीयतामिति
Thus is the arghya-mantra. Then one should worship a brāhmaṇa and give him a water-pot, along with an umbrella, sandals, and cloth, saying, 'May Kṛṣṇa be pleased with me.'
कृष्णा धेनुः प्रदातव्या यथाशक्ति द्विजोत्तमे । तिलपात्रं द्विजश्रेष्ठ दद्यात्पात्रविचक्षणः
A black cow should be given, according to one's ability, to the best of the twice-born; O best of brāhmaṇas, one who is discerning should give a vessel filled with sesame seeds.
स्नाने प्राशनके शस्तास्तथा कृष्णतिला मुने । तान्प्रदद्यात्प्रयत्नेन यथाशक्ति द्विजोत्तमे । तिलप्ररोहजाः क्षत्रे यावत्संख्यास्तिला द्विज
For bathing and for consumption, black sesame seeds are best, O sage; these should be given with care, according to one's ability, to the best of the twice-born; as many sesame seeds as have sprouted, O brāhmaṇa, should be given to kṣatriyas.
तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । तिलस्नायी तिलोद्वर्ती तिलहोमी तिलोदकी
For as many thousands of years is one honored in heaven as the number of sesame seeds given for bathing, anointing, fire offering, and water offering.
तिलदाता च भोक्ता च षट्तिलाः पापनाशनाः । नारद उवाच- कृष्णकृष्ण महाबाहो नमस्ते विश्वभावन
One who gives, consumes, bathes with, anoints with, offers in fire, and offers water with sesame—these six uses of sesame destroy sin. Nārada said: 'O Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, mighty-armed, salutations to you, creator of the universe.'
षट्तिलैकादशीभूतं कीदृशं फलमस्ति वै । सोपाख्यानं मम ब्रूहि यदि तुष्टोऽसि यादव । श्रीकृष्ण उवाच शृणु राजन्यथावृत्तं दृष्टं तत्कथयामि ते । मर्त्यलोके पुरा ह्यासीद्ब्राह्मण्येका च नारद । व्रतचर्यारता नित्यं देवपूजारता सदा
'What is the result of observing the Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādaśī? Tell me, with its story, if you are pleased, O descendant of Yadu.' Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: 'Hear, O king, as it happened; I will tell you what I saw. Long ago, on earth, there was a brāhmaṇī, O Nārada, always devoted to vows and ever intent on worshipping the gods.'
मासोपवासनिरता मम भक्ता च सर्वदा । कृष्णोपवाससंयुक्ता मम पूजापरायणा
'She was always engaged in monthly fasts, ever devoted to me, always observing Kṛṣṇa-fasts, and wholly dedicated to my worship.'
शरीरं क्लेशितं चैव उपवासैर्द्विजोत्तम । देवानां ब्राह्मणानां च कुमारीणां च भक्तितः
'Her body was afflicted by austerities, O best of brāhmaṇas, through her devotion to the gods, brāhmaṇas, and maidens.'
गृहादिकं प्रयच्छंती सर्वकालं महासती । अतिकृच्छ्ररता सा तु सर्वकालं तु वै द्विज
'She constantly gave away household goods, O great sage, always devoted to severe austerities at all times.'
न दत्ता भिक्षुके भिक्षा ब्राह्मणा न च तर्पिताः
'But she did not give alms to beggars, nor did she satisfy the brāhmaṇas.'
ततः कालेन महता मया वै चिंतितं द्विज । शुद्धमस्याः शरीरं हि व्रतैः कृच्छ्रैर्न संशयः
Then, after a long time, O twice-born, I reflected: surely her body has become pure through severe vows and austerities, without doubt.
अर्चितो वैष्णवो लोकः कायक्लेशेन वै तया । न दत्तमन्नदानं हि येन तृप्तिः परा भवेत्
The world of Viṣṇu has indeed been worshipped by her through bodily hardship; but she did not give the gift of food, by which supreme satisfaction is attained.
एवं ज्ञात्वा अहं ब्रह्मन्मर्त्यलोकमुपागतः । कापालं रूपमास्थाय भिक्षापात्रे च याचिता
Knowing this, O Brahmin, I came to the mortal world, assuming the form of a skull-bearer, and begged with a mendicant’s bowl.
कस्मात्त्वमागतो ब्रह्मन्क्व यासि वद मेऽग्रतः । पुनरेव मया प्रोक्तं देहि भिक्षां च सुंदरि
She asked me, 'Why have you come, O Brahmin? Where are you going? Tell me before me.' Again I said to her, 'Give alms, O beautiful one.'
तया कोपेन महता मृत्पिंडस्ताम्रभाजने । क्षिप्तो यावदहं ब्रह्मन्पुनः स्वर्गं गतो द्विज
Overcome by great anger, she threw a lump of clay into the copper vessel; and while this happened, O Brahmin, I returned again to heaven.
ततः कालेन महता तापसी सुमहाव्रता । सदेहा स्वर्गमायाता व्रतचर्या प्रभावतः
Then, after a long time, that ascetic woman of great vows, by the power of her observances, ascended to heaven in her own body.
मृत्पिंडिकाप्रदानेन गृहं प्राप्तं मनोरमम् । संजातं चैव विप्रर्षे धान्यराशि विवर्जितम्
By giving the lump of clay, she obtained a delightful house, but, O best of Brahmins, it was devoid of any heap of grain.
गृहं यावन्निरीक्षेत न किंचित्तत्र पश्यति । तावद्गृहाद्विनिष्क्रांता ममांते चागता द्विज
As long as she looked around the house, she saw nothing there; so she left the house and came to me, O Brahmin.
क्रोधेन महताविष्टमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् । मया व्रतैश्च कृच्छ्रैश्च उपवासैरनेकशः
Overcome by great anger, she spoke these words: 'Through many vows, severe austerities, and numerous fasts performed by me—'
पूजयाराधितो देवः सर्वलोकस्य पालकः । न तत्र दृश्यते किंचिद्गृहे मम जनार्दन
—'the Lord, protector of all worlds, has been worshipped and propitiated; yet nothing is seen in my house, O Janārdana.'
ततश्चोक्तं मया तस्यै गृहं गच्छ महाव्रते । आगमिष्यंति सुतरां कौतूहल समन्विताः
Then I said to her, 'Go to your house, O great-vowed one; many, filled with curiosity, will soon come to you.'
देवपत्न्यो हि द्रष्टुं त्वां विस्मयाभिसमन्विताः । द्वारं नोद्घाटय विना षट्तिलापुण्यवाचनात्
The wives of the gods, indeed, will come to see you, filled with wonder; do not open the door without reciting the merit of the Ṣaṭtilā vow.
एवमुक्ता मया सा तु गता वै मानुषी तदा । अत्रांतरे समायाता देवपत्न्यश्च वाडव
Thus addressed by me, she went as a human woman; meanwhile, O Vāḍava, the wives of the gods arrived.
ताभिश्च कथितं तत्र त्वां द्रष्टुं हि समागताः । द्वारमुद्घाटयस्वाद्य त्वां प्रपश्याम शोभने
They said to her there, 'We have come together to see you; open the door now, O beautiful one, so we may behold you.'
मानुष्युवाच- यदि मद्दर्शनं कार्यं सत्यं वाच्यं विशेषतः । षट्तिलाया व्रतं पुण्यं द्वारोद्घाटनकारणात्
The human woman said: 'If you truly wish to see me, you must especially speak the merit of the Ṣaṭtilā vow as the reason for opening the door.'
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच-। एकापिनावदत्तत्र षट्तिलैकादशीव्रतम् । अन्यया कथितं तत्र द्रष्टव्या मानुषी मया
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: One of them spoke there about the Ṣaṭtilā Ekādaśī vow; by another it was described, and thus I, as a human, was to be seen.