"Lord Raamachandr asked Vashishth Muni - "O great sage, I would like to hear about the best of all fasting days which destroys all kinds of sins and sorrows. I have suffered long enough in separation from my dear Seetaa, and so I wish to hear from you about how my suffering can be ended." The sage Vashishth replied - "O Lord Raam, You whose intelligence is so keen that simply by remembering your name one can cross the ocean of this material world - You have questioned me in order to benefit all of humanity and fulfill everyone's desires. I shall now describe that day of fasting which purifies the whole world.

O Raam, that day is known as Vaishaakh-Shukla Ekaadashee, which falls on Dwaadashee. It removes all sins and is famous as Mohinee Ekaadashee. Truly, O dear Raam, the merit of this Ekaadashee frees the fortunate soul who observes it from the network of illusion. Therefore, if you want to relieve your suffering(s) , observe this auspicious Ekaadashee properly, for it removes all kinds of obstacles from one's path and relieves him from the greatest miseries. Kindly listen to it as I describe its glories, because for one who even just hears about this auspicious Ekaadashee, his greatest sins are destroyed.

On the banks of the Saraswatee River there was once a beautiful city named Bhadraavatee, which was ruled by a King named Dyutimaan. Hey Raam, that steadfast, truthful, and highly intelligent King was born in the dynasty of the Moon (Chandra Vansh) . Now in his kingdom, there was a merchant named Dhanapaal who possessed a great deal of wealth of food grains and money. He was also very pious. Dhanapaal arranged for lakes to be dug, sacrificial arenas to be erected, and beautiful gardens to be cultivated for the benefit of all the citizens of Bhadraavatee. He was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu and had five sons: Sumanaa, Dyutimaan, Medhaavee, Sukriti, and Dhrishtabuddhi.

Unfortunately, his son Dhrishtabuddhi always engaged in greatly sinful activities, such as sleeping with prostitutes and associating with similar degraded persons. He enjoyed illicit sex, gambling, and many other kinds of acts to gratify his senses. He disrespected the Devtaa, the Braahman, the Pitar and other elders of the community, as well as his family's guests. The evil-hearted Dhrishtabuddhi spent up his father's wealth indiscriminately, always feasting on untouchable foods and drinking alcohol to excess.

One day Dhanapaal kicked Dhrishtabuddhi out of the house after he saw him walking along the road arm-in-arm with a known prostitute. From then on all Dhrishtabuddhi' s relatives were highly critical of him and distanced from him. After he had sold all of his inherited ornaments and become destitute, the prostitute also abandoned him and insulted him because of his poverty.

Dhrishtabuddhi was now full of anxiety, and also hungry. He thought, "what should I do ? Where should I go ? How can I maintain myself ? He then began to steal. The King's constables arrested him, but when they learnt who he was, means that he was the son of famous Dhanapaal, they released him. He was caught and released in this way many times. But at last, sick of his arrogance and total disrespect for others, and their property, the ill-mannered Dhrishtabuddhi was apprehended, handcuffed, and then beaten. After whipping him, the King's marshals warned him, "O evil minded, there is no place for you in this kingdom." and exiled him from their country.

However, Dhrishtabuddhi was freed from his tribulation by his father and immediately thereafter entered the dense forest. He wandered here and there, hungry and thirsty and suffering greatly. Eventually he began killing the wild animals, the lions, deer, boars, and even wolves for food. Always ready in his hand was his bow, always on his shoulder was his quiver full of arrows. He killed many birds, such as Chakor, peacocks, Kank, doves and pigeons also. He unhesitatingly slaughtered many species of birds and animals to maintain his sinful way of life, the sinful results accumulating more and more each day. On account of his previous sins, he was now immersed in an ocean of great sin that was so relentless that it appeared that he would never get out from it.

Dhrishtabuddhi was always miserable and anxious, but one day, during the month of Vaishaakh, by the force of some of his past merit, he came upon the sacred Aashram of Kaundinya Muni. The great sage had just finished bathing in the Gangaa River, and water was still dripping from his body. Dhrishtabuddhi had the great good fortune to touch some of those droplets of water that were falling from that great sage's wet clothing. Instantly Dhrishtabuddhi was freed of his ignorance, and his sinful reactions were reduced. Offering his humble obeisance to Kaundinya Muni, Dhrishtabuddhi prayed to him with joined palms; "O great Braahman, Please describe to me some of the ways to attain atonement that I may perform without too much endeavor. I have committed so many sins in my life, and these have now made me very poor."

The great Rishi replied - "O son, listen with great attention, for by hearing this your life will change, and you will become free from all of your remaining sins. In the light fortnight of this very month, Vaishaakh (April-May) there falls the sacred Mohinee Ekaadashee, which has the power to nullify sins, as vast and as weighty as the Mount Sumeru. If you follow my advice and faithfully observe a fast on this Ekaadashee, which is so dear to Lord Hari, you will be freed from all the sinful reactions of many, many births."

Hearing these words with great joy, Dhrishtabuddhi promised to observe a fast on Mohinee Ekaadashee according to the sage's instructions. O best of kings, O Raamchandra Bhagavaan, by fasting completely on Mohinee Ekaadashee, the once sinful Dhrishtabuddhi, the prodigal son of the merchant Dhanapaal, became sinless. Afterwards he achieved a beautiful transcendental form and, free at last of all obstacles, rode upon the carrier of Lord Vishnu, Garud, and went to His supreme abode. O Raamchandra, The fast observed on the day of Mohine Ekaadashee removes the darkest illusory attachments to material existence. There is thus no better fast day in all the three worlds than this."

Lord Shree Krishn concluded - "And so, O Yudhishthir, there is no place of pilgrimage, no sacrifice, and no charity that can bestow merit equal to even one sixteenth of the merit a faithful devotee of mine obtains by observing the Mohinee Ekaadashee. And he who hears and studies the glories of Mohinee Ekaadashee achieves the merit of giving away one thousand cows in charity."