The Ekadashi that falls in the Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) of the month of Magha is known as "Jaya". It is an excellent tithi that destroys all sins. Not only is it sacred, but it also eradicates all sins and grants both enjoyment (bhoga) and liberation (moksha) to the devotee. It is so powerful that it even destroys heinous sins like Brahmahatya (killing a Brahmin) and removes the curse of becoming a ghost or demon (pishacha). By observing this fast, a person never has to take birth in the lower ghostly species. Therefore, O King! One should diligently observe the “Jaya” Ekadashi fast.
Once upon a time, Lord Indra was ruling in the heavens (Swargaloka). The gods were enjoying themselves in the Nandanvan garden filled with Parijat trees and were accompanied by celestial nymphs (apsaras). Among fifty Gandharvas, their leader Indra was joyfully organizing a musical and dance performance in the forest. The Gandharvas were singing; among them were Pushpadanta, Chitrasena, and his son. Chitrasena’s wife was named Malini, and they had a beautiful daughter named Pushpavati, who was well-known by that name. Pushpadanta had a son named Malyavan, who was of the same age as Pushpavati.
Both Malyavan and Pushpavati came to perform dance for the pleasure of Indra. While singing and dancing with apsaras, both were overcome by mutual attraction and fell in love. Their minds became distracted and they could no longer sing or perform properly. Sometimes they missed the rhythm, sometimes the music stopped altogether.
Seeing their negligence and feeling insulted, Indra became furious and gave them a curse:
"O fools! You are unworthy and have disobeyed my command. Therefore, become demons (pishachas) and live as husband and wife in that dreadful form."
Receiving this curse from Indra, both became extremely sorrowful. They left and went to the Himalayan mountains. There, cursed to be in the pishacha species, they began suffering greatly due to intense physical and mental pain. Wandering through the caves of the mountains in agony, one day the male pishacha said to his wife...
Overwhelmed by distress, both became weak and thin. By divine coincidence, the tithi of Jaya Ekadashi in the Shukla Paksha of the month of Magha arrived in their lives. Among all tithis, this is the most auspicious.
On that day, they gave up all kinds of food, did not even drink water, and abstained from harming any creature. They didn’t even pluck fruits to eat. Distressed and without any relief, they sat under a Peepal tree. As the sun set, a terrifying night—one that could snatch their lives—approached. They didn’t sleep nor found any peace.
The next morning, the day of Dwadashi (12th lunar day) arrived. Unknowingly, they had observed a complete Jaya Ekadashi fast, including staying awake the whole night. Due to the power of the fast and the grace of Lord Vishnu, their pishacha forms were removed. Pushpavati and Malyavan regained their original divine forms. The same love and affection returned to their hearts. Their bodies once again shone with ornaments and divine beauty. They boarded a celestial airplane (vimana) and returned to heaven, where they humbly and joyfully offered salutations to Lord Indra.
Seeing them again in their original divine forms, Indra was astonished and asked:
"Tell me, by what virtue have you both been freed from the pishacha form? You were cursed by me. Which deity has released you from that curse?"
Malyavan replied:
"O Lord! By the grace of Lord Vasudeva (Krishna) and by observing the sacred fast of Jaya Ekadashi, we were liberated from our ghostly form."
