The topics of Sayana, Devasayani, or Padma Ekadasi are described in the Bhavisyottara Purana in the conversation between Lord Krsna and Maharaja Yudhisthira.

Once Maharaja Yudhisthira said, “O Kesava! What is the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the waxing moon in the month of June/July? Who is the worshipable deity for this sacred day, and what are the rules and regulations for observing this Ekadasi? Please explain these details to me.”

Lord Krsna replied, “O maintainer of this world! Sri Narada Muni once asked this question to Lord Brahma. Now please hear from Me the wonderful history which Lord Brahma narrated to Narada Muni in his reply. “Once the grat orator and best of the sages Narada said to Lord Brahma, ‘O Father! What is the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the waxing moon in the month of June/July? Kindly explain how should I observe this Ekadasi in order to please the Supreme Lord Visnu.’

“Lord Brahma replied, “There is no other vow in this material world which is as sacred as the vow of Ekadasi. It is extremely necessary for one to observe the vow of Ekadasi in order to nullify all his sinful reactions. A person who does not observe Ekadasi in this world certainly goes to hell. The Ekadasi that occurs during the waxing moon in the month of June/July is called Devasayani or Padma Ekadasi. In order to please the Supreme Lord Hrisikesa one should follow this Ekadasi.’

“It is stated in the Purana there was a saintly emperor named Mandata who ruled the entire world. He was born in the dynasty of the Sun God, was extremely powerful and always stood up for the truth. This King maintained his subjects piously and affectionately as if they were his own children. In this pious king’s kingdom there was no famine, drought or any kind of disease. All his subjects lived peacefully without any anxiety, and they were very prosperous. There was no wealth in the treasury of the King, which was unlawfully earned. In this way the King and his subjects happily spent their days.

“After many years, due to providence and some sinful activities, there was no rainfall in his kingdom for three consecutive years. As a result, people became afflicted with hunger due to lack of food and became full of anxiety. As a result of suffering from lack of food the performance of various sacrifices and the study of the Vedas came to a standstill. Then all the subjects came before the King and appealed, ‘O King! Please hear our words, which will ultimately benefit us. The water is addressed in the scriptures as ‘Nara’. The Supreme Lord resides in ‘ayana’. Therefore another name of the Supreme Lord is Narayana. The Supreme Lord Visnu is all pervading in His form as clouds. He alone causes the rainfall. The food grains are produced from rain and the living entities subsist on grains. At present due to lack of these food grains your subjects are suffering and decreasing. O best of kings! Please find some remedy for our miserable condition and restore peace and prosperity among us.’

“The King replied, ‘Whatever you have said is true. The food grains are considered like Brahman. Everything is sustained by food grains. The living entities of the entire world subsist on food grains. It is clearly stated in the Puranas and other scriptures that due to the sinful activities committed by the King he and his subjects suffer. Although I cannot ascertain my fault through my own consideration and intelligence, I will nevertheless try my best for the benefit of my subjects.’

“After speaking in this way King Mandata gathered some of his principle armies, and after offering obeisances to brahama, he entered the forest. Within the forest he regularly visited the asramas of great sages and ascetics. While wandering in the forest in this way, one day by Providence the King met the great sage Angira, the son of Brahma. Sage Angira was as effulgent as Brahma and his effulgence illuminated Brahma and all the four directions. As soon as the self-controlled king saw him, he immediately got down from his carrier and offered his respectful obeisance at the feet of the sage. Then the King folded his hands and offered prayers. The sage reciprocated by blessing the King.

“Thereafter the sage inquired from the King about the cause of his arrival and the well-being of his kingdom. The King replied, ‘O Lord! I have been ruling my kingdom according to religious principles, but there has been no rainfall in my kingdom for the last three years. As a result my subjects are suffering from various miseries, and I have not been able to ascertain its cause in order to remove this cause. Today I have come to your lotus feet. Kindly tell me how my subjects can live peacefully and thus attain auspiciousness.’

“The sage Angira replied, ‘O King! This present age of Satya-yuga is the best of all the yugas. In this yuga people worship the supreme Brahman. The fourfold religious principle is manifest in this yuga. No one except the brahmanas are supposed to perform austerities in this yuga. In spite of this standard a sudra in your kingdom is undergoing austerity. As a result of this unlawful conduct, you are facing its consequences in the form of drought. Therefore you should try to kill him and bring peace and prosperity into your kingdom.’

“The King said, ‘O great sage it will be impossible for me to kill an innocent person who is engaged in performing austerity. Therefore please instruct me about some easy solution.’

“Then the sage replied, ‘O King if this is the case, then observe the sacred Ekadasi known as Padma, or Devasayani, which occurs during the waxing moon in the month of June/July. By the influence of this vow there will certainly be rainfall in your kingdom. This Ekadasi awards one all-auspiciousness and perfection. It destroys all obstacles on the path to perfection. O King! You, along with your subjects, should observe this Ekadasi.’

“After hearing these assuring words of the great sage, the King offered his obeisance and returned to his palace. Thereafter, in the month of Asadha or June/July, the King along with his family members and subjects, properly observed this auspicious Padma, or Sayana Ekadasi. By the influence of this observance the rain poured down all over his kingdom. There was nomore scarcity of water and soon the entire world became filled with foods grains, and by the mercy of the Supreme Lord Hrsikesa everyone lived happily. Therefore it is the duty of everyone to observe this sacred Ekadasi, which awards everyone happiness and liberation. Hearing and reading the glories of this Ekadasi destroy all one’s sinful reactions.

“This Ekadasi is also known as Visnu Sayani Ekadasi. In order to please Lord Visnu the devotees observe this Ekadasi with special devotion. They do not endeavor for material enjoyments or liberation rather they pray for pure devitional service to the Lord. The famous vow of Caturmasaya begins from this Ekadasi. The devotees observe the vow of Caturmasya by hearing and chanting the topics of the Lord for four month beginning from the day when Lord Hari goes to bed up to the He waks up.”

Maharaja Yudhisthira said to Lord Krsna, “O Krsna! Please tell me how one should observe this Sri Visnu Sayana Vrata or Caturmasya-vrata.”

Lord Krsna replied, “O King! When the sun remains in the sign of Cancer, then Sri Madhusudana, the Lord of the entire universe goes to bed, and when the sun goes to the sing of Libra, the Lord wakes up. The vow of Caturmasya commences from the day of Sayana Ekadasi. O King Yudhisthira! After taking bath one should dress Lord Visnu in yellow garments. Then he should make a bed and cover it with white sheets to put the Lord to rest. First one should bath the Lord with fiave ingredients such as yogurt, milk, ghee, honey, and sugar water by the qualified brahmanas. Then one should wipe the Lord’s body with a cloth and apply fragrant sandalwood paste. Then he should worship the Lord by offering incense, a ghee lamp, and flowers with devotion.

“One can also begin observing the vow of Caturmasya either from the day of Ekadasi Dvadasi, Purnima, Astami, or Sankrati (when the sun enters into the sign of Cancer). The vow of Caturmasya ends on the day of Dvadasi, which falls the day after Utthana Ekadasi in the month of Kartika. A person who observes the vow of Caturmasya while remembering Lord Hari goes back to the abode of Lord Visnu sitting on an airplane as effulgent as the sun. Anyone who cleans the temple and the courtyard of the Lord, decorates them with flowers and creepers, and feeds the brahmanas according to capacity, at the end of the vow obtains inexhaustible happiness for seven life-times. By offering ghee lamps to the Lord during this vow, one can become fortunate and prosperous. One who chants Gayatri mantra one hundred and eight times in the temple of the Lord in three different times-morning, noon and evening no longer has to indulge in sinful activities. Lord Vyasadeva becomes pleased with such a person and the practitioner returns to the abode of Visnu. Anyone who donates twenty-eight or one hundred and eight pots of sesame seeds to the ingelligent brahmanas at the end of the vow becomes freed from his sinful reactions accumulated by his body, mind and speech. He becomes freed from all diseases and obtains intelligent children.

“A practitioner of devotional service should not sleep on a bedstead for the four months during which Lord Janardana takes rest. It is prohibited to have sex during Caturmasya, except for the days of menstruation. One should observe this vow by fasting, eating only supper, eating only once a day or eating that which comes without asking for it. One who chants and sings before Lord Visnu during Caturmasya goes to the planet of the Gandharvas. A person who gives up eating gur or juggery is blessed with sons and grandsons. By giving up oil, one becomes beautiful and his enemies are destroyed.

By giving up the taste of bitter, pungent, sour, sweet, and salty preparations, one’s ugliness and bodily odor is vanquished. Those who give up the enjoyment of flowers go the heavenly planets and become Vidyadharas. By giving up the chewing of betel nuts one immediately becomes diseaseless. If one eats off the betel nuts one immediately becomes diseaseless. If one eats of the bare floor he attains the heavenly abode of Indra. If one gives up milk and yogurt for the pleasure of Krsna, he goes to the supreme abode of Goloka. One who does not cut his nails or shave his head attains the good fortune of touching the lotus feet of Lord Visnu. One who circumambulates the temple of the Lord returns to the abode of the Lord riding on a airplane carried by swans.”