Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.385

c8.385

4) How he caused rains in the country. Māndhātā ruled the country very virtuously without at any time going against truth and justice and his country became prosperous. Once it so happened that there were no rains for three successive years in the country and the greatly worried King went to the forests to know from the great sages the reason for such a calamity. The sages told the King thus: "Oh King, of all yugas Kṛtayuga is the best. This yuga is a brahmin-predominant one and Dharma stands on four legs. Penance is for brahmins only and no man of any other caste can do penance in this yuga. But in your country a Śūdra is performing penance and that is why the clouds refuse to shower rains. Kill him and then the evil will go". Hearing this Māndhātā replied, "I will never kill an innocent ascetic. Teach me my duty at this time of peril". The sages were pleased at the reply of the King and advised him thus: "Oh King, start observing Vrata on the ekādaśī day. (Eleventh day in each half of a month). The ekādaśī which falls in the bright half of Bhādrapada is called 'Padmanābha', and if you observe it by its cogency you will get not only rains but prosperity and happiness free from misery of any kind. You must persuade your subjects also to observe this".