Once Bhimasena asked the great sage Srila Vyasadeva, the grandfather of the Pandavas, whether it was possible to return to the spiritual world without having observed all the rules and regulations of the Ekadashi fasts. He said that he couldn’t live without eating, because hunger was unbearable to him. He asked him for a solution to obtain the same merits without fasting.

Vyasadeva replied, “Without drinking even water, you should fast on the Ekadashi that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha (May-June) when the sun travels in the sign of Taurus (Vrishabh) and Gemini (Mithun).” According to learned personalities, on this day one may bathe and perform achamana for pratiprokshana purification. But while performing achamana one may drink only that amount of water equal to a drop of gold, or that amount it takes to immerse a single mustard seed. Only this amount of water should be placed in the right palm for sipping. If one drinks more water than this, he might as well have drunk wine.

One must certainly not eat anything, for if he does so he breaks his fast. This rigid fast is in effect from sunrise on the Ekadashi day to sunrise on the Dvadashi day. If a person endeavours to observe this great fast very strictly, he easily achieves the result of observing all twenty-four other Ekadashi fasts throughout the entire year.

On Dvadashi one should bathe early in the morning. Then, according to the prescribed rules and depending on his ability, he should give some gold and water to worthy brahmanas. Finally, he should cheerfully honour prasadam with a brahmana.

Oh Bhimasena, one who can fast on this special Ekadashi in this manner reaps the benefit of having fasted on every Ekadashi during the year. There is no doubt of this. Oh Bhima, now hear the specific merit one gets by fasting on this Ekadashi. The Supreme Lord Keshava, who holds a conch, discus, club and lotus, personally told me, ‘Everyone should take shelter of Me and follow My instructions.’ Then He told me that one who fasts on this Ekadashi, without even drinking water or eating, becomes free of all sinful reactions, and that one who observes the difficult nirjala fast on Jyeshtha-shukla Ekadashi truly reaps the benefit of all other Ekadashi fasts.

Oh Bhimasena, in the Kali-yuga, the age of quarrel and hypocrisy, when all the principles of the Vedas will have been destroyed or greatly minimised, and when there will be no proper charity or observance of the ancient Vedic principles and ceremonies, how will there be any means of purifying the self? But there is the opportunity to fast on Ekadashi and become free of all one’s past sins.”

When the other Pandavas heard about the benefits to be gained by following Jyeshtha-shukla Ekadashi, they resolved to observe it exactly as their grandfather Srila Vyasadeva had explained it to their brother, Bhimasena. All the Pandavas observed it by refraining from eating or drinking anything, and thus this day is also known as Pandava Nirjala Dvadashi (technically it is a Maha-Dvadashi).

Srila Vyasadeva continued, “One who on this day gives a brahmana a water pot, an umbrella, or shoes surely goes to the heavenly planets. Indeed, he who simply hears these glories also attains to the transcendental abode of the Supreme Lord, Sri Vishnu. Whoever performs the shraddha ceremony to the forefathers on the dark-moon day called amavasya, particularly if it occurs at the time of a solar eclipse undoubtedly achieves great merit, but this same merit is achieved by him who simply hears this sacred narration – so powerful and so dear to the Lord is this Ekadashi.

Oh Bhimasena, after this Ekadashi fast and donating the recommended items according to his ability, the devotee should feed brahmanas and thereafter honour prasadam silently.”

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Jyeshtha-shukla Ekadashi, or Bhimaseni-nirjala Ekadashi, from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana.

“Jai Shri RadheKrishna”

Sri Yudhishthira Maharaj said, “Oh Janardana, what is the name of the Ekadashi that occurs during the dark fortnight (Krishna paksha) of the month of Jyeshtha (May-June) I wish to hear from You the glories of this sacred day of Hari.” 

Lord Sri Krishna said, “Oh king, your inquiry is wonderful because the answer will benefit the whole human society. This Ekadashi is so sublime and meritorious that even the greatest sins can be erased by its purity. 

The name of this unlimitedly meritorious Ekadashi is Apara Ekadashi. Whoever fasts on this holy day becomes famous all over the universe. Even such sins as killing a brahmana, a cow, or an embryo; blasphemy; or having sex with another man’s wife are completely eradicated by observing Apara Ekadashi. 

Oh king, people who bear false witness are most sinful. A person who falsely or sarcastically glorifies another; one who cheats while weighing something on a scale; one who fails to execute the duties of his varna or ashrama (an unqualified man posing as a brahmin, for example, or a person reciting the Vedas wrongly); one who invents his own scriptures; one who cheats others; one who is a charlatan astrologer, a cheating accountant, or a false Ayurvedic doctor – are all destined for hellish punishments. But simply by observing Apara Ekadashi, all such sinners become completely free of their sinful reactions.

Warriors who fall from their Kshatriya-dharma and flee the battlefield go to a ferocious hell. But, Oh Yudhishthira, even such a fallen Kshatriya, if he observes fasting on Apara Ekadashi, he is freed of that great sinful reaction and goes to heaven.

That disciple is the greatest sinner who, after receiving a proper spiritual education from his spiritual master, turns around and blasphemes him. Such a so-called disciple suffers unlimitedly. But if he simply observes Apara Ekadashi, he can attain to the spiritual world.

The merit attained by one who performs all of the following acts of piety is equal to the merit achieved by one who observes Apara Ekadashi: bathing three times daily in Pushkara-kshetra during Kartika (October-November); bathing at Prayag in the month of Magh (January-February) when the sun is in the zodiac of Capricorn; rendering service to Lord Shiva at Varanasi (Benares) during Shiva-ratri; offering oblations to one’s forefathers at Gaya; bathing in the sacred Gautami River when Jupiter transits Leo (Simha); having darshan of Lord Shiva at Kedarnatha; seeing Lord Badrinath when the Sun transits the sign of Aquarius (Kumbha); and bathing at the time of a solar eclipse at Kurukshetra and giving cows, elephants, and gold there in charity. All the merit one gets from performing these pious acts is gained by a person who observes the Apara Ekadashi fast. Also, the merit attained by one who donates a pregnant cow, along with gold and fertile land, is attained by one who fasts on this day.

In other words, Apara Ekadashi is an axe that cuts down the fully matured forest full of trees of sinful deeds. Therefore, Oh Yudhisthira, whoever truly fears his past and present sins must observe Apara Ekadashi very strictly. One who does not observe this fast must be born again in the material world, like one bubble among millions in a huge body of water, or like a small ant among all other species.

Therefore one must faithfully observe the sacred Apara Ekadashi and worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Trivikrama. One who does so is freed of all his sins and promoted to the abode of Lord Vishnu.

Anyone who hears or reads this description is certainly freed from all kinds of sins, oh best of saintly kings, Yudhishthira.” 

“Jai Shri RadheKrishna”

Yudhishthira Maharaja said, “O Janardana, what is the name of the Ekadashi that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Vaishakha (April-May)? What is the process for observing it properly?”

Lord Sri Krishna replied, “What Vasishtha Muni once told Lord Ramachandra I shall now describe to you. Lord Ramachandra asked Vasishtha Muni, ‘O great sage, I would like to hear about the best of all fasting days – that day which destroys all kinds of sins and sorrows. I have suffered long enough in separation from My dear Sita, and so I wish to hear from you about how My suffering can be ended.’

Sage Vasishtha replied, ‘O Lord Rama, You have questioned me in order to benefit all of humanity and fulfill everyone’s desires. That day is Vaishakha-sukla Ekadashi, which falls on Dvadashi. It removes all sins and is famous as Mohini Ekadashi.  The merit of this Ekadashi frees the fortunate soul from illusion. Therefore, if You want to relieve Your suffering, observe this auspicious Ekadashi perfectly, for it removes all obstacles from one’s path and relieves the greatest miseries. If one even just hears about this auspicious Ekadashi, the greatest sins are nullified.

“On the banks of the Sarasvati river there was once a beautiful city named Bhadravati, which was ruled by King Dyutiman. O Rama, that steadfast, truthful, and highly intelligent king was born in the dynasty of the moon. In his kingdom was a merchant named Dhanapala, who possessed a great wealth of food grains and money. He was also very pious. Dhanapala arranged for lakes to be dug, sacrificial arenas to be erected, and beautiful gardens to be cultivated for the benefit of all the citizens of Bhadravati. He was an excellent devotee of Vishnu and had five sons: Sumana, Dyutiman, Medhavi, Sukruti, and Dhristabuddhi.

Unfortunately, his son Dhristabuddhi was always engaged in greatly sinful activities, he enjoyed illicit sex, gambling, and many other varieties of sense gratification. He disrespected the demigods; brahmanas; forefathers and other elders; and his family’s guests. He spent his father’s wealth indiscriminately, always feasting on untouchable foods and drinking wine to excess.

One day Dhanapala kicked Dhristabuddhi out of the house after he saw him walking along the road arm-in-arm with a prostitute. From then on all Dhristabuddhi’s relatives were highly critical of him and distanced themselves from him. After he had sold his ornaments and become destitute, the prostitutes also abandoned him because of his poverty.

Dhristabuddhi was now full of anxiety, and also hungry. He thought, “What should I do? How can I maintain myself?” He then began to steal. The king’s constables arrested him, and after whipping him, they warned him, “O evil one! There is no place for you here.”

However, he entered the dense forest. He wandered here and there, hungry and thirsty and suffering greatly. Eventually he began killing lions, deer, boars, and wolves for food and thus his sins mounted day by day. On account of his previous sins, he was now immersed in an ocean of great sin.

Dhristabuddhi was always miserable and anxious, but one day, during the month of Vaishakha, by the force of some of his past merit he chanced upon the sacred ashrama of Kaundinya Muni. The great sage had just finished bathing in the Ganges river, and water was dripping from him. Dhristabuddhi had the great good fortune to touch some of those drops falling from the sage’s clothes. Instantly Dhristabuddhi was freed of ignorance, and his sinful reactions were reduced. Offering his humble obeisances to Kaundinya Muni, Dhristabuddhi prayed to him with joined palms: “O great brahmana, please describe some kind of atonement I may perform without too much endeavor. I have committed so many sins in my life, and these have now made me very poor.”

The great rishi replied, “O son, listen with great attention, for by hearing me you will become free of all your remaining sins. In the light fortnight of this month, Vaishakha, there occurs the sacred Mohini Ekadashi, which has the power to nullify sins as vast and weighty as Mount Sumeru. If you follow my advice and faithfully observe a fast on this Ekadashi, which is so dear to Lord Hari, you will be freed from all the sinful reactions of many, many births.”

According to the sage’s instructions, by fasting completely on Mohini Ekadashi, the once-sinful Dhristabuddhi became sinless. Afterwards he achieved a beautiful transcendental form and, free at last of all obstacles, rode upon Garuda, the carrier of Vishnu, to the Lord’s supreme abode.

“O Rama, the fast day of Mohini Ekadashi removes the illusory attachments to material existence. There is no better fast day in all the three worlds.”

Lord Krishna concluded, “And so, Yudhisthira, there is no place of pilgrimage, no sacrifice, and no charity that can bestow merit equal to even one sixteenth of the merit a faithful devotee of Mine obtains by observing Mohini Ekadashi, and he who hears and studies the glories of Mohini Ekadashi achieves the merit of giving away one thousand cows in charity.”

“Jai Shri RadheKrishna”