Sri Yudhisthira MAharAja said, "Oh Supreme Lord, I have heard from You the explanation of Amalakii EkAdasii which occurs during the light fortnight of the
month of PhAlguna (February-March), and now I wish to
hear about the EkAdasii that occurs during the dark
fortnight of the month of Chaitra (March-April). What
is its name, Oh Lord, and what results can one attain by observing it?"
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna,
replied, "O best of kings, for the benefit of everyone I shall gladly
describe to you the glories of this EkAdasii, which
is known as PApamochanii. The history of this EkAdasii was once narrated to the Emperor MAndhAta by Lomasa Rishi. King MAndhAta addressed
the Rishi, 'Oh great sage, for the benefit of all
people, please tell me the name of the EkAdasii that
occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Chaitra,
and please explain the process for observing it. Also, please describe the
benefits one gains by observing this EkAdasii.'
"Lomasa Rishi
replied, "The EkAdasii that occurs during the
dark part of the month of Chaitra is named PApamochanii EkAdasii. For the
faithful devotee it removes the influences of ghosts and demons. Oh lion among
men, this EkAdasii also awards the eight perfections
of life, fulfils all kinds of desires, purifies one's life of all sinful
reactions, and makes a person perfectly virtuous.
"'Now please listen to a historical account concerning
this EkAdasii and Chitraratha,
the chief of the Gandharvas (heavenly musicians).
During the spring season, in the company of heavenly dancing girls, Chitraratha once came upon a beautiful forest bursting
forth with a great variety of flowers. There he and the girls joined the Gandharvas and many Kinnaras,
along with Lord Indra himself, the king of heaven,
who was enjoying a visit there. Everyone felt that there was no better garden
than this forest. Many sages were also present, performing their austerities
and penances. The demigods particularly enjoyed visiting this celestial garden during
the months of Chaitra and Vaisakha
(April-May).
"'A great sage named MedhAvi
resided in that forest, and the very attractive
dancing girls would always attempt to seduce him. One famous girl in
particular, MaNjughoshA, contrived many ways to
allure the exalted Muni, but out of great respect for the sage and feat of his
power, which he had attained after years and years of ascetics, she would not
come very close to him. At a spot two miles from the sage, she pitched a tent
and began singing very sweetly as she played a tamboura.
Cupid himself became excited when he saw and heard her perform so nicely and
smelled the fragrance of her sandal-paste unguent. He remembered his own
unfortunate experience with Lord Shiva and decided to take revenge by seducing MedhAvi. (see footnote 1)
"'Using the eyebrows of MaNjughoshA
as a bow, her glances as a bowstring, her eyes as arrows, and her breasts as a
target, Cupid approached MedhAvi in order to tempt
him to break his trance and his vows. In other words, Cupid engaged MaNjughoshA as his assistant, and when she looked at that
powerful and attractive young sage, she also became agitated by lust. Seeing
that he was highly intelligent and learned, wearing a clean white brahmana's thread draped across his shoulder, holding a sannyasi's staff, and sitting handsomely in the asrama of Chyavana Rishi, MaNjughoshA came before
him.
"'She began to sing seductively, and the small bells of
her belt and around her ankles, together with the bangles on her wrists,
produced a delightful musical symphony. The sage MedhAvi
was enchanted. he understood that this beautiful young
woman desired union with him, and at that instant Cupid increased his
attraction for MaNjughoshA by releasing his powerful
weapons of taste, touch, sight, smell, and sound. "'Slowly MaNjughoshA approached MedhAvi,
her bodily movements and sweet glances attracting him. She gracefully put her tamboura down and embraced the sage with her two arms, just
as a creeper winds itself around a strong tree. Captivated, MedhAvi
gave up his meditation and decided to sport with her - and instantly his purity
of heart and mind abandoned him. Forgetting even the difference between night
and day, he went away with her to sport for a long, long time. (see footnote 2)
"'Seeing that the young yogi's sanctity had become
seriously eroded, MaNjughoshA decided to abandon him
and return home. She said. "O great one, please permit me to return
home." "'MedhAvi replied, "But you
have only just arrived, O beautiful one. Please stay with me at least until
tomorrow." "'Fearful of the sage's yogic power, MaNjughoshA
stayed with MedhAvi for precisely fifty-seven years,
nine months, and three days, but to MedhAvi all this
time seemed like a moment. Again she asked him, "Please permit me to leave."
"'MedhAvi replied, "O dear one, listen to
me. Stay with me for one more night, and then you may leave tomorrow morning.
Just stay with me until I have performed my morning duties and chanted the
sacred GAyatri mantra. Please wait until then."
"'MaNjughoshA was still
fearful of the sage's great yogic power, but she forced a smile and said,
"How long will it take you to finish your morning hymns and rituals?
Please be merciful and think of all the time you have already spent with
me."
"'The sage reflected on the years he had been with MaNjughoshA and then said with great astonishment. "Why, I have spent more than fifty-seven years with
you!" His eyes turned red and began to emanate sparks. He now regarded MaNjughoshA as death personified and the destroyer of his
spiritual life. "You rascal woman! You have
turned all the hard-earned results of my austerities to ashes!" Trembling
with anger, he cursed MaNjughoshA, "Oh sinful
one, Oh hard-hearted, degraded one! You know only sin! May all terrible fortune
by yours! Oh rascal woman, I curse you to become an evil hobgoblin - pishAcha!"
"'Cursed by the sage MedhAvi, the beautiful MaNjughoshA
humbly beseeched him, "Oh best of the brAhmanas,
please be merciful to me and revoke your curse! Oh great one, it is said that
association with pure devotees gives immediate results but their curses take
effect only after seven days. I have been with you for fifty-seven years, Oh
master, so please be kind to me!"
"'MedhAvi Muni replied,
"Oh gentle lady what can I possibly do? You have destroyed all my
austerities. But even though you have done this sinful deed, I shall tell you a
way you can be released from my wrath. In the dark fortnight of the month of Chaitra there is an all-auspicious EkAdasii
that removes all one's sins. Its name is PApamochanii,
Oh beautiful one, and whoever fasts on this sacred day becomes completely freed
from having to take birth in any kind of devilish form."
"'With these words, the sage left at once for his
father's Ashram. Seeing him enter the hermitage, Chyavana
Muni said, "Oh son, by acting unlawfully you have squandered the wealth of
your penances and austerities." "'Medhavi
replied, "Oh Father, kindly reveal what atonement I must perform to remove
the obnoxious sin I have incurred by privately associating with the dancing
girl MaNjughoshA." "'Chyavana
Muni answered, "Dear son, you must fast on PApamochanii
EkAdasii, which occurs during the dark fortnight of
the month of Chaitra. It eradicates all sins, no
matter how grievous they may be." "'MedhAvi
followed his father's advice and fasted on PApamochanii
EkAdasii. Thus all his sins were destroyed and he
again became filled with excellent merit. Similarly. MaNjughoshA observed the same fast and became free of the
hobgoblin curse. Ascending once again to the heavenly spheres, she too returned
to her former position.' "Lomasha Rishi continued, 'Thus, Oh king, the great benefit of
fasting on PApamochanii EkAdasii
is that whoever does so with faith and devotion will have all his sins
completely destroyed.'
Sri Krishna concluded, "Oh King Yudhishthira,
whoever reads or hears about PApamochanii EkAdasii obtains the very same merit he would get if he
donated a thousand cows in charity, and he also nullifies the sinful reactions
he may have incurred by killing a brAhmana, killing
an embryo through abortion, drinking liquor, or having sex with his guru's
wife. Such is the incalculable benefit of properly observing this holy day of PApamochanii EkAdasii, which is
so dear to Me and so meritorious."
Thus ends the narration of the glories of Chaitra-Krishna EkAdasii, or PApamochaniii EkAdasii, from the Bhavishya-uttara PurAna.