The glories of Pasankusa Ekadasi, which occurs during the waxing moon in the month of September/October, are described in the Brahma-vaivarta Purana in the conversation between Lord Krsna and Maharaja Yudhishthira.

Maharaja Yudhishthira said, “O Madhusudana, what is the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the waxing moon in the month of September/October? Please be kind and explain this to me”.

Lord Krsna replied, “O best of kings! The name of this Ekadasi is Pasankusa Ekadasi. Now please hear the glories of this Ekadasi that destroys all one’s sins. Some people also call this Ekadasi Papankusa Ekadasi. One should particularly worship Lord Padmanabha on the day of this Ekadasi. This Ekadasi awards a person heavenly pleasures, liberation, and his desired results. Just by chanting the holy names of Lord Visnu one can attain the piety of visiting all the holy places on the earth. If a conditioned soul, in spite of indulging in various sinful activities due to illusion, takes shelter and offers obeisances at the lotus feet of Lord Hari who is expert in delivering the fallen souls, then such a person does not have to go to hell.

“Those Vaisnavas who criticize Lord Siva and those Saivaities who criticize Lord Visnu will both undoubtedly go to hell. The result one obtains by performing one thousand horse sacrificies or by performing one hundred Rajasuya Yajna’s cannot be equal to one sixteenth portion of the piety one obtains by following this Ekadasi. There is no piety in this world which is equal to the piety earned by observing this Ekadasi. There is no other day as sanctified as this day of Ekadasi, which is very dear to Lord Padmanabha.

“O King! As soon as a person fails to observe Ekadasis, sins begin to reside in his body. This Ekadasi awards its follower heavenly pleasures, liberation, freedom from disease, beautiful women, wealth, and food grains. O maintainer of the earth! If one observes this Ekadasi and remains awake on that night, he easily goes to the abode of Lord Visnu.”

Lord Krsna continued, “O best of kings! By observing the vow of this Ekadasi one can deliver ten generations from his mothers family, ten generations from his father’s family, and ten generations from his wife’s family. If a person observes this Ekadasi either in his childhood, youth, or old age, he does not suffer the miseries of material existence.

One who strictly observes this Pasankusa, or Papankusa Ekadasi, is relieved of all sinful reactions and at the end of life he returns to the abode of Lord Visnu. If a person gives away gold, sesame seeds, land, cows, food grains, water, umbrellas, or shoes in charity, then such a person does not have to go to the abode of Yamaraja. Anyone who spends his day without engaging in pious activities is like a dead man although he is breathing. His breathing is compared to the bellows of the blacksmith.

“O best of kings! A person who digs wells and lakes for the benefit of others, who donates land and houses, and who performs other pious activities such as sacrifices is not subjected to the punishment of Yamaraja. It is a result of piety only that people live long lives, become rich, take birth in high-class families, and become free from disease.

The purport is that the direct result of observing Ekadasi is to attain devotional service to Krsna, and the indirect result is to attain temporary material benefits.”