Story of Ekadasi

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The Story of Ekadasi

 

(This article was originally written in 1956 by Sri

Navincandra Cakravarti, a disciple of Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura and in 1979

translated into English by Vyenkata dasa brahmacari.)

Many devotees are very inquisitive about the

appearance of Sri Ekadasi and about her special

characteristics. Therefore I am presenting this

description from the fourteenth chapter of the Padma

Purana, from the section entitled "Kriya-sagara-sara."

 

Once the great sage Jaimini Rsi said to his spiritual

master Srila Vyasadeva, "Oh Gurudeva! Previously, by

your mercy, you described to me thehistory of the

glories of the Ganga river, the benefits of

worshipping Vishnu, the giving of grains in charity,

the giving of water in charity, and the magnanimity of

drinking the water that has washed the feet of the

brahmanas. O best of the sages, Sri Gurudeva, now,

with great enthusiasm, I desire to hear the benefits

of fasting on Ekadasi and the appearance of Ekadasi.

 

kasmad ekadasi jata tasyah ko va vidhir dvija

kada va kriyate kim va phalam kim va vadasva me

ka va pujyatama tatra devata sad-gunarnava

akurvatah syat ko dosa etan me vaktum arhasi

 

"Oh Gurudeva! When did Ekadasi take birth and from

whom did she appear? What are the rules of fasting on

the Ekadasi? Please describe the benefits of following

this vow and when it should be followed. Who is the

utmost worshippable presiding deity of Sri Ekadasi?

What are the faults in not following Ekadasi properly?

Please bestow your mercyupon me and tell about these

subjects, as you are the only personality able to do

so."

Srila Vyasadeva, upon hearing this enquiry of Jaimini

Rsi, became situated in transcendental bliss. "Oh

brahmana sage Jaimini! The results of following

Ekadasi can only be perfectly described by the Supreme

Lord, Narayana, because Sri Narayana is the only

personality capable of describing them in full. But I

will give a very brief description in answer to your

question."

"At the beginning of the material creation, the

Supreme Lord created the moving and nonmoving living

entities within this world made of five gross material

elements. Simultaneously, for the purpose of punishing

the humans beings, He created a personality whose form

was the embodiment of sin (Papapurusha). The different

limbs of this personality were constructed of the

various sinful activities. His head head was made of

the sin of murdering a brahmana, his two eyes were the

form of the sin of drinking intoxicants, his mouth was

made of the sin of stealing gold, his ears were the

form of the sin of having illicit connection with the

spiritual master's wife, his nose of the sin of

killing one's wife, his arms the form of the sin of

killing a cow, his neck made of the sin of stealing

accumulated wealth, his chest of the sin of abortion,

his lower chest of the sin of having sex with

another's wife, his stomach of the sin of killing

one's relatives, his navel of the sin of killing those

who are dependent on him, his waist of the sin of self

appraisal, his thighs of the sin of offending the

guru, his genital of the sin of selling one's

daughter, his buttocks of the sin of telling

confidential matters, his feet of the sin of killing

one's father, and his hair the form of lesser, less

severe sinful activities. In this way, a horrible

personality embodying all the sinful activities and

vices was created. His bodily colour is black, and his

eyes are yellow. He inflicts extreme misery upon

sinful persons."

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu,

upon seeing this personality of sin, began to think to

Himself as follows: 'I am the creator of the miseries

and happiness for the living entities. I am their

master because I have created this personality of sin,

who gives distress to all dishonest, deceitful, and

sinful persons. Now I must create someone who will

control this personality.' At this time Sri Bhagavan

created the personality known as Yamaraj and the

different hellishj planetary systems. Those living

entities who are very sinful will be sent after death

to Yamaraj, who will in turn, according to their sins,

send them tom a hellish region to suffer.

"After these adjustments had been made, the Supreme

Lord, who is the giver of distress and happiness to

the living entities, went to the house of Yamaraj,

with the help of Garuda, theking of birds. When

Yamaraj saw that Lord Vishnu had arrived, he

immediately washed His feet and made an offering unto

Him. He then had Him sit upon a golden throne. The

Supreme Lord, Vishnu, became seated on the throne,

whereupon He heard very loud crying sounds coming from

the southern direction. He became surprised by this

and thus enquired from Yamaraj, 'From where is this

loud crying coming?'

"Yamaraj in reply said, 'Oh Deva! The different

living entities of the earthly planetary systems have

fallen into the hellish regions. They are suffering

extremely for their misdeeds. The horrible crying is

because of suffering from the inflictions of their

past bad karma (actions).'

"After hearing this the Supreme Lord, Vishnu, went to

the hellish region to the south. When the inhabitants

saw who had come they began to cry even louder. The

heart of the Supreme Lord, Vishnu, became filled with

compassion. Lord Vishnu thought to Himself, 'I have

created all this progeny, and it is because of Me

thatthey are suffering.'"

Srila Vyasadeva continued: "Oh Jaimini, just listen

to what the Supreme Lord did next.

etac canyac ca viprarse

vicintya karunamayah

babhuva sahasa tatra

svayam ekadasi tithih

'After the merciful Supreme Lord thought over what He

had previously considered, He suddenly manifested from

His own form the deity of the lunar day Ekadasi.'

Afterwards the different sinful living entities began

to follow the vow of Ekadasi and were then elevated

quickly to the abode of Vaikuntha. Oh my child

Jaimini, therefore the lunar day of Ekadasi is the

selfsame form of the Supreme Lord, Vishnu, and the

Supersoul within the heart of the living entities. Sri

Ekadasi is the utmost pios activity and is situated as

the haed among all vows.

"Following the ascension of Sri Ekadasi, that

personality who is the form of the sinful activity

gradually saw the influence she had. He approached

Lord Vishnu with doubts in his heart and began

offering many prayers, whereupon Lord Vishnu became

very pleased and said, ' I have become very pleased by

your nice offerings. What boon is it that you want?'

"The Papapurusha replied, 'I am your created

progeny, and it is through me that you wanted distress

given to the living entities who are very sinful. But

now, by the influence of Sri Ekadasi, I have become

all but destroyed. Oh Prabhu! After I die all of Your

parts andparcels who have accepted material bodies

will become liberated and therefore return to the

abode of Vaikuntha. If this liberation of all living

entities takes place, then who will carry on Your

activities? There will be no one to enact the pastimes

in the earthly planetary systems! Oh Keshava! If You

want these eternal pastimes to carry on, then You

please save me from the fear of Ekadasi. No type of

pious activity can bind me. But Ekadasi only, being

Yourown manifested form, can impede me. Out of fear of

Sri Ekadasi I have fled and taken shelter of men;

animals; insects; hills; trees; moving and nonmoving

living entities; rivers; oceans; forests; heavenly,

earthly, and hellish planetary systems; demigods; and

the Gandarvas. I cannot find a place where I can be

free from fear of Sri Ekadasi. Oh my Master! I am a

product of Your creation, so therefore very mercifully

direct me to a place where I can reside fearlessly.'"

Srila Vyasadeva then said to Jaimini, "After saying

this, the embodiment of all sinful activities

(Papapurusha) fell down at the feet of the Supreme

Lord, Vishnu, who is the destroyer of all miseries and

began to cry.

"After this, Lord Vishnu, observing the condition of

the Papapurusha with laughter, began to speak thus:

'Oh Papapurusha! Rise up! Don't lament any longer.

Just listen, and I'll tell you where you can stay on

the auspicious lunar day of Ekadasi. On the day of

Ekadasi, which is the benefactor of the three worlds,

you can take shelter of foodstuff in the form of

grains. There is no reason to worry about this any

more, because My form as Sri Ekadasi Devi will no

longer impede you.' After giving direction to the

Papapurusha, the Supreme Lord, Vishnu, disappeared and

the Papapurusha returned to the performance of his own

activities.

"Therefore those persons who are serious about the

ultimate benefit for the soul will never eat grains on

the Ekadasi tithi. According to the instructions of

Lord Vishnu, every kind of sinful activity that can be

found in the material world takes its residence in

this place of foodstuff (grain). Whoever follows

Ekadasi is freed from all sins and never enters into

hellish regions. If one doesn't follow Ekadasi because

of illusion, he is still considered the utmost sinner.

For every mouthful of grain that is eaten by a

resident of the earthly region, one receives the

effect of kiling millions of brahmanas. It is

definately necessary that one give up eating grains on

Ekadasi. I very strongly say again and again, 'On

Ekadasi, don't eat grains, don't eat grains, don't eat

grains!' Whether one be a ksatriya, vaisya, shudra, or

of any family, he should follow the lunar day of

Ekadasi. From this the perfection of varna and ashram

will be attained. Especially since even if one by

trickery follows Ekadasi, all of his sin become

destroyed and he very easily attains the supreme goal,

the abode of Vaikuntha."

 

 

--

 

Basic Rules for understanding Vaisnava Calendar.

 

1/. The Tithi at sunrise rules the day.

2/. If the Tithi begins after sunrise and ends

before sunrise of the next day (Lost) it is combined

with the next Tithi.

3/. If the same Tithi falls on sunrise two days in a

row, observances are scheduled on the first day; exept

Ekadasi, Amavasya, or Purnima Tithis which are

scheduled for the second day.

 

Rules for Ekadasi.

 

Srila A. C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada makes an

interesting comment in his purport to Sri Caitanya

Caritamrta Madhya lila. 9-24-342:

 

"You should recommend the avoidance of mixed Ekadasi

and the performance of pure Ekadasi. You should also

describe the fault in not observing this. One should

be very careful as far as these items are concerned.

If one is not careful, one will be negligent in

executing devotional service."

 

General Rules for observance are:-

 

1/. Ekadasi must come in prior to the Arunodaya

Viddhi (1hour, 12 mins, before sunrise). When it does

so it is called Suddha Ekadasi - pure ekadasi. If it

begins after that, it is considered impure and is

therefore to be observed on the Dwadasi ( making

Mahadwadasi or Compounded) on the next day.

2/. If Ekadasi falls on Sunrise two days in a row,

fasting is observed on the second day.

 

Mahadwadasi.

(If Mahadvadasi is in force, fasting is prohibited on

the Ekadasi, but the observance is done on the

Dwadasi. Compound Dwadasi-Mahadwadasi.)

 

1/. If Ekadasi begins after sunrise and ends before

sunrise the next day it is considered Lost, too

short, thus not full, and impure. Therefore the next

day is called Unmillani Mahadwadasi.

2/. If Dwadasi begins after sunrise and ends before

sunrise on the next day (Trayodasi), it is also Lost,

and is to be observed as Tri-Sprsa-Mahadwadasi.

3/. If Dwadasi falls on the Sunrise two days in a

row the first Dwadasi becomes Vyanjuli Mahadwadasi.

4/. When the following Amavasya or Purnima falls on

sunrise two days in a row the preceeding Dwadasi

becomes Paksa-Vardhini-Mahadwadasi, Paksa based.

 

Parama Ekadasi in the month of Purushottam.

 

For more details see Navadvip Panjika intro of Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura (NP-intro.doc)

 

Vratas - what to do / auterities:

>From Pancharatra Pradipa - Appendix 3

 

Notes on Ekadasi…

 

The Hari-bhakti-vilasa gives many rules for observing

Ekadasi…, and these are discussed at length in Volume

II of Pancharata-Pradipa. Here, however, we will

mention only a few points concerning Ekadasi in

relation to general standards of Deity worship in

ISKCON:

 

Offering Grains to the Spiritual Master and Lord

Caitanya

 

In a conversation, Srila Prabhupada said that grains

should not be offered to either the spiritual master

or Lord Caitanya and His associates on Ekadasi

 

Devotee: On Ekadasi, we can offer the Deity grains?

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. But not guru. Ekadasi observed by

jiva-tattva, not by Vishnu. We are fasting for

clearing our material disease, but Radha-Krsna,

Caitanya Mahaprabhu . . . Caitanya Mahaprabhu also may

not be offered grains because He is playing the part

of a devotee. Only Radha-Krsna, Jagannatha can be

offered grains. Otherwise, Guru-Gauranga, no. And the

prasadam should not be taken by anyone. It should be

kept for the next day. [srila Prabhupada Room

Conversation, Tokyo, April 22, 1972]

 

If there is only one plate for all Deities and the

main Deity is Krsna or Jagannatha, grains should be

offered as on normal days. If the main Deities are

Gaura-Nitai, offer only non-grain preparations.* It is

best to replace the normally offered grain

preparations with non-grain preparations so that there

are the same number of preparations as on normal days.

If, however, grain preparations are being cooked for

Krsna or Jagannatha, it may be difficult to cook

additional non-grain preparations for the spiritual

master and Gaura-Nitai. In that case serve larger

quantities of the non-grain preparations to the

spiritual master and Gaura-Nitai, and prepare the

offering plate for Krsna or Jagannatha as on normal

days.

 

* If you are cooking for a restaurant where grains

will be served on Ekadasi, you may offer the grains to

Gaura-Nitai with the understanding that They will

offer the bhoga to Krsna.

 

What Constitutes "Grains" on Ekadasi?

 

Srila Prabhupada specified foodgrains and beans

(pulses) as foods that must be avoided on Ekadasi. One

may use spices for cooking, although mustard seeds

should be avoided.* You should not use powdered

asafatoeda (hing), since it (generally) contains

grains. Sesame seeds are also to be avoided, except on

Satila Ekadasi, when they may be offered and eaten.

Do not use any cooking ingredients that might be mixed

with grains, such as ghee that has been used to fry

puris, or spices touched by hands dusted with chapati

flour.

 

* Someone who is very strictly observing Ekadasi

should avoid all spices except pepper, rock salt and

cumin. He should also eschew certain vegetables, such

as tomatoes, cauliflower, eggplant, and leafy

vegetables. Temple kitchens need not follow these

strictures, since Srila Prabhupada did not establish

them. Individual devotees may observe these rules if

they choose, either making their own arrangements for

cooking on Ekadasi, eating uncooked foods such as

fruit, or observing full fasting. These arrangements

should not interfere with the temple cooking schedule.

 

 

Mahaprasadam on Ekadasi:

 

On Ekadasi, strict followers of Vaishnava regulations

avoid eating any mahaprasada from an offering that

includes grains.. The shastra explains that the

papa-purusha (sin personified) takes shelter in grains

on Ekadasi, and therefore we avoid grains at all cost

on that day, not even risking taking non-grain

preparations of mahaprasada from an offering plate

containing grains. Ekadasi mahaprasada should be

stored until the next day; if that is not possible it

can be distributed to persons not strictly following

Vaishnava regulations or to animals. In fact,

mahaprasada maintains its purity on Ekadasi despite

the presence of the papa-purusha, and therefore it

will purify anyone who eats it. Nevertheless, the

followers of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, being strict

followers of Vaishnava regulations, avoid mahaprasada

on that day because their strict sadhana will be

hampered by the presence of the papa-purusha.

 

 

http://members.xoom.com/hknetworks/ekadasi-page.htm

 

 

 

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