The Supreme Excellence of the Dvadashi Night Vigil Above All Other Rites

Verse 1 (skanda.7.474.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। स्थित्वा द्वादशिजागरे क्रतुसमे दुःखापहे पुण्यदे रम्यं भागवतं शृणोति पुरुषः कृत्वा हरेः पूजनम्। पुण्यं वाजिमखस्य कोटिगुणितं संप्राप्य भक्तोत्तमश्छित्त्वा पाशसमूहपक्षनिचयं प्राप्नोति कृष्णालयम्

īśvara uvāca| sthitvā dvādaśijāgare kratusame duḥkhāpahe puṇyade ramyaṁ bhāgavataṁ śṛṇoti puruṣaḥ kṛtvā hareḥ pūjanam| puṇyaṁ vājimakhasya koṭiguṇitaṁ saṁprāpya bhaktottamaśchittvā pāśasamūhapakṣanicayaṁ prāpnoti kṛṣṇālayam

Ishvara said: The man who, remaining at the Dvadashi vigil — equal to a sacrifice, remover of sorrow, bestower of merit — worships Hari and listens to the beautiful Bhagavata, that finest devotee, attaining merit multiplied a crore times over that of the horse-sacrifice, cuts through the mass of bonds and attains the abode of Krishna.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.474.2)

हत्यापापसमूहकोटिनिचयैर्गुर्वंगनाकोटिभिः स्तेयैर्लक्षगुणैर्गुरोर्वधकरैः संवेष्टितो यद्यपि। श्रुत्वा भागवतं छिनत्ति सकलं कृत्वा हरेर्जागरं मुक्तिं याति नरेन्द्र निर्मलवपुर्भित्त्वा रवेर्मंडलम्

hatyāpāpasamūhakoṭinicayairgurvaṁganākoṭibhiḥ steyairlakṣaguṇairgurorvadhakaraiḥ saṁveṣṭito yadyapi| śrutvā bhāgavataṁ chinatti sakalaṁ kṛtvā harerjāgaraṁ muktiṁ yāti narendra nirmalavapurbhittvā raverbaṁḍalam

O king, even if one be encompassed by the sins of crores of killings, crores of unions with a guru's wife, hundreds of thousands of thefts, and the murder of a guru — by hearing the Bhagavata and keeping Hari's vigil, he cuts through all of it, and, his form made pure, pierces the orb of the sun and attains liberation.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.474.3)

एकादशी द्वादशिसंप्रविष्टा कृता नभस्ये श्रवणेन युक्ता। विशेषतः सोमसुतेन संगमे करोति मुक्तिं प्रपितामहानाम्

ekādaśī dvādaśisaṁpraviṣṭā kṛtā nabhasye śravaṇena yuktā| viśeṣataḥ somasutena saṁgame karoti muktiṁ prapitāmahānām

The Ekadashi, entering into the Dvadashi, observed in the month of Shravana under the Shravana constellation — especially at its confluence with Wednesday — grants liberation even to one's great-great-grandfathers.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.474.4)

यद्दीयते द्वादशिवासरे शुभे विष्णुं समुद्दिश्य तथा पितॄणाम्। पर्य्याप्तमिष्ठैः क्रतुतीर्थदानैर्भक्त्या प्रदत्तं खलु मेरुतुल्यम्

yaddīyate dvādaśivāsare śubhe viṣṇuṁ samuddiśya tathā pitṝṇām| paryāptamiṣṭhaiḥ kratutīrthadānairbhaktyā pradattaṁ khalu merutulyam

Whatever is given on the auspicious day of Dvadashi, dedicated to Vishnu and to the ancestors, sufficient as sacrifices, pilgrimages and gifts, given with devotion — is indeed equal in weight to Mount Meru itself.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.474.5)

महानदीं प्राप्य दिनं च विष्णोस्तोयांजलिं यस्तु पितॄन्ददाति। श्राद्धं कृतं तेन समाः सहस्रं यच्छन्ति कामान्पितरः सुतृप्ताः

mahānadīṁ prāpya dinaṁ ca viṣṇostoyāṁjaliṁ yastu pitṝndadāti| śrāddhaṁ kṛtaṁ tena samāḥ sahasraṁ yacchaṁti kāmānpitaraḥ sutṛptāḥ

He who, having reached a great river on Vishnu's day, offers a handful of water to his ancestors, has performed shraddha equal to a thousand years; his fully satisfied ancestors grant him all his desires.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.474.6)

शरणागतानां परिपालनेन ह्यन्नप्रदानेन शृणुष्व पुत्र। ऋणप्रदाने द्विजदेवतानां तद्वै फलं जागरणेन विष्णोः

śaraṇāgatānāṁ paripālanena hyannapradānena śṛṇuṣva putra| ṛṇapradāne dvijadevatānāṁ tadvai phalaṁ jāgaraṇena viṣṇoḥ

Listen, O son — the fruit that comes from protecting those who take refuge, from giving food, and from repaying one's debt to brahmins and gods — that same fruit comes from Vishnu's vigil.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.474.7)

यः स्वर्णधेनुं मधुनीरधेनुं कृष्णाजिनं रौप्यसुवर्णमेरु। ब्रह्मांडदानं प्रददाति याति स वै फलं जागरणेन विष्णोः

yaḥ svarṇadhenuṁ madhunīradhenuṁ kṛṣṇājinaṁ raupyasuvarṇameru| brahmāṇḍadānaṁ pradadāti yāti sa vai phalaṁ jāgaraṇena viṣṇoḥ

Whoever gives a cow of gold, a cow of honey and water, a black antelope skin, a Meru of silver and gold, and the gift representing the whole universe — that same fruit comes from Vishnu's vigil.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.474.8)

सत्येन शौचेन दमेन यत्फलं क्षमादयादानबलेन षण्मुख। दशाश्वमेधैर्बहुदक्षिणैश्च तेषां फलं जागरणेन विष्णोः

satyena śaucena damena yatphalaṁ kṣamādayādānabalena ṣaṇmukha| daśāśvamedhairbahudakṣiṇaiśca teṣāṁ phalaṁ jāgaraṇena viṣṇoḥ

O six-faced one, whatever fruit comes from truth, purity, self-control, forgiveness, compassion, giving, and strength, and whatever fruit comes from ten Ashvamedha sacrifices with abundant gifts — all of that fruit comes from Vishnu's vigil.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.474.9)

स्नानेन यत्प्राप्य नदीं वीरष्ठां यत्पिंडदानेन पितुर्गयायाम्। यद्धेमदानात्कुरुजांगले च तत्स्यात्फलं जागरणेन विष्णोः

snānena yatprāpya nadīṁ vīraṣṭhāṁ yatpiṁḍadānena piturgayāyām| yaddhemadānātkurujāṁgale ca tatsyātphalaṁ jāgaraṇena viṣṇoḥ

Whatever fruit comes from bathing in the Virastha river, from offering rice-balls for one's father at Gaya, and from the gift of gold at Kurujangala — that too comes from Vishnu's vigil.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.474.10)

हत्यायुतानां यदि संचितानिस्तेयानि रुक्मस्य तथामितानि। निहंत्यनेकानि पुराकृतानि श्रीजागरे ये प्रपठंति गीतम्

hatyāyutānāṁ yadi saṁcitānisteyāni rukmasya tathāmitāni| nihaṁtyanekāni purākṛtāni śrījāgare ye prapaṭhaṁti gītam

Those who, at the sacred vigil, recite the Gita destroy even ten thousand accumulated sins of killing, and countless innumerable thefts of gold, committed in the past.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.474.11)

मार्गं न ते सौरपुरस्य दूतान्वनांतरं षण्मुख किंचिदन्यत्। स्वप्ने न पश्यंति च ते मनुष्या येषां गता जागरणेन निद्रा

mārgaṁ na te saurapurasya dūtānvanāṁtaraṁ ṣaṇmukha kiṁcidanyat| svapne na paśyaṁti ca te manuṣyā yeṣāṁ gatā jāgaraṇena nidrā

O six-faced one, those men whose sleep has been driven away by the vigil do not, even in dream, ever see the path to the city of the Sun (Yama's abode), its messengers, or any other wilderness whatsoever.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.474.12)

काषायवस्त्रैश्च जटाभरैश्च पूर्ताग्निहोत्रैः किमु चान्य मन्त्रैः। धर्मार्थकामवरमोक्षकरीं च भद्रामेकां भजस्व कलिकालविनाशिनीं च

kāṣāyavastraiśca jaṭābharaiśca pūrtāgnihotraiḥ kimu cānya mantraiḥ| dharmārthakāmavaramokṣakarīṁ ca bhadrāmekāṁ bhajasva kalikālavināśinīṁ ca

What use are ochre robes, the burden of matted locks, charitable works and fire-oblations, or other mantras? Worship that one auspicious Dvadashi, bestower of dharma, artha, kama and liberation, destroyer of the Kali age.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.474.13)

इत्युक्तपूर्वं किल नारदेन श्रेयोर्थबुद्ध्या विनतासुताय। कृष्णात्परं नान्यदिहास्ति दैवं व्रतं तदह्नः परमं न किंचित्

ityuktapūrvaṁ kila nāradena śreyorthabuddhyā vinatāsutāya| kṛṣṇātparaṁ nānyadihāsti daivaṁ vrataṁ tadahnaḥ paramaṁ na kiṁcit

Thus, of old, did Narada, out of thought for his welfare, say to Garuda, son of Vinata: 'Here there is no deity greater than Krishna, and no vow greater than that day, Dvadashi.'

Verse 14 (skanda.7.474.14)

भोभोः सुराः शृणुत नारद इत्यवोचद्भोभोः खगेन्द्रऋषिसिद्धमुनीन्द्रसंघाः। उत्क्षिप्य बाहुमथ भक्तजनेन चोक्तं नैकादशीव्रतसमं व्रतमस्ति किंचित्

bhobhoḥ surāḥ śṛṇuta nārada ityavocadbhobhoḥ khagendraṛṣisiddhamunīndrasaṁghāḥ| utkṣipya bāhumatha bhaktajanena coktaṁ naikādaśīvratasamaṁ vratamasti kiṁcit

'O gods, listen!' — thus spoke Narada; 'O king of birds, O host of sages, siddhas, and great ascetics!' Raising his arm, he further declared to the devotees: 'There is no vow equal to the Ekadashi vow.'

Verse 15 (skanda.7.474.15)

पक्षीन्द्र पापपुरुषा न हरिं भजंति तद्भक्तिशास्त्रनिरता न कलौ भवंति। कुर्वंति मूढमनसो दशमीविमिश्रामेकादशीं शुभदिनं च परित्यजंति

pakṣīndra pāpapuruṣā na hariṁ bhajaṁti tadbhaktiśāstraniratā na kalau bhavaṁti| kurvaṁti mūḍhamanaso daśamīvimiśrāmekādaśīṁ śubhadinaṁ ca parityajaṁti

O king of birds, sinful men do not worship Hari; in the Kali age they are not devoted to the scripture of his devotion. Foolish-minded people observe the Ekadashi mixed with the tenth day, and thereby abandon that auspicious day.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.474.16)

आर्त्तः सदा चैव सदा च रोगी पापी सदा चैव सदा च दुःखी। सदा कुलघ्नोऽथ सदा च नारकी विद्धं मुरारेर्दिनमाश्रयेत्तु यः

ārttaḥ sadā caiva sadā ca rogī pāpī sadā caiva sadā ca duḥkhī| sadā kulaghno'tha sadā ca nārakī viddhaṁ murārerdinamāśrayettu yaḥ

He who takes refuge in a flawed day of Murari remains ever afflicted, ever diseased, ever sinful, ever sorrowful, ever a destroyer of his family, and ever bound for hell.