The glories of Papamocani Ekadasi are described in the Bhavisyottara Purana in the conversation between Lord Krsna and Maharaja Yudhisthira.

Once Maharaja Yudhisthira asked Lord Krsna, “My dear Lord Krsna, You have already explained the glories of Amalaki Ekadasi. Now please describe the Ekadasi which occurs during the waning moon in the month of March/April. What is the name of this Ekadasi? Also describe to me the procedure for observing this Ekadasi and its results.” Lord Krsna replied, “O best of the Kings! The name of this Ekadasi is Papamocani. Now please hear its glories as I describe them to you. Long, long ago the glories of this Ekadasi were spoken by the Sage Lomasa to ing Mandata. This Papamocani Ekadasi occurs during the waning moon in the month of March/April. This Ekadasi takes away all one’s sinful reactions destroye one’s ghostly condition of life and awards eight kinds of mystic perfections.”

“Sage Lomasa said, ‘In the ancient time Kuvera, the treasurer of the demigods, had a beautiful forest of flowers called Caitraratha where the weather was pleasant as a result of an eternal spring. The heavenly dancing girls, such as the Gandharvas and Kinnaras, enjoyed various sports there. Demigods headed by Indra used to come there and enjoy various exchanges. In that forest a great sage named Medhavi who was a staunch devotee of Lord Siva was engaged in performing austerity. The Apsaras, orthe heavenly dancing girls tried to disturb the sage in various ways. Among the Apsaras one famous Apsara named Manju Ghosa devised a means to captivate the mind of the sage.

Due to fear of the sage, Manju Ghosa built a cottage a little away from the asrama of the sage and began to sing in a sweet voice accompanied with the musical instrument Bina. On seeing Manju Ghosa, who applied sandal wood pulp on her body, wore a fragrant flower garland and was engaged in singing sweetly, even the cupid who is an enemy of Lord Siva tried to conquer the sage who was the devotee of Lord Siva. One time Lord Siva burnt the cupid to ashes thus remembering his previous enmity, cupid entered the body of the sage in order to take revenge. At that time sage Medhavi, who wore a white sacred thread on his body and who lived in the asrama of Cyavana Rsi, appeared as the second cupid. The lusty Manju Ghosa slowly came before the sage. The sage Medhavi also became overwhelmed by lust and forgot his worshipable Lord. He gave up the practice of devotional service and became so intoxicated in relishing the association of this woman that he even lost the sense of discriminating between day and night. In this way sage Medhavi spent may years enjoying lusty activities.

Thereafter, when Manju Ghosa saw that the sage has fallen down from his position, she decided to return to the heavenly planet. She said to sage Medhavi who was engaged in conjugal affair, ‘O great sage! Now please give me permission to return home.’ Then sage Medhavi replied, ‘O beautiful woman! You have come to me only in the evening. Stay here tonight and you can return in the morning.’ On hearing these words of the sage, Manju Ghosa became frightened and continued to live with him for a few more years. In this way, although Manju Ghosa lived with the sage for fifty-seven years, nine months and three days, still it appeared to be only half of a night to the sage. Manju Ghosa again asked for permission from the sage to return home but the sage said, ‘O beautiful one! Please hear my words. This is only morning. Please wait till I finish my morning rituals.’

The Apsara smiled and said to the sage with amazement, ‘O great sage! How long will it take to complete your morning rituals? Haven’t you finished yet? You have spent many years enjoying my association. Therefore please consider the actual value of the time.’ On hearing the words of the Apsara, the sage came to his senses and after carefully calculating the time he said, ‘Alas! O beautiful one! I have simply wasted fifty-seven years of my valuable time. You have ruined everything and spoiled all my austerities.’ The eyes of the sage filled with tears and his entire body began to tremble. Sage Medhavi cursed Manji Ghosa in the following words, ‘You have behaved with me like a witch. Therefore you will immediately become a witch. O sinful unchaste Lady! Shame on you.’

“After being cursed by the sage in this way Manju Ghosa humbly said to the sage, ‘O best of the brahmanas! Please withdraw your heavy curse. I have spent many years in your company. O my Lord, for this reason I am a fit candidate for your forgiveness. Please be merciful to me.’ The sage replied, ‘O gentle lady! What will I do now? You have destroyed my entire wealth of austerity. Still, I am telling you the procedure for getting free from this curse. The Ekadasi which occurs during the waning moon in the month of March/April which is called Papamocani and is capable of destroying all one’s sinful reactions, if you follow this Ekadasi strictly and faithfully then your ghostly condition of life will be vanquished.’

After speaking these words, sage Medhavi returned to the asrama of his father, sage Cyavana. As soon as sage Cyavana saw his fallen son he became extremely unhappy and said, ‘Alas!Alas! o my son what have you done? You have ruined yourself. You should not have spoiled your entire treasury of austerity simply by being captivated by an ordinary lady.’ Sage Medhavi replied, ‘O respected father! Due to misfortune I have committed great sins in the association of an Apsara. Therefore please instruct me regarding the atonement of my sinful reactions.’ On hearing the pathetic words of his repentant son sage Cyavana said, ‘O my son! By observing Papamocani Ekadasi, which falls during the waning moon in the month of March/April, all one’s sinful reactions are completely destroyed. Therefore you should observe this Ekadasi.’

On hearing these kind words of his father, sage Medhavi exhibited special enthusiasm in observing this Ekadasi. By the influence of this Ekadasi all the sinful reactions of sage Medhavi were destroyed and he became very pious. Meanwhile, Manju Ghosa also observed this auspicious Papamocani Ekadasi and became liberated from the ghostly condition of life. She then regained her divine form and returned to heaven.

After narrating this story to King Mandata, sage Lomasa concluded as follows: “My dear King, just by observing this Papamocani Ekadasi all one’s sinful reactions are automatically destroyed. By hearing or rading the glories of this Ekadasi one achieves the result of donating one thousand cows. By observing this Ekadasi all kinds of sinful reactions from the killing of a brahmana, killing an embryo, drinking wine and associating with one’s guru’s wife are totally uprooted.”

The purport is that since this sacred Ekadasi is all-auspicious and is the destroyer of all sins, everyone should strictly observe this Ekadasi.