Chapter 59 - Pāpāṅkuśā Ekādaśī

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

1. O Madhusūdana, be pleased and tell as to what would be (i.e. is) the name of the Ekādaśī falling in the bright half of Āśvina.

Śrīkṛṣṇa said:

2-10. O lord of kings, listen. I shall tell you about the importance of the Ekādaśī which would fall in the bright half of Āśvina—the importance which destroys sins. The great (Ekādaśī) is known as Pāpāṅkuśā and removes all sins. On that day a man should worship me named Padmanābha. That fruit which a man with his senses well-controlled for a long time gets, and which leads to the acquisition of all desired objects, and which gives men heaven and salvation, is obtained by saluting the eagle-bannered god (Viṣṇu). A man, full of delusions, having committed many sins, does not go to hell after having saluted Viṣṇu, the remover of all sins. All those sacred places and holy abodes that are there on the earth, all of them are reached (by a man) by means of reciting Viṣṇu’s appellations. Those men who have submitted themselves to god Śārṅgadhara Viṣṇu, never suffer from the torments of the world of Yama. A man, after having accidentally fasted on an Ekādaśī day, does not suffer from the torments of Yama even after having committed a fearful sin. A man who being a devotee of Viṣṇu, censures Śiva, does not go to Viṣṇu’s world. He certainly goes to hell. A Pāśupata who being a devotee of Śiva, censures Viṣṇu, is roasted in Raurava (hell) till the (periods of the) fourteen Indras are over.

11-22. Like the vow of Viṣṇu which destroys sins, there is no other (vow) in the three worlds that purifies (men). O king, as long as a living being would not fast on the auspicious day of Viṣṇu, sins would remain in his body. Thousands of horse sacrifices and hundreds of Rājasūya sacrifices do not equal to the sixteenth portion of the Ekādaśī-fast. There is no (other) vow like the Ekādaśī-vow. Even those who observe it under some pretext, do not go to Yama. This (vow) gives heaven and salvation. It gives good health of the body. This gives a wife sons; this gives wealth and friends. O king, Gaṅgā, or Gayā, or Kāśī, or Puṣkara, or Kurukṣetra is not more auspicious than the day sacred to Viṣṇu. O king, having fasted at night and fasted on the day sacred to Viṣṇu the position of Viṣṇu is obtained without trouble. A man would emancipate ten members on his mother’s side, ten on his father’s side, and ten on his wife’s side, O lord of kings. Men (observing this) have four arms, divine forms, have banners of (Garuḍa) the enemy of serpents, and white garments, and go to Viṣṇu’s abode. A man having fasted on an Ekādaśī (day) in his childhood, youth, or old age does not face a calamity, O best king. A man observing a fast on the Pāpankuśā (Ekādaśī) in the bright half of Āśvina is freed from all sins and goes to Viṣṇu’s world. A man having given gold, sesamum-seeds, land, a cow, food and water, so also (a pair of sandals), an umbrella (to a brāhmaṇa) does not see Yama.

23-28. He whose days come and go without meritorious acts, does not, though breathing, live, like the bellows of a blacksmith. O best king, even a poor man should make his day fruitful by always, and according to his capacity, doing acts like a bath and (giving) gifts. The doers of meritorious acts like a sacrifice, a bath, muttering (of hymns etc.), meditation, sacrificial sessions do not see (i.e. suffer from) the torments of Yama. Persons doing such meritorious acts are seen to be living a long life, possessing wealth, born in a noble family and free from diseases. What is the use of talking much in this matter. People go to (i.e. suffer from) calamities by means of unrighteousness. By means of righteous acts they go up to heaven. No doubt should be raised in this case. O sinless king, I have thus told you about the importance of Pāpāṅkuśā, about which you had asked me. What else do you want to hear?