The Description of the Glory of Dvādaśī

Verse 1

पांतु वो जलदश्यामाः शार्ङ्गज्याघातकर्कशाः । त्रैलोक्यमंडपस्तंभाश्चत्वारो हरिबाहवः ॥ १ ॥

May the four arms of Hari protect you—dark as rain clouds, firm and hardened by the recoil of the Śārṅga bowstring, and like pillars supporting the pavilion of the three worlds.

Verse 2

सुरा सुरशिरोरत्ननिघृष्टमणिरंजितम् । हरिपादांबुजद्वंद्वमभीष्टप्रदमस्तु नः ॥ २ ॥

May the pair of Hari’s lotus-feet—adorned with radiant gems, polished by contact with the crown-jewels of gods and asuras—grant us the cherished aims we seek.

Verse 3

मांधातोवाच । पापेंधनस्य घोरस्य शुष्कार्द्रस्य द्विजोत्तम । को वह्निर्दहते तस्य तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति ॥ ३ ॥

Māndhātā said: “O best of the twice-born, what fire burns away this dreadful fuel of sin—whether dry or moist? Please explain it to me.”

Verse 4

नाज्ञातं त्रिषु लोकेषु चतुर्मुखसमुद्भव । विद्यते तव विप्रेंद्र त्रिविधस्य सुनिश्चितम् ॥ ४ ॥

O foremost of Brahmins, born of the four-faced Brahmā—nothing in the three worlds is unknown to you. Your certainty regarding the threefold teaching stands firmly established.

Verse 5

अज्ञातं पातकं शुष्कं ज्ञातं चार्द्रमुदाहृतम् । भाव्यं वाप्यथवातीतं वर्तमानं वदस्व नः ॥ ५ ॥

Sin committed unknowingly is called “dry,” while sin committed knowingly is declared “moist” (fresh and clinging). Tell us also of sin as yet to come, as already past, and as present.

Verse 6

वह्निना केन तद्भस्म भवेदेतन्मतं मम । वसिष्टं उवाच । श्रूयतां नृपशार्दूल वह्निना येन तद्भवेत् ॥ ६ ॥

“By which fire does that become sacred ash? This is my considered view.” Vasiṣṭha said: “Listen, O tiger among kings, to the fire by which that (ash) is produced.”

Verse 7

भस्म शुष्कं तथार्द्रं च पापमस्य ह्यशेषतः ॥ ७ ॥

His sin is utterly destroyed, reduced to ashes—whether those ashes be dry or moist.

Verse 8

अवाप्य वासरं विष्णोर्यो नरः संयतेंद्रियः । उपवासपरो भूत्वा पूजयेन्मधुसूदनम् ॥ ८ ॥

Having obtained a day sacred to Viṣṇu, a man who has mastered his senses should devote himself to fasting and worship Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu).

Verse 9

स धात्रीस्नानसहितो रात्रौ जागरणान्वितः । विशोधयति पापानि कितवो हि यथा धनम् ॥ ९ ॥

He who performs the bath associated with the dhātrī (āmalakī) and keeps vigil through the night purifies sins—just as a gambler skillfully cleans out wealth.

Verse 10

एकदाशीसमाख्येन वह्निना पातकेंधनम् । भस्मतां याति राजेंद्र अपि जन्मशतोद्भवम् ॥ १० ॥

O king of kings, by the fire known as Ekādaśī, the fuel of sin—even that accumulated over a hundred births—goes to ashes.

Verse 11

नेदृश पावनं किंचिन्नराणां भूप विद्यते । यादृशं पद्मनाभस्य दिनं पातकहानिदम् ॥ ११ ॥

O King, for human beings there exists nothing so purifying as the sacred day of Padmanābha (Viṣṇu)—a day that destroys sins.

Verse 12

तावत्पापानि देहेऽस्मिंस्तिष्ठंति मनुजाधिप । यावन्नोपवसेज्जंतुः पद्मनाभदिनं शुभम् ॥ १२ ॥

O lord of men, sins remain lodged within this body so long—until the living being undertakes the auspicious fast on the sacred day of Padmanābha (Viṣṇu).

Verse 13

अश्वमेधसहस्राणि राजसूयशतानि च । एकादश्युपवासस्य कलां नार्हंति षोडशीम् ॥ १३ ॥

Even a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices and a hundred Rājasūya rites do not equal even one sixteenth part of the merit of fasting on Ekādaśī.

Verse 14

एकादशेंद्रियैः पापं यत्कृतं भवति प्रभो । एकादश्युपवासेन तत्सर्वं विलयं व्रजेत् ॥ १४ ॥

O Lord, whatever sin is committed through the eleven sense-faculties—by fasting on Ekādaśī, all of that goes to dissolution.

Verse 15

एकादशीसमं किंचित्पापनाशं न विद्यते । व्याजेनापि कृता राजन्न दर्शयति भास्करिम् ॥ १५ ॥

O King, there is no sin-destroying observance equal to Ekādaśī. Even if kept merely as a pretext, it does not let the “sun” of sinful consequence arise—thus it prevents the manifestation of sin’s results.

Verse 16

स्वर्गमोक्षप्रदा ह्येषा राज्यपुत्रप्रदायिनी । सुकलत्रप्रदा ह्येषा शरीरारोग्यदायिनी ॥ १६ ॥

Indeed, this bestows heaven and liberation; it grants sovereignty and worthy sons. It also grants a virtuous spouse and bestows health, freeing the body from disease.

Verse 17

न गंगा न गया भूप न काशी न च पुष्करम् । न चापि कैरवं क्षेत्रं न रेवा न च देविका ॥ १७ ॥

O king, neither the Gaṅgā, nor Gayā, nor Kāśī, nor Puṣkara; nor even the sacred field of Kairava, nor the Revā (Narmadā), nor the Devikā—none of these, by themselves, are the decisive means to the highest end.

Verse 18

यमुना चंद्रभागा च पुण्या भूप हरेर्दिनात् । अनायासेन राजेंद्र प्राप्यते हरिमंदिरम् ॥ १८ ॥

O king, the Yamunā and the Candrabhāgā are sacred; by observing a day dedicated to Hari, O best of kings, one attains Hari’s abode effortlessly.

Verse 19

रात्रौ जागरण कृत्वा समुपोष्य हरेर्दिनम् । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो विष्णुलोके व्रजेन्नरः ॥ १९ ॥

Having kept vigil through the night and properly fasted on Hari’s sacred day, a person is freed from all sins and goes to Vishnu’s realm.

Verse 20

दशैव मातृके पक्षे दश राजेंद्र पैतृके । भार्याया दश पक्षे च पुरुषानुद्धरेत्तथा ॥ २० ॥

O king, in the maternal line one should uplift ten persons; in the paternal line also ten, and likewise ten on the wife’s side—thus should one deliver these persons.

Verse 21

आत्मानमपि राजेंद्र स नयेद्वैष्णवं पुरम् । चिंतामणिसमा ह्येषा अथवापि निधेः समा ॥ २१ ॥

O king of kings, he would lead even himself to the Vaiṣṇava city, the abode of Vishnu. Indeed, this is equal to the wish-fulfilling jewel, cintāmaṇi, or even equal to a treasure.

Verse 22

संकल्पपादपप्रख्या वेदवाक्योपमाथवा । द्वादशीं ये प्रपन्ना हि नरा नरवरोत्तम ॥ २२ ॥

O best among men, those who take refuge in and observe Dvādaśī are like wish-fulfilling trees in their resolve, or indeed comparable to the authoritative utterances of the Vedas.

Verse 23

ते द्वंद्वबाहवो जाता नागारिकृतवाहनाः । स्रग्विणः पीतवस्त्राश्च प्रयांति हरिमंदिरम् ॥ २३ ॥

They become endowed with powerful, well-formed arms; their vehicles are made splendid and well-appointed; adorned with garlands and clad in yellow garments, they proceed to the temple of Hari (Vishnu).

Verse 24

एष प्रभावो हि मया द्वादश्याः परिकीर्तितः । पापेंधनस्य घोरस्य पावकाख्यो महीपते ॥ २४ ॥

O king, I have thus declared the power of the Dvādaśī observance: it is called the “fire” that burns up the terrible fuel of sin.

Verse 25

हरेर्द्दिनं सदोपोष्यं नरैर्धर्मपरायणैः । इच्छद्भिर्विपुलान्योगान्पुत्रपौत्रादिकाँस्तथा ॥ २५ ॥

“The day of Hari should always be observed and maintained by people devoted to dharma, by those who desire abundant blessings—such as sons, grandsons, and the like.”

Verse 26

हरिदिनमिह मर्त्यो यः करोत्यादरेण नरवर स तु कुक्षिं मातुराप्नोति नैव । बहुवृजिनसमेतोऽकामतः कामतो वा व्रजति पदमनंतं लोकनाथस्य विष्णोः ॥ २६ ॥

O best of men, the mortal who devoutly observes the Hari-day here on earth does not again enter a mother’s womb. Even if burdened with many sins—whether unintended or intended—he attains the endless abode of Vishnu, the Lord of the worlds.

Verse 27

इति श्रीबृहन्नारदीयपुराणोत्तरभागे द्वादशीमाहात्म्यवर्णनं नाम प्रथमोऽध्यायः ॥ १ ॥

Thus ends the First Chapter, entitled “The Description of the Glory of Dvādaśī,” in the Uttara-bhāga (later section) of the sacred Bṛhannāradīya Purāṇa.