Aja Ekadashi of Bhadrapada Krishna

Verse 1 (padma.6.56.1)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच- भाद्रस्य कृष्णपक्षे तु किंनामैकादशीभवेत् । एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं कथयस्व जनार्दन

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca- bhādrasya kṛṣṇapakṣe tu kiṁnāmaikādaśībhavet etadicchāmyahaṁ śrotuṁ kathayasva janārdana

Yudhishthira said: Which Ekadashi falls in the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada? O Janardana, I wish to hear this - kindly tell me.

Verse 2 (padma.6.56.2)

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- शृणुष्वैकमना राजन्कथयिष्यामि विस्तरात् । अजेति नामतः प्रोक्ता सर्वपापप्रणाशिनी

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca- śṛṇuṣvaikamanā rājankathayiṣyāmi vistarāt ajeti nāmataḥ proktā sarvapāpapraṇāśinī

Sri Krishna said: O king, listen with a single-pointed mind, I shall tell it in detail. Its name is Aja, and it is declared to destroy every sin.

Verse 3 (padma.6.56.3)

पूजयित्वा हृषीकेशं व्रतमस्यां करोति यः । पापानि तस्य नश्यंति व्रतस्य श्रवणादपि

pūjayitvā hṛṣīkeśaṁ vratamasyāṁ karoti yaḥ pāpāni tasya naśyaṁti vratasya śravaṇādapi

Whoever worships Hrishikesha and observes the vow of this Ekadashi has his sins destroyed - merely by hearing of this vow, even that suffices.

Verse 4 (padma.6.56.4)

नातः परतरा राजन्लोकद्वयहिताय वै । सत्यमुक्तं मया ह्येतन्नासत्यं मम भाषितम्

nātaḥ paratarā rājanlokadvayahitāya vai satyamuktaṁ mayā hyetannāsatyaṁ mama bhāṣitam

O king, for the welfare of both worlds there is nothing greater than this. I have spoken only the truth here; my words are not false.

Verse 5 (padma.6.56.5)

हरिश्चन्द्र इति ख्यातो बभूव नृपतिः पुरा । चक्रवर्ती सत्यसंधः समस्ताया भुवः पतिः

hariścandra iti khyāto babhūva nṛpatiḥ purā cakravartī satyasaṁdhaḥ samastāyā bhuvaḥ patiḥ

Long ago there lived a king renowned by the name Harishchandra, an emperor, true to his word, lord of the entire earth.

Verse 6 (padma.6.56.6)

कस्यापि कर्मणः प्राप्तौ राज्यभ्रष्टो बभूव सः । विक्रीतौ वनितापुत्रौ स चकारात्मविक्रयम्

kasyāpi karmaṇaḥ prāptau rājyabhraṣṭo babhūva saḥ vikrītau vanitāputrau sa cakārātmavikrayam

As the fruit of some deed, he fell from his kingdom; he sold his wife and son, and sold even himself as well.

Verse 7 (padma.6.56.7)

पुल्कसस्य च दासत्वं गतो राजा स पुण्यकृत् । सत्यमालंब्य राजेंद्र मृतचैलापहारकः

pulkasasya ca dāsatvaṁ gato rājā sa puṇyakṛt satyamālaṁbya rājeṁdra mṛtacailāpahārakaḥ

That meritorious king became the slave of a pulkasa [outcaste]; O lord of kings, remaining steadfast in truth, he took up the task of stripping the cloth from the dead.

Verse 8 (padma.6.56.8)

सोऽभवन्नृपतिश्रेष्ठो न सत्याच्चलितस्तथा । एवं च तस्य नृपतेर्बहवो वत्सरा गताः

so'bhavannṛpatiśreṣṭho na satyāccalitastathā evaṁ ca tasya nṛpaterbahavo vatsarā gatāḥ

That excellent king still did not waver from truth; thus many years passed for that king.

Verse 9 (padma.6.56.9)

ततश्चिंतापरो राजा स बभूवातिदुःखितः । किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि निष्कृतिर्मे कथं भवेत्

tataściṁtāparo rājā sa babhūvātiduḥkhitaḥ kiṁ karomi kva gacchāmi niṣkṛtirme kathaṁ bhavet

Then that king, sunk in anxiety, became exceedingly sorrowful - what shall I do, where shall I go, how shall I be delivered?

Verse 10 (padma.6.56.10)

इति चिंतयतस्तस्य मग्नस्य वृजिनार्णवे । आजगाम मुनिः कश्चिज्ज्ञात्वा राजानमातुरम्

iti ciṁtayatastasya magnasya vṛjinārṇave ājagāma muniḥ kaścijjñātvā rājānamāturam

While he was thus sunk in the ocean of sorrow and pondering, a certain sage, perceiving that afflicted king, came to him.

Verse 11 (padma.6.56.11)

परोपकारणार्थाय निर्मिता ब्रह्मणा द्विजाः । स तं दृष्ट्वा द्विजवरं ननाम नृपसत्तमः

paropakāraṇārthāya nirmitā brahmaṇā dvijāḥ sa taṁ dṛṣṭvā dvijavaraṁ nanāma nṛpasattamaḥ

Brahma created brahmins solely for the purpose of helping others. Beholding that excellent brahmin, that best of kings bowed to him.

Verse 12 (padma.6.56.12)

कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा गौतमस्याग्रतः स्थितः । कथयामास वृत्तांतमात्मनो दुःखसंयुतम्

kṛtāṁjalipuṭo bhūtvā gautamasyāgrataḥ sthitaḥ kathayāmāsa vṛttāṁtamātmano duḥkhasaṁyutam

Standing before the sage Gautama with joined palms, he related his own sorrowful tale.

Verse 13 (padma.6.56.13)

श्रुत्वा नृपतिवाक्यानि गौतमो विस्मयान्वितः । उपदेशं नृपतये व्रतस्यास्य ददौ मुनिः

śrutvā nṛpativākyāni gautamo vismayānvitaḥ upadeśaṁ nṛpataye vratasyāsya dadau muniḥ

Hearing the king's words, Gautama was filled with great wonder; that sage gave the king instruction in this vow.

Verse 14 (padma.6.56.14)

मासि भाद्रपदे राजन्कृष्णपक्षेति शोभना । एकादशी समायाता अजा नामेति पुण्यदा

māsi bhādrapade rājankṛṣṇapakṣeti śobhanā ekādaśī samāyātā ajā nāmeti puṇyadā

O king, in the dark fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada there comes that splendid Ekadashi, known by the name Aja, which bestows merit.

Verse 15 (padma.6.56.15)

अस्याः कुरु व्रतं राजन्पापस्यांतो भविष्यति । तव भाग्यवशादेषा सप्तमेऽह्नि समागता

asyāḥ kuru vrataṁ rājanpāpasyāṁto bhaviṣyati tava bhāgyavaśādeṣā saptame'hni samāgatā

O king, observe its vow, and your sin shall come to an end. By your own good fortune it arrives in seven days' time.

Verse 16 (padma.6.56.16)

उपवासपरो भूत्वा रात्रौ जागरणं कुरु । एवमस्या व्रते चीर्णे तव पापक्षयो ध्रुवम्

upavāsaparo bhūtvā rātrau jāgaraṇaṁ kuru evamasyā vrate cīrṇe tava pāpakṣayo dhruvam

Remaining absorbed in the fast, keep vigil through the night. By observing this vow in such a manner, the destruction of your sin is certain.

Verse 17 (padma.6.56.17)

तव पुण्यप्रभावेण चागतोऽहं नृपोत्तम । इत्येवं कथयित्वा च मुनिरंतरधीयत

tava puṇyaprabhāveṇa cāgato'haṁ nṛpottama ityevaṁ kathayitvā ca muniraṁtaradhīyata

'It is by the very power of your own merit that I have come here, O best of kings.' Having said this, the sage vanished.

Verse 18 (padma.6.56.18)

मुनिवाक्यं नृपः श्रुत्वा चकार व्रतमुत्तमम् । कृते तस्मिन्व्रते राज्ञः पापस्यांतोऽभवत्क्षणात्

munivākyaṁ nṛpaḥ śrutvā cakāra vratamuttamam kṛte tasminvrate rājñaḥ pāpasyāṁto'bhavatkṣaṇāt

Hearing the sage's words, the king performed that excellent vow; upon the observance of that vow, the king's sin came to an end in an instant.

Verse 19 (padma.6.56.19)

श्रूयतां राजशार्दूल प्रभावोऽस्य व्रतस्य च । यद्दुःखंबहुभिर्वर्षैर्भोक्तव्यंतत्क्षयोभवेत्

śrūyatāṁ rājaśārdūla prabhāvo'sya vratasya ca yadduḥkhaṁbahubhirvarṣairbhoktavyaṁtatkṣayobhavet

O tiger among kings, hear the power of this vow - even the suffering that was to be endured over many years came to its end.

Verse 20 (padma.6.56.20)

निस्तीर्णदुःखो राजासीद्व्रतस्यास्य प्रभावतः । पत्न्या सह समायोगं पुत्रजीवनमाप सः

nistīrṇaduḥkho rājāsīdvratasyāsya prabhāvataḥ patnyā saha samāyogaṁ putrajīvanamāpa saḥ

By the power of this vow the king crossed beyond his suffering; he obtained reunion with his wife and the life of his son once again.

Verse 21 (padma.6.56.21)

दिवि दुंदुभयो नेदुः पुष्पवर्षमभूद्दिवः । एकादश्याः प्रभावेन प्राप्यराज्यमकंटकम्

divi duṁdubhayo neduḥ puṣpavarṣamabhūddivaḥ ekādaśyāḥ prabhāvena prāpyarājyamakaṁṭakam

Kettledrums sounded in the heavens and a shower of flowers fell from the sky. By the power of Ekadashi, having obtained a thorn-free kingdom,

Verse 22 (padma.6.56.22)

स्वर्गं लेभे हरिश्चंद्रः सपुरः सपरिच्छदः । ईदृग्विधं व्रतंराजन्ये कुर्वंति च मानवाः

svargaṁ lebhe hariścaṁdraḥ sapuraḥ saparicchadaḥ īdṛgvidhaṁ vrataṁrājanye kurvaṁti ca mānavāḥ

Harishchandra attained heaven together with his city and his entire household. O king, those men who thus observe this vow,

Verse 23 (padma.6.56.23)

सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तास्त्रिदिवं यांति ते नृप । पठनाच्छ्रवणाद्वापि अश्वमेधफलं लभेत्

sarvapāpavinirmuktāstridivaṁ yāṁti te nṛpa paṭhanācchravaṇādvāpi aśvamedhaphalaṁ labhet

O king, become freed from every sin and go to heaven. Merely by reading or hearing it too, one obtains the fruit of the Ashvamedha sacrifice.