Papamocani Ekadasi

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March 28th, 2003, Friday (Suddha Ekadasi)

Fasting for Papamocani Ekadasi

 

 

Papamochani Ekadasi

(from the Bhavishya-uttara Purana)

 

Sri Yudhisthira MAharAja said, "Oh Supreme Lord, I have heard from

You the explanation of Amalakii EkAdasiii 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.*

 

"'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. (foonote)

 

"'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 toe 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 age 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 Ashrama.

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.

 

 

 

 

Footnotes:

 

After Lord Shiva lost his dear wife Sati at the sacrificial arena of

PrajApati Daksha, Shiva destroyed the entire arena. Then he brought his

father-in-law Daksha back to life by giving him the head of a goat, and

finally he sat down to meditate for sixty thousand years. Lord BrahmA,

however, arranged for KAmadeva (Cupid) to come and break Shiva's meditation.

Using his arrows of sound, taste, touch, sight, and smell, Cupid attacked

Shiva, who at least awoke from his trance. He was so angry at being

disturbed that he instantly burned Cupid to ashes with a glance from his

third eye.