Chapter 46 - Pāpamocanī Ekādaśī

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

1. I have heard about the Āmalakī (vow) in the bright half of Phālguna. What would be (i.e. what is) the name of the Ekādaśī in the dark half of Caitra?

Śrīkṛṣṇa said:

2. O lord of kings, listen to the sin-destroying account, which Lomaśa, when he was asked by emperor Māndhātṛ, told (to him).

Māndhātṛ said:

3. O venerable one, with a desire for the well-being of the people, I desire to hear what the name of the Ekādaśī in the first half of Caitra would be. What is the manner of it (i.e. in which way is it observed)? What is its fruit? (Please) favour (me) and tell it (to me).

Lomaśa said:

4-8. The Ekādaśī in the dark half of Caitra is called Pāpamocanī. It is said to destroy the state of a goblin. Listen, O king, I shall tell its account which gives the desired objects, divine power, auspicious and righteous things, and destroys sins. Formerly in the forest called Caitraratha, full of bees, and resorted to by celestial nymphs, when the spring season had arrived, gandharva maidens rejoiced along with kinnaras by (playing upon) musical instruments. The residents of heaven (i.e. gods) led by Indra also sported there. There was nothing else as delightful as the Caitraratha forest. In that forest many sages practised profuse penance.

9-18a. A celestial nymph known as Mañjughoṣā started to infatuate an excelient sage named Medhāvin, best among sages, who was a celibate and lived there. Showing her devotion to him, she through fear of him remained just a krośa away in the vicinity of the hermitage, singing sweetly and pressing (i.e. playing upon) the lute agreeably. The mind-born Cupid, seeing her with flowers (worn by her) and sandal (applied to her body) and desiring to vanquish the best sages, the devotees of Śiva, lived in her body. (Mañjughoṣā) having, in due order, made her eyebrows the curved end of the bow, her glances the string of the bow, her eyes along with her eyelashes the arrows, her breasts the tent, started for victory. Mañjughoṣā became the army of that Cupid only. Seeing that sage Medhāvin she too was oppressed by the passion of love. That Medhāvin also, with his body shooting up with youth, shone (there). Wearing a white sacred thread and appearing like another Cupid, that Medhāvin lived in the auspicious hermitage of Cyavana.

18b-24. Having seen the best sage staying there, that Mañjughoṣā was overpowered by Cupid (i.e. passion of love) and she sang gently. That best sage, having seen her singing like that, with her bracelets jingling and her anklets and girdle tinkling, was forcibly deluded by Cupid with his army. That beautiful woman Mañjughoṣā, seeing that sage like that, approached him and deluded him with feminine coquettish gestures; and keeping her lute down (on the ground) she embraced that lord of sages, as a creeper would encircle a tree shaking due to the velocity of the wind. That best sage, Medhāvin, too rejoiced with her. Seeing in that (forest) only her excellent body, his auspicious nature left him, and he was influenced by the nature of Cupid. The lover did not know (i.e. care for) night or day, while rejoicing with her. Due to (i.e. in) the violation of (good) conduct, the sage passed a period of many years. Mañjughoṣā set out to go to the divine world. While going she said to the best sage, rejoicing (with her): “O brāhmaṇa, give me the order to go to my own region.”

Medhāvin said:—

25-30. O you beautiful one, today only just at the beginning of the nightfall you have come. Stay with me till (it is the time for my) morning prayer.

Hearing these words of the sage, she was frightened. She, afraid of the sage’s curse, again delighted that sage for many years, O best king. She rejoiced with the sage for fifty-five years nine months and three days. (But that period) was just half a night for him. When that much time passed, she again said to the sage: “O Brāhmaṇa, give me the order to go (back). I have to go home.”

Medhāvin said:—

It is (just) the morning. Listen to my words. Be steady till I offer my evening prayer.

Hearing these words of the sage, she was fall of joy. Smiling slightly, she of a bright smile again spoke:

The celestial nymph said:—

31-38. O sinless best brāhmaṇa, how long your prayer has extended! (Please) favour me, and take into consideration the time that has passed.

Hearing these words of her, the best brāhmaṇa, with his eyes dilated due to wonder, calculated the time that had passed. Fifty-seven years were passed (by him) with her. Then he got angry with her, and was (like fire) with rows of flames. He, seeing her of the nature of destruction, putting an end to his penance, became very angry, and discharging sparks of fire from his eyes, and noticing that his penance earned with great effort had been wasted with her (i.e. in her company), the sage Medhāvin with his lips throbbing and his senses agitated cursed her: “Be a female goblin. Fie upon you, a sinful woman of bad conduct, an unchaste woman, who loves sins (i.e. sinful conduct).” Parched by his curse, she remained bent with modesty. The beautiful woman, desiring the sage’s favour said these words to him: “O best brāhmaṇa, (please) favour me. Appease your curse; for the friendship of the good takes place (even) by (walking together for) seven steps (or by exchanging seven words). O brāhmaṇa with you I have passed many years. For this reason, O lord, O you of a good vow, favour (me).”

The sage said:

39-42. O good woman, hear my words appeasing the curse. O sinful one, what have I to do with you? You destroyed (my) great penance. In the dark half of Caitra would fall (i.e. falls) the auspicious Ekādaśī called Pāpamocanikā, which destroys all sins. Having observed the pure vow of it (i.e. on that day, your) state of a female goblin will go away.

Having spoken like this Medhāvin went to his father’s hermitage. Seeing him to have come (back), Cyavana said to him: “What is this that you have done? You have destroyed your religious merit, O son.”

Medhāvin said:

43. O father, I committed a sin. I rejoiced with a celestial nymph. O father, tell me an expiation by means of which my sin would perish.

Cyavana said:

44-46. In the dark half of Caitra falls the (Ekādaśī) called Pāpamocanī. O son, when the vow of it is observed, the heap of sins would perish.

Hearing these words of his father, he observed that excellent vow. His sin perished and he became endowed with (the merit of) his penance. That Mañjughoṣā too, having observed that excellent vow, was freed from the state of a female goblin due to (having observed) that vow of Pāpamocanikā. That excellent celestial nymph taking a divine form went to heaven.

Lomaśa said:

47-49. O king, all the sin (however) little of those best men who observe the vow of the Pāpamocanikā, would perish. A man, by reciting (about) it, by listening (to its account) would obtain the fruit (of the gift) of a thousand cows. All those who have killed a brāhmaṇa or have snatched gold or are drunkards or have gone to the teacher’s bed (i.e. have violated the wife of the preceptor) become free from sins by means of the observance of this vow. By its observance the excellent vow gives great religious merit.