211 - Means to destroy sin (contd.) 

The sage’s son (Nachiketas) said: 

1. Hearing these words of the lord of dharma, Nārada spoke again in reverence. 

Nārada said: 

2. O great Dharmarāja, you look alike on all beings, stationary or moving. 

3. I have now heard from you about the circumambulation which is particularly favourable to the welfare of Brahmins. 

4. Three castes participate in sacrifices and share their benefits in general. The Shūdras are kept out by Brahmins from those that are purified by Vedas. 

5. Since you look upon all beings as equals, you should tell me what leads to their welfare also, what action the Shūdra may do. 

Yama said: 

6. I shall tell you what is favourable to all the four castes as sanctioned by dharma. 

7. I shall tell you that by listening to which with attention and following it in action, one gets free from sin. Please listen. 

8. The cow is sacred, auspicious and fit to be worshipped even by gods. He who tends it with devotion, gets absolved of all sins. 

9. He who drinks Pañchagavya at the auspicious time, immediately gets absolved of all sins acquired from birth. 

10. He who receives on his head the water scattered by the cow by its tail, acquires the merit of bathing in all tirthas and gets free from all sins. 

11. He who bathes in cow’s urine on Rohiņi day, gets all his sins burnt away. 

12. He who receives on his head the milk from the cow’s udder, gets cleansed of all sins. 

13-14. The Brahmin, who soon after his bath bows to the rising sun with devotion, gets free from all sins. 

15-16. He who worships the sun with purity and holding curd and raw rice in hand thrice a day, gets all his acquired sins dispelled. 

17. A similar offering to the moon on full moon day, removes all sins. 

18-19. He who makes such offering with concentration of mind and according to Vedic rules to Arundhatī, Budha and all sages, gets his sins instantaneously removed. 

20. He who propitiates Brahmin, attending on him with great devotion, becomes free from all sins. 

21. He who makes gifts of milk during solstices gets immediate destruction of his sins. 

22. Worshipping along with Brahmins a bull over a streak of Kušha grass strewn with tips facing cast, brings about removal of all sins. 

23. Bathing according to rules in an east-flowing river where it bends in a right-hand direction, removes all sins. 

24-25. Taking water in a right-spiralled conch and pouring it over the head with purity and pleasure, destroys all sins. 

26-27. Bathing in an east-flowing river at a spot where the water is waist-deep and offering seven times handfuls of water mixed with black sesamum and performing Prānāyāma thrice with control of senses, brings about immcdiate destruction of all sins. 

28. He who bathes thrice in water taken in untorn lotus leaves in which different gems are placed, gets free from all sins. 

29. I shall tell you about another great secret. The Ekādaśhī day in the dark fortnight of the Karttika month is known as Prabodhini. It gives both enjoyment and liberation. 

30. The body of Vishnu with its numerous indistinct forms, O sage, became Dvadaśhī in the mortal world. 

31. Those who fast in the proper form with full devotion to Lord Nārāyaṇa, get absolved of all sins acquired in numerous lives. 

32. The great lord in the form of Varaha was once asked by Earth about Ekādaśhī for the good of the world. 

Earth said: 

33. O Lord, in this fierce Kaliyuga we find people inclined to do sinful deeds like stealing the property of the Brahmin and also killing him. 

34. They are inclined to do harm to the preceptor, the friend and the master and outrage the modesty of the wives of others. 

35. They are drawn to steal the wealth of others, cat prohibited food and to denounce the Vedas and the Brahmins. 

36. They are found to be dissemblers, not respecting decorum, proclaiming atheism, eager to receive anything even from the bad and interested in sexual relations with the prohibited. 

37. Be pleased to tell me, o lord, how people who incur these and other sins can redeem themselves. 

Varāha said: 

38. It is good that you asked me about this. I shall tell you this secret for the sake of the world. 

39. What I have ordained for those who have acquired no merit but a lot of demerit due to their great sins, I shall now tell you. Please listen. 

40. The supreme power of Vişhnu with its numerous indistinct forms, has assumed the form of Dvādaśhī in the mortal world. 

41. By fasting on that day, O fair one, even those who have committed serious sins go to the eternal abode, free from the effect of merits and demerits. 

42. There is no means other than observing Ekādaśhī for the dissolution of all sins. 

43. The Ekādaśhī in the bright fortnight as well as in the dark fortnight of the month should be observed. The first gives devotion and the second liberation. 

44. Therefore, O Earth, every effort should be made to observe Ekādashi always if the world of Vişhnu is desired to attain. 

45. The observance of Ekadashi burns away all sins committed through thought, word or deed in the course of a month. 

46-47. Even sins acquired earlier are dispelled. Therefore, one should not take food at all during Ekādaśhī, if one wishes to go to the supreme abode of Vişhņu. 

48. With raised up hands I cry aloud that Vişhnu, the lord of the universe, should be worshipped on Ekadashi day without any slackness. 

49. During Ekādashi on both fortnights, water from the conch should not be drunk and fish and pig should not be killed. 

50. He who takes food on either Ekādaśhī in the month, incurs the same sin as of killing a Brahmin, drinking wine, stealing gold and committing adultery on the teacher’s wife. 

51. What sin is not incurred by the man who follows the suicidal practice of knowingly eating on Ekādaśhī day? 

52. He who finds it unable to fast on the Ekādaśhī of the bright fortnight may cat at night whatever he gets unasked. 

53. The Dvadaśhī should be observed by eating once and giving gifts. He who does not observe this or does not give gifts incurs great sin and does not get liberation anywhere. 

54. O fair one, those who are unable to fast at other times may do so, at least, on that Dvadashi which is known as Prabodhini. 

55. He who worships the lord of the universe on that day, gets thc merit of twelve Dvadashis. 

56. The Dvadashi which occurs in conjunction with the asterism Pūrvabhadrapada is great and its observance produces endless merit. 

57-58. The Ekadashi which occurs in conjunction with the asterism Uttarabhadrapada brings in a crore times the merit of others if the lord is worshipped once on that day. 

59. Just like Prabodhini (in which the lord wakes up) is the Shayanī in which the lord goes to sleep. Fasting on that day too produces abundant merit. 

60. Shayana, Bodhana and Parivartana (Dvadashis on which the lord goes to sleep, wakes up and turns his side) bring about purity to man when he fasts. 

61. Therefore, whoever desires permanent liberation should by all means observe fast on Dvādashī. 

62. Ekādaśhī falling on Monday in conjunction with Uttarabhadrapada in the month of Kärttika gives endless merit. 

63. If that is observed, it yields great results. 

64. The same falling on Tuesday confers supreme merit to one who bathes and worships the lord on that day. He gets the benefit of twelve Dvādaśhīs. 

65. The devotee shall place at a pure spot a pot filled with water, over it a vessel of ghee containing the five gems, and 

66. Over that lord Janārdana in the form of the fish made with gold weighing one nishka. 

67. He shall then bathe him with Pañchāmruta, decorate with saffron, dress with a pair of yellow cloths and provide with umbrella and a pair of sandals. 

68. He shall then worship him with lotuses keeping the senses in full control. 

69. He shall worship him as the ten incarnations namely the fish, tortoise, boar, man-lion, dwarf, (Parashu) Ráma, Rama, Krişhna, Buddha and Kalki. 

70. He shall do worship with every kind of decoration and offering flowers, incense, lamp and food of various kinds. 

71. The lord should be released at night. When the day dawns, the devotee shall take his bath and worship him in all earnestness with flowers, incense, lamp and different kinds of fruits. 

72. He shall then worship the preceptor, according to his means, with food, clothes and decorations. 

73. Then the image should be gifted to him with due rites and with the mantra: 

74. May lord Janardana who is the source of the universe, who is in the form of the universe and who is the first in the universe, be pleased with me’. 

75. The Ekadashi is to be observed in this way. I shall tell you now, O Earth, about the merit that accrues from it. 

76. The merit of Prabodhini cannot be fully uttered even with a thousand tongues. Still, I shall tell you about it briefly. 

77. The man who observes this, enters with all his dependents the celestial aerial car splendid like the sun, the moon and the stars and goes to my world. 

78. At the end of a thousand kalpas he becomes the lord of all the seven islands constituting the earth and enjoys full health and happiness. He then becomes free from birth. 

79-80. The sin of killing the Brahmin, drinking wine, stealing (gold) and committing adultery on the teacher’s wife, disappears by hearing the very name of this. 

81. Even he who is unable to do the rites for want of money, may get himself purified and attain heaven, if he touches with devotion the man who performs them and renders him service. 

82. Even by reading this account about the efficacy of this, all bad dreams disappear and all fear from worldly existence vanishes. Should we then say about the effect when the Prabodhini is actually observed? 

83. They who worship me in the proper time are indeed blessed. They are happy. A really virtuous deed has been done by them and the essence of life has indeed been earned by them. 

84. He who always takes the name of Narayana, Achyuta, Ananta or Vasudeva, O Earth, would merge into myself. 

85. What to say of those who worship with undivided attention devotedly in accordance with the manner advised by the preceptor. They would undoubtedly be merged into myself. 

86. Those who bow down to that boar-shaped Vişhnu, possessed of unlimited energy, are always adorable even by the gods. 

87. Hence, the station of Vişhnu is to be carefully aspired by the seekers. The state of being the devotee of Vişhņu, O pretty madam, is rarely attainable in the three worlds. 

88. By virtue of propitiating lord Siva during thousands of births, a man may attain the state of a devotee of Vişhnu on the decay of his sins. 

89. The decay of the sin is effected by the worship of lord Shiva. Rudra, the supreme lord, has to be worshipped by a person who seeks after knowledge. 

90. While worshipping me, one would attain the highest station of Vişhnu. The Vaishnavites, O propitious madam, do purify the entire universe. 

91. If a devotee of Vişhnu, even though he be a Chandāla, is recollected, named, seen or touched accidentally by any body, O dear madam, the former purifies them. 

92. Knowing it therefore, the learned and the wise should worship lord Vişhnu in accordance with the Vedic rites or scriptural injunctions. 

Yama said: 

93-94. Having heard all this, the fortunate Earth who had her vows fulfilled, worshipped the lord of the Universe according to regulations and got merged into him. Hence, the wise man should seek for the state of a devotee of Vishnu with all effort. 

95. Those who observe even once this Dvādaśhī called Prabodhani with due fasting, go to the supreme abode. 

96. Such souls never see Yama or his messengers or the travails in hell. What I say is simply the truth. 

97. I have thus told you what I have seen and heard in reply to what you asked me. 

98-99. O great sage desirous of knowing dharma, I have now told you in brief what was said to me about this by the creator.¹ 

1. There is some confusion in this chapter because of the use of Ekādashī’ and Dvadashi as apparently relating to the same.