RamA EkAdasii - 23rd Oct

[Guest guest]

I got some quotes from the Hari-bhakti-vilasa regarding the breaking fast at

the proper time. Please see especially the last verse in this context:

 

PRATAH SNATVA HARIM PUJYA UPAVASAM SAMARPAYET

PARANANTU TATAH KURYAD VRATA SIDDHAU HARI SMARAN

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 13/230 from KATYAYANA SAMHITA)

 

After taking bath early in the morning and worshiping the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Hari, one should offer his fasting to Him

and then to achieve merit from such fasting, one should remember Sri Hari

while breaking the fast.

 

NITYA KRTYAM SAMAPYA ATHA SAKTYA VIPRANSCA BHOJAYET

KURVITA DVADASI MADHYE TULASIM PRASYA PARANAM

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 13/236 from TRAILOKYA MOHANA PANCARATRA)

 

Thereafter, after performing daily service to the Supreme Lord, according to

one's capacity, one should give eating ingredients to brahmanas in charity

and then take a Tulasi leaf in his mouth and break one's fast.

 

KRTVA CAIVA UPAVASAMTU YO'SNATI DVADASI DINE

NAIVEDYAM TULASI MISRAM PAPA KOTI VINASANAM

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 13/237 from SKANDA PURANA)

 

After fasting properly on Ekadasi, one should eat maha-prasada the next day

(Dvadasi) and at that time millions of his sins are burnt.

 

MAHA HANIKARI HY ESA DVADASI LANGHIT NRNAM

KAROTI DHARMA HARANAM ASNATEVA SARASVATI

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 13/238 from PADMA PURANA)

 

As when one goes across the Sarasvati River without taking bath, he looses

his merit, similarly, when one continues fasting on Dvadasi day, he suffers

a great amount of meritorious loss. (One who does not break fast at the

proper time looses a great amount of merit.)

 

Srila Sanatana Gosvami states that, "'Without taking bath in the Sarasvati'"

(only) means that if you cross to the other side of the Sarasvati to take

bath, all of his religious merits will be stolen from you."

 

EKADASYAM UPOSYAIVA DVADASYAM PARANAM SMRTAM

TRAYODASYAM NA TAT KURYAD DVADASA DVADASI-KSAYAT

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 13/241 from KURMA PURANA)

 

One should fast on the ekadasi day and break his fast on Dvadasi day. It is

not recommended to break one's fast on Trayodasi day. One who breaks his

fast on Trayodasi day (one who does not break his fast at the proper

moment), looses the merit which had gained by fasting on twelve Dvadasis.

 

Srila Sanatana Gosvami says in his Digdarsini-tika (commentary) that,

"'Passing over' means, not breaking his fast at the proper time."