Glory of Ekadashi, the best among all Vratas, narrated by Bhagawan Shri Hari.
Suvrat said:-
so on tenth day of the month after sunset, Shri Hari performed His evening worship. He was sitting on a high seat in huge assembly with delighted face. He said to his disciples - 1.
Shri Narayanmuni said:-
O you devotees, householders, ladies, all of you listen to me. I am telling this for your welfare and with the feeling of respect. 2.
Listen gentlemen and ladies, tomorrow is Prabodhini Ekadashi Tithi; hence the devotees staying with me here, all are supposed to keep vow on this day. 3.
Shri krishna is our adorable God. He is the best of all the persons. This vow is to be performed for worshiping Him; hence all the devotees should perform it with due efforts. 4.
A person, who is not fasting on this day is ignorant. He will go to dark fearful hell named Raurava. 5.
Whichever are the worst sins as killing the Bramhin are dwelling in the food on this Shri Hari day, i.e. Ekadashi. 6.
Therefore, whoever eats this food on Ekadashi, is doing the sins like killing the mother or father or Guru and is called the killer of the parents and Guru. 7.
A person who eats food on both the fortnights Ekadashi, he is swallowing the dirt arising from the earth. 8. Redemption from sin of killing the Bramhin is narrated in the religious books by the great sages; but for eating food on Ekadashi there is no excuse. 9.
Here drunker is supposed to go to the hell; but a person eating food on Ekadashi day goes to hell with the forefathers of his family. 10.
Devotees of Vishnu, whether gents or ladies, should observe Ekadashi vow on the both days: Shukla and Krishna Ekadashi every fortnight. 11.
Even a child above eight years or an old person over eighty years, should keep fasting on Ekadashi both fortnight of each month. 12.
Unmarried students, householder’s mendicant, ascetics in the forest, ladies, all should observe Ekadashi. 13.
If woman becomes widow and eats food on Ekadashi, she will loose all her merit and she will become sinner of Brahmahatya, i.e. killing a Bramhin. 14.
On Vaishnava day, a person observing fast, controlling his five sense organs, would worship Lord Madhusudana and pass wakeful night listening the stories and singing the fame of Bhagwan, absolves his sins as water of autumn cleans the dirt. 15-16.
A fire appearing after performing Ekadashi vow burns entire sins done in hundreds of past lives. There is nothing holy and pious like Padmanabha’s day. This day vow makes a man free from sins. 17-18.
Until a person does not perform fast on holy Padmanabha day, i.e. Ekadashi, all those sins remain in his body. 19.
Whatever merit, i.e. Punya, one gets from worship at Kurukshetra at the time of eclipse of sun and moon or whatever merit one gets by offering cow, that merit one gets from fasting on Ekadashi. 20.
Whatever merit a house-holder, in whose house, one lakh ascetic people take their meals daily, for sixty thousand years gains, the same, a person who is observing Ekadashi vow with full faith in his religion and devotion to Vasudeva with mind and heart would gain. 21-22.
Thousand Ashwamedha Yajnas or hundred Rajsuya Yajnas do not match one sixteenth digit of gain which one gets by Ekadashi-fast. 23.
Whatever sin person has done during past lives, through his eleven sense-organs, would entirely vanish by the vow of Ekadashi. 24.
There is nothing like Ekadashi vow which will vanquish all the sins. Even if observed unknowingly, the vow that will show the effects of warding away death. 25.
This Ekadashi Vrata is giver of heaven, liberation, healthy body, best wife, kingdom, and best sons. 26.
This vow is beyond comparison with holy river Ganga, places like Gaya, Kashi or Pushkar; so also Kurukshetra. Reva i.e. Narmada, Devika, Yamuna or Chandrabhaga, none stands comparison with Ekadadashi; since, the person performing Ekadashi vow can achieve highest place without any other hard efforts. 27-28.
A person fasting on Ekadashi, and keeping awake for full night, would become free from all the sins and go to Lord Vishnu’s globe. 29.
The person, abiding by Ekadashi vow, would redeem ten generations from mother’s side, ten from father’s side and ten from wife’s side, along with himself. 30.
Like Kalpdruma tree or Chintamani diamond, Ekadashi would fulfil human desires. Such is the total desire-fulfilling efficacy of Ekadashi vow. 31.
The devotees, who performs the Ekadashi vow will become the best of all human beings, he will become Chaturbhuja (enowed with four hands), will go to Vishnu’s mansion, by getting Garuda as vehicle, wearing holy yellow costume, i.e. Peetambara and garland. Once he achieved the place there, he will not get birth again. 32-33
I have explained to you, the effect of this Ekadashi Vow, which is the most powerful fire which is reputed on this globe as burning the fuel of all the sins. 34.
I have narrated the importance of this vow. This is the vow which vanquishers of the sins. Hence all the devotees should preserve it, in their minds and they should observe the vow for their well-being. 35.
Thus ends the thirty first chapter entitled, ‘Narration of description of the importance of the observance of Ekadashi vow,’in the third prakaran of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as Dharmashastra, (the rules of the code of conduct). 31