This Khand covers the pages 610-1001 (390 pages) of the book. Importance of Badaree Naath; Gangaa; Tulasee, Shaaligraam, Prayaag Teerth, various kinds of Daan (charities); about Shani Dev; various Vrat; Ekaadashee of all months; worship of Yam Raaj and Dwaadashee Vrat; Vishnu Sahastranaam; story of devotee Pundareek; importance of Vishnu and various flowers to use in His worship; Shankhaasur, Kaartik and Maagh Snaan and Vrat; Narasinh Chaturdashee; Geetaa; Bhaagvat Kathaa; Avataar stories - Matsya, Koorm, Narasinh, Vaaman, Parashuraam, Raam, and Krishn.

About Ekaadashee Vrat

Naarad Jee said - "Mahaadev, Now tell me about Mahaa Dwaadashee Vrat and its fruits." Mahaadev Jee said - This Ekaadashee is very auspicious. It is known as Jayaa, Vijayaa, Jayantee and Paapnaashinee with the Yog combination) of various Nakshatra :-

Jayaa - When there is Punarvasu Nakshatra on Shukla Ekaadashee, it is called Jayaa.
Vijayaa - When there is Shravan Nakshatra on Shukla Dwaadashee, it is known as Vijayaa. Daan
     and feeding Brahman on this day give thousand times more fruits.
Jayantee - When there is Rohinee Nakshatra on Shukla Dwaadashee, it is called Jayantee.
Paapnaashinee - When there is Pushya Nakshatra on Shukla Dwaadashee, it is called Paapnaashinee. Who donates 1 Prasth sesame
     seed everyday for one year, and who keeps fast on Paapnaashinee Ekaadashee, both give equal fruits. If worshipped, Shree
     Hari is pleased and may give His Darshan. All Punya done on that day give eternal fruit. One can get one thousand Ekaadashee
     Vrat fruit by doing this Vrat only. One must keep this Vrat.

Nakt Vrat and Ek-Bhukt Vrat

After Yudhishthir had finished concluding bath of Ashwamedh Yagya, he asked Krishn - "What are the Punya and fruits of Nakt Vrat (eating once in the nighttime) and Ek-Bhukt (eating once in the daytime) Vrat?" Krishn said - "In Maargsheersh month, one should keep fast on its Krishn Dwaadashee Tithi. The Vratee should keep fast on Dashamee with Ek-Bhukt or Nakt - eating only in night or daytime. When one eats the food in the 8th part of the day, that should be known as Nakt. Eating in night is not Nakt. Nakt Vrat, after stars have appeared, is prescribed for a Grihasth; and a Sanyaasee should eat in the 8th part of the day only, because it is prohibited for him to eat in the night. 

The next day on Ekaadashe, the Vratee should should take bath, worship Keshav, offer Naivedya, and keep a lamp burning. Read Dharm Shaastra the whole day, do Jaagaran in the night and give Dakshinaa to Braahman. When one takes food in the night, he gets only half the fruit of complete Vrat; and if he takes the food once in daytime, he gets only half of the fruit of Nakt Vrat. That is why you also keep fast on Ekaadashee."

Yudhishthir asked - "How this Ekaadashee Tithi came up and why is it regarded so sacred?" Krishn said - "In olden times, there lived a Daitya named Mur in Sat Yug. He had won even Indra. All Devtaa started wandering on Prithvi, so Indra went to Mahaadev Jee and told his plight. Mahaadev Jee sent him to Vishnu. They went to Vishnu and prayed Him. Vishnu asked - "What type of Daanav is this? How are his form and might, and where does he live?" Indra said - "In earlier times there was an Asur in Brahmaa's family. His son was Mur. He lived in Chandraavatee city. He has defeated all Devtaa and has created a new Indra and Agni, Varun etc." Hearing this Hari got very angry. He went to Chandraavatee Puree. He killed many Daitya with His Chakra. Then He came to Badarik Aashram and slept there in one of the caves, named Sinhaavatee which had only one door.

Mur was still looking for Hari to kill Him, so he followed Him and entered the cave. He got very happy to see Hari sleeping. As he proceeded to kill Hari that a maiden appeared from Hari's body. Her one sound "Hummm" killed the Daitya. Hari woke up and said - "This Daanav was very terrible, who has killed him?" The maiden said - "I have killed him by your grace." Hari got very happy with her so He asked her to ask for any Var. In fact that maiden was Ekaadashee in person. She said - "If you are pleased with me, then I should be the foremost among all Teerth, remover of all obstacles, and giver of all Siddhi. Who keep fast on this day they should attain all kinds of Siddhi and who keep complete fast, Nakt or Ek-Bhukt, you give them wealth, Dharm, and Moksh." Vishnu said , "So be it."

Krishn said - "Getting this Var she got very happy. Both Ekaadashee are equally good. If at sunrise, there is a little Ekaadashee, full Dwaadashee in the middle, and a little Trayodashee in the end; that is called Tri-Sprashaa Ekaadashee and it is very dear to Hari. If one can keep fast on one Tri-Sprashaa Ekaadashee, it gives the fruit of thousand Ekaadashee. Triteeyaa, Shashthee, Ashtamee, Ekaadashee, and Chaturdashee - if these Tithi are with the previous Tithi, one should not keep fast on that day. When they are with the next Tithi, then only they should be observed. If there is Ekaadashee on previous day and night, and it is next day also for half an hour, then one should keep fast on second day. This applies to both Ekaadashee. There is no other Vrat greater than Ekaadashee."

Maargsheersh, Paush, Maagh Ekaadashee Vrat

Maargsheersh Shukla Ekaadashee Mokshdaa - One should worship Hari with Tulasee flowers, do Jaagaran in that night. In earlier times, there was Vaikhaanas named King who once saw his ancestors in low Yoni in dream. Next day he called Braahman and asked about it. Braahman sent him to Parvat Muni. Parvat Muni suggested him to observe Mokshdaa Ekaadashee and to give its Punya to his ancestors, this would uplift his ancestors. He did the same. As he gave that Punya to his ancestors, they came in the sky, blessed the King and went away.

Paush Krishna Ekaadashee Saphalaa and Paush Shukla Ekaadashee Putradaa - One should especially donate lamp (Deep Daan) on Saphalaa Ekaadashee. There is a famous city named Champaavatee which was once the capital of King Maahishmat. He had five sons. The eldest of them always went to prostitutes and had other vices too, so his brothers gave him the name Lumbhak and exiled him. He went to a forest and robbed the whole city living there only. One day King's soldiers caught him, but as he told them that he was Maahishmat's son, they freed him. There was a very big Peepal tree in that forest, he lived under the same tree.

After a long time, by mistake, he observed Ekaadashee Vrat. Paush month, Dashamee day, he ate fruits and woke up because of cold. Next day, on Saphalaa Ekaadashee day, he just lay in an unconscious state. He came into senses in the afternoon. By the time he brought some fruits to eat, the Sun had set. He offered those fruits to the root of the tree and said, "May Vishnu please with these fruits. Lumbhak again could not sleep the whole night. Thus without any efforts he observed Saphalaa Ekaadashee. A Divine voice said to him, "O Prince, You will get the kingdom and the son because of the blessings of Saphalaa Ekaadashee." After that he got a Divine form and he got busy in Vishnu Bhajan. Later he got kingdom, then a son named Manogya. He ruled the kingdom for 15 years and then went to forest after handing over his kingdom to his son.

Paush Shukla Ekaadashee is called Putradaa Ekaadashee. Once king Suketumaan ruled in Bhadraavatee city. His wife's name was Champaa. They had no son. One day the King went to forest without telling anybody. He just wandered around that in the afternoon he felt hungry. He saw a pond and several Munis' Aashram nearby. Munis were reading Ved, so the King got down from his horse and greeted each of them. Munis got very pleased with him. He asked them, "Who are you and why have you gathered here?" Munis said - "We are Vishwedev and are gathered here to take bath in Maagh month. Maagh month will start on the 5th day from today. Today is Putradaa Ekaadashee, which gives people son." The King said - "If you are pleased, please give me son." Muni said - "You observe this Vrat today, Keshav will surely give you a son." The King did that and after doing Paaran on Dwaadashee he came home and later got son.

Maagh Krishn Ekaadashee Shat-Tilaa and Maagh Shukla Ekaadashee Jayaa - "Krishn said - Pulastya Jee told this to Daalabhya - "One should take up this vow to observe Krishn Ekaadashee in Aardraa or Mool Nakshatra in Maagh Maas. Worship Vishnu, keep awake in the night and worship Krishn with 100 betel nuts (in the absence of everything). then worship Braahman and donate a pot full of sesame seed also. Take bath with sesame seed, use Ubatan of sesame seed, do Hom with sesame seed, drink sesame seed water, donate sesame seed, and eat sesame seed - thus using sesame seed in these six ways, this Ekaadashee is called Shat-Tilaa."

Maagh Shukla Ekaadashee is called Jayaa. Once Indra was enjoying with Apsaraa in Nandan Van. Gandharv were singing, among them three were main - Pushpdant, Chitrasen and his son. Chitrasen's wife was Maalinee and they had a daughter named Pushpvantee. Pushpdant had a son named Maalyavaan. Maalyavaan loved Pushpvantee very much. They also came there to dance for Indra. Because of love for each other they could not sing properly. Indra considered it his insult and gave them Shaap, "Be Pishaach living as husband and wife." They both got very sad and went to Himaalaya Parvat and suffered in Pishaach Yoni. One day the male said to female - "What sin we have committed so we have got this Yoni. We should find some way to get rid of this."

Fortunately they got Maagh Ekaadashee named Jayaa Ekaadashee. They kept fast on that day, and did not eat even fruits. They sat near a Peepal tree. The Sun had set, they could not sleep. The next day was Dwaadashee, thus their Vrat got complete and they got their Gandharv Yoni back. They went to Indra and greeted him. Indra got very surprised to see them in their original form and asked them as how did they get it. Maalyavaan told him the whole story. Thus this Ekaadashee destroys all kinds of sins.

Ekaadashee Contd...