Varuthini Ekadasi - SRILA VRINDAVANA DASA THAKURA

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Varuthini Ekadasi

from Bhavisya-uttara Purana

 

 

Sri Yudhisthira Maharaj said, "Oh Vasudeva, I offer my most humble

obeisances unto You. Please now describe to me the EkAdasii of the dark

fortnight (krishna paksha) of the month of VaisAkha (April-May), including

its specific merits and influence."

Lord Sri Krishna replied, "Oh King, in this world and the next, the most

auspicious and magnanimous EkAdasii is VarUthinii EkAdasii, which occurs

during the dark fortnight of the month of VaisAkha.

Whosoever observes a complete fast on this sacred day has his sins

completely removed, obtains continuous happiness, and achieves all good

fortune.

Fasting on VarUthinii EkAdasii makes even an unfortunate woman fortunate.

Upon anyone who observes it, this EkAdasii 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.

"By observing this EkAdasii properly, King MAndhAtA was liberated. Many

other kings also benefited from observing it - kings such as MahArAja

DhundhumAra, in the IkshvAku dynasty, who became free from leprosy resulting

from the curse that Lord Shiva had imposed upon him as a punishment.

Whatever merit one obtains by performing austerities and penances for ten

thousand years is achieved by a person who observes VarUthinii EkAdasii.

The merit one achieves by donating a great amount of gold during a solar

eclipse at Kurukshetra is gained by one who observes this one EkAdasii with

love and devotion, and certainly attains his goals in this life and the

next. In short, this EkAdasii is pure and very enlivening and the destroyer

of all sins.

"Better than giving horses in charity is giving elephants, and better than

giving elephants is giving land. But better still than giving land 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 or future."

NOTE: "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, Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has said

that giving cows in charity is equal to giving food grains. Still better

than all these charities is teaching spiritual knowledge to the ignorant.

Yet all the merits one can attain by performing all these acts of charity

are attained by one who fasts on the VarUthinii Ekadasi."

"One who lives off the wealth of his daughters suffers a hellish condition

until the inundation of the entire universe, Oh BhArata. Therefore one

should be especially careful not to use the wealth of his daughter. Oh best

of kings, 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 merit that cannot be described

even by Chitragupta, the chief secretary of YamarAja in the heavenly

planets. That very same merit, however, can be easily achieved by one who

fasts on the VarUthinii EkAdasii.

"The following things should be given up on the Dashami, (the tenth phase of

the Moon), the day before the EkAdasii: eating on bell-metal plates, eating

any kind of urad-dahl, eating red-lentils, eating chick-peas, eating kondo

(a grain that is primarily eaten by poor people and that resembles poppy

seeds or agarpanthas seeds), eating spinach, eating honey, eating in another

person's house/home, eating more than once, and participating in sex of any

kind.

"On the Ekadasi itself one should give up the following: gambling, sports,

sleeping during the daytime, betal nuts and its leaf, brushing one's teeth,

spreading rumours, faultfinding, talking to the spiritually fallen, anger,

and lying.

"On the DwAdasii the day after EkAdasii (the twelfth phase of the Moon), one

should give up the following: eating on bell-metal plates, eating urad-dahl,

red-lentils, or honey, lying, strenuous exercise or labour, eating more than

once, any sexual activity, shaving the body, face or head, smearing oils on

one's body, and eating in another's home."

Lord Sri Krishna continued, "Whoever observes the VarUthinii EkAdasii in

this way becomes free from all sinful reactions and returns to the eternal,

spiritual abode. One who worships Lord JanArdana (Krishna) on this EkAdasii

by staying awake throughout the entire night, also becomes free from all his

previous sins and attains to 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 VarUthinii EkAdasii by fasting very

strictly.

"Finally, Oh noble Yudhisthira, he who hears or reads this glorification of

the sacred VarUthinii EkAdasii 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."

 

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SRILA VRINDAVANA DASA THAKURA

 

The mother of Srila Vrindavana dasa Thakura's was Sri Narayani devi, the

niece of Srivasa pandita. In his Sri Caitanya Bhagavata, Vrndavana dasa has

described how his mother attained the affectionate fervour of Sri

Gaurasundara.

 

"Narayani devi received the entire remnants of Mahaprabhu's meal. Though she

was only an insensible child he bestowed His mercy on her in this way."

 

Also as a result of this mercy, Srila Vrindavana dasa Thakura, whose life

and soul was Sri Gaura-Nityananda, took his birth from her womb.

 

He hasn't mentioned the name of his father. It is believed that Narayani

devi was married to someone at Kumarhatta. However, while she was still

carrying the child in her womb, she was widowed. Being reduced to a

condition of poverty by the loss of her husband, she finally accepted

shelter in the house of Sri Vasudeva Datta Thakura, at Mamgachi, where she

helped with the housework. Here Vrindavana dasa began his studies.

 

In the preface to Sri Caitanya Bhagavata, Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati has

written, "Narayani devi raised her child in the home of the father of Sri

Malini devi where she had accepted shelter."

 

Vrindavana dasa was born four years after Mahaprabhu took sannyasa. When

Mahaprabhu disappeared he couldn't have been more than twenty years old. He

was initiated by Sri Nityananda Prabhu and was apparently the last disciple

whom Sri Nityananda accepted. He accompanied Sri Jahnava Mata to the Kheturi

maha-mahotsava. Sri Krsna dasa Kaviraja Gosvami has glorified Vrindavana

dasa Thakura as the Veda Vyasa of the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

"The pastimes of Krsna have been described in the Srimad Bhagavatam by Veda

Vyasa. Vrindavana dasa is the Veda Vyasa of the pastimes of Sri Caitanya. He

has composed Caitanya Mangala which destroys any inauspiciousness for those

who hear it. So that we can understand the glories of Caitanya-Nitai, the

essence of the conclusions regarding devotional service as expanded in

Srimad Bhagavatam and the limits of the conclusions regarding Krsna bhakti,

he has composed this great literature to uplift mankind. To compose such a

work is not conceivable for a human being therefore we can understand that

Sri Caitanya Himself is speaking through him. I offer my obeisances tens of

millions of times at the lotus feet of that person who has given us such a

scripture which can deliver the whole world."(C.C. where and give SP's

translation)

 

Vrindavana dasa Thakura's Sripat, where his worshippable Deities of Sri Sri

Gaura-Nitai are still residing, is at Denur. Denur can be reached by bus

from Navadvipa.

 

 

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