How to Observe the Vow of Dvadasi

Parvati said:

1-2. O lord, I desire to hear about the rule about Dvadasi* and about (how) the worship of Vishnu should be done on that (day). O great lord, due to your love for me (i.e. since you love me), tell me in detail the power of Ekadashi that removes all sins of men. Mahddeva said:

3-8. O goddess, listen. I shall tell you the rule about Dvadasi. Merely by (one's) remembering it, Vishnu would be pleased. Men fasting on Ekadashi when it has come, are freed from all sins, and reach the highest position of Vishnu. By worshipping Vishnu on Dvadasi all the sin (of one) committed knowingly or unknowingly perishes in a moment. Thousands of horsesacrifices and hundreds of Vajapeya sacrifices do not equal even a sixteenth part af Ekadasl-fast. The excellent Dvadasi (vow) gives merit, wealth, desired objects and salvation also. It fulfils all desires of men. O you of beautiful eyes, there is nothing else that saves (one) from sins like Ekadashi. There is no other vow like that of Ekadashi.

9-16. He who, ignoring Ekadashi, would observe some other vow, asks for begging after abandoning great kingdom which is in his hand. O dear one, all the sin that is committed with the eleven (sensory and motor) organs would perish by means of a fast on the Ekadashi (day). O you of an excellent face, the Puranas repeatedly announce: " One should not eat, one should not eat, when the day of (i.e. sacred to) Vishnu has come." O you of an excellent complexion, there are always certain articles of food prohibited for the castes and stages of life. The more so on the Ekadashi of the bright half and the dark half (of a month). There is no doubt that the Ekadashifast should be observed. If the anniversary day of the death of one's mother and father is on the day on which Ekadashi falls, the presents should be given on the Dvadasi day, but never on the Ekadashi day. Dead ancestors and gods do not eat censured food. On an Ekadashi day one should not eat, should never drink liquor, should not hurt a brahmana. These three (sins) are said to be equal (in gravity). Therefore, on a pure (i.e. unmixed) Ekadashi (day), one should observe a fast. In the three conditions, with speech, body and deeds, an effort should be made (for observing a fast).

17-24. Ekadashi mixed with DasamI should be carefully avoided. (If DasamI continues) at the time of dawn (on the Ekadashi day), it (i.e. the Ekadashi) would be mixed with DasamI. Leaving it (i.e. that Ekadashi day) he should, without (further) thought, observe a fast on the pure (i.e. unmixed) Dvadasi. O goddess, if a part of Ekadashi continues at the sunrise on the Trayodasi day, then Dvadasi remains on that day also. At dawn he should perform all rites. Even if a part of Dvadasi is there, breaking the fast (on that day) is recommended. In this case one should ignore even a pure Ekadashi. There is no doubt about it. Even if a part of the Ekadashi continues on the Dvadasi, when the sun has risen, one should ignore the entire Ekadashi (on the previous day) and observe a fast on that (Dvadasi) day. Having decided the rite like this, one should observe a fast on the day of (i.e. sacred to) Vishnu. Avoiding four meals, one in the evening of the first day, another in the morning of the last (i.e. the third) day, and two on the middle (i.e. the second) day, one should observe a fast. On the DasamI day he should eat once (only), avoid (sexual) union jwith his wife, sleep on the ground, and should remain pure on the next day.

25-32. With his body smeared with (the pulp of) the dhatrlfruit, he should bathe and offer the sandhya (prayer). Intent on (observing) a fast, he should worship Vishnu at night. A devotee of Vishnu should not see, talk with or touch a heretic, one doing a prohibited act, a fallen person or a candala. A brahmana who is not devoted to Vishnu is called a heretic. One who has given up the tuft of hair on the crown of the head and the sacred thread is said to be one remaining (i.e. persisting) in (doing) prohibited acts. One having (committed) major and minor sins is said to be fallen. One belonging to the lowest caste is said to be svapaca. This proper decision is taken by the Vedas. Having worshipped the lord of gods, one should keep awake. With sandal, flowers, lights, garments, ornaments, auspicious mutterings, hymns, salutations, one should devoutly worship (Vishriu) at night. Then in the morning having bathed according to the proper rule with water mixed with TulasI, and having gratified the dead ancestors and deities, one should worship Vishnu, the lord of the world along with Lakshmi, with tender Tulasi-leaves, and fragrant flowers. Then one hundred and eight times he should wave lights (before Vishnu's idol).

33-39. To both of them (i.e. Vishnu and Lakshmi) he should offer a garland made of lotuses. He should also offer them incense, light, articles of food and tambula. One should offer (them) charming food of rice boiled in milk along with sugar, and should offer a tambula with camphor. He should devoutly salute (them) while going round them. One hundred and eight times he should offer oblations into fire with ghee, offering rice boiled in milk with the recital of every re, with (the recital of) the Purusasukta and Laksml-sukta. He should feed the brahmanas, and controlled in speech he himself should also eat. He should pass that great day by the recital of the Puranas etc. That night he, observing celibacy, should sleep on the ground. That lord of Kamala, being thus worshipped on the DvadasI day, is pleased in a moment, and the lord certainly gives all desired objects. O goddess, I have thus told you the excellent vow of DvadasI. What else do you desire to hear? I shall tell that to you.

 

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