The Glory of Ekadashi

Verse 1 (garuda.1.125.1)

पितामह उवाच । मान्धाता चक्रवर्त्यासीदुपोष्यैकादशीं नृपः । एकादश्यां न भुञ्जीत पक्षयोरुभयारपि

pitāmaha uvāca māndhātā cakravartyāsīdupoṣyaikādaśīṁ nṛpaḥ ekādaśyāṁ na bhuñjīta pakṣayorubhayārapi

The Grandsire said: Mandhata was a universal emperor who observed the Ekadashi fast. One should not eat on the Ekadashi in either fortnight.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.125.2)

दशम्येकादशीमिश्रा गान्धार्या समुपोषिता । तस्याः पुत्रशतं नष्टं तस्मात्तां परिवर्जयेत्

daśamyekādaśīmiśrā gāndhāryā samupoṣitā tasyāḥ putraśataṁ naṣṭaṁ tasmāttāṁ parivarjayet

Gandhari once fasted on an Ekadashi mixed with the Dashami, and her hundred sons perished as a result; therefore such a mixed tithi should be avoided.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.125.3)

द्वादश्येकादशी यत्र तत्र सन्निहितो हरिः । दशम्येकादशी यत्र तत्र सन्निहितोऽसुरः । बहुवाक्यविरोधेन सन्देहो जायते यदा

dvādaśyekādaśī yatra tatra sannihito hariḥ daśamyekādaśī yatra tatra sannihito'suraḥ bahuvākyavirodhena sandeho jāyate yadā

Where the Ekadashi is joined with the Dvadashi, there Hari is present; where it is joined with the Dashami, there a demon is present. When doubt arises from the conflict of many opinions —

Verse 4 (garuda.1.125.4)

द्वादशी तु तदा ग्राह्या त्रयोदश्यान्तु पारणम् । एकादशी कलापिस्यादुपोष्या द्वादशी तथा

dvādaśī tu tadā grāhyā trayodaśyāntu pāraṇam ekādaśī kalāpisyādupoṣyā dvādaśī tathā

then the Dvadashi alone should be taken as the fast day, with the fast broken on the Trayodashi; if even a fraction of the Ekadashi remains, the Dvadashi too should be kept as a fast.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.125.5)

एकादशी द्वादशी च विशेषेण त्रयोदशी । त्रिमिश्रा सा तिथिर्ग्राह्या सर्वपापहरा शुभा

ekādaśī dvādaśī ca viśeṣeṇa trayodaśī trimiśrā sā tithirgrāhyā sarvapāpaharā śubhā

The Ekadashi, the Dvadashi, and especially the Trayodashi — the tithi in which all three are joined should be observed; it is auspicious and removes all sin.

Verse 6 (garuda.1.125.6)

एकादशीमुपोष्यैवद्वादशीम थवा द्विज ! । त्रिमिश्रां चैव कुर्वीत न दशम्या युतां क्रचित्

ekādaśīmupoṣyaivadvādaśīma thavā dvija ! trimiśrāṁ caiva kurvīta na daśamyā yutāṁ kracit

O Brahmin, one should fast on the Ekadashi, or on the Dvadashi, or on the tithi where all three are joined — but never on one joined with the Dashami.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.125.7)

रात्रौ जागरणं कुर्वन्पुराणश्रवणं नृपः । गदाधरं पूजयंश्च उपोष्यैका दशीद्वयम् । रुक्माङ्गदो ययौ मोक्षमन्ये चैकादशीव्रतम्

rātrau jāgaraṇaṁ kurvanpurāṇaśravaṇaṁ nṛpaḥ gadādharaṁ pūjayaṁśca upoṣyaikā daśīdvayam rukmāṅgado yayau mokṣamanye caikādaśīvratam

King Rukmangada, keeping vigil through the night, listening to the Puranas, and worshipping Gadadhara, fasted on both Ekadashis of the month and attained liberation; others too attain the same through the Ekadashi vow.