Chapter 48 - Varūthinī Ekādaśī

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Yudhiṣṭhira said:—

1. What would be the name of the Ekādaśī in the dark half of Vaiśākha? Tell me (its) importance. Salutation to you, O Vāsudeva.

Śrīkṛṣṇa said:—

2-15. O king, this Ekādaśī named Varūthinī, (falling) in the dark half of Vaiśākha, gives grandeur in this and the next world. Due to the Varūthinī-vow happiness always results; and the sins are destroyed, and good fortune is obtained. An unfortunate woman who observes this (vow) obtains good fortune. This gives pleasures and salvation to all the people. It removes all the sins of people, and cuts off living as an embryo (i.e. puts an end to rebirth). Due to the Varūthinī-vow only Māndhātṛ went to heaven. So also many other kings like Dhundhumāra (went to heaven). Lord Śiva became free from the sin of (breaking) the skull of Brahmā. One who observes the vow of Varūthinī gets the fruit equal to that (obtained by him) who gives a bhāra of gold on Kurukṣetra when the Sun (is auspicious). That man with faith who observes the vow of Varūthinī, gets (his) desired (objects) in this world and the next (world). O best king, to those who observe it, it is pure, purifying; it destroys great sins. It gives them pleasures and salvation. O king, giving of elephants is superior to giving of horses. Giving of land (is superior) to giving of elephants. Gift of sesamum-seeds is superior (even) to that. Giving of gold is superior to that, and giving of food is superior to that (i.e. giving of gold). There was not nor there will be a greater gift than that of food. By means of food the manes, gods and men are satisfied. O best king, giving one’s daughter (in marriage) is said by the wise to be like that. The lord himself said that giving of a cow is equal to that. Of all the gifts that have been mentioned, giving knowledge is the best. A man, by observing the Varūthinī(-vow) gets a fruit equal to that. Those men who, deluded by sin, subsist on the money (got) for (giving their) daughter (in marriage), lose their religious merit, and go to hell full of torments. Therefore, with all care money for giving a daughter in marriage should not be taken (i.e. should be avoided).

16-25. O lord of kings, he who through greed takes money for offering his daughter in marriage, certainly becomes (i.e. is born as) a cat in the next existence. O king, even Citragupta cannot measure the religious merit of him who, with his religious merit, gives, according to his capacity, his daughter well-adorned (in marriage). A man gets fruit equal to that by observing the Varūthinī(-vow). Bell-metal, flesh, masūra (a kind of pulse), thick peas, kodrava (a species of grain eaten by the poor), vegetables, honey, eatables of (i.e. offered by) others, and food and sexual union—these ten a devotee of Viṣṇu should avoid on the tenth day. Playing with dice, sport, sleep, tāmbūla, cleaning the teeth, censuring others, wickedness, theft, harming (others) and indulging in sex, anger, telling lies—(these) he should avoid on the Ekādaśī. Bell-metal, flesh, liquor, honey, oil, talking to those who are fallen, exercise, journey and food and sexual union, (mounting on) a bull’s back, food prepared with masūra—he should avoid on Dvādaśī. O king, to those who have observed the Varūthinī(-vow) in this manner, it would, after destroying all their sins, give them an undecaying position in the end. Those who, having kept awake at night, have worshipped Viṣṇu, are freed from all sins and reach the highest position. Therefore, those who are afraid of sins, should observe it with all efforts. A man afraid of (Saturn) the son of enemy of the night, should observe the Varūthinī(-vow). O king, by reciting (about) it and by listening to (the account of) it, a man would obtain the fruit of (the gift of) a thousand cows. Being free from all sins, he is honoured in Viṣṇu’s world.