Chapter 54 - Kāmikā Ekādaśī

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

1. What is the name of the Ekādaśī falling in the dark half of Śrāvaṇa? Tell that to us, O Govinda, salutation to you.

Śrīkṛṣṇa said:

2. O king, listen. I shall narrate to you the account that removes sins and which formerly Brahmā told to Nārada who asked (him about it).

Nārada said:

3-4. O lotus-seated lord, I desire to hear from you, what would be (i.e. is) the name of Ekādaśī in the dark half of Śrāvaṇa. Who is its (presiding) deity? What is the manner (in which it is to be observed)? What is its religious merit. O lord tell (this).

Hearing these words of him Brahma spoke (the following) words:

Brahmā said:

5-7. O Nārada, listen. With the desire for the good of the people, I shall tell you about the Ekādaśī named Kāmikā (which falls) in the dark half of Śrāvaṇa. Merely by hearing about it, one would obtain the fruit of (having performed) a Vājapeya sacrifice. Listen to the fruit which a man who worships the lord of gods holding a conch, a disc, and a mace, gets. Listen to the meritorious fruit of him (i.e. which he gets) who would worship or who meditates upon Hari, Viṣṇu, Madhusūdana, called Śrī Hari.

8-18. He does not obtain that fruit (by bathing) in Gaṅgā, at Kāśī, Naimiṣa or Puṣkara, which he gets by worshipping Kṛṣṇa on that day. He obtains that fruit by worshipping Kṛṣṇa, which he obtains (by bathing) at the time of a portent foreboding a great calamity, when Jupiter is in the Leo sign, in Godāvarī or Daṇḍaka. Both, he who gives the earth along with the oceans and he who observes the Kāmikā-vow, are said to get the same fruit. The man who observes the Kāmikā-vow obtains the fruit which he who would give a milch cow along with articles of household use, gets. The excellent man who would worship god Viṣṇu in Śrāvaṇa, has worshipped gods with gandharvas, uragas and pannagas. Therefore, sin-fearing men should, with all efforts, and according to their capacity, worship Viṣṇu on the Kāmikā day. The Kāmikā-vow is best for the emancipation of those who are plunged in the ocean of the worldly existence, full of the mud of sins. There is no other (vow) than this (so) pure and sin-removing. O Nārada, know it to be like this. Viṣṇu himself has said (so). Know that the fruit of (i.e. got by) the observers of Kāmikā-vow is much superior to the fruit obtained by those devoted to the knowledge of the supreme spirit. The man who, after having kept awake at night, observes the Kāmikā-vow. does not see the fearful Yama, or does not face a calamity. He does not see (i.e. is not born in) a bad stock due to his observing the Kāmikā-vow. The meditating saints have reached final emancipation after observing the Kāmikā-vow.

19-29. Therefore, with all efforts it should be observed by those who have controlled themselves. The man who would worship Viṣṇu with Tulasī-leaves is not tinged with sin, as a lotus-leaf with water. He obtains that fruit by worshipping Viṣṇu with a Tulasī-leaf, which he obtains by giving a bhāra of gold or fourfold silver of it. Worshipped with gems, pearls, lapis lazuli, corals etc. Viṣṇu is not so pleased as he is with Tulasī-leaves. The sin of him, (right) from his birth, who has worshipped Viṣṇu with Tulasī-sprouts certainly perishes. Salutation to Tulasī which, when seen, destroys the entire heap of sins, which, when touched, purifies the body, which, when saluted, removes diseases, which, when sprinkled over, frightens Yama, which, when planted, brings about the vicinity of lord Kṛṣṇa, and which, when placed at his feet, gives salvation instantly. Citragupta is not able to know the measure of the religious merit of the man who gives (i.e. keeps) a light day and night on the day of Viṣṇu (i.e. on the day sacred to Viṣṇu). The dead ancestors of him whose lamp burns in front of Viṣṇu, remain in heaven and are gratified with nectar. Having burnt a lamp with ghee or sesamum oil, he, being honoured with a hundred crores of lamps, goes to the Sun’s world. I have told you this importance of Kāmikā. Men should, therefore, observe it which removes all sins, which removes (the sin of) the murder of a brāhmaṇa, which removes (the sin of) causing abortion. It gives (them) the abode of Viṣṇu, and gives the fruit of great religious merit. A man endowed with faith, on hearing about the greatness of this, obtains (i.e. goes to) Viṣṇu’s world, and is free from all sins.