निर्जला एकादशी व्रत कथा (ज्येष्ठ शुक्ल एकादशी) · Nirjala Ekadashi Vrat Katha (Jyeshtha Shukla Ekadashi)

Shri Sut ji said, 'O sages, now hear the story of Nirjala Ekadashi, the finest of all vows, the best among all the Ekadashis.' Once Pandu's son Bhimsen asked Ved Vyas, 'O wise grandsire, my four brothers Yudhishthir, Arjun, Nakul, and Sahadev, along with mother Kunti and my wife Draupadi, never eat on Ekadashi days, and they always urge me to do the same. I tell them I cannot bear hunger, but that I shall worship and give charity instead. So kindly tell me some means by which I may gain the fruit of the Ekadashi vrat without fasting.'

Vyas said, 'If heaven seems good to you and hell seems bad, then eat nothing on the Ekadashi of either fortnight.' Bhimsen then pleaded, 'Great sage, hear what I have to say too. If I miss even one meal in a day, I cannot bear it — how could I possibly fast? Within my belly dwells a fire named Vrika, which is calmed only by eating a great deal. O sage, I can keep but one vow the whole year through — so kindly tell me that single vow which, observed properly, will surely lead me to heaven.'

Vyas said, 'O Bhimsen, the supreme dharma for humankind is the dharma of the Vedas, but in this age of Kali no one has the strength to follow it. So I shall tell you a simple method, written in the Puranas, that costs little wealth and little hardship. On the Ekadashi that falls in the bright fortnight of Jyeshtha, it is right to observe a vow entirely without water. Bathing and the sipping-rite are not forbidden, but only a single mouthful of water may be taken for that rite — drinking more breaks the vow. From the sunrise of Ekadashi to the sunrise of the following Dwadashi, one should take neither water nor food; doing so, without any further effort, grants the merit of every Ekadashi of the year together with its Dwadashi.'

On Dwadashi, one should bathe at dawn, offer gold and water to Brahmins, and then eat with them. 'O Bhimsen, Bhagwan Vishnu Himself, bearing the conch, discus, and mace, has told me — give up everything and take refuge in Me alone. And hear this — observing the Ekadashi vow without food frees a person from every sin; the merit gained from visiting all the holy tirthas and from every kind of charity is gained through this one vow. In this age of Kali, even giving charity does not bring such a good end — so on the Ekadashi of Jyeshtha's bright fortnight, take neither water nor food.'

'O Vrikodar, hear the merit this vow bestows — without doubt, the combined merit of every Ekadashi observed through the whole year is gained through this one vow alone. O devotee of Narasimha, I tell you truly — one who observes this need not fear the terrible dark and yellow messengers of Yama, bearing their rod and noose. Instead, at the final hour, it is the radiant, yellow-robed messengers of Vishnu, bearing the discus, in the beautiful form of Mohini, who come to lead him to Vishnulok.'

So it is right to observe this vow entirely without water, though even observing it with water and a cow's donation still frees one from all sins. Vaishampayan said, 'O Janamejaya, from that day Bhimsen began keeping this vow, and it came to be called Bhimseni Ekadashi.' 'O King, in the same way, all of you should fast to remove your sins and worship Vishnu, praying thus — "O Bhagwan, today I shall keep the waterless vow; O Devesh, I shall eat on Dwadashi." Having said this, one should keep the vow with devotion, mastering the senses, for the cleansing of every sin.'

Even sins as immense as Mount Mandarachal, committed by man or woman, are destroyed by the power of this Ekadashi. If one cannot afford to donate a cow, one may donate a water-pot wrapped in cloth along with gold. Whatever bathing, charity, penance, or fire-ritual a person performs on Nirjala Ekadashi becomes imperishable. Even those burdened with the gravest sins — killing a Brahmin, drinking liquor, theft, betraying one's guru, and speaking falsehood — are freed of them by observing this Ekadashi's vow. Both women and men should keep this vow with great devotion, mastering their senses.

One should worship Bhagwan Ksheerasayi and donate a cow — a milk-giving cow, along with sweets and dakshina, given with full ritual. In this way, when the Brahmins are pleased, Bhagwan Vishnu Himself is satisfied. Whoever fails to keep this great vow betrays his own soul and is counted wicked; but whoever keeps it sends a hundred generations before and after him, together with himself, to heaven, and attains liberation. Those who calmly give charity and worship, keep vigil through the night, and on Dwadashi donate grain, water, cloth, a fine bed, and an umbrella to a worthy Brahmin, ascend without doubt to heaven upon a golden celestial chariot.