The Glories of Papankusha Ekadashi

THE GLORIES OF PAPANKUSHA EKADASHI
Yudhishthira maharaj said, Oh Madhusudana, what is the name of the Ekadasii that comes
during the light fortnight of the month of Ashvina (September - October)? Please be merciful and
disclose this truth to me." The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna replied, "Oh king,
please listen as I explain the glories of this Ekadasi- Papankusha Ekadasi - which removes all
sins. On this day one should worship the Deity of Padmanabha, the lotus naveled Lord Vishnu,
according to the rules of archana viddhi (regulations). By so doing, one achieves whatever
heavenly pleasures one may want in this world, and at last attains liberation from this world
thereafter. Simply by offering one's humble obeisances unto Lord Vishnu, the rider of Garuda,
one can achieve the same merit as is gained by performing great penances for a long time
restraining and controlling the senses. Although a person might have committed unlimited and
abominable sins, he can still escape hellish punishment just by paying his obeisances to Lord
Sri Hari, the taker away of all sin." "The merits gained by going on pilgrimage to the Holy Tirthas
of this earthly planet can also be achieved simply by chanting the Holy names of Lord Vishnu.
Whosoever chants these sacred names - such as Rama, Vishnu, Janardana or Krishna -
especially on Ekadasi, never sees Yamaraj, the king of death's punishing abode. Nor does such
a devotee who fasts on Papankusha Ekadasi, which is very dear to Me, see that plutonic
abode." "Both the Vaishnava who criticizes Lord Shiva and the Shaivite (Saivite) who criticizes
Me certainly go to hell. The merit obtained by performing one hundred horse sacrifices and one
hundred Rajasurya sacrifices is not even equal to one sixteenth of the merit a devotee is able to
attain by fasting on Ekadasi. There is no higher merit one can achieve than that attained by
fasting on Ekadasi. Indeed, nothing in all the three worlds is as pleasing or as able to purify one
of accumulated sin as Ekadasi, the day of the lotus-naveled Lord, Padmanabha. "O king, until a
person observes a fast on the day of Lord Padmanabha named Papankusha Ekadasi, he
remains sinful, and the reactions of his past sinful activities never leave him like a chaste wife.
There is no merit in all the three worlds that can match the merit that one gains by observing a
fast on this Ekadasi. Whosoever observes it faithfully never has to see death personified, Lord
Yamaraj. One who desires liberation, elevation to the heavens, good health, beautiful women,
wealth, and food grains should simply fast on this Pashunkusha Ekadasi. O king, neither the
Ganges, Gaya, Kashi, nor Pushkara, nor even the Holy site of Kurukshetra, can grant as much
auspicious merit as this Papankusha Ekadasi. "O Maharaj Yudhishthira, protector of the earth,
after observing Ekadasi during the daytime, the devotee should remain awake through the night,
absorbed in hearing, chanting and serving the lord - for by so doing he easily attains to the
Supreme abode of Lord Vishnu. Not only that, but ten generations of ancestors on his mother's
side, ten generations on his father's side, and ten generations on his wife's side are all liberated
by a single observance of a fast on this Ekadasi. All these ancestors attain their original, four
armed transcendental Vaikuntha forms. Wearing yellow garments and beautiful garlands, they
ride to the spiritual realm on the back of Garuda, the renown great enemy of the snakes. This is
the benediction My devotee earns simply by observing one Papankusha Ekadasi properly. "O
best of kings, whether one is a child, a youth, or in old age, fasting on Papankusha Ekadasi
frees him from all sins and makes him immune to suffering a hellish rebirth. Whosoever
observes a fast on the Papankusha Ekadasi becomes free of all his sins and returns to the
spiritual abode of Lord Sri Hari. Whosoever donates gold, sesame seeds, fertile land, cows,
grain, drinking water, an umbrella, or a pair of shoes on this most auspicious of Holy days will
never have to visit the abode of Yamaraj, who always punishes the sinners. But if a resident of
earth fails to perform spiritual deeds, especially the observance of a fast on days such as
Ekadasi, his breathing is said to be no better, or of as much use as the breathing/puffing of a
blacksmith's bellows. "O best of the kings, especially on this Papankusha Ekadasi, even the
poor should first bathe and then give some charity according to their means, and perform other
auspicious activities in accordance with their ability. "Whosoever performs sacrifices and
benefits the people, or builds public ponds, resting places, gardens, or houses does not suffer
the punishments of Yamaraj. Indeed, one should understand that a person much have
performed such pious activities as these in the past life if he is long lived, wealthy, of high birth,
or free from all diseases. But a person who observes Papankusha Ekadasi goes to the abode of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vishnu. Lord Sri Krishna then concluded, "Thus, Oh
saintly Yudhishthira, I have narrated to you the glories of the auspicious Papankusha Ekadasi."
Thus ends the narration of the glories of the Papankusha Ekadasi, or Ashwina-shukla Ekadasi,
from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana.

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THE GLORIES OF PAPANKUSHA EKADASHI

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