Astha SangrahASTHA SANGRAHhttps://asthasangrah.comShri Jaya Ekadashi Vrat Katha
The Jaya Ekadashi Vrat Katha is the story of Jaya Ekadashi in Magh's bright fortnight, in which the Gandharvas Malyavan and Pushpavati, losing the rhythm while singing in Indra's court because they were infatuated with each other, are cursed to become pishachas, and regain their divine forms by going hungry, thirsty and sleepless on the day of Jaya.
Chapter 1 · The Glory of Jaya, and Indra's Court
Yudhishthira said, 'Krishna, you have spoken well. You are the first god; of all beings, born of sweat, of eggs, of sprouting earth and of the womb, you alone are maker, protector and destroyer. You have described Shattila of Magh's dark fortnight. Now kindly tell me which Ekadashi falls in the bright fortnight, its name, its rites and the god worshipped on it.' Shri Krishna said, 'Lord of kings, the Ekadashi of Magh's bright fortnight is renowned as Jaya and removes every sin. It is holy, destroys sin, grants people their wishes and liberation, takes away the sin of killing a brahmin and ends the state of a pishacha. Those who keep its vow do not become ghosts; no tithi is greater than this at destroying sin and granting liberation. So, O king, it should be kept with care. Lion among kings, hear its auspicious Puranic story.'
'Once Indra ruled in heaven, and the gods lived happily there in that lovely heaven, drinking nectar and attended by the Apsaras. In the Nandana forest, graced by the parijata, the gods sported with the Apsaras. O king, once Indra, lord of fifty crore gods, taking his pleasure as he wished, joyfully had a dance performed. The Gandharvas were singing there: the Gandharva Pushpadanta, Chitrasena, and Chitrasena's daughter. Chitrasena's wife was named Malini, and to Malini was born a daughter named Pushpavati. Pushpadanta's son was Malyavan, who was enchanted by Pushpavati's beauty.'
'Pushpavati too had won Malyavan over with her sidelong glances. Hear of her beauty and grace: her arms were as though Kama had made them nooses for the neck; her face was like the moon; her eyes stretched to her ears, red at the corners and restless. Best of kings, her ears shone with earrings, her neck was like a conch and she was adorned with divine ornaments. Her full, high breasts were like golden pitchers, her waist so slender it could be held in a fist, her hips broad, and her feet glowed like red lotuses.'
Chapter 2 · Indra's Curse, and the Pishacha Life in the Himalaya
'Malyavan was utterly infatuated with such a Pushpavati. The two had come to please Indra with song and dance, and they were singing there among the Apsaras. But, overcome by desire, Pushpavati and Malyavan fell under the spell of their love for each other. With their minds wandering, they could not sing correctly; their eyes were fixed on each other and they were in the power of Kama's arrows. Indra saw that their minds were set on each other. Taking the broken rhythm and the faltering song as an insult to himself, Indra grew angry and cursed them, saying: shame, shame on you both, fallen and foolish, you have broken my command. Become pishachas, the two of you, as husband and wife, and go to the mortal world to reap the fruit of your deed.'
'Grieving at Indra's curse, the two, bewildered by it, came to the Himalaya mountains. Both received the form of pishachas, and terrible suffering with it. Racked there in the snow and in bitter hardship, in their delusion they no longer even knew that they had been a Gandharva and an Apsara. They were tormented by a burning born of the sin of the body. Afflicted by their own deeds, the two found neither ease nor sleep at night; talking with each other, they wandered among the mountain's caves. Tormented by the cold of the snow, their teeth chattered and their hair stood on end.'
'One day the pishacha said to his wife, the pishachi: what dreadful, hair-raising sin did we commit, that by our own misdeed we have come to this pishacha state? Knowing hell to be dreadful and the pishacha state full of pain, a person should strive with every effort never to sin. Thinking so, the two stayed on there, worn down by grief.'
Chapter 3 · The Unintended Jaya Fast, and Release from the Curse
'By chance, there came for them that Ekadashi tithi of Magh, renowned as Jaya and the finest of all tithis. O king, on that day the two stayed there without food and without drinking water. They ate nothing at night, killed no creature, and ate neither leaves nor fruit. Ever sorrowful, the two stayed by a pipal tree. O king, the sun set and they remained there just so; then came the dreadful night that takes away life. Trembling with cold, in misery, they lay holding each other close, limb to limb, but there they found neither sleep nor comfort. Lion among kings, so the night passed for that grieving couple, afflicted by Indra's curse; the sun rose and the day of Dwadashi came.'
'Lion among kings, I had resolved in my heart on their release, for they had kept the excellent vow of Jaya and the night vigil had been kept as well. Hear what came of that vow's power. On the day of Dwadashi, when the Jaya vow was complete, by the power of Lord Vishnu their pishacha state left them, and Pushpavati and Malyavan took on their former forms. With their old affection, wearing their ornaments as before, they mounted a celestial chariot and went to lovely heaven. Coming before Indra, king of the gods, they bowed to him joyfully. Seeing them in that form, Indra was amazed and spoke.'
Indra said, 'Tell me, by what merit did your pishacha state leave you? Though you had received my curse, which god set you free?' Malyavan said, 'My lord, by the grace of Lord Vasudeva and the vow of Jaya, by the power of devotion, our pishacha state has left us.' Hearing this, Indra answered again: 'You two have become holy and pure, worthy of reverence even from me, for you have kept the day of Hari and are devoted to Vishnu. Those who are devoted to the day of Hari and given to Shri Krishna are worthy of worship even by us; of this there is no doubt. Live happily with Pushpavati in the world of the gods.'
Shri Krishna said, 'So, O king, the day of Hari should be kept. Lion among kings, Jaya removes even the sin of killing a brahmin. One who has kept the Jaya vow has given every gift and completed every sacrifice. Surely he rejoices in Vaikuntha for crores of kalpas. O king, by reading and hearing this one gains the fruit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice.'
How to Read Shri Jaya Ekadashi Vrat Katha
On Magh Shukla Ekadashi, bathe in the morning, take the vow of fasting and worship Lord Vishnu. In the katha, Malyavan and Pushpavati took neither food nor water all day and stayed awake all night; keep the fast and the night vigil in the same way, hear this katha, and break the fast the next day, Dwadashi, within the parana muhurat.
About Shri Jaya Ekadashi Vrat Katha
The Jaya Ekadashi Vrat Katha is told in three chapters. In the first, Krishna says that Jaya wipes out the sin of killing a brahmin and the pishacha state, and introduces the Gandharvas Malyavan and Pushpavati, singers in Indra's court. In the second, when they lose the rhythm because they are infatuated with each other, Indra curses them to become pishachas, and they wander in the Himalayan snow. In the third, on the day of Jaya they stay hungry, thirsty and awake all night beside a pipal tree, and on Dwadashi, by Lord Vishnu's grace, they regain their divine forms and return to heaven.
This vow is kept on the Ekadashi of Magh's bright fortnight, three days after Bhishma Ashtami.
The Jaya Ekadashi Vrat Katha has no named author. It is the forty-third chapter of the Uttara Khanda of the Padma Purana, in which Lord Krishna tells the story to Yudhishthira. The text given here is a verse-by-verse translation of that chapter's 54 Sanskrit verses.
Benefits of the Jaya Ekadashi Vrat Katha
The katha says that those who keep the Jaya vow do not become ghosts or pishachas, that it removes even the sin of killing a brahmin, that one who keeps it has made every gift and completed every sacrifice, that he rejoices in Vaikuntha for crores of kalpas, and that reading or hearing it brings the fruit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice.
Frequently asked questions
How many chapters does the Jaya Ekadashi Vrat Katha have?
It has three chapters, based on the 54 verses of the forty-third chapter of the Padma Purana's Uttara Khanda.
Why did Indra curse Malyavan and Pushpavati?
While singing in Indra's court the two became infatuated with each other, so they lost the rhythm and their song faltered. Taking this as an insult, Indra cursed them to go to the mortal world as pishachas, husband and wife.
Did they keep the Jaya Ekadashi fast deliberately?
No. Racked by grief and cold, they ate and drank nothing that day and could not sleep all night for the cold. By chance that day was Jaya Ekadashi, so their fast and vigil were kept without their meaning to, and the Lord accepted it as the vow and set them free.
When is Jaya Ekadashi in 2027?
Jaya Ekadashi falls on Wednesday, 17 February 2027. The parana time will be given on the festival page as the date approaches.