Amalaki Vrata Ekadasi

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March 14th, 2003, Friday (Suddha Ekadasi)

Fasting for Amalaki Vrata Ekadasi

 

 

Amalaki Ekadasi

(from Brahmanda Purana)

 

 

King Mandhata once said to Vasishtha Muni, "O great sage, kindly be

merciful to me and tell me of a holy fast that will benefit me eternally."

 

Vasishtha Muni replied. "O king, kindly listen as I describe the

best of all fast days, Amalaki Ekadasi. He who faithfully observes a fast on

this Ekadasai obtains enormous wealth, gets free of the effects of all kinds

of sins, and attains liberation. Fasting on this Ekadasii is more purifying

than donating one thousand cows in charity to a pure brahmana. So please

hear me attentively as I tell you the story of a hunter who, though daily

engaged in killing innocent animals for his living, achieved liberation by

observing a fast on Amalaki Ekadasi following the prescribed rules and

regulations of worship.

 

"There was once a kingdom named Vaidisha, where all the brahmanas,

kshatriyas, vaishyas, and shudras were equally endowed with Vedic knowledge,

great bodily strength, and fine intelligence. Oh lion among kings, the whole

kingdom was full of Vedic sounds, not a single person was atheistic, and no

one sinned. The ruler of this kingdom was King Pashabinduka, a member of the

dynasty of Soma, the moon. He was also known as Chitraratha and was very

religious and truthful. It is said that King Chitraratha had the strength of

ten thousand elephants and that he was very wealthy and knew the six

branches of Vedic wisdom perfectly.

 

"During the reign of Maharaja Chitraratha, not a single person in

his kingdom attempted to practice another's dharma (duty) so perfectly

engaged in their own dharmas were all the brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaisyas,

and sudras. Neither miser nor pauper was to be seen throughout the land, not

was there ever a drought or flood. Indeed, the kingdom was free of disease,

and everyone enjoyed good health. The people rendered loving devotional

service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, as did the king,

who also rendered special service to Lord Shiva. Moreover, twice a month

everyone fasted on Ekadasii.

 

"In this way, O best of kings, the citizens of Vaidisha lived many

long years in great happiness and prosperity. Giving up all varieties of

materialistic religion, they completely dedicated themselves to the loving

service of the Supreme Lord, Hari.

 

"Once, in the month of Phalguna (February - March), the holy fast of

Amalaki Ekadasi arrived, conjoined with Dvadasi. King Chitraratha realised

that this particular fast would bestow especially great benefit, and thus he

and all the citizens of Vaidisha observed this sacred Ekadasi very strictly,

carefully following all the rules and regulations.

 

"After bathing in the river, the king and all his subjects went to

the temple of Lord Vishnu, where an Amalaki tree grew. First the king and

his leading sages offered the tree a pot filled with water, as well as a

fine canopy, shoes, gold, diamonds, rubies, pearls, sapphires, and aromatic

incense. Then they worshiped Lord Parashurama with these prayers: 'Oh Lord

Parashurama, Oh son of Renuka, Oh all-pleasing one, Oh liberator of the

worlds, kindly come beneath this holy Amalaki tree and accept our humble

obeisances.'

 

Then they prayed to the Amalaki tree: 'Oh Amalaki, Oh offspring of

Lord Brahma, you can destroy all kinds of sinful reactions. Please accept

our respectful obeisances and these bumble gifts. O Amalaki, you are

actually the form of Brahman, and you were once worshiped by Lord

Ramachandra Himself. Whoever circumambulates you is therefore immediately

freed of all his sins.'

 

"After offering these excellent prayers, King Chitraratha and his

subjects remained awake throughout the night, praying and worshiping

according to the regulations governing a sacred Ekadasi fast. It was during

this auspicious time of fasting and prayer that a very irreligious man

approached the assembly, a man who maintained himself and his family by

killing animals. Burdened with both fatigue and sin, the hunter saw the king

and the citizens of Vaidisha observing Amalaki Ekadasi by performing an

all-night vigil, fasting, and worshiping Lord Vishnu in the beautiful forest

setting, which was brilliantly illuminated by many lamps. The hunter hid

nearby, wondering what this extraordinary sight before him was.

 

'What is going on here?' he thought. What he saw in that lovely

forest beneath the holy Amalaki tree was the Deity of Lord Damodara being

worshiped upon the Asana of a waterpot, and what he heard were devotees

singing sacred songs describing Lord Krishna's transcendental forms and

pastimes. Despite himself, that staunchly irreligious killer of innocent

birds and animals spent the entire night in great amazement as he watched

the Ekadasi celebration and listened to the glorification of the Lord.

 

"Soon after sunrise, the king and his royal retinue - including the

court sages and all the citizens - completed their observance of Ekadasi and

returned to the city of Vaidisha. The hunter then returned to his hut and

happily ate his meal. In due time the hunter died, but the merit he had

gained by fasting on Amalaki Ekadasi and hearing the glorification of the

Supreme Personality of Godhead, as well as by being forced to stay awake all

night, made him eligible to be reborn as a great king endowed with may

chariots, elephants, horses, and soldiers. His name was Vasuratha, the son

of King Viduratha, and he ruled over the kingdom of Jayanti.

 

"King Vasuratha was strong and fearless, as effulgent as the Sun,

and as handsome as the Moon. In strength he was like Sri Vishnu, and in

forgiveness like the Earth itself. Very charitable and every truthful, King

Vasuratha always rendered loving devotional service to the Supreme Lord, Sri

Vishnu. He therefore became very well versed in Vedic knowledge. Always

active in the affairs of state, he enjoyed taking excellent care of his

subjects, as though they were his own children. He disliked pride in anyone

and would smash it when he saw it. He performed many kinds of sacrifices,

and he always made certain that the needy in his kingdom received enough

charity.

 

"One day, while hunting in the jungle, King Vasuratha strayed from

the footpath and lost his way. Wandering for some time and eventually

growing weary, he paused beneath a tree and, using his arms as a pillow,

fell asleep. As he slept, some barbarian tribesmen came upon him and,

remembering their longstanding enmity toward the king, began discussing

among themselves various ways to kill him. 'It is because he killed our

fathers, mothers, brothers-in-law, grandsons, nephews, and uncles that we

are forced to aimlessly wander like so many madmen in the forest.' So

saying, they prepared to kill King Vasuratha with various weapons, including

spears, swords, arrows, and mystic ropes.

 

"But none of these deadly weapons could even touch the sleeping

king, and soon the uncivilised, dog-eating tribesmen grew frightened. Their

fear sapped their strength, and before long they lost what little

intelligence they had and became almost unconscious with bewilderment and

weakness. Suddenly a beautiful woman appeared from the king's body,

startling the aborigines. Decorated with many ornaments, emitting a

wonderful fragrance, wearing an excellent garland around her neck, her

eyebrows drawn in a mood of fierce anger, and her fiery red eyes ablaze, she

looked like death personified. With her blazing chakra discus she quickly

killed all the tribal hunters, who had tried to slay the sleeping king.

 

"Just then the king awoke, and seeing all the dead tribesmen lying

around him, he was astonished. He wondered, 'These are all great enemies of

mine! Who has slain them so violently? Who is my great benefactor?'

 

"At that very moment he heard a voice from the sky: 'You ask who

helped you. Well, who is that person who alone can help anyone is distress?

He is none other than Sri Keshava, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He

who saves all who take shelter of Him without any selfish motive.'

 

"Upon hearing these words, King Vasuratha became over-whelmed with

love for the Personality of Godhead Sri Keshava (Krishna). He returned to

his capital city and ruled there like a second lord Indra (king of the

heavenly regions), without any obstacles at all.

 

"Therefore, Oh King Mandhata," the venerable Vasishtha Muni

concluded, "...anyone who observes this holy Amalaki Ekadasi will

undoubtedly attain the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu, so great is the

religious merit earned from the observance of this most sacred fast day."

 

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Phalguna-sukla Ekadasi, or

Amalaki Ekadasi, from the Brahmanda Purana.

 

 

 

NOTE: If the Amalaki tree isn't available then worship the sacred Tulasi

tree. Also plant the sacred Tulasi seeds, and offer lamps to her.