Dālbhya R̥ṣi said to Pulastya Munī, “When the spirit soul comes in contact with the material energy, he immediately begins to perform sinful activities, such as stealing, killing, and illicit sex. He may even perform many other terrible deeds, such as killing a brāhmaṇa. 0 purest of personalities, please tell me how these unfortunate souls may escape the punishment of being sent to hellish regions of creation. Kindly inform me how, by giving even a little in charity, one may easily become free of his sins.”
Pulastya Munī replied, “O fortunate one, you have asked me a good and confidential question, which not even Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, or Indra has ever asked. Please listen very carefully to my answer.

“With the arrival of the month of Māgha [January-February] , one should bathe, carefully control his senses by giving up lust , anger, pride, jealousy, faultfinding, and greed, and meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. One should then gather up some cow dung before it touches the ground and, after mixing it with sesame seeds and cotton, form 108 balls. This should be done on the day when the constellation of Purvāṣāḍhā-nakṣatra arrives. Then one should follow the rules and regulations of Ekādaśī, which I shall now explain to you.”

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