Vijayä Ekädaçé

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Wednesday, February 26th, 2003

 

VIJAYÄ EKÄDAÇÉ

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Yudhiñöhéra Mahäräja said, “Oh Lord Çré Kåñëa, O glorious son of

Vasudeva, please be merciful to me and describe the Ekädaçé that occurs

during the dark fortnight of the month of Phälguna (February-March).”

 

Lord Çré Kåñëa replied, "Oh Yudhiñöhéra, Oh king of kings, gladly I

shall tell you about this great fast, known as Vijayä Ekädaçé. Whoever

observes it certainly achieves success in this life and the next. All the

sins of one who fasts on this Ekädaçé and hears its sublime glories are

eradicated."

 

“Närada Muni once asked lord Brahmä, who sits on a lotus flower

about the Vijayä Ekädaçé. Çré Närada said, ‘Oh best of all the demigods,

kindly tell me the merit one can achieve by faithfully observing Vijayä

Ekädaçé.’

 

“Närada’s great father then replied, ‘My dear son, this oldest of

fasting days is pure, and it nullifies all sins. I have never revealed this

to anyone until today, but you can understand beyond any doubt that this

Ekädaçé bestows the result indicated by its name… (Vijayä meaning Victory).

 

“When Lord Räma was exiled to the forest for fourteen years, He, the

goddess Sétä, and His divine brother Lakñmaëa stayed at Pancavaté as

mendicants. Mother Sétä was then kidnapped by the demon Rävaëa, and Lord

Räma seemingly became bewildered like an ordinary man by distress. While

searching for His beloved consort, the Lord came upon the dying Jatäyu and

thereafter killed His enemy Kabandha. The great devotee-vulture Jatäyu

returned to Vaikuëöha after telling Räma how His dear Sétä had been abducted

by Rävaëa.

 

“ ‘Later, Lord Räma and Sugréva, the king of the monkeys, became

friends. Together they amassed a grand army of monkeys and bears and sent

Hanumänjé, his minister, to Çré Laìkä, where he was able to see Janaki

(Çrématé Sétä-devé) in an Açoka grove garden. He delivered Lord Räma’s

message and showed the ring proving his authenticity for rendering such

great service to the Supreme Lord Çré Räma.

 

“ ‘With the help of Sugréva, Lord Räma proceeded toward Çré Laìkä.

Upon arriving at the shore of the ocean with the army of monkeys, He could

understand that the water was uncommonly deep and hostile. Thus He said to

Lakñmaëa, “Oh son of Sumiträ, how can We earn enough merit to be able to

cross this vast ocean, the unfathomable abode of Varuna deva? I can see no

easy way to cross it, teeming as it is with sharks and other ferocious

aquatics.”

 

“ ‘Lakñmaëa replied, “Oh best of all beings, Oh origin of all the

devas, Oh primal personality, the great sage Bakadälbhya lives on an island

just four miles from here. Oh Räghava, he has seen many Brahmäs come and go,

so aged and wise is he. Let us go to him, take his darçana (audience) and

ask him how We can safely reach Our goal.”

 

“ ‘So Räma and Lakñmaëa proceeded to the humble äçrama of the

incomparable Bakadälbhya Muni. Approaching him, the two Lords paid Their

respectful obeisances to him as if he were a second Viñëu. Bakadälbhya could

immediately understand, however, that Çré Räma was actually the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, who for His own reasons had appeared on the Earth

and was enacting just like a human being.

 

“ ‘ “Räma, “ said Bakadälbhya, “Oh best of the human beings, why

have You come to my lowly abode?”

 

“ ‘The Lord replied, “Oh great, twice born brähmië, I have come here

to the ocean shore with My phalanx of monkey and bear warriors in order to

cross the sea and conquer Laìkä and its demon horde headed by Rävaëa. Oh

greatest of sages, please be merciful unto Me and please tell Me how I can

cross this vast ocean. That is why I have come to your äçrama today.”

 

“ ‘The sage said, “Oh Lord Çré Räma, I shall tell you of the most

exalted of all fasts, observing which You will surely conquer Rävaëa and be

eternally glorified. Kindly now listen with full attention.

 

“ ‘ “On the day before Ekädaçé, fashion a water pot of gold or

silver, or even copper. Even clay will do if these metals are unavailable.

Fill the pot with pure water and then decorate it nicely with mango leaves.

Cover it and place it near a holy altar upon a mound of seven grains (the

seven grains are barley, wheat, rice, corn, chickpeas, kukani, and dahl or

peas). Now take Your morning bath, decorate the water pot with flower

garlands and sandalwood paste, and inn the concave lid atop the pot place

there the barley, pomegranate, and coconut. Now with great love and devotion

worship the water pot Deity form and offer Him incense, sandalwood paste,

flowers, a ghee lamp, and a plate of sumptuous foods. Remain there awake

that night beside this sacred pot. On top of the lid filled with barley,

etc., place a golden mürti of Lord Çré Näräyaëa.

 

“ ‘ “When Ekädaçé dawns, take Your morning bath and then decorate

the water pot with fine sandalwood paste and garlands. Then worship the pot

again with first class incense, lamps, sandalwood paste and flowers dipped

in sandalwood paste, and then devotedly place many kinds of cooked food,

pomegranate, and coconut before the water pot. Then remain awake over night.

“ ‘ “When the Dvädaçi dawns, take the water pot to the bank of a

holy river, or even to the shore of a small pond. After worshipping it again

properly, Oh King of kings, offer it with all the aforementioned ingredients

to a pure hearted brähmië, expert in the Vedic sciences. If You and Your

military commanders observe the Vijayä Ekädaçé in this way, You will surely

be victorious in every way.”

 

“” ‘Lord Çré Rämacandra Bhagavän, the Supreme Personality of

Godhead, did just as Bakadälbhya Muni instructed, and thus He conquered all

demoniac forces. Similarly, anyone who observes the Vijayä Ekädaçé in this

way will always be victorious in this mortal world, and after leaving this

world he/she will reside forever in the anxiety free realm of the Kingdom of

God known as the Vaikuëöhas.”

 

“ ‘Oh Närada, my son, from this history you can understand why one

should observe this Ekädaçé fast properly, strictly following the rules and

regulations. This fast is powerful enough to eradicate all one’s sinful

reactions, even the most abominable ones.”

 

Lord Çré Kåñëa concluded, “Oh Yudhiñöhéra, anyone who reads or hears

this history will attain the same great merit as that which is earned by

performing a horse sacrifice on days of yore.”

 

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Phälguna-kåñëa Ekädaçé or

Vijayä Ekädaçé, from the Skanda Puräëa.