Putrada Ekadasi

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Putrada Ekadasi

(Pausha-shukla Ekaadasii)

from Bhavishya Puran

 

The pious and saintly Yudhisthira Maharaj said, “Oh Lord, You have so nicely

explained to us the wonderful glories of the Saphalaa Ekaadasi, which occurs

during the dark fortnight (Krishna paksha) of the month of Pausha (December

–

January). Now please be merciful to me and explain to me the details of the

Ekaadasi that occurs in the light fortnight (Shukla or Gaura paksha) of this

month. What is its name, and what Deity is to be worshipped on that sacred

day?

Oh Purushottama, Oh Hrishikesha, please also tell me how You can be pleased

on

this day? Lord Sri Krishna then replied, “Oh saintly king, for the benefit

of

all humanity I shall now tell you how to observe fasting on the

Pausha-shukla

Ekaadasi.

As previously explained, everyone should observe the rules and regulations

of

the Ekaadasi vrata, to the very best of their ability. This injunction also

applies to the Ekaadasi named Putradaa, which destroys all sins and elevates

one to the spiritual abode. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Shri

Narayana,

the original personality, is the worshipable Deity of the Ekaadasi, and for

His

faithful devotees He happily fulfils all desires and awards full perfection.

Thus among all the animate and inanimate beings in the three worlds (lower,

middle and higher planetary systems), there is no better personality than

Lord

Narayana.

“Oh King, now I shall narrate to you the history of Putradaa Ekaadasi, which

removes all kinds of sins and makes one famous and learned. “There was

once a

kingdom named Bhadraavati, which was ruled by King Suketumaan. His queen was

the famous Shaibyaa. Because he had no son, he spent a long time in anxiety,

thinking, ‘If I have no son, who will carry on my dynasty?’ In this way the

king meditated in a religious attitude for a very long time, thinking,

‘Where

should I go? What should I do? How can I get a pious son (putra)? In this

way

King Suketumaan could find no happiness anywhere in his kingdom, even in his

own palace, and soon he was spending more and more time inside his wife’s

palace, gloomily thinking only of how he could get a son. “Thus both King

Suketumaan and Queen Shaibyaa were in great distress. Even when they offered

tarpana (oblations of water to their forefathers), their mutual misery made

them think that it was as undrinkable as boiling water. They thus thought

that

they would have no

descendents to offer tarpana to them when they died and thus become lost

souls

(ghosts). The king and queen were especially upset to learn that their

forefathers were worried that soon there would be no one to offer them

tarpana

also. “After learning of their forefather’s unhappiness, the king and

queen

became more and more miserable, and neither ministers, nor friends, nor even

loved ones could cheer them up. To the king, his elephants and horses and

infantry were no solace, and at last he became practically inert and

helpless.

“The king thought to himself, ‘It is said that without a son, marriage is

wasted. Indeed, for a family man with no son, both his heart and his

splendid

house remain vacant and miserable. Bereft of a son, a man cannot liquidate

the

debts that he owes his forefathers, the demigods (devas) and to other human

beings. Therefore every married man should endeavor to beget a son; thus he

will become famous within this world and at last attain the auspicious

celestial realms. A son is

proof of the pious activities a man performed in his past one hundred

lifetimes, and such a person achieves a long duration of life in this world,

along with good health and great wealth. Possessing sons and grandsons in

this

lifetime proves that one has worshipped Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Personality

of

Godhead, in the past. The great blessing of sons, wealth, and sharp

intelligence can be achieved only by worshipping the Supreme Lord, Sri

Krishna.

That is my opinion.’ “Thinking thus, the king had no peace. He remained in

anxiety day and night, from morning to evening, and from the time he lay

down

to sleep at night until the sun rose in the morning, his dreams were equally

full of great anxiety. Suffering such constant anxiety and apprehension,

King

Suketumaan decided to end his misery by committing suicide. But he realized

that suicide throws a person into hellish conditions of rebirth, and so he

abandoned that idea. Seeing that he was gradually destroying himself by his

all

consuming anxiety over the

lack of a son, the king at last mounted his horse and left for the dense

forest

alone. No one, not even the priests and brahmins of the palace, knew where

he

had gone. “In that forest, which was filled with deer and birds and other

animals, King Suketumaan wandered aimlessly, noting all the different kinds

of

trees and shrubs, such as the fig, bel fruit, date palm, jackfruit, bakula,

saptaparnaa, tinduka, and tilaka, as well as the shala, taala, tamaala,

saralaa, hingotaa, arjuna, labheraa, bahedaa, sallaki, karondaa, patala,

khaira, shaka, and palaasha trees. All were beautifully decorated with

fruits

and flowers. He saw deer, tigers, wild boar, lions, monkeys, snakes, huge

bull

elephants in a rut, cow elephants with their calves, and four-tusked

elephants

with their mates close by. There were cows, jackals, rabbits, leopards, and

hippopotamuses. Beholding all these animals accompanied by their mates and

offspring, the king remembered his own menagerie, especially his palace

elephants, and became so sad

that he absentmindedly wandered into their very midst. “Suddenly the king

heard a jackal howl in the distance. Startled, he began wandering about,

looking around in all directions. Soon it was midday, and the king started

to

tire. He was tormented by hunger and thirst also. He thought, ‘What sinful

deed

could possibly have done so that I am now forced to suffer like this, with

my

throat parched and burning, and my stomach empty and rumbling? I have

pleased

the devas (demigods) with numerous fire sacrifices and abundant devotional

worship. I have given many gifts and delicious sweets in charity to all the

worthy brahmins too. And I have taken care of my subjects as though they

were

my very own children. Why then am I suffering so? What unknown sins have

come

to bear fruit and torment me in this dreadful way?’ “Absorbed in these

thoughts, King Suketumaan struggled forward, and eventually, due to his

pious

credits, he came upon a beautiful lotus bearing pond that resembled the

famous

Lake Maanasarova. It

was filled with aquatics, including crocodiles and many varieties of fish,

and

graced with varieties of lilies and lotuses. The beautiful lotuses had

opened

to the Sun, and swans, cranes and ducks swam happily in its waters. Nearby

were

many attractive ashramas, where there resided many saints and sages who

could

fulfill the desires of anyone. Indeed, they wished everyone well. When the

king

saw all this, his right arm and right eye began to quiver, a sakuna sign

(for a

male) that something auspicious was about to happen. “As the king

dismounted

his horse and stood before the sages, who sat on the shore of the pond, he

saw

that they were chanting the holy names of God on japa beads. The king paid

his

obeisances and, joining his palms, addressed them with glorified praises.

Observing the respect the king offered them, the sages said, ‘We are very

pleased with you, Oh king. Kindly tell us why you have come here. What is on

your mind? Please inform us what is your heart’s desire.’ “The king

replied,

‘Oh

great sages, who are you? What are your names, surely your presence reveals

that you are auspicious saints? Why have you come to this beautiful place?

Please tell me everything.’

“The sages replied, ‘Oh king, we are known as the ten Vishvadevas (the sons

of

Vishva; Vasu, Satya, Kratu, Daksha, Kaala, Kaama, Dhriti, Pururavaa,

Maadrava,

and Kuru). We have come here to this very lovely pond to bathe. The month of

Magha (Madhava mase) will soon be here in five days (from the Magh

nakshatra),

and today is the famous Putradaa Ekaadasii. One who desires a son should

strictly observe this particular Ekaadasii.’ “The king said, ‘I have tried

so

hard to have a son. If you great sages are pleased with me, kindly grant the

boon of having a good son (putra).’

“ ‘The very meaning of Putradaa,’ the sages replied, ‘…is “giver of a putra,

pious son.” So please observe a complete fast on this Ekaadasii day. If you

do

so, then by our blessing – and by the mercy of Lord Sri Keshava invested in

us

– surely you will obtain a son.’

“On the advice of the Vishvadevas, the king observed the auspicious fast day

of

Putradaa Ekaadasii according to the established rules and regulations, and

on

the Dvaasasii, after breaking his fast, he paid obeisances again and again

to

all of them. “Soon after Suketumaan returned to his palace and united with

his queen. Queen Shaibya immediately became pregnant, and exactly as the

Vishvadevas had predicted, a bright faced, beautiful son was born to them.

In

due course of time he became famous as an heroic prince, and the king gladly

pleased his noble son by making him his successor. The son of Suketumaan

took

care of his subjects very conscientiously, just as if they were his own

children. “In conclusion, Oh Yudhisthira, one who wises to fulfill his

desires should strictly observe Putradaa Ekaadasii. While on this planet,

one

who strictly observes this Ekaadasii will surely obtain a son, and after

death

he will achieve liberation. Anyone who even reads or hears the glories of

Putradaa Ekaadasii obtains

the merit earned by performing an horse sacrifice. It is to benefit all

humanity that I have explained all this to you.”

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Pausha-shukla Ekaadasii, or

Putradaa

Ekaadasii, from the Bhavishya Purana of Veda Vyaasadeva.