Papankusha Ekadashi of Ashvina Shukla

Verse 1 (padma.6.59.1)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच- कथयस्व प्रसादेन ममाग्रे मधुसूदन । इषस्य शुक्लपक्षे तु किं नामैकादशीभवेत्

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca- kathayasva prasādena mamāgre madhusūdana iṣasya śuklapakṣe tu kiṁ nāmaikādaśībhavet

Yudhishthira said: O Madhusudana, kindly tell me. Which Ekadashi falls in the bright fortnight of Ashvina?

Verse 2 (padma.6.59.2)

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- शृणुराजेंद्र वक्ष्यामि माहात्म्यं पाप नाशनम् । शुक्लपक्षे चाश्विनस्य भवेदेकादशी तु या

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca- śṛṇurājeṁdra vakṣyāmi māhātmyaṁ pāpa nāśanam śuklapakṣe cāśvinasya bhavedekādaśī tu yā

Sri Krishna said: O lord of kings, listen, I shall tell of its sin-destroying glory. The Ekadashi that falls in the bright fortnight of Ashvina -

Verse 3 (padma.6.59.3)

पापांकुशेति विख्याता सर्वपापहरा परा । पद्मनाभाभिधानं मां पूजयेत्तत्र मानवः

pāpāṁkuśeti vikhyātā sarvapāpaharā parā padmanābhābhidhānaṁ māṁ pūjayettatra mānavaḥ

it is renowned by the name Papankusha, the supreme Ekadashi that removes every sin. On that day a man should worship me under the name Padmanabha.

Verse 4 (padma.6.59.4)

सर्वाभीष्ट फलं प्राप्तौ स्वर्गमोक्षप्रदं नृणाम् । तपस्तप्त्वा पुनस्तीव्रं चिरं सुनियतेन्द्रियः

sarvābhīṣṭa phalaṁ prāptau svargamokṣapradaṁ nṛṇām tapastaptvā punastīvraṁ ciraṁ suniyatendriyaḥ

By this, men obtain every desired fruit, and it bestows both heaven and liberation. Even by performing intense austerity for a long time, with the senses perfectly restrained,

Verse 5 (padma.6.59.5)

यत्फलं समवाप्नोति तन्न त्वा गरुडध्वजम् । कृत्वापि बहुशःपापं नरो मोह समन्वितः

yatphalaṁ samavāpnoti tanna tvā garuḍadhvajam kṛtvāpi bahuśaḥpāpaṁ naro moha samanvitaḥ

the fruit obtained is not equal to that gained by bowing to him whose banner bears Garuda [Vishnu]. Even a man overcome by delusion, though he has committed sin many times over,

Verse 6 (padma.6.59.6)

न याति नरकं नत्वा सर्वपापहरं हरिम् । पृथिव्यां यानि तीर्थानि पुण्यान्यायतनानि च

na yāti narakaṁ natvā sarvapāpaharaṁ harim pṛthivyāṁ yāni tīrthāni puṇyānyāyatanāni ca

if he bows to Hari, remover of all sin, does not go to hell. Whatever sacred places and holy sites exist upon the earth,

Verse 7 (padma.6.59.7)

तानि सर्वाण्यवाप्नोति विष्णोर्नामानुकीर्त्तनात् । देवं शार्ङ्गधरं विष्णुं ये प्रपन्ना जनार्दनम्

tāni sarvāṇyavāpnoti viṣṇornāmānukīrttanāt devaṁ śārṅgadharaṁ viṣṇuṁ ye prapannā janārdanam

all of them are obtained through the recitation of Vishnu's name. Those who take refuge in the bow-bearing god Vishnu, Janardana,

Verse 8 (padma.6.59.8)

न तेषां यमलोकस्य यातना जायते क्वचित् । उपोष्यैकादशीमेकां प्रसंगेनापि मानवः । न याति यातनां यामीं पापं कृत्वापि दारुणम्

na teṣāṁ yamalokasya yātanā jāyate kvacit upoṣyaikādaśīmekāṁ prasaṁgenāpi mānavaḥ na yāti yātanāṁ yāmīṁ pāpaṁ kṛtvāpi dāruṇam

never suffer any torment of Yama's realm whatsoever. A man who fasts even a single Ekadashi, even incidentally, however terrible a sin he may have committed, does not attain Yama's torment.

Verse 9 (padma.6.59.9)

वैष्णवः पुरुषो भूत्वा शिवनिंदां करोति यः । न विंदेद्वैष्णवं लोकं स याति नरकं ध्रुवम्

vaiṣṇavaḥ puruṣo bhūtvā śivaniṁdāṁ karoti yaḥ na viṁdedvaiṣṇavaṁ lokaṁ sa yāti narakaṁ dhruvam

Even one who, being a Vaishnava, slanders Shiva, does not obtain the Vaishnava realm and surely goes to hell.

Verse 10 (padma.6.59.10)

शैवः पाशुपतो भूत्वा विष्णुनिंदां करोति चेत् । रौरवे पच्यते घोरे यावदिन्द्राश्चतुर्दश

śaivaḥ pāśupato bhūtvā viṣṇuniṁdāṁ karoti cet raurave pacyate ghore yāvadindrāścaturdaśa

Likewise, one who, being a Shaiva, a follower of Pashupata, slanders Vishnu, is cooked in the terrible Raurava hell until fourteen Indras have passed.

Verse 11 (padma.6.59.11)

नेदृशं पावनं किंचित्त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते । यादृशं पद्मनाभस्य व्रतं पातकनाशनम्

nedṛśaṁ pāvanaṁ kiṁcittriṣu lokeṣu vidyate yādṛśaṁ padmanābhasya vrataṁ pātakanāśanam

In the three worlds there is nothing so purifying as this sin-destroying vow of Padmanabha.

Verse 12 (padma.6.59.12)

तावत्पापानि देहेऽस्मिन्तिष्ठंति मनुजाधिपम् । यावन्नोपवसेज्जंतुः पद्मनाभदिनं शुभम्

tāvatpāpāni dehe'smintiṣṭhaṁti manujādhipam yāvannopavasejjaṁtuḥ padmanābhadinaṁ śubham

As long as a being does not fast on this auspicious day of Padmanabha, O lord of men, sin remains lodged within his body until then.

Verse 13 (padma.6.59.13)

अश्वमेधसहस्राणि राजसूयशतानि च । एकादश्युपवासस्य कलां नार्हंति षोडशीम्

aśvamedhasahasrāṇi rājasūyaśatāni ca ekādaśyupavāsasya kalāṁ nārhaṁti ṣoḍaśīm

Even a thousand Ashvamedha and a hundred Rajasuya sacrifices do not equal even a sixteenth part of the fast of Ekadashi.

Verse 14 (padma.6.59.14)

एकादशीसमं किंचिद्व्रतं लोके न विद्यते । व्याजेनापि कृता यैश्च न ते यांति हि भास्करिम्

ekādaśīsamaṁ kiṁcidvrataṁ loke na vidyate vyājenāpi kṛtā yaiśca na te yāṁti hi bhāskarim

In this world there is no vow equal to Ekadashi. Even those who have observed it, though by pretense, do not go to the son of the Sun [Yama].

Verse 15 (padma.6.59.15)

स्वर्गमोक्षप्रदा ह्येषा शरीरारोग्यदायिनी । कलत्रसुतदा ह्येषा धनमित्रप्रदायिनी

svargamokṣapradā hyeṣā śarīrārogyadāyinī kalatrasutadā hyeṣā dhanamitrapradāyinī

It bestows both heaven and liberation, and grants health to the body. It bestows a wife and a son, and grants wealth and friends.

Verse 16 (padma.6.59.16)

न गंगा न गया राजन्न च काशी च पुष्करम् । न चापि कौरवं क्षेत्रं पुण्यं भूप हरेर्दिनात्

na gaṁgā na gayā rājanna ca kāśī ca puṣkaram na cāpi kauravaṁ kṣetraṁ puṇyaṁ bhūpa harerdināt

O king, neither the Ganga, nor Gaya, nor Kashi, nor Pushkara, and not even Kurukshetra, O king, is as meritorious as this day of Hari.

Verse 17 (padma.6.59.17)

रात्रौ जागरणं कृत्वा समुपोष्य हरेर्दिनम् । अनायासेन भूपाल प्राप्यते वैष्णवं पदम्

rātrau jāgaraṇaṁ kṛtvā samupoṣya harerdinam anāyāsena bhūpāla prāpyate vaiṣṇavaṁ padam

By keeping the night-vigil and observing the fast of Hari's day, O king, a man effortlessly attains the Vaishnava state.

Verse 18 (padma.6.59.18)

दशैव मातृके पक्षे राजेंद्र दश पैतृके । प्रियाया दशपक्षे तु पुरुषानुद्धरेन्नरः

daśaiva mātṛke pakṣe rājeṁdra daśa paitṛke priyāyā daśapakṣe tu puruṣānuddharennaraḥ

O lord of kings, [by the power of this vow] ten generations on the mother's side, ten on the father's side, and ten generations on the wife's side of ancestors are delivered by that man.

Verse 19 (padma.6.59.19)

चतुर्भुजा दिव्यरूपा नागारिकृतकेतनाः । स्रग्विणः पीतवस्त्राश्च प्रयांति हरिमंदिरम्

caturbhujā divyarūpā nāgārikṛtaketanāḥ sragviṇaḥ pītavastrāśca prayāṁti harimaṁdiram

Bearing four arms, taking on a divine form, holding the Garuda-banner, garlanded and clad in yellow garments, they proceed to the abode of Hari.

Verse 20 (padma.6.59.20)

बालत्वे यौवनत्वे च वृद्धत्वे च नृपोत्तम । उपोष्यैकादशीं नूनं नैव प्राप्नोति दुर्गतिम्

bālatve yauvanatve ca vṛddhatve ca nṛpottama upoṣyaikādaśīṁ nūnaṁ naiva prāpnoti durgatim

In childhood, in youth, and even in old age, O best of kings, by fasting on Ekadashi a man never attains an evil state.

Verse 21 (padma.6.59.21)

पापांकुशामुपोष्यैव आश्विनस्य सिते नरः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो हरिलोकं स गच्छति

pāpāṁkuśāmupoṣyaiva āśvinasya site naraḥ sarvapāpavinirmukto harilokaṁ sa gacchati

By fasting on Papankusha in the bright fortnight of Ashvina, a man, freed from every sin, goes to the realm of Hari.

Verse 22 (padma.6.59.22)

दत्त्वा हेमतिलान्भूमिं गामन्नमुदकं तथा । उपानच्छत्रवस्त्रादीन्न पश्यति यमं नरः

dattvā hematilānbhūmiṁ gāmannamudakaṁ tathā upānacchatravastrādīnna paśyati yamaṁ naraḥ

Having given gold, sesame, land, a cow, food, water, sandals, an umbrella, and garments, a man does not behold Yama.

Verse 23 (padma.6.59.23)

यस्य पुण्यविहीनानि दिनान्यायांति यांति च । स लोहकारभस्त्रेव श्वसन्नपि न जीवति

yasya puṇyavihīnāni dinānyāyāṁti yāṁti ca sa lohakārabhastreva śvasannapi na jīvati

He whose days come and go devoid of merit, though breathing, is not alive - like a blacksmith's bellows.

Verse 24 (padma.6.59.24)

अवंध्यं दिवसं कुर्याद्दरिद्रोऽपि नृपोत्तम । सदाचरन्यथाशक्ति स्नानदानादिकाः क्रियाः

avaṁdhyaṁ divasaṁ kuryāddaridro'pi nṛpottama sadācaranyathāśakti snānadānādikāḥ kriyāḥ

O best of kings, even a poor man should not let his day pass in vain, by ever performing bathing, giving, and the like according to his means.

Verse 25 (padma.6.59.25)

होमस्नानजपध्यानसत्रादिपुण्यकर्मणाम् । कर्त्तारो नैव पश्यंति घोरां तां यमयातनाम्

homasnānajapadhyānasatrādipuṇyakarmaṇām karttāro naiva paśyaṁti ghorāṁ tāṁ yamayātanām

Those who perform the fire-rite, bathing, chanting, meditation, sacrificial sessions and other meritorious deeds never behold the terrible torment of Yama.

Verse 26 (padma.6.59.26)

दीर्घायुषो धनाढ्याश्च कुलीना रोगवर्जिताः । दृश्यंते मानवा लोके पुण्यकर्त्तार ईदृशाः

dīrghāyuṣo dhanāḍhyāśca kulīnā rogavarjitāḥ dṛśyaṁte mānavā loke puṇyakarttāra īdṛśāḥ

Long-lived, wealthy, well-born, and free of disease - such are the men seen in this world as the doers of merit.

Verse 27 (padma.6.59.27)

किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन यांत्यधर्मेण दुर्गतिम् । आरोहंति दिवं धर्मैर्नात्रकार्या विचारणा

kimatra bahunoktena yāṁtyadharmeṇa durgatim ārohaṁti divaṁ dharmairnātrakāryā vicāraṇā

What use is there in saying more - by adharma people attain an evil state, and by dharma they rise toward heaven - there is no need for further reflection on this.

Verse 28 (padma.6.59.28)

इति ते कथितं राजन्यत्पृष्टोऽहं त्वयानघ । पापांकुशाया माहात्म्यं किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि

iti te kathitaṁ rājanyatpṛṣṭo'haṁ tvayānagha pāpāṁkuśāyā māhātmyaṁ kimanyacchrotumicchasi

O sinless king, what you asked me, that I have told you - the glory of Papankusha. What else do you wish to hear now?