Chapter 60 - Ramā Ekādaśī

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

1. O Janārdana, through favour and love for me, tell me what would be (i.e. is) the name of the Ekādaśī falling in the dark half of Kārtika.

Srīkṛṣṇa said:

2-12a. O lord of kings, listen. I shall tell you. In the dark half of Kārtika falls the very auspicious Ekādaśī. It is called Ramā. It is great and removes great sins. O king, as the occasion has come, I shall tell you its importance. O king, formerly there was a king, Mucukunda by name. He had formed friendship with (Indra) the lord of gods. He also was fully friendly with Yama, Varuṇa, Kubera, and Bibhīṣaṇa, O king. That king was a great devotee of Viṣṇu and was true to his word. When he was ruling over his kingdom from which troublesome persons were removed, a daughter Candrabhāgā, (resembling) the excellent river (Candrabhāgā) was (born) in his house. She was given (in marriage) to Śobhana, the son of Candrasena. Once he came to his father-in-law’s house, O king. The very meritorious day of the Ekādaśī-vow (also) came. When the day of the vow came, Candrabhāgā thought: ‘O lord of gods, what will happen? My husband is very weak. He is not able to put up with hunger, and my father’s rule is strict.’ When the tenth day comes, his drum is beaten: ‘Do not eat, do not eat on the day of (i.e. sacred to) Viṣṇu.’ Hearing the sound of the drum, Śobhana said to his wife: “O dear one, what should I do? Advise me, O beautiful one.”

Candrabhāgā said:

12b-15a. O lord, today nobody in my father’s house is to eat (anything). On the day of (i.e. sacred to) Viṣṇu elephants, horses, (their) young ones, so also other beasts are not to eat grass or (drink) water. Then, O dear one, how would human beings eat on the day of (i.e. sacred to) Viṣṇu? O dear one, if you eat (anything today) then you will be censured. Thinking like this to yourself, make your mind strong.

Śobhana said:

15b-23. O dear one, these words are true. I shall fast (today). Whatever is laid down by destiny will just take place in the same way.

Thus resolving, he observed the vow. With his body oppressed with hunger, he became extremely distressed. While he was thinking like this, the sun went to the western mountain. That night enhanced the joy of Viṣṇu’s devotees engaged in worshipping Viṣṇu, and with their minds attached to keeping awake. (But) it became very painful to Śobhana. At the time of sunrise, Śobhana expired. The king got him cremated with (pieces of) wood fit for a king. Candrabhāgā did not abandon her body with her husband. Having performed his funeral rites, she remained in her father’s house. (And) O greatest king, due to the power of the Ramā-vow, Śobhana reached the divine charming city on the peak of the Mandara mountain, which (city) was excellent with innumerable qualities. It was adorned with large houses with golden pillars, and gems and lapis lazuli, and with beautiful crystals of different shapes.

24-28. Being praised by gandharvas, and waited upon by celestial nymphs, Śobhana mounted upon the throne. He had very white umbrella (held over his head) and chowries (were waved). He had (put on) a crown and ear-rings. He was adorned with necklaces and bracelets. There Śobhana shone like a great king of kings. In the city of Mucukunda there was (a brāhmaṇa) known as Somaśarman. The brāhmaṇa, wandering for pilgrimage, saw him. Recognising him to be the king’s son-in-law he approached him. Śobhana too, knowing that Somaśarman had come, quickly got up from his seat and saluted the best brāhmaṇa. He asked him about the well-being of his father-inlaw, the king, and about his wife Candrabhāgā, and about the city.

Somaśarman said:

29-31a. O king, there is well-being in your father’s house. Candrabhāgā is all right and in the city everywhere there is wellbeing. O king, tell me your own account. It is a great wonder. Such a wonderful and beautiful city has not been seen by anyone. O king, tell me this: How did you obtain this?

Śobhana said:

31b-32. In the dark half of Kārtika falls the Ekādaśī called Ramā. Having fasted on that day, I have secured this unstable city. O best brāhmaṇa, do that by which it will be stable.

The brāhmaṇa said:

33. O lord of kings, how (i.e. why) is it unstable? How will it be stable? Tell me the truth. Then I shall do it, not otherwise.

Śobana said:

34-35. O brāhmaṇa, I observed this best vow without faith. Therefore, I think, it is unstable. Listen (by which) it will be stable. The very beautiful Candrabhāgā is Mucukunda’s daughter. Tell her this account. (Then) it will be stable.

Kṛṣṇa said:

36. Hearing his words, he went to the city of Mucukunda; (and) the brāhmaṇa narrated the entire account to Candrabhāgā.

Somaśarman said:

37. O auspicious one, I actually saw your beloved husband I (also) saw his unconquerable city resembling (that of) Indra. He described it to be unstable. Do that by which it will be stable.

Candrabhāgā said:

38-45. O brāhmaṇa-sage, take me, desiring to see my husband, there. By means of the merit of my vow I shall make the city stable. O brāhmaṇa, do that by which we two shall be united. Great religious merit is obtained by bringing together the separated ones.

Hearing this, Somaśarman went with her to Vāmadeva’s hermitage near the Mandara mountain. Vāmadeva listened to the full account told by them. He sprinkled (water over) the bright Candrabhāgā with Vedic hymns. By the power of the. hymn recited by the sage, and due to observing the vow on the day of (i.e. sacred to) Viṣṇu her body became divine and she obtained a divine condition. With her eyes dilated due to great joy she approached her husband. Seeing his wife to have come, Śobhana was very much delighted. Calling her he made her sit on his left side. Then Candrabhāgā said (these) dear words to her husband: “O dear one, listen to the beneficial words: I have religious merit. When I crossed the eighth year (while living) in my father’s house.

46-54. I have since then, observed the Ekādaśī vow in the manner as it was told and with my mind full of faith. By the power of that (religious merit) the city will be stable. It will be rich in all desired objects till the final deluge.” O best king, in this way she, enjoying divine pleasures, of a divine form, and adorned with divine ornaments, rejoiced with her husband. Śobhana, of a divine body, also rejoiced with her on the peak of Mandara mountain by the power of the Ramā-vow. This vow is like the desire-yielding gem or like the desire-yielding cow. O king, I have told you about the (Ekādaśī) called Ramā. O sinless one, you have heard its full importance. I have told you the sin-destroying importance of the vows of the Ekādaśīs of both the fortnights. As is the (one of the) dark (fortnight), so is the (one of the) bright fortnight. No discrimination should be done between the two. Ekādaśī, when observed, gives pleasures and salvation to men. As a white cow is like a black one—as their milk is similar, similarly the two Ekādaśīs are said to give a similar fruit. A man who listens to the importance of the Ekādaśī-vows is freed from all sins.and is honoured in Viṣṇu’s world.