Pavitra Ekadasi-26-Aug-2004

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Pavitra Ekadasi

 

The glories of Pavitra Ekadasi is described in Bhavishyottara

Purana in the conversation between Lord Krishna and Maharaj Yudhisthira.

 

Once Maharaj Yudhisthira said to Krishna O Madhusudana!, the

killer of Madhu demon. What is the name and glories of the Ekadasi which

occures during the waxing moon in the month of July/August. Please explain

it to me in detail.

 

Lord Krishna replied, O King! The name of this sacred Ekadasi is

Pavitra Ekadasi. Now please hear attentively the topics of this Ekadasi

which destroyes ones sinful reaction. By hearing the glories of this

Ekadasi one obtains the result of Bajapeya sacrifice.

 

In an ancient time in the begining of Dvapara Yuga there was a

King named Mahijit who ruled the kingdom named Mahismatipuri. But since the

king had no sons he did not feel any happiness in conducting his activities.

A married man who has no son does not get any happiness either in this life

or in the next. The King spent many years in trying to get a son, but he

was not fortunate enough to get a jewell like son who would give him all

pleasure.

 

 

Realising his own pathetic condition one day the king called

his subjects whom he treated as his childred to the royal assembly and said

to them, O dear subjects I have never commited any sinful activity in this

life, I did not increase my treasury by unlawfully earned wealth, I didnot

plunder the wealth of the brahmins and the demigods, rather I have conquered

this world by following the proper code of conduct, I have maintained all of

you like my own children, I have never hasitated to award due punishment

even to my dearones like my brother and relatives according to their faults

and I have showed due respect to evn my enemy if he was gentle and pious. O

brahmanas inspite of travelling on the religious path like this why I am

breft of a son? Please consider carefully the reason behind this and advise

me.

 

After hearing these lementing words of King Mahijit the kings

brahmana adviser discussed the subject matter among themselves and decided

that for the benefit of the king they would go to the forest and visit the

ashramas of the great sages who know the past, present and future. Theat is

exactly what they did. They entered the forest and while wondering here and

there they came across the various ashramas of the great sages. Finally

they met Lomasa Muni who was engaged in severe austerities, whose body was

spiritual and full of bliss, who strictly observe the vow of fasting, who

was self controlled, who knew the science of Eternal Religious Pricipal, who

was well conversant with the knowledge of all the scripture, whose duration

of life was as long as that of Brahma and who was an effulgent saint. When

a kalpa of Brahma passes one hair( (loma) out of his body fallsout that is

why the name of the sage is Lomasa. The sage Lomasa was the knower of past,

present and future.

 

Enchanted by this great sage, the advisers of the king offered

their obeisances to him and spoke with humility. O great sage! Due to our

great fortune we have met a great soul like you. The sage Lomasa inquired

who are you all? Why have you come here? Why are you praising me like this.

The brahmins replied O great sage! We have come to you for removing some of

our doubts. O Lord! Our king Mahijit has no sons. We are his subjects and

we are treated by the king as his own children. We are feeling distressed

on seeing the distress of the King. O best of the Brahmin we want to

strictly under go austerity here. It is the good fortune of the king that

today we met a great personality like you. By the darshan of a great

personality a man certainly attains all perfections. Please instruct us in

such a way so that our sonless king can have a son.

 

After hearing their sincere prayers the sage Lomasa entered into

a deep meditation for a movement and immediately understood the king

Mahijits previous life. He then said in his previous life this king was a

poor Vaisya or a Merchant. He commited a sinfuldeed. Once while travelling

from village to village in the course of his business he became overwhelmed

with thirst. It was the midday of dvadasi in the month of July. Soon he

found a beautiful lake and decided to drink its water. At that time a cow

and her newly born calf came there to drink water. As the cow began to

drink water from the lake the merhant immediately drove her away and began

to drink water himself . As a result of obstructing and unsatisfyed

thristy cow from drinking water the merchant had commited a sin. For this

reason though the merchant who by the influence of his peity has now been

born as a King Mahijit, but he has got no son.

 

On hearing these words of the great sage the kings advicers said

, O great sage! It is stated in the Puranas that by the influence of piety

all ones sinful reactions are counter acted. Therefore please instruct us

in such a way that all the sinful reactions of the king may be distroyed and

he can obtain a son.

 

The great sage Lomasa replied, There is a famous auspicious

Ekadasi known as Pavitra Ekadasi which occures during the waxing moon in the

month of July/August. You and your King should properly observe this

Ekadasi . Thereafter you should give away your piety that you will earn by

observing this Ekadasi. If you follow my instruction then the King will

certainly be blessed with a son. After hearing these words from sage Lomasa

all the kings advicers became happy and satisfied. They offerd their

obeisances to the sage and returned home. Then they meet king Mahijit and

explained to him in detail whatever they have heard from the great sage

Lomasa.

 

Thereafter when the proper time arrived the kings advicers

remembered the advice of the sage and properly observed the vow of Pavitra

Ekadasi along with the king. On the day of Dvadasi they gave away their

occumulated peity to the king as adviced by the sage. By the influence of

this peity the queen became pregnent and in due course of time she gave

birth to a beautiful son.

 

O King Yudhisthira! Any one who observes this sacred Ekadasi

is releived from sinful reactions and becomes happy both in this life and in

the next. One who hears the glories of this Ekadasi obtains the happiness

derived from having a son in this life and goes back to godhead in his next

life.