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In the mythological tradition of Sanatan Dharma, Ekadashi of Shukla Paksha of Ashwin month i.e. Papankusha Ekadashi is considered to be the date that curbs all sins. According to the scriptures, just as a powerful rein controls an intoxicated elephant, in the same way, regular fasting, worship and listening to stories on this Ekadashi mitigates the biggest sins committed by a person knowingly or unknowingly. In the contexts of Padma Purana and Mahabharata, Lord Shri Krishna himself has described in detail the glory and story of this holy fast to Dharmaraja Yudhishthir. It is believed that if this fast story is not recited along with worshiping the four-armed ‘Padmanabha’ form of Lord Vishnu on this day, then the full results of the fast are not achieved. Let us read the divine and inspiring mythological story of Papankusha Ekadashi, which made even a great sinner entitled to salvation.
According to the legend, in ancient times, an extremely ruthless and cruel hunter named ‘Krodhan’ lived in the dense forests of Vindhyachal Mountains. He was a very violent, greedy, drunkard and devious person by nature. He had never done any religious rites, worship or any act of mercy during his entire life. His daily work was to hunt innocent wild animals and birds, kill them after torturing them and earn his livelihood by selling their meat. Apart from this, he did not hesitate at all in looting, stealing and betraying others. By committing such grave sins for years, his youth passed away and old age overtook his body. When his eyes started weakening and his legs stopped supporting him, he realized for the first time that death was very close to him.
One night, amid the illness and helplessness of old age, Krodhan saw a terrible dream in which the messengers of Yamraj in a monstrous form carrying Kalpash were waiting to take his life. The messengers of Yama warned him that tomorrow is the last day of his life and the account of all his sins is ready in Yamalok, where he will have to suffer the tortures of cauldrons of boiling oil and severe hell. The fowler started trembling with fear at the mere thought of this terrible appearance of the Yamdoots and hell. Desperate to escape his imminent death and the punishment of hell, he started wandering in the forests at midnight. While running, he suddenly reached the peaceful and divine ashram of the supreme ascetic Maharishi Angira situated at the foothills of the Vindhya Mountains. As soon as he reached the gate of the ashram, the frightened Krodhan fell straight at the feet of the Maharishi and started crying loudly.
Seeing the cruel hunter immersed in tears of repentance, the heart of the merciful Maharishi Angira melted. He consoled Krodhan and asked him the reason for being so distraught. In a trembling voice, the hunter folded his hands and said, “O Dayanidhan Maharishi! I have committed only the sins of killing animals, unrighteousness, lies and cruelty in my entire life. I have never remembered any God or Goddess. Today the messengers of Yama have warned me that tomorrow is the day of my death and I will have to suffer the terrible tortures of Raurava hell. O sage! Be kind to me, a great sinner, and show me some simple path by which the sins of my whole life can be washed away.” And may I be freed from the unbearable punishment of Yamalok.” Maharishi Angira meditated for a few moments and then said smilingly, “O Huntsman! Fortunately, today is the tenth day of the Shukla Paksha of Ashwin month and tomorrow is the holy day of ‘Papankusha Ekadashi’. Without any doubt, tomorrow with a true heart, keep a fast of the Padmanabha form of Lord Shri Hari Vishnu, stay awake at night and ask for forgiveness of your sins. With the effect of this Ekadashi, the sins of your previous births will be burnt to ashes just like fire. Dry grass gets burnt.”
Having full faith in the words of Maharishi Angira, Krodhan observed a strict fast on Papankusha Ekadashi the next day. He gave up food and water the whole day, took bath in the lake near Maharishi’s ashram and offered yellow flowers, basil leaves and fragrance to the idol of Lord Padmanabha. Throughout the day he kept chanting only “O Narayan, O Vasudev”, burning in the fire of repentance. Throughout the night he chanted the name of God and did jagran without sleeping. The next day, at the sunrise of Dwadashi date, as soon as he completed his fast and bowed to the Brahmins, his life came to an end. At that very moment, the messengers of Yamraj arrived to take his life, but before they could lay their noose on him, Lord Vishnu’s divine advisor appeared there mounted on Garuda. Vishnu’s councilors stopped the Yamdoots and said that this soul has destroyed all its sins by fasting on Papankusha Ekadashi selflessly, hence now Yamraj has no right over it. After this, Krodhan was sent to Vaikuntha Lok in person by placing him in a well-equipped divine aircraft.
Lord Shri Krishna, while explaining to Pandu’s son Arjun and Yudhishthir, had said that the person who reads or listens to this holy story with devotion on the day of Ashwin Shukla Ekadashi, gets the same virtuous results as bathing in thousands of Ashvamedha and hundred solar eclipses. This Ekadashi not only destroys the sins of the fasting seeker, but also saves his maternal, paternal and wife’s ancestors and shows them the path to salvation. By donating gold, sesame, land, cow, food, water and umbrella on this day, a person never has to see Yamraj and at the end of his life he attains the supreme position. Therefore, on the day of Ekadashi, one must meditate on this story of the Lord with full sincerity and devotion without having any hatred towards anyone.