Sri Garga-samhita, Canto Four, Volume One, Capítulo IX

Chapter Nine

Sré Ekädaçé-mähätmya

The Glories of Sré Ekädaçé

Text 1

çré-gopya ücuù

våñabhänu-sute su-bhru

sarva-çästrärtha-pära-ge

viòambayanté tvaà väcä

väcaà väcaspater muneù

çré-gopya ücuù—the gopés said; våñabhänu-sute—O

daughter of King Våñabhänu; su-bhru—O girl with the

beautiful eyebrows; sarva-çästrärtha—the meanings of all

the scriptures; pära-ge—O You who travel to the farther

shore; viòambayanti—imitating; tvam—You;

väcä—with words; väcam—the words; väcaspateù—of

Brhaspati; muneù—the sage.

The gopés said: O beautiful-eyebrowed daughter of King

Våñabhänu, O girl who has traveled to the farther shore of the

deep meanings of all the scriptures, Your words are like

Båhaspati Muni's words.

Text 2

ekädaçé-vrataà rädhe

kena kena purä kåtam

tad brühi no viçeñeëa

tvaà säkñäj jïäna-çevadhiù

ekädaçé-vrataàthe vow od ekädaçé; rädhe—O Rädhä; kena—by whom?; kena—by whom?; purä—before;

kåtam—done; tat—that; brühi—please tell; naù—to

us; viçeñeëa—specifically; tvam—You;

säkñät—directly; jïäna-çevadhiù—filled with

knowledge.

O Rädhä, what great souls followed ekädaçé in ancient times?

Please tell us. You know all this.

Texts 3 and 4

çré-rädhoväca

ädau devaiù kåtaà gopyo

varam ekädaçé-vratam

bhrañöa-räjyasya läbhärthaà

daityänäà näçanäya ca

çré-rädhä uväca—Sré Rädhä said; ädau—in the

beginning; devaiù—with the demigods; kåtam—done; gopyaù—O gopés; varam—blessing; ekädaçé-vratam—the

vow of ekädaçé; bhrañöa-räjyasya—lost kingdom;

läbhärtham—to attain; daityänäm—of the demigods;

näçanäya—for the destruction; ca—and.

Sré Rädhä said: O gopés, in the beginning of creation the

demigods followed ekädaçé to destroy the demons and regain their

lost kingdom.

Text 4

vaiçantena purä räjïä

kåtam ekädaçé-vratam

sva-pitus taraëärthäya

yamaloka-gatasya ca

vaiçantena—by Vaiçanta; purä—before; räj 24ä—King; kåtam—done; ekädaçé-vratam—the vow of

ekädaçé; sva-pituù—of his father; taraëärthäya—to

rescue; yamaloka-gatasya—gone to the realm of Yama;

ca—and.

In ancient times King Viçanta followed ekädaçé to rescue his

father from the world of Yamaräja.

Text 5

akasmäl lumpakenäpi

jïäti-tyaktena päpinä

ekädaçé kåtä yena

räjyaà lebhe sa lumpakaù

akasmät—suddenly; lumpakena—by Lumpaka;

api——also; jïäti—by his relatives;

tyaktena—abandoned; päpinä—sinful;

ekädaçé—ekädaçé; kåtä—done; yena—by whom;

räjyam—kingdom; lebhe—attaineded; sa—he;

lumpakaù—Lumpaka.

A sinner named Lumpaka, who abandoned his relatives,

followed ekädaçé and attained a great kingdom.

Text 6

bhadrävatyäà ketumatä

kåtam ekädaçé-vratam

putra-hénena sad-väkyät

putraà lebhe sa mänavaù

bhadrävatyäm—in Bhadravati; ketumatä—by Ketumän;

kåtam—done; ekädaçé-vratam—the vow of ekädaçé; putra-

hénena—without a son; sad-väkyät—by the words of a

saint; putram—a son; lebhe—attained; sa—he; mänavaù—the person.

In the city of Bhadrävaté, King Ketumän was sonless.

Following ekädaçé on a great saint's advice, he obtained a son.

Text 7

brähmaëyai deva-patnébhir

dattam ekädaçé-vratam

tena lebhe svarga-saukhyaà

dhana-dhanyaà ca mänuñé

brähmaëyai—to a brähmaëé; deva-patnébhiù—by the wives

of the demigods; dattam—given; ekädaçé-vratam—the vow

of ekädaçé; tena—by that; lebhe—attained;

svarga-saukhyam—the happiness of Svargaloka; dhana-

dhanyam—great wealth; ca—and; mänuñé—the woman.

Once the demigoddesses gave ekädaçé to a brähmaëé. By

following ekädaçé that brähmaëé attained great wealth and

happiness like that on Svargaloka.

Text 8

puñpadanté-mälyavantau

çakra-çäpät piçäcatäm

präptaà kåtaà vrataà täbhyäà

punar gandharvatäà gatau

puñpadanté-mälyavantau—Puñpadanté and Mälyavän; çakra-

çäpät—by the curse of Indra; piçäcatäm—the state of being

demons; präptam—attained; kåtam—done;

vratam—vow; täbhyäm—by them; punaù—again;

gandharvatäm—the state of being Gandharvas; gatau—attained.

Cursed by Indra, Puñpadanté and Mälyavän became demons, but

by following ekädaçé they again became Gandharvas.

Text 9

purä çré-rämacandreëa

kåtam ekädaçé-vratam

samudre setubandhärthaà

rävaëasya vadhäya ca

purä—before; çré-rämacandreëa—by Lord Sré Räma;

kåtam—done; ekädaçé-vratam—ekädaçé; samudre—in the

ocean; setubandhärtham—to build a bridge;

rävaëasya—of Ravana; vadhäya—to kill; ca—and.

To build a bridge on the ocean and kill Rävaëa, in ancient

times even Lord Rämacandra followed ekädaçé.

Text 10

layänte ca samutpannä

dhatå-våkña-tale suräù

ekädaçé-vrataà cakruù

sarva-kalyäëa-hetave

layänte—at the end of the cosmic devastation;

ca—and; samutpannä—manifested; dhatå-våkña-tale—on the

tree of the creator; suräù—the demigods; ekädaçé-

vratam—ekädaçé; cakruù—did; sarva-kalyäëa-hetave—to

attain all auspiciousness.

When, after the period of cosmic devastation had ended, the

demigods were again manifested from the tree of creation, they

followed ekädaçé to attain all auspiciousness.

Text 11

vrataà cakära medhävé

dvädaçyäù pitå-väkyataù

apsaraù-sparça-doñena

mukto 'bhün nirmala-dyutiù

vratam—vow; cakära—did; medhävé—Medhavi;

dvädaçyäù—of dvadasi; pitå-väkyataù—by the words of his

father; apsaraù—of the apsarä; sparça—of the

touch; doñena—from the fault; muktaù—freed;

abhüt—became; nirmala-dyutiù—pure and splendid.

Following ekädaçé on Pitä's advice, Medhävé became free from

the sin of touching an apsarä and became pure and splendid again.

Text 12

gandharvo lalitaù patnyä

gataù çäpät sa rakñatäm

ekädaçé-vratenäpi

punar gandharvatäà gataù

gandharvaù—the Gandharva; lalitaù—Lalita;

patnyä—with his wife; gataù—went; çäpät—from the

curse; sa—he; rakñatäm—to the state of being a

demon; ekädaçé-vratena—by following ekädaçé;

api—also; punaù—again; gandharvatäm—the state of being

a Gandharva; gataù—attained.

Transformed into demons by a curse, Lalita and his wife

followed ekädaçé and became Gandharvas again.

Text 13

ekädaçé-vratenäpi

mandhätä svar-gatià gataù

sagaraç ca kakutsthaç ca

mucukundo mahä-matiù

ekädaçé-vratena—by following ekädaçé; api—also;

mandhätä—mandhata; svar-gatim—to Svargaloka;

gataù—went; sagaraù—Sagara; ca—and;

kakutsthaù—Kakutstha; ca—and;

mucukundaù—Mucukunda; mahä-matiù—noble-hearted.

By following ekädaçé, Mandhätä, Sagara, Kakutstha, and

noble-hearted Mucukunda attained Svargaloka.

Text 14

dhundhumärädayaç cänye

räjäno bahavas tathä

brahma-kapäla-nirmukto

babhüva bhagavän bhavaù

dhundhumära—with Dhundhumara; ädayaù—beginning;

ca—and; anye—other; räjänaù—kings;

bahavaù—many; tathä—so; brahma—of brähmaëas;

kapäla—of the skulls; nirmuktaù—freed;

babhüva—became; bhagavän—Lord; bhavaù—Siva.

By following ekädaçé Dhundhumära and many other kings also

attained Svargaloka. By following ekädaçé Lord Siva was able to

put down his necklace of brähmaëas' skulls.

Text 15

dhåñöabuddhir vaiçya-putro

jïäti-tyakto mahä-khalaù

ekädaçé-vrataà kåtvä

vaikuëöhaà sa jagäma ha

dhåñöabuddhiù—Dhåñöabuddhi; vaiçya-putraù—the son of a

vaisya; jïäti-tyaktaù—abandoned his relatiuves; mahä-khalaù—a sinner; ekädaçé-vratam—ekädaçé;

kåtvä—did; vaikuëöham—to Vaikuëtha; sa—he;

jagäma—went; ha—indeed.

The sinner Dhåñöabuddhi, who was a vaiçya's son, and who

abandoned his own relatives, followed ekädaçé and went to

Vaikuëöha.

Text 16

räjïä rukmäìgadenäpi

kåtam ekädaçé-vratam

tena bhu-maëòalaà bhuktvä

vaikuëöhaà sa-puro yayau

räjïä—by the king; rukmäìgadena—Rukmangada; api—also; kåtam—done; ekädaçé-vratam—ekädaçé; tena—by that; bhu-maëòalam—the earth;

bhuktvä—enjoying; vaikuëöham—to Vaikuëöha; sa-

puraù—with his city; yayau—went.

By following ekädaçé King Rukmaìgada was able to rule the

circle of the earth and go, taking with him the citizens of his

kingdom, to Vaikuëöha.

Text 17

ambaréñeëa räjïäpi

kåtam ekädaçé-vratam

näspåçad brahma-çäpo 'pi

yo na pratihataù kvacit

ambaréñeëa räjïä—by King Ambaréña;

api—also; kåtam—done; ekädaçé-vratam—ekädaçé;

na—not; aspåçat—touced; brahma—of a brähmaëa;

çäpaù—the curse; api—even; yaù—who; na—not; pratihataù—repelled; kvacit—at all.

Even though he did nothing to protect himself from it, King

Ambaréña, a follower of ekädaçé, was untouched by a brähmaëa's

curse.

Text 18

hemamälé näma yakñaù

kuñöhé dhanada-çäpataù

ekädaçé-vrataà kåtvä

candra-tulyo babhüva ha

hemamälé—Hemamali; näma—named; yakñaù—a

yaksa; kuñöhé—a leper; dhanada-çäpataù—by the curse

of Kuvera; ekädaçé-vratam—ekädaçé;

kåtvä—following; candra-tulyaù—like the moon;

babhüva—became; ha—indeed.

A yakña named Hemamälé, who became a leper by Kuvera's

curse, followed ekädaçé and became cured. He became splendid as

the moon.

Text 19

mahéjitä nåpenäpi

kåtam ekädaçé-vratam

tena putraà çubhaà labdhvä

vaikuëöhaà sa jagäma ha

mahéjitä—by Mahijit; nåpena—King; api—also; kåtam—done; ekädaçé-vratam—ekädaçé; tena—by

that; putram—a son; çubham—good;

labdhvä—attaining; vaikuëöham—to Vaikuëöha; sa—he; jagäma—went; ha—indeed.

By following ekädaçé, King Mahéjit attained a good son and

then went to Vaikuëöha.

Text 20

hariçcandreëa räjïäpi

kåtam ekädaçé-vratam

tena labdhvä mahé-räjyaà

vaikuëöhaà sa-puro yayau

hariçcandreëa räjïä—by King hariscandra;

api—also; kåtam—done; ekädaçé-vratam—ekädaçé;

tena—by that; labdhvä—attaining; mahé-räjyam—a great

kingdom; vaikuëöham—to Vaikuëöha; sa-puraù—with his

citizens; yayau—went.

By following ekädaçé, King Hariçcandra attained a great

kingdom and, taking all his subjects with him, went to Vaikuëöha.

Text 21

çré-çobhano näma purä kåte yuge

jämätåko 'bhün mucukunda-bhübhåtaù

ekädaçéà yaù samupoñya bhärate

präptaù sa devaiù kila mandaräcale

çré-çobhanaù—Sré Sobhana; näma—named;

purä—before; kåte—in Satya-yuga; yuge—yuag;

jämätåkaù—the son-in-law; abhüt—was; mucukunda-

bhübhåtaù—of King Mucukunda; ekädaçém—ekädaçé;

yaù—who; samupoñya—fasting; bhärate—in Bharata;

präptaù—attained; sa—her; devaiù—by the demigods; kila—indeed; mandaräcale—on Mount Mandara

In Satya-yuga King Sobhana, who was Mucukunda's son-in-law,

fasted on ekädaçé and went to Mount Mandara with the demigods.

Text 22

adyäpi räjyaà kurute kuvera-vad

räjïä yuto 'sau kila candrabhägayä

ekädaçéà sarva-tithéçvaréà paraà

janétha gopyo na hi tat-samänyä

adyäpi—even now; räjyam—kingdom; kurute—does; kuvera-vat—like Kuvera; räjïä—king;

yutaù—engaged; asau—he; kila—indeed;

candrabhägayä—with Candrabhaga; ekädaçém—ekädaçé;

sarva-tithéçvarém—the queen of holy days; param—great; janétha—know; gopyaù—O gopés; na—not;

hi—indeed; tat-samänyä—equal;

Even today one can attain a kingdom like Kuvera's simply by

following ekädaçé. O gopés, please know that ekädaçé is the queen

of all holy days. No other holy day is her equal.

Text 23

çré-närada uväca

iti rädhä-mukhäc chrutvä

yajïa-sétäç ca gopikäù

ekädaçé-vrataà cakrur

vidhivat kåñëa-lälasäù

çré-närada uväca—Sré Närada said; iti—thus;

rädhä-mukhäc—from Rädhä's mouth; chrutvä—hearing;

yajïa-sétäù—the yajna-sitas; ca—and;

gopikäù—gopés; ekädaçé-vratam—ekädaçé; cakruù—did; vidhivat—properly; kåñëa-lälasäù—yearing to attain Sré

Kåñëa.

Sré Närada said: After hearing from Sré Rädhä's mouth the

glories of ekädaçé, the gopés that had been yajïa-sétäs,

and who were now yearning to attain Sré Kåñëa, carefully followed

ekädaçé.

Text 24

ekädaçé-vratenäpi

prasannaù çré-hariù svayam

märgaçérñe pürëimäyäà

räsaà täbhiç cakära ha

ekädaçé-vratena—by ekädaçé; api—even;

prasannaù—pleased; çré-hariù—Sré Kåñëa;

svayam—personally; märgaçérñe—in Margasirsa;

pürëimäyäm—on the sull moon day; räsam—in thr rasa

dance; täbhiù—with them; cakära—did; ha—indeed.

Pleased by their observance of ekädaçé, Kåñëa enjoyed a

räsa dance with these gopés on the full-moon night of the month

of Märgaçérña (November-December).

.pa