1 – Uttarardha: The greatness of Ekadashi day

1.May the four arms of Hari protect you all-the arms dark like clouds in complexion, hardened by the friction (strokes) of the strings of the Saranga bow and which are like columns supporting the big pavilion (like structure) of the three worlds.

2. May the lotus-like pair of Hari’s feet be the bestower of desires on us-the pair of feet refulgent with the brilliance of the polished crest jewels of Devas and Asuras (as they bow to him).

Mandhata2 said:

2. Mandhata-An emperor of the solar race, son of king Yuvanashva, He was born from his father’s belly. When the problem of feeding him arose, god Indra came forward and said, “He will suck me” (mamdhata). The Pd. P. tells us that when there was a drought for the continuous three years, the sages advised him to observe Ekadashi Padma-nabha (i.e. Padma). He observed Ekadashi Vrata and made all his subjects to follow it. Rains showered, people became happy and the king prospered (Pd. P. VI-Uttara khanda, Ch. 58. 33-38.

A proper setting for glorifying the Ekadashi Vrata with Mandhata as an interlocutor. But it is after two benedictory verses that Mandhata is abruptly introduced. In fact, no background is provided to this dialogue between Mandhata and Vasishtha, his family priest.

 3. O excellent Brahmana, it behoves your honour to tell me what that fire is that burns both dry and damp fuel of terrible sins.

4.0   sage, born of the four-faced      deity (Brahma), there is nothing that is unknown to you in the three worlds. O prominent Brahmana, the three - fold things (of the past, present and future time) are precisely known to you.

5. The sin committed unknowingly is called Shushka (dry) and the sin committed knowingly is cited as Ardra (wet). Please tell us the three events: that which are yet to be (future), that which has passed by (past), and that which is current (present).

6a. What is that fire whereby the sin may be reduced to ashes? This is esteemed by me (i.e. what I want to know).

Vasishtha said:

6b-9. O mighty king, may it be heard what that fire is whereby it is possible to reduce to ashes completely the dry as well as the wet kinds of sin. A person who, on the day of Lord Vishnu (i.e. Ekadashi day) with due control of sense-organs observes fast, worships the killer of demon Madhu (i.e. God Vishnu), takes bath in water containing Emblic Myrobalan and keeps awake during that (Ekadashi) night, completely absolves himself of all sins like a gambler losing all his wealth.

10. O king of kings, the fuel of sins even though accumulated (lit. generated) in the course of hundred births, is reduced to ashes through the fire called Ekadashi.

11. O king, there is nothing that sanctifies men so much as the day of Padmanabha (i.e. Ekadashi) that destroys sins.

12. O ruler of men, sins remain in this body, only so long as the creature (i.e. man) does not observe fast on the auspicious day of Padmanabha.

13. Thousands of horse-sacrifices and hundreds of Rajasuya sacrifices do not deserve even a sixteenth part of the fast observed on the Ekadashi day.

14. O Lord, all the sins that have been committed by the eleven sense organs shall be dissolved, thanks to the fast on the Ekadashi (eleventh) day.

15. O king, there is nothing equal to Ekadashi that is destructive of sins. Even if it is observed under a pretext it exempts one from seeing the son of the Sun-god (i.e. Yama, the god of death and Hell).

16. It bestows heavenly pleasure and salvation; it yields kingdom and sons; it grants good wives and freedom from ailments to the body.

17-18. O    king, neither Ganga, nor Kashi, nor Gaya, nor Pushkara, nor Kurukshetra nor the river Reva, or the Devika,1 and neither the Yamuna nor the Chandrabhaga are more meritorious than the day of Hari. O leading king, Hari’s abode is attained without any strain.

1. The southern portion of the river Sarayu -De, p. 55. According to Kalika P., (Ch. 53), Devika is a distinct river between Gomati and Sarayu and joins at the confluence of Gandak and Ganga and the confluence is called Triveni.

19. By observing fast during the day on the day of Hari and by keeping awake         during the night, a man is liberated from sins and he goes direct to the region of Vishnu.

20. O leading king, it uplifts ten generations on the mother-side, ten generations on the father’s side, and ten generations on the wife’s side.

21-23. O Sovereign king, he leads his own soul to the city of Vishnu. This rite of fast is like the Chintamani (wish-yielding stone) or it is equal to a Nidhi (treasuretrove) or it is like the Samkalpapadapa (wish-yielding tree). O the most excellent one among kings, those who resort to Dvadashi (i.e. after observing fast on the previous day who breakfast on this day) put forth two more arms (become like vishnu four-armed), they ride on the enemy of serpents (i.e. Garuda) as their vehicle, they will be having garlands and yellow garments (like Vishnu). Thus they go to Hari’s abode.

24. Thus the power of Dvadashi has been glorified by me, O king, it is called the fire that consumes the terrible fuel of sin.

25. Always the day of Hari should be observed as a day of fast by men, devoted to holiness and piety, who wish for abundant worldly pleasures as well as sons, grandsons etc.

The man who observes the day of Hari (Ekadashi) with great respect, O most excellent one among men, never enters the womb of a mother even if he has committed many sins or even if he observes the fast with or without intention. He goes to the endless region of Vishnu, the Lord of the world.