Papmochani Ekadashi Vrat Katha

Yudhishthira asked Shri Krishna about the Ekadashi of the dark fortnight of Chaitra. Krishna said that it is called Papmochani, the one that releases from sin, and told him the story that the sage Lomasha once told King Mandhata.

Long ago there was a lovely forest called Chaitraratha, where it was always spring and the apsaras came to play. There the young sage Medhavi, son of the sage Chyavana and a devotee of Lord Shiva, sat in deep penance. Kamadeva, the god of love, wanted to break his penance and sent the apsara Manjughosha. She stayed near his ashram and sang so sweetly that the sage's mind was drawn to her. He forgot his penance and lived with her for years, though to him the time felt short.

When at last Manjughosha asked leave to return to heaven, Medhavi counted the years and found that fifty-seven years had passed. Seeing his penance lost, he cursed her in anger: "Become a pishachini!" Trembling, she fell at his feet and begged for a way out of the curse. The sage calmed down and told her to keep the fast of Papmochani Ekadashi in the dark fortnight of Chaitra, which would destroy all her sins.

Medhavi went back to his father's ashram and told him everything. Chyavana said that he too had lost the merit of his penance by his fall, and should keep the same fast. Manjughosha kept the Papmochani fast with devotion, was freed from the curse and went back to heaven in her divine form. Medhavi kept it as well, and his sins were washed away and the strength of his penance returned.

Shri Krishna told Yudhishthira that whoever keeps this fast, or reads or hears this story with faith, is freed from sins, even grave ones.