ek samay nand nandan murli manohar bhagvan shrikrishn se dharmaraj yudhishthir ne sadar pucha, ‘bhagvan ! asharh mas ke shuklapaksh ki ekadshi ka vrat karne ki vidhi kya hai? bhagvan yashodanandan govind ne kaha, ‘he yudhishthir, jo katha brahmaji ne devarshi narad ji ko unki jigyasa shant karne hetu sunai thi, vahi katha main tumse kahta hun.’ brahmaji ne kaha putra narad ! jo manushya ekadshi vrat karna chahe vah dashmi ko shuddh chitt ho din ke athven bhag men surya ka prakash rahne par bhojan kare, ratri men bhojan n kare. dashmi ko man aur indriyon ko vash men rakhakar bhagvan se prarthana karen ki kamal ke saman netron vale bhagvan achyut ! main ekadshi ko nirahar rahakar dusre din bhojan karunga. apki puja karunga, ap hi mere rakshak hain.’ aisi prarthana kar ratri men ‘¬ namo naraynay’ mantra ka jap karen. ekadshi ke din pratahkal suryoday se purva hi nityakarm adi se nivritt hokar snan-pujan adi karte hue bhagvan se prarthana karen, ‘he keshv! aj apki prasannata prapti ke lie kie gae is vrat ke niyam-sanyam ka mere dvara palan ho, yahi prarthana hai.
he purushottama! yadi kisi agyantavash mujhse vrat palan men koi badha ho jae to ap mujhe kshama karen, fir kamal pushpon se kamllochan bhagvan vishnu ka vidhivat sankalp lekar shodshopchar pujan karen. hari sankirtan evan hari kathaon ka anand len. ratri men jagaran karen. is prakar nishchay hi is vrat ke prabhav se samast pap adi usi prakar bhasm ho jate hanai, jaise ek agni ki chingari se rui ka vishalkay dher jalakar rakh ho jata hai. yah vrat karne se bhagvan vishnu prasann hokar manvanchit fal dete hain. is shayni ekadshi ko padma ekadshi ke nam se bhi jana jata hai. iske pashchat bhagvan shrikrishn ne kaha - he dharmaraj, ab ekagrachitt hokar brahmaji ke dvara kahi hui katha ka shravan karo- suryavansh men mandhata nam ka ek chakravarti raja hua jo satyavadi aur maha pratapi tha. vah apni praja ko apni santan manta tha. uski praja sukhi thi. uske rajya men kabhi akal nahin parta tha. lekin ek samay us raja ke rajya men tin varsh tak varsha nahin hui aur akal par gaya.
ann ki kami se praja men hahakar mach gaya. ann ke n hone se rajya men yagyadi bhi band ho gae. ek din praja raja ke pas jakar kahne lagi- ‘he rajan ! praja akal se mar rahi hai, pareshan hai, islie koi aisa upay karen, jisse praja ka kasht dur ho.’ raja mandhata ne kaha, ‘ap log thik kah rahe hain, varsha se hi ann utpann hota hai aur ap log varsha n hone se atyant duahkhi ho rahe hain. main ap logon ka kasht samjhta hun.’ aisa kahakar raja kuch sena lekar van ki or prasthan kar gaya. vah anek rishiyon ke ashram se bhraman karta hua ant men brahma ke putra angira rishi ke ashram men pahuncha. vahan usne ghore se utar kar angira rishi ko pranam kiya. muni ne use ashirvad dekar usse ashram men ane ka karan pucha. raja ne hath jorakar vinit bhav se kaha, ‘‘ bhagvan! sab prakar se dharm ka palan karne par bhi mere rajya men akal par gaya hai, isse praja atyant duahkhi hai. raja ke papon ke prabhav se hi praja ko kasht milta hai, aisa shastron ne kaha hai. jab main dharmanusar rajya karta hun to mere rajya men akal kyon par gaya? main apke pas isi samasya ke nivaran ke lie aya hun.
kripa karke praja ke kasht ko dur karne ka upay bataie. puri bat sunakar rishi kahne lage- ‘‘rajan ! yah satyayug sab yugon men uttam hai. ismen dharm ke charon charan samavisht hain arthat is yug men dharm ki sabse adhik unnati hai. log brahma ki upasna karte hain. keval brahman ko hi ved parhne ka adhikar hai, brahman ko tapasya karne ka adhikar hai, parantu apke rajya men ek shudra tapasya kar raha hai. isi dosh ke karan apke rajya men varsha nahin ho rahi hai. yadi ap praja ka bhala chahte hain to us shudra ka vadh kar den.’ is par raja bole ‘maharaj ! main us nirpradh v tapasya karne vale shudra ko kaise mar sakta hun? ap koi aur upay bataie. tab rishi ne kaha, ‘he rajan ! yadi tum anya upay janna chahte ho to suno. asharh mas ke shuklapaksh ki padma (shayni) nam ki ekadshi ka vidhipurvak vrat karo.
vrat ke prabhav se tumhare rajya men varsha hogi aur praja sukh paegi kyonki is ekadshi ka vrat har prakar ki siddhi dene vala tatha samast upadravon ka nash karne vala hai. is ekadshi ka vrat tum praja, sevak tatha mantriyon ke sath karo.’ muni ke is vachan ko sunakar raja apne nagar vapas aya aur usne vidhipurvak padma ekadshi ka vrat kiya. us vrat ke prabhav se varsha hui aur praja ko sukh pahuncha. atah is mas ki ekadshi ka vrat sab manushyon ko karna chahie. yah vrat is lok men bhog aur parlok men mukti dene vala hai. is ekadshi ki katha parhne aur sunne se manushya ke sabhi papon ka nash ho jata hai. isi ekadshi se chaturmas vrat bhi praranbh hota hai. isi din se bhagvan vishnu kshir sagar men sheshnag ki shayya par tab tak shayan karte hain, jab tak kartik shukla mas ki ekadshi nahin a jati hai. atah asharh shukla ekadshi se kartik shukla ekadshi tak manushya ko bhalibhanti dharm ka acharan bhi avashya karna chahie.