The story
In the city of Mahishmati lived King Mahijit, who protected his people like a father. Yet he had no child, and the thought that his line would end troubled him greatly.
His ministers and citizens, sharing his grief, went into the forest to find a sage who could help. There they met Lomasha, a sage of immense age and knowledge, and told him of their king’s sorrow.
Lomasha closed his eyes and saw the king’s past life. “In an earlier birth,” he said, “the king was a poor merchant. One hot day, thirsty after a long journey, he drove away a cow and her calf from a pond so that he could drink first. That unkindness is the obstacle now.”
“The remedy,” said Lomasha, “is the Ekadashi of the bright half of Shravana. Keep its fast yourselves, with night vigil, and give its merit to your king.” The citizens returned and did exactly that, offering the merit of the vow to Mahijit.
In due time the queen conceived and gave birth to a radiant son. Since then this Ekadashi has been called Putrada, “the giver of children”, and couples keep it praying for the welfare of their children.
Retold in our own words from the traditional story; versions told in families and booklets differ in details.