Papā Vimochanī Ekādaśī

The story of Papā Vimochanī Ekādaśī is described in the Bhaviṣya-uttara Purāṇa and is narrated by Lord Krishna to King Yudhiṣṭhira.In the beautiful Chaitraratha forest, a sage named Medhavi performed deep austerities. The forest was visited by celestial beings, including heavenly dancers (apsarās).One apsarā, Manjughosha, tried to disturb the sage’s meditation by singing and playing the veena. Eventually the sage became enchanted and forgot his spiritual practices, spending many years with her.When he finally realized how much time had passed, he became angry and cursed her to become a pishachini (a ghost-like being). The apsarā begged for forgiveness, and the sage told her that she could be freed from the curse by observing Papā Vimochanī Ekādaśī fast.Later Medhavi also felt remorse and asked his father Chyavana Ṛṣi how to atone for his mistake. His father advised him to observe the same Ekādaśī fast.Both the sage and the apsarā observed the fast with devotion. As a result:the sage was purified from his sinsManjughosha regained her celestial formboth received spiritual purification.The name Papā Vimochanī literally means “the Ekādaśī that frees one from sins.”