Shloka 33

Yama’s Journey to Brahmaloka

Ekadashi–Dvadashi Mahatmya in the Rukmangada Cycle

Devanagari script

विश्रांतं लेखकेर्लेख्यं लिखितं मार्जितं जनैः । एकादश्युपवासस्य माहात्म्येन द्विजोत्तम ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

viśrāṃtaṃ lekhakerlekhyaṃ likhitaṃ mārjitaṃ janaiḥ | ekādaśyupavāsasya māhātmyena dvijottama || 33 ||

Translation

Ô meilleur des deux-fois-nés, par la grandeur du jeûne d’Ekādaśī, l’écrit du scribe—une fois qu’il s’était arrêté—fut réécrit, et même effacé et purifié par les gens.

Word by Word

• विश्रान्तम्: rested; ceased
• विश्रान्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्रान्त (कृदन्त; √श्रम् उपसर्ग-वि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘rested/ceased’

• लेखकेः: of the scribe
• लेखकेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लेखक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; Genitive ‘of the scribe’

• लेख्यम्: the writing; what is to be written
• लेख्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लेख्य (प्रातिपदिक; √लिख्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘that which is to be written’

• लिखितम्: written
• लिखितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिखित (कृदन्त; √लिख्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘written’

• मार्जितम्: cleansed; erased
• मार्जितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मार्जित (कृदन्त; √मृज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘wiped/cleansed’

• जनैः: by people
• जनैः: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; Instrumental ‘by people’

• एकादशी-उपवासस्य: of the Ekādaśī fast
• एकादशी-उपवासस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक) + उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): ‘of the Ekādaśī fast’

• माहात्म्येन: by the greatness (power)
• माहात्म्येन: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; Instrumental ‘by/through the greatness’

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘best of the twice-born’ (vocative address)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the dialogue; verse addresses a dvija as listener within the Ekadashi Mahatmya episode)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekādaśī-upavāsa

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"adbhuta","secondary_rasa":"bhakti","emotional_journey":"Begins with a curious, almost miraculous claim about writing being altered/cleansed, and resolves by attributing the wonder to Ekādaśī-upavāsa māhātmya, inspiring devotional awe."}

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It highlights Ekādaśī-upavāsa as so spiritually potent that even recorded outcomes (symbolized by a scribe’s settled writing) can be altered—implying purification and reversal of negative karmic accounting through sincere vrata.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Ekādaśī fasting is presented as a devotional discipline aligned to Viṣṇu-bhakti: by honoring the sacred day with restraint and faith, a devotee gains transformative grace that reshapes one’s spiritual destiny.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual discipline (kalpa-style vrata practice) is implied: the verse points to the regulated observance of Ekādaśī upavāsa as a formal dhārmic method for purification, even though no specific technical Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is explicitly named.