Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 39
Sourceयुधिष्ठिर उवाच- वंदे विष्णुं विभुं साक्षाल्लोकत्रयसुखावहम् । विश्वेशं विश्वकर्तारं पुराणं पुरुषोत्तमम् १। पृच्छामि देवदेवेश संशयोऽस्ति महान्मम । लोकानां च हितार्थाय पापानां क्षयहेतवे २। मार्गशीर्षेसिते पक्षे भवेदेकादशी तु या । किं नाम को विधिस्तस्याः को देवस्तत्र पूज्यते । एतदाचक्ष्व मे स्वामिन्विस्तरेण यथातथम् ३। श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- साधु पृष्टं त्वया राजन्साधु ते विमलं यशः । कथयिष्यामि राजेंद्र हरिवासरमुत्तमम् ४। उत्पन्ना चासिते पक्षे द्वादशी मम वल्लभा । मार्गशीर्षोत्पत्तिरिति मम देह समुद्भवा ५। सुरासुरवधार्थाय ह्युत्पन्ना भरतर्षभ । कथिता च मया सा वै तवाग्रे राजसत्तम ६। पूर्वा चैकादशी राजंस्त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे । मार्गशीर्षे सिते पक्षे उत्पत्तिरिति नामतः ७। अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि मार्गशीर्षे सिता तु या । यस्याः श्रवणमात्रेण वाजपेयफलं लभेत् ८। मोक्षा नामेति सा प्रोक्ता सर्वपापहरा परा । देवं दामोदरं राजन्पूजयेच्च प्रयत्नतः ९। तुलस्या मंजरीभिश्च धूपैर्दीपैः प्रयत्नतः । पूर्वेण विधिना चैव दशम्येकादशी तथा १०। मोक्षा चैकादशी नाम्ना महापातकनाशिनी । रात्रौ जागरणं कार्यं नृत्यगीतस्तवैर्मम ११। शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि दिव्यां पौराणिकीकथाम् । यस्याः श्रवणमात्रेण सर्वपापक्षयो भवेत् १२। अधोयोनिगतश्चैव पितरो यस्य पापतः । अस्याश्च पुण्यदानेन मोक्षं यांति न संशयः १३। चंपके नगरे रम्ये वैष्णवैश्च विभूषिते । वैखानसो नाम नृपः पुत्रवत्पालयेत्प्रजाः १४। वसंति बहवो विप्रा वेदवेदांगपारगाः । ऋद्धिमत्यः प्रजास्तस्य राज्ञो वैखानसस्य हि १५। एवं राज्यं प्रकुर्वाणो रात्रौ स्वप्नस्य मध्यतः । स्वकीयपितरो दृष्ट्वा अधोयोनिगता नृप १६। एवं दृष्ट्वा च तान्सर्वान्विस्मयाविष्टमानसः । कथयामास वृत्तांतं स्वप्नजातं द्विजान्प्रति १७। राजोवाच- मया स्वपितरो दृष्ट्वा नरकोपगता द्विजाः । तारयेति तनूजत्वमस्मान्निरयसागरात् १८। एवं ब्रुवाणास्ते नूनं रोदमाना मुहुर्मुहुः । मया दृष्टा द्विजश्रेष्ठा एतस्माच्च न मे सुखम् १९। एतद्राज्यं मम महत्सुखदायि न विद्यते । अश्वा गजास्तथा सर्वे रोचंते मे न भो द्विजाः २०। न दारा न सुता मह्यं रोचंते द्विजसत्तमाः । किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि हृदयं मेऽवरुध्यते २१। तद्व्रतं तं तपोयोगं येनैव मम पूर्वजाः । मोक्षं प्रयांति सद्यो वै कथ्यतां च द्विजोत्तमाः २२। पुत्रे तु जीवितप्राये बलीयसि महात्मनि । पितास्ति नरके घोरे तस्य पुत्रस्य किं फलम् २३। ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः - पर्वतस्य मुने राजन्निकटे चाश्रमो महान् । गम्यतां राजशार्दूल भूतं भव्यं विजानतः २४। तेषां श्रुत्वा ततो वाक्यं राजा वैखानसो महान् । जगाम चाशु तत्रैव चाश्रमं पर्वतस्य च २५। ब्राह्मणैर्वेष्टितो राजा राजभिश्च समन्वितः । आश्रमं विपुलं तस्य संप्राप्तो राजसत्तमः २६। तत्रर्ग्वेद यजुर्वेद सामाध्ययनकोविदैः । वेष्टितं मुनिभिश्चैव द्वितीयं ब्रह्मणो यथा २७। दृष्ट्वा तं मुनिशार्दूलं राजा वैखानसस्तथा । दंडवत्प्रणतिं कृत्वा पस्पर्श चरणौ मुनेः २८। पप्रच्छ कुशलं तस्य सप्तस्वंगेष्वसौ मुनिः । राज्ये निष्कंटकत्वं च राज्ञः सौख्यसमन्वितम् २९। राजोवाच - तव प्रसादाद्भो स्वामिन्कुशलं मेऽङ्गसप्तसु । भक्ता ये विष्णुविप्रेषु कथं तेषां च विघ्नता ३०। मया स्वपितरो दृष्टाः स्वप्ने च नरके स्थिताः । कस्य पुण्यस्य सामर्थ्यान्मोक्षं यांति द्विजोत्तम ३१। अयं मे संशयः स्वामिन्प्रष्टुं तं त्वामुपागतः । उपायः कश्चिदेवात्र कर्तव्यो मुनिसत्तम ३२। एतद्वाक्यं ततः श्रुत्वा पर्वतो मुनिसत्तमः । ध्यानस्तिमितनेत्रोऽभूत्तपस्वी ब्रह्मसंनिभः ३३। मुहूर्तमेकं ध्यानस्थो भूपतिं प्रत्युवाच ह । ज्ञातं हि तव राजेंद्र पितॄणां पूर्वचेष्टितम् ३४। पूर्वजन्मनि तातस्ते क्षत्रियो राज्यगर्वितः । सपत्न्या ऋतुकाले तु राजधर्मप्रवर्तितः ३५। गतो ग्रामे तु तां त्यक्त्वा कार्यार्थी निजयोषितम् । तव पित्रा तु तस्याश्च न दत्तमृतुदानकम् ३६। तेन पापप्रभावेन नरके पितृभिः सह । पतितो राजशार्दूल तव तातः सुदारुणे ३७। ततः पुनरुवाचेदं राजा वैखानसो मुनिम् । केन व्रतप्रभावेन मोक्षस्तेषां भवेन्मुने ३८। मुनिरुवाच- मार्गशीर्षे सिते पक्षे मोक्षा नामेति नामतः । सर्वैश्चेतद्व्रतं कार्यं पित्रे पुण्यं प्रदीयताम् ३९। तेन पुण्यप्रभावेन मोक्षस्तेषां भविष्यति । सत्यमेतन्महाभाग ब्रह्मणो वचनं यथा ४०। मुनेर्वाक्यं ततः श्रुत्वा स्वगृहं पुनरागतः । मार्गशीर्षस्तथा मासः प्राप्तः कष्टेन तेन वै ४१। मुनेर्वाक्येन तत्कृत्वा व्रतं वैखानसो नृपः । अददत्पुण्यमखिलैः सार्द्धं पित्रे स भूमिपः ४२। दत्ते पुण्यक्षणेनैव पुष्पवृष्टिरभूद्दिवि । वैखानसस्य तातो वै पितृभिर्मोक्षमाविशत् ४३। राजानं चांतरिक्षे स गिरं पुण्यामुवाच ह । स्वस्तिस्वस्तीति ते पुत्र प्रोच्य चैवं दिवं गतः ४४। एवं यः कुरुते राजन्मोक्षामेकादशीं शुभाम् । तस्य पापानि नश्यंति मृतो मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ४५। नातः परतरा काचित्मोक्षदैकादशी भवेत् । पुण्यसंख्यां न जानामि राजन्मे प्रियकृद्व्रतम् ४६। चिंतामणिसमा ह्येषा नृणां मोक्षप्रदायिनी । पठनाच्छ्रवणादस्या वाजपेयफलं लभेत् ४७। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायां उत्तरखंडे उमापतिनारदसंवादे मार्गशीर्षशुक्ल मोक्षदा एकादशीनामैकोनचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः ३९।
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca- vaṃde viṣṇuṃ vibhuṃ sākṣāllokatrayasukhāvaham | viśveśaṃ viśvakartāraṃ purāṇaṃ puruṣottamam 1| pṛcchāmi devadeveśa saṃśayo'sti mahānmama | lokānāṃ ca hitārthāya pāpānāṃ kṣayahetave 2| mārgaśīrṣesite pakṣe bhavedekādaśī tu yā | kiṃ nāma ko vidhistasyāḥ ko devastatra pūjyate | etadācakṣva me svāminvistareṇa yathātatham 3| śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca- sādhu pṛṣṭaṃ tvayā rājansādhu te vimalaṃ yaśaḥ | kathayiṣyāmi rājeṃdra harivāsaramuttamam 4| utpannā cāsite pakṣe dvādaśī mama vallabhā | mārgaśīrṣotpattiriti mama deha samudbhavā 5| surāsuravadhārthāya hyutpannā bharatarṣabha | kathitā ca mayā sā vai tavāgre rājasattama 6| pūrvā caikādaśī rājaṃstrailokye sacarācare | mārgaśīrṣe site pakṣe utpattiriti nāmataḥ 7| ataḥ paraṃ pravakṣyāmi mārgaśīrṣe sitā tu yā | yasyāḥ śravaṇamātreṇa vājapeyaphalaṃ labhet 8| mokṣā nāmeti sā proktā sarvapāpaharā parā | devaṃ dāmodaraṃ rājanpūjayecca prayatnataḥ 9| tulasyā maṃjarībhiśca dhūpairdīpaiḥ prayatnataḥ | pūrveṇa vidhinā caiva daśamyekādaśī tathā 10| mokṣā caikādaśī nāmnā mahāpātakanāśinī | rātrau jāgaraṇaṃ kāryaṃ nṛtyagītastavairmama 11| śṛṇu rājanpravakṣyāmi divyāṃ paurāṇikīkathām | yasyāḥ śravaṇamātreṇa sarvapāpakṣayo bhavet 12| adhoyonigataścaiva pitaro yasya pāpataḥ | asyāśca puṇyadānena mokṣaṃ yāṃti na saṃśayaḥ 13| caṃpake nagare ramye vaiṣṇavaiśca vibhūṣite | vaikhānaso nāma nṛpaḥ putravatpālayetprajāḥ 14| vasaṃti bahavo viprā vedavedāṃgapāragāḥ | ṛddhimatyaḥ prajāstasya rājño vaikhānasasya hi 15| evaṃ rājyaṃ prakurvāṇo rātrau svapnasya madhyataḥ | svakīyapitaro dṛṣṭvā adhoyonigatā nṛpa 16| evaṃ dṛṣṭvā ca tānsarvānvismayāviṣṭamānasaḥ | kathayāmāsa vṛttāṃtaṃ svapnajātaṃ dvijānprati 17| rājovāca- mayā svapitaro dṛṣṭvā narakopagatā dvijāḥ | tārayeti tanūjatvamasmānnirayasāgarāt 18| evaṃ bruvāṇāste nūnaṃ rodamānā muhurmuhuḥ | mayā dṛṣṭā dvijaśreṣṭhā etasmācca na me sukham 19| etadrājyaṃ mama mahatsukhadāyi na vidyate | aśvā gajāstathā sarve rocaṃte me na bho dvijāḥ 20| na dārā na sutā mahyaṃ rocaṃte dvijasattamāḥ | kiṃ karomi kva gacchāmi hṛdayaṃ me'varudhyate 21| tadvrataṃ taṃ tapoyogaṃ yenaiva mama pūrvajāḥ | mokṣaṃ prayāṃti sadyo vai kathyatāṃ ca dvijottamāḥ 22| putre tu jīvitaprāye balīyasi mahātmani | pitāsti narake ghore tasya putrasya kiṃ phalam 23| brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ - parvatasya mune rājannikaṭe cāśramo mahān | gamyatāṃ rājaśārdūla bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ vijānataḥ 24| teṣāṃ śrutvā tato vākyaṃ rājā vaikhānaso mahān | jagāma cāśu tatraiva cāśramaṃ parvatasya ca 25| brāhmaṇairveṣṭito rājā rājabhiśca samanvitaḥ | āśramaṃ vipulaṃ tasya saṃprāpto rājasattamaḥ 26| tatrargveda yajurveda sāmādhyayanakovidaiḥ | veṣṭitaṃ munibhiścaiva dvitīyaṃ brahmaṇo yathā 27| dṛṣṭvā taṃ muniśārdūlaṃ rājā vaikhānasastathā | daṃḍavatpraṇatiṃ kṛtvā pasparśa caraṇau muneḥ 28| papraccha kuśalaṃ tasya saptasvaṃgeṣvasau muniḥ | rājye niṣkaṃṭakatvaṃ ca rājñaḥ saukhyasamanvitam 29| rājovāca - tava prasādādbho svāminkuśalaṃ me'ṅgasaptasu | bhaktā ye viṣṇuvipreṣu kathaṃ teṣāṃ ca vighnatā 30| mayā svapitaro dṛṣṭāḥ svapne ca narake sthitāḥ | kasya puṇyasya sāmarthyānmokṣaṃ yāṃti dvijottama 31| ayaṃ me saṃśayaḥ svāminpraṣṭuṃ taṃ tvāmupāgataḥ | upāyaḥ kaścidevātra kartavyo munisattama 32| etadvākyaṃ tataḥ śrutvā parvato munisattamaḥ | dhyānastimitanetro'bhūttapasvī brahmasaṃnibhaḥ 33| muhūrtamekaṃ dhyānastho bhūpatiṃ pratyuvāca ha | jñātaṃ hi tava rājeṃdra pitṝṇāṃ pūrvaceṣṭitam 34| pūrvajanmani tātaste kṣatriyo rājyagarvitaḥ | sapatnyā ṛtukāle tu rājadharmapravartitaḥ 35| gato grāme tu tāṃ tyaktvā kāryārthī nijayoṣitam | tava pitrā tu tasyāśca na dattamṛtudānakam 36| tena pāpaprabhāvena narake pitṛbhiḥ saha | patito rājaśārdūla tava tātaḥ sudāruṇe 37| tataḥ punaruvācedaṃ rājā vaikhānaso munim | kena vrataprabhāvena mokṣasteṣāṃ bhavenmune 38| muniruvāca- mārgaśīrṣe site pakṣe mokṣā nāmeti nāmataḥ | sarvaiścetadvrataṃ kāryaṃ pitre puṇyaṃ pradīyatām 39| tena puṇyaprabhāvena mokṣasteṣāṃ bhaviṣyati | satyametanmahābhāga brahmaṇo vacanaṃ yathā 40| munervākyaṃ tataḥ śrutvā svagṛhaṃ punarāgataḥ | mārgaśīrṣastathā māsaḥ prāptaḥ kaṣṭena tena vai 41| munervākyena tatkṛtvā vrataṃ vaikhānaso nṛpaḥ | adadatpuṇyamakhilaiḥ sārddhaṃ pitre sa bhūmipaḥ 42| datte puṇyakṣaṇenaiva puṣpavṛṣṭirabhūddivi | vaikhānasasya tāto vai pitṛbhirmokṣamāviśat 43| rājānaṃ cāṃtarikṣe sa giraṃ puṇyāmuvāca ha | svastisvastīti te putra procya caivaṃ divaṃ gataḥ 44| evaṃ yaḥ kurute rājanmokṣāmekādaśīṃ śubhām | tasya pāpāni naśyaṃti mṛto mokṣamavāpnuyāt 45| nātaḥ paratarā kācitmokṣadaikādaśī bhavet | puṇyasaṃkhyāṃ na jānāmi rājanme priyakṛdvratam 46| ciṃtāmaṇisamā hyeṣā nṛṇāṃ mokṣapradāyinī | paṭhanācchravaṇādasyā vājapeyaphalaṃ labhet 47| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ uttarakhaṃḍe umāpatināradasaṃvāde mārgaśīrṣaśukla mokṣadā ekādaśīnāmaikonacatvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ 39|
English translation
Yudhiṣṭhira said :
1-3. I salute Viṣṇu who is actually the lord, who gives happiness to the three worlds, who is the lord of the universe, the author of everything, the ancient Puruṣottama . O lord of gods, I ask (because) I have a great doubt (and also) for the well-being of the world and for the destruction of sins. O master, tell me in detail and properly, about the manner in which that Ekādaśī [1] which would fall in the bright half of Mārgaśīrṣa , is observed and which deity is worshipped (on that day).
Śrīkṛṣṇa said :
4-17. O king, you have asked well. Your spotless fame is excellent. O lord of kings, I shall tell you about the excellent day of (i.e. sacred to) Viṣṇu. The Dvādaśī that has come up in the dark half ofMārgaśīrṣa is dear to me. (This one) called Mārgaśīrṣa- utpatti has sprung up from my body. O best among the Bharatas , it has sprung up for killing the gods (?) and demons. O best king, I have told about it to you. The day previous (to this) in the dark half of the (month of) Mārgaśīrṣa is called Utpatti Ekādeśī in the three worlds with the mobile and the immobile. Hereafter I shall describe the one that falls in the bright half of Mārgaśīrṣa, by hearing about which a man would obtain the fruit of the Vājapeya (sacrifice). It is great, is called by the name Mokṣadā and removes all sins. A man should carefully worship Dāmodara (i.e. Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, on this day), O king. (He should worship Viṣṇu) carefully with the Tulasī -sprouts, according to the manner (told) before. This Ekādaśī (having on that day a portion of) Daśamī also, is called Mokṣā (i.e. Mokṣadā) Ekādaśī. It destroys great sins. At night he should keep awake with dances, songs and my eulogies. O king, listen. I shall tell you a divine, ancient story, by merely hearing which all sins would perish. There is no doubt that due to the religious merit that it gives, the (dead) forefathers (of a man) that have, due to (their) sins, gone to (i.e. born in) a mean stock, go to (i.e. obtain) salvation. In the city (called) Campaka which was adorned with Viṣṇu’s devotees, there (lived) a king Vaikbā- nasa by name. He would (i.e. he did) look after his subjects like his own sons. (In the city) lived many brāhmaṇas who had mastered the Vedas and the Upaniṣads . The subjects of that king Vaikhānasa were prosperous. O king, he was ruling over his kingdom like this. He (once) saw at night in a dream his own forefathers gone to a mean stock. He, seeing all of them like this, with his mind full of amazement, told the account that took place in the dream to brāhmaṇas.
The king said :
18-23. O brāhmaṇas, I saw my forefathers gone to hell, and saying to me: “O you born of our bodies, emancipate us from this ocean of hell.” I saw them speaking like this and weeping repeatedly, O best brāhmaṇas. Due to this I am unhappy. This great kingdom does not give me pleasure. O brāhmaṇas, I am not pleased with all the horses and the elephants. O best brāhmaṇas, my wife and sons do not please me. What do (i.e. should) I do? O best brāhmaṇas, tell me about that vow, that practice of penance, by means of which my ancestors will go to (i.e. obtain) salvation. What is the fruit (i.e. use) of that son who is living richly, who is mighty and magnanimous, when his father lives in a fearful hell?’
The brāhmaṇas said :
24-29. The great hermitage of the sage Parvata who knows the past and the future, is nearby. O best king, go to that hermitage.
Then hearing (these) words of them, the great king Vaikhā-nasa quickly went to the hermitage of Parvata. The king was surrounded by brāhmaṇas and accompanied by (other) kings. The best king reached his (i.e. Parvata’s) extensive hermitage. Having seen the best sage like another Brahma , surrounded by sages well-versed in the study of Ṛgveda , Yajurveda and Sāmaveda , king Vaikhānasa saluted the sage (by prostrating before him) in the manner of a staff and touched his feet. The sage asked him about the welfare of the seven constituent [2] parts of the kingdom, so also about the absence of trouble in the kingdom and the king’s happiness.
The king said :
30-38. O master, by your favour there is well-being in the seven constituent parts of my kingdom. How can those who are devoted to Viṣṇu and brāhmaṇas, have (any) difficulty? I saw in a dream my ancestors living in hell. O master, I have come to you to clear the doubt, O best brāhmaṇa , as to which religious merit will give them salvation. O best sage, some remedy should be adopted in this case.
Having heard these words from him, Parvata, the best sage, the ascetic, resembling Brahma, fixed his eyes in meditation. Remaining in meditation for a short time, he replied to the king: “O lord of kings, I have understood the former acts of your ancestors. In his previous existence, your father, a kṣatriya , was proud of his kingdom. Prompted by his royal duty and seeking to gain his object, he, leaving his wife behind in the time favourable for conception, went to a village. Your father did not give her (what should be given to his wife) during the period favourable for conception (i.e. did not copulate with her). As a result of that sin, O best king, your father, along with your ancestors, fell into a very terrible hell.” After that king Vaikhānasa again said to the sage: “O sage, by to the power of which vow would they have salvation?”
The sage said :
39-47. In the bright half of Mārgaśīrṣa there is the Mokṣā (or Mokṣadā Ekādaśī ). All should observe this vow, and (its) religious merit should be given to a (dead) father (i.e. ancestor). By the efficacy of that religious merit they will have salvation. O glorious one, this is true since it is the statement of Brahmā .
Having heard the words of the sage he again came back to his house. And then the month of Mārgaśīrṣa also came. King Vaikhānasa, having observed the vow with effort, gave, along with all, its religious merit to his father. When the religious merit was given, just in a moment, shower of flowers occurred from the sky; and Vaikhānasa’s father, along with his ancestors, entered (i.e. obtained) salvation. And from the sky he (i.e. the father) spoke (these) auspicious words: “O son, may it be well with you, may it be well with you.” Speaking thus he went to heaven. O king, the sins of him who observes the auspicious (vow of) the Mokṣā (i.e. Mokṣadā) Ekādaśī, perish, and after death he would obtain salvation. There cannot be any Ekādaśī superior to this one, that would give (one) salvation. O king, I do not know the measure of religious merit (it gives). O king, this is the vow of him who does good to me. This (vow) is like the desire-yielding gem. It gives salvation to men. A man would get the fruit (of the performance) of a Vājapeya sacrifice by reading about and listening to it.
[1]: [1] : From this chapter onwards the Ekādaśīs falling in each of the two fortnights of a month are described. The months are said to end with the full-moon day. To the north of the Narmadā, a month is generally considered to end with the full-moon day, while in other parts of the country. the month is supposed to end with the new-moon day. The bright half is the same. That half of the month which is the dark half of Caitra according to the practice followed to the north of Narmadā, is the dark half of the Vaiśākha month in other parts of the country.
[2]: [2] : Saptāṅgāni: The seven constituents of a kingdom are: the king, the minister, the allies, the treasury, the territory, the fortress, and the army.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 44617, revision 336362 (2022-04-21T09:24:19Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365616.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.