The Importance of Ekadashi

Shaunaka said:

1. O illustrious one, tell me the importance of Ekadashi, and also what its fruit is and the sin (that accrues) to him who does not observe it. Suta said:

2-40. Now why should I tell the importance of (the vow of) Ekadashi? The messengers of Yama, who cause fear to all beings, are frightened on hearing the name of Ekadashi. There is no doubt about this. A man should observe a fast on the auspicious (day of) Ekadashi which is the best of all vows, should keep awake and highly decorate Vishnu. O brahmana, the man who worships Vishnu with Tulasi-leaves, obtains the fruit of a crore of sacrifices. That sin which is said to be due to illicit intercourse, perishes due to a fast on the (day of) Ekadashi. O brahmana, he who would offer a lamp full of ghee (to Vishnu) on the Vishnu-day (i.e. Ekadashi), in the end goes to Vishnu's place. " Do not bring to me these meritorious beings who observe a fast on (the day of) Vishnu's going to bed or his turning aside, and especially on the Prabodhini (Ekadashi)." Thus orders Yama to his messengers day and night. Ekadashi is dear to the lord of the world (i.e. Vishnu) and enhances religious merit. Vishnu does burn the body (of a man) on (his) eating food on that (day). Fie upon the life, wealth, handsomeness and conduct of those, the most sinful ones, who eat food on (the day of) Ekadashi! They are the eaters of feces. O best brahmana, on merely eating food on Ekadas" I(-day), many and various sins attend upon the eater. As a great sin would accrue by having coitus with women on the new moon day, in the same way sin would be there (i.e. would be committed by a man) on eating on an Ekadashi (-day). Beings (i.e. men) become diseased, crippled, and suffer from cough, and congenital leprosy on eating food on that (day). They become (i.e. are born as) village-pigs and are reduced to poverty. O best brahmana, people are bound by the king on eating (i.e. if they eat) on that (day), O brahmana, (all) the sins that are there in the worldly existence resort to food. There would be escape from hell of those who commit all sins (but) drink water (on that day only) through the order (of a superior person etc.). There is no escape (from hell) for those men who eat on Vishnu's day. Sin due to crores of brahmana-murders would accrue to those men for each kind of food that they eat. O men, listen, listen, I tell again, I tell again: On the day of Vishnu, (food) should not be eaten, food should not be eaten, food should not beeaten. That fruit is obtained by him who fasts on an (Ekadashi-) day which is obtained by bathing in Ganga etc. and at holy places or at the (time of) lunar or solar eclipse. He having worshipped (i.e. who worships) with lotus-garlands lord Vishnu after having properly broken the fast, does not have a place in mother's womb (i.e. is not reborn). O brahmana, he who makes a decoration in Vishnu's abode (i.e. temple) on an Ekadashi(-day), gets the highest status and would stay in Vishnu's house. Those who having waited for the Ekadashi-(day) observe a fast on that day, undoubtedly stay in Vishnu's city. There is no doubt that those whose minds are clung to the devotion of Vishnu, go to the highest place of Vishnu. Those too who have no longing for others' wealth and whose minds are contented, certainly have (i.e. go to) Vishnu's city. Those best men, who having encountered famine give food to creatures, undoubtedly get (i.e. go to) Vishnu's abode. Those, who cast their life for protecting cows, brahmanas, (their) master, and a woman, certainly get (i.e. go to) Vishnu's city. Creatures (i.e. men) should never observe a fast on (an Ekadashi day) joined with DasamI (i.e. the tenth day). O best brahmana, it should be avoided like the proximity of a wicked man. Having fasted on that day, if the Ekadashiday is joined with DasamI at the break of day, having fasted on that day, there would be Dvadasi, and breaking of the fast would be on the thirteenth day. A devotee of Vishnu should not observe the Ekadashi-vow on that day if the day-break is said to be the four ghatikas of the morning. This is the time of the bath for the ascetics, and is said to be like the water of Ganga. If at the time of day-break DasamI is seen (to continue), then on that day Ekadashi destroying religious merit, worldly prosperity and sensual enjoyments, should not be observed. A wise man should avoid the Ekadashi joined even a little with Dasami as he would abandon a pitcher full of ghee spoiled by the contact of a drop of liquor. When there is the full Ekadashi (i.e. it falls on the eleventh day) and again continues (in part) on the twelfth day also, then the latter should be observed by ascetics and a householder should observe a fast on the former day. When a part of Ekadashi does not go beyond Dvadasi, the merit there is of a hundred sacrifices; and the breaking of the fast (should be done) on the thirteenth day. If the Ekadashi is omitted and is further united with Dvadasi, then a man should fast for the entire twelfth day if he desires the highest place. If it is the entire Ekadashi (day) and if it is there in the morning also, then, if Dvadasi is after it (commencing on that day) all should observe the (fast of Ekadashi) on the latter day. Those men whose mind clings to the Ekadashi-vow, live in heaven and go to Vishnu's house. There is no greater means than Ekadashi for (going to) the next world. He who, full of many sins, observes (a fast on) the day of Vishnu, is freed from all sins and goes to Vishnu's abode.

41-42. That woman who along with her husband observes (a fast on) the day of Vishnu, gets good sons, is fortunate to have a (good) husband, and after death goes to Vishnu's abode. O best brahmana, the religious merit of him, who devoutly offers a lamp before (the image of) Vishnu on the day of Vishnu (i.e. Ekadashi), cannot be measured (i.e. is immeasurable).

43-44. O brahmana, that woman who with her husband keeps awake on the day of Vishnu, would stay for a long time with her husband in the abode of Vishnu. The religious merit due to an object offered to Vishnu on his day is always inexhaustible.

45. Formerly there was (a man) named Vallabha in a city named Kaficana. The lord of wealth had much wealth.

46-58a. O brahmana, his very beautiful wife was Hemaprabha by name. The great characteristic of Kali, viz. being talkative, assaulted (i.e. overpowered) her. O you great ascetic, she would always quarrel with her husband. She would always censure her elders with mean words. She, the impure one, would always secretly eat from the cooking utensils and everyday would offer the remnants of the food to the elders. Her heart was always set on her paramour, (yet) she would say, 'I am a chaste woman.' She always caused anxiety to her husband by her quarrels. Once seeing her who had come (to him), her husband censured her and struck her who was full of all sins. Full of anger, she went to a vacant house, and without anybody's knowledge slept and remained there and did not (drink and) eat water or food. Fortunately for her on that day of Vishnu (there was the festival of) Vishnu's turning upon other side1 — the Ekadasl-vow, destroying all sins. Then, when it dawned, Dvadasi with the Sravana (constellation) came. Then' that woman with her mind full of anger, observed two fasts, and became pure; and O brahmana, on the day of the Jayanti, she died at night. By Yama's order, his fearful messengers with nooses and hammers in their hands came there to take her like that (to Yama's abode). When they decided after binding her to take her to Yama's abode, Vishnu's messengers holding conches, discs and maces came (there). Having cut off the noose, they put her, free from sins and (therefore) pure, into a divine chariot. Surrounded by them, she then went to Vishnu's auspicious house, not easily accessible (even) to gods.

58b-60. O best brahmana, I have told you the importance of Vishnu's day. He who observes this vow even unwillingly goes to Vishnu's abode. A man who would go to Vishnu's temple on an Ekadashi-day to offer him a lamp, obtains the fruit of a horse sacrifice at every step. Those who listen to or read the Puranas on Vishnu's day, obtain, for every letter (listened to or read), the fruit due to the gift of a tawny cow (to a brahmana).

1. Parsvaparivartana — Name of a festival on the eleventh day of the first half of Bhadrapada when Vishnu is supposed to turn upon the other side in his sleep.

 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

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