Once Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira said, 'Oh Lord Kṛṣṇa, Oh Vāsudeva, please accept my humble obeisance's. Please describe to me the Ekādaśī that occurs during Kṛṣṇa pakṣa of the month of Jyeṣṭhā(May-June). Please narrate to me everything like its name, importance etc. about this Ekādaśī.
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa said, "Oh great king ! the name of this meritorious Ekādaśī is Apara Ekādaśī. Whoever fasts on this holy day becomes famous all over the universe. Even such sins as killing a brahman, a cow, or an embryo, blasphemy, or having sex with another man’s wife are completely eradicated by observing Apara Ekādaśī. People who bear false witness, a person who falsely or sarcastically glorifies another, one who cheats while weighing something on a scale, one who invents his own scripture, one who cheats others, one who is a false astrologer, a cheating accountant, or a false Ayurvedic doctor. All these are surely as bad as persons who bears false witness, and they are all destined for hellish punishments. But simply by observing Apara Ekādaśī, all such sinners become completely free of their sinful reactions. Warriors who fall from their kṣatriya-dharma and flee the battlefield go to a ferocious hell. Even such a fallen kṣatriya, if he observes fasting on the Apara Ekādaśī, is freed of that great sinful reaction and goes to heaven. That disciple is the greatest sinner who, after receiving a proper spiritual education from his spiritual master, turns around and blasphemes him. Such a so-called disciple suffers unlimitedly. But even he simply observes Apara Ekādaśī, can attain to the spiritual world.
The merit attained by one who performs all of the following acts of piety is equal to the merit achieved by one who observes Apara Ekādaśī: bathing three times daily in Puṣkara; kṣetrā during Kārtika,bathing at the time of a solar eclipse at Kurukṣetra, bathing at Prayāg in the month of Māgh when the sun is in the zodiac of Capricorn; rendering service to Lord Śiva during Śivratri, offering oblations to one’s forefathers , bathing in the sacred Gomti River when Jupiter transits Leo (Singha); and and giving cows, elephants, and gold in charity. All the merit one gets from performing these pious acts is gained by a person who observes the Apara Ekādaśī fast. Also, the merit attained by one who donates a pregnant cow, along with gold and fertile land, is attained by one who fasts on this day. This Ekādaśī is an axe that cuts down the fully matured forest full of trees of sinful deeds, it is a forest fire that burns sins as if they were kindling firewood, it is the sun blazing before one’s dark misdeeds. Therefore one who faithfully observes the Apara Ekādaśī and worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Trivikrama. One who does so is freed of all his sins and promoted to the abode of Lord Vishnu.
"Oh King ! for the benefit of all humanity I have thus described to you this the importance of the Apara Ekādaśī. Anyone who hears or reads this description is freed from all kinds of sins.
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