Tag Archives: Fasting

Varuthini Ekadashi in Krishna Paksha

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ekadasi1Sri Yudhishthira Maharaj said, “Oh Vasudeva, please describe to me the Ekadashi of the dark fortnight (Krishna paksha) of the month of Vaishakha (April-May).”

Lord Sri Krishna replied, “In this world and the next, the most auspicious and magnanimous Ekadashi is Varuthini Ekadashi. A person who observes a complete fast on this sacred day has his sins completely removed and obtains continuous happiness.

Upon anyone who observes it, this Ekadashi bestows material enjoyment in this life and liberation after the death of this present body. It destroys the sins of all and saves people from the miseries of repeated rebirth. Fasting on Varuthini Ekadashi makes even an unfortunate woman fortunate.

The merit that one achieves by donating gold during a solar eclipse at Kurukshetra is gained by one who observes this Ekadashi with love and devotion, and certainly attains his goals in this life and the next.

Better than giving horses in charity is giving elephants, and better than giving elephants is giving land. But better still is the giving of sesame seeds, and better than that is giving of gold. Still better than giving gold is giving food grains – for all the forefathers, demigods (devas), and human beings become satisfied by eating grains. Thus there is no better gift of charity than this in the past, present and future.

Yet learned scholars have declared that giving away a young maiden in marriage to a worthy person is equal to giving away food grains in charity. Moreover, giving cows in charity is equal to giving food grains. Still better than all these charities is teaching spiritual knowledge to the ignorant. The merits one can attain by performing all these acts of charity are attained by one who fasts on the Varuthini Ekadashi.

Any householder who takes his daughter’s wealth out of greed, who tries to sell his daughter, or who takes money from the man to whom he has given his daughter in marriage – such a householder becomes a lowly cat in his next life. Therefore it is said that whoever, as a sacred act of charity, gives away in marriage a maiden decorated with various ornaments, and who also gives a dowry with her, obtains untold merit. That very same merit, however, can be easily achieved by one who fasts on the Varuthini Ekadashi.

The following things should be given up on the Dashami, the day before the Ekadashi: eating on bell-metal plates, eating urad-dal, red-lentils, chick-peas, eating kondo – a grain that resembles poppy seeds, spinach, honey, eating in another person’s house, eating more than once, and participating in sex of any kind.

Whoever observes the Varuthini Ekadashi in this way becomes free from all sinful reactions and returns to the eternal, spiritual abode. One who worships Lord Janardana (Krishna) on this Ekadashi by staying awake throughout the entire night, also becomes free from all his previous sins and attains the spiritual abode. Therefore, Oh king, he who is frightened of his accumulated sins and their attendant reactions, and thus of death itself, must observe Varuthini Ekadashi by fasting very strictly.

Finally, he who hears or reads this glorification of the sacred Varuthini Ekadashi obtains the merit earned by donating one thousand cows in charity, and at last he returns home, to the Supreme abode of Lord Vishnu in the Vaikunthas.”

“Jai Shri RadheKrishna”

Kamada Ekadashi in Shukla Paksha

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Kamadi Ekadasi

Great learned sages have selected the twenty-four narrations from the eighteen Puranas. The narration for this Ekadashi is taken from the Varaha Purana.

Yudhishthira Maharaja said, “O Lord Krishna, please describe to me the Ekadashi that occurs during the light part of the month of Chaitra.” [March-April].

Lord Sri Krishna replied, ‘I shall narrate the ancient history of this sacred Ekadashi, a history which Vasishtha Muni once related to King Dilipa, the great-grandfather of Lord Ramachandra. King Dilipa asked the great sage Vasishtha, “I wish to hear about the Ekadashi that comes during the light part of the month of Chaitra. Please describe it to me.”

Vasishtha Muni replied, “O king, the Ekadashi that occurs during the light fortnight of Chaitra is named Kamada Ekadashi. It consumes all sins. It is very purifying, and it bestows the highest merit upon one who faithfully observes it. Now hear an ancient history, which is so meritorious that it removes all one’s sins simply by being heard.

‘Long ago, there existed a kingdom named Ratnapura, which was decorated with gold and jewels and in which sharp fanged snakes would enjoy intoxication. King Pundarika was the ruler of this most beautiful kingdom, which had many Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and Apsaras among its citizens.

Sri Suta Gosvami said, “O sages, by the mercy of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, I can describe the fasting day that removes all kinds of sins. It was to the devoted Yudhishthira that Lord Krishna glorified the twenty-four primary Ekadashis, which destroy sin, and now I shall recount one of those narrations to you.”

Great learned sages have selected the twenty-four narrations from the eighteen Puranas. The narration for this Ekadashi is taken from the Varaha Purana.

Yudhishthira Maharaja said, “O Lord Krishna, please describe to me the Ekadashi that occurs during the light part of the month of Chaitra.” [March-April].

Lord Sri Krishna replied, ‘I shall narrate the ancient history of this sacred Ekadashi, a history which Vasishtha Muni once related to King Dilipa, the great-grandfather of Lord Ramachandra. King Dilipa asked the great sage Vasishtha, “I wish to hear about the Ekadashi that comes during the light part of the month of Chaitra. Please describe it to me.”

Vasishtha Muni replied, “O king, the Ekadashi that occurs during the light fortnight of Chaitra is named Kamada Ekadashi. It consumes all sins. It is very purifying, and it bestows the highest merit upon one who faithfully observes it. Now hear an ancient history, which is so meritorious that it removes all one’s sins simply by being heard.

‘Long ago, there existed a kingdom named Ratnapura, which was decorated with gold and jewels and in which sharp fanged snakes would enjoy intoxication. King Pundarika was the ruler of this most beautiful kingdom, which had many Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and Apsaras among its citizens.

Among the Gandharvas were Lalita and his wife Lalita, who was an exceptional dancer. Lalita loved her husband dearly, and likewise he constantly thought of her.

Once at the court of King Pundarika, many Gandharvas were dancing and Lalita was singing alone, without his wife. He could not help thinking about her as he sang, and because of this distraction he lost track of the song’s melody. One of the envious snakes complained to the king that Lalita was absorbed in thinking of his wife instead of his sovereign. The king became furious upon hearing this, and he shouted, ‘Because you were lustfully thinking of a woman instead of reverently thinking of your king as you performed your court duties, I curse you to at once become a cannibal!’

Lalita immediately became a fearful cannibal, a great man-eating demon whose appearance terrified everyone. Thus poor Lalita, the loving Gandharva singer, had to suffer the reaction of his offense against King Pundarika. Seeing her husband suffering as a horrible cannibal, Lalita became overwhelmed with grief. Instead of enjoying life as a Gandharva’s wife, she had to wander everywhere in the thick jungle with her monstrous husband.

However by good fortune, Lalita came upon the sage Sringi one day. He was sitting on the peak of the famous Vindhyachala Hill. Noticing her, the sage asked, ‘Whose daughter are you, and why have you come here?’

She replied, ‘I am the daughter of the great Gandharva Viradhanva, and my name is Lalita. I roam the forests and plains with my dear husband, whom King Pundarika has cursed to become a man-eating demon. Please tell me how I can perform some act of atonement on behalf of my husband to free him from this demoniac form?’

The sage replied, ‘There is an Ekadashi named Kamada that occurs in the light fortnight of the month of Chaitra. If you observe this Ekadashi fast according to its rules and regulations and give the merit you thus earn to your husband, he will be freed from the curse at once.’

Lalita faithfully observed the fast of Kamada Ekadashi according to the instructions of the sage Sringi, and on Dvadashi she appeared before him and the Deity of Lord Vasudeva and said, ‘I have faithfully observed the fast of Kamada Ekadashi. May the merit I have gained thus free my husband from his misery.’

As Lalita finished speaking, her husband was at once freed from the king’s curse. He immediately regained his original form as the Gandharva Lalita. Now, with his wife Lalita, he could enjoy even more opulence than before. All this was accomplished by the power and glory of Kamada Ekadashi.

Lord Sri Krishna continued, ‘O Yudhishthira, anyone who hears this wonderful narration should certainly observe this Ekadashi to the best of his ability. I have therefore described its glories to you for the benefit of all humanity. There is no better Ekadashi than Kamada Ekadashi. It can nullify curses and cleanse the consciousness. In all the three worlds, among movable and immovable living entities, there is no better day.’

“Jai Shri RadheKrishna”

Papamochani Ekadashi in Krishna Paksha

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ekadashi 1

Addressing Lord Sri Krishna, Yudhishthira Maharaja said, “O Supreme Lord, I wish to hear about the Ekadashi that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Chaitra [March-April]. What is its name and what results can one attain by observing it?”

Lord Sri Krishna, replied, “O best of kings, for the benefit of everyone I shall describe to you the glories of this Ekadashi which is known as Papamochani. The history of this Ekadashi was once narrated to the emperor Mandhata by Lomasa Rishi.”

Lomasa Rishi narrates, “The Ekadashi that occurs during the dark part of the month of Chaitra is named Papamochani Ekadashi.  For the faithful devotee it removes the influences of ghosts and demons. This Ekadashi also awards the eight perfections of life, fulfills all kinds of desires and purifies one’s life of all sinful reactions.

Now please listen to a historical account concerning this Ekadashi and Chitraratha, the chief of the Gandharvas (heavenly musicians). During the spring season, in the company of heavenly dancing girls, Chitraratha once came upon a beautiful forest with a great variety of flowers. There he and the girls joined other Gandharvas and many Kinnaras, along with Lord Indra himself, the king of heaven, who was enjoying a visit there. Many sages were also present; performing their austerities and penance.  The demigods particularly enjoyed visiting this celestial garden during the months of Chaitra and Vaishakha [April-May].

A great sage named Medhavi resided in that forest and the very attractive dancing girls would always attempt to seduce him. One famous girl in particular, Manjughosha, contrived many ways to allure the exalted muni, but out of great respect for the sage and fear of his power, which he had attained after years and years of asceticism, she would not come very close to him. At a spot two miles from the sage, she pitched a tent and began singing very sweetly as she played a tamboura. Cupid himself became excited when he saw and heard her perform so nicely and smelled the fragrance of her sandal-paste. He remembered his own unfortunate experience with Lord Shiva and decided to take revenge by seducing Medhavi.

Cupid engaged Manjughosha as his assistant, and when she looked at that powerful and attractive young sage, she also became agitated by lust. Seeing that he was highly intelligent and learned, wearing a clean white brahmana’s thread draped across his shoulder, holding a sannyasi’s staff, and sitting handsomely in the ashrama of Chyavana Rishi, Manjughosha came before him.

She began to sing seductively, and the small bells around her ankles, together with the bangles on her wrists, produced a delightful musical symphony. Medhavi was enchanted. He understood that this beautiful young woman desired union with him, and at that instant Cupid increased his attraction for Manjughosha by releasing his powerful weapons of taste, touch, sight, smell and sound.

Manjughosha slowly approached Medhavi and embraced the sage with her arms. Captivated, Medhavi gave up his meditation and decided to sport with her – and instantly his purity of heart and mind abandoned him. Forgetting even the difference between night and day, he went away with her to sport for a long, long time.

Seeing that the young yogi’s sanctity had become seriously eroded, Manjughosha decided to abandon him and return home. She said, “O great one, please permit me to return home.”

Medhavi replied, “But you have only just arrived, O beautiful one. Please stay with me at least until tomorrow.”

Fearful of the sage’s yogic power, Manjughosha stayed with Medhavi for precisely fifty-seven years, nine months, and three days, but to Medhavi, all this time seemed like a moment. Again she asked him, “Please permit me to leave.”

Medhavi replied, “O dear one, listen to me. Stay with me for one more night, and then you may leave tomorrow morning. Just stay with me until after I have performed my morning duties and chanted the sacred Gayathri mantra. Please wait until then.”

Manjughosha was still fearful of the sage’s great yogic power, but she forced a smile and said, “How long will it take you to finish your morning hymns and rituals? Please be merciful and think of all the time you have already spent with me.”

The sage reflected on the years he had been with Manjughosha and then said with great astonishment, “Why, I have spent more than fifty-seven years with you!” His eyes turned red and began to emanate sparks. He now regarded Manjughosha as death personified and the destroyer of his spiritual life. “You have turned all the hard-earned results of my austerities to ashes!” He cursed Manjughosha “O degraded one! May all terrible fortune be yours! I curse you to become an evil pishacha!”

Cursed by the sage Medhavi, the beautiful Manjughosha humbly beseeched him, “O great one, it is said that association with pure devotees gives immediate results but their curses take effect only after seven days. I have been with you for fifty-seven years, so please be kind to me!”

Medhavi Muni replied, “You have destroyed all my austerities. But even though you have done this sinful deed, I shall tell you a way you can be released from my wrath. In the dark fortnight of the month of Chaitra there is an all auspicious Ekadashi that removes all of one’s sins. Its name is Papamochani, and whoever fasts on this sacred day becomes completely freed from having to take birth in any kind of devilish form.”

With these words, the sage left at once for his father’s ashrama. Seeing him enter the hermitage, Chyavana Muni said, “O son, by acting unlawfully you have squandered the wealth of your penances and austerities.”

Medhavi replied, “O Father, kindly reveal what atonement I must perform to remove the obnoxious sin I have incurred by privately associating with the dancing girl Manjughosha.”

Chyavana Muni answered, “Dear son, you must fast on Papamochani Ekadashi which occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Chaitra. It eradicates all sins, no matter how grievous they may be.”

Medhavi followed his father’s advice and fasted on Papamochani Ekadashi. Thus all his sins were destroyed and he again became filled with excellent merit. Similarly, Manjughosha observed the same fast and became free of the pishacha curse. Ascending once again to the heavenly spheres, she too returned to her former position.

Lomasa Rishi continued, ‘Thus, O king, the great benefit of fasting on Papamochani Ekadashi is that whoever does so with faith and devotion will have all his sins completely destroyed.’

Sri Krishna concluded, “O King Yudhishthira, whoever reads or hears about Papamochani Ekadashi, obtains the very same merit he would get if he donated a thousand cows in charity, and he also nullifies the sinful reactions he may have incurred by killing a brahmana, killing an embryo through abortion, drinking liquor, etc. Such is the incalculable benefit of properly observing this holy day of Papamochani Ekadashi, which is so dear to Me and so meritorious.”

“Jai Shri RadheKrishna”