Utthana Ekadasi

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Utthana EkAdasii

 

(Haribodhini - Prabodhini - DevotthAni - Utthana EkAdasii)

 

Story source: Brahma-vaivarta Puran

 

It has four names: Haribodhini - Prabodhini - DevotthAni - Utthana EkAdasii

and it is the second Ekadasi (Kartik Shukla, light fortnight) in the month

of Kartik.

 

 

 

Lord Brahma said to Narada Muni, "Dear son, O best of the sages, I shall

narrate to you the glories of Haribodhini Ekadasi, which eradicates all

kinds

of sins and bestows great merit, and ultimately liberation, upon the wise

persons who surrender unto the Supreme Lord.

 

 

 

"O best of the brahmanas, the merits acquired by bathing in the Ganges

remain

significant only as long as Haribodhini Ekadasi does not come. This Ekadasi,

which occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Kartika, is much

more

purifying than a bath in the ocean, at a place of pilgrimage, or in a lake.

This sacred Ekadasi is more powerful in nullifying sin than one thousand

Asvamedha sacrifices and one hundred Rajasuya sacrifices."

 

 

 

Narada Muni inquired, "O father, please describe the relative merits of

fasting

completely on Ekadasi, eating supper (without grains or beans), or eating

once

at midday (without grains or beans)."

 

 

 

Lord Brahma replied, "If a person eats once at midday on Ekadasi, the sins

of

his previous birth are erased, if he eats supper, the sins acquired during

his

previous two births are removed, and if he fasts completely, the sins

accumulated during his pervious seven births are eradicated.

 

 

 

"O son, whatever is only rarely achieved within the three worlds is obtained

by

him who strictly observes Haribodhini Ekadasi. A person whose sins equal

Mount

Sumeru in volume sees them all reduced to nothing if he simply fasts on

Papaharini Ekadasi (another name for Haribodhini Ekadasi). The sins a person

has accumulated over a thousand previous births are burned to ashes if he

not

only fasts but also remains awake throughout Ekadasi night, just as a

mountain

of cotton can be burned to ashes if one lights a small fire in it.

 

 

 

O Narada, a person who strictly observes this fast achieves the results I

have

mentioned. Even if one does a small amount of pious activity on this day,

following the rules and regulations, one will earn merit to Mount Sumeru in

volume; however a person who does not follow the rules and regulations given

in

the Scriptures may perform pious activity equal to Mount Sumeru in volume,

but

he will not earn even a small amount of merit. One who does not chant the

Gayatri mantra three times a day, who disregards fast days, who does not

believe in God, who criticises the Vedic Scriptures, who thinks the Vedas

bring

only ruination to one who follows their injunctions, who enjoys another's

wife,

who is utterly foolish and wicked, who does not appreciate any service that

has

been rendered to him, or who cheats others - such a sinful person can never

perform any religious activity effectively. Be he a brahmana or a shudra,

whoever tries to enjoy another man's wife, particularly the wife of a

twice-born person, is said to be no better than a dog-eater.

 

 

 

"O best of the sages, any brahmana who enjoys sex with a widow or a brahmana

lady married to another man brings ruin to himself and his family. Any

brahmana

who enjoys illicit sex will have no children in his next life, and any past

merit he may have earned is ruined. Indeed, if such a person displays any

arrogance toward a twice-born brahmana or a spiritual master, he loses all

his

spiritual advancement immediately, as well as his wealth and children.

 

 

 

"These three kinds of men ruin their acquired merits: he whose character is

immoral, he who has sex with the wife of a dog-eater, and he who appreciates

the association of rogues. Whoever associates with sinful people and visits

their homes without a spiritual purpose will go directly to the abode of

Lord

Yamaraj, the superintendent of death. And if someone eats in such a home,

his

acquired merit is destroyed, along with his fame, duration of life,

children,

and happiness.

 

 

 

"Any sinful rascal who insults a saintly person soon loses his religiosity,

economic development, and sense gratification, and he at last burns in the

fire

of hell. Anyone who likes to offend saintly persons, or who does not

interrupt

someone who is insulting saintly persons, is considered no better than an

ass.

Such a wicked man sees his dynasty destroyed before his very eyes.

 

 

 

"A person whose character is unclean, who is a rogue or a swindler, or who

always finds fault with others does not achieve a higher destination after

death, even if he gives charity generously or performs other pious deed.

Therefore one should refrain from performing inauspicious acts and perform

only

pious ones, by which one will acquire merit and avoid suffering. "However,

the

sins of one who, after due consideration, decides to fast of Haribodhini

Ekadasi are erased from one hundred previous lives, and whoever fasts and

remains awake overnight on this Ekadasi achieves unlimited merit and after

death goes to the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu, and then thousand of his

ancestors, relatives, and descendants also reach that abode. Even if one's

forefathers were implicated in many sins and are suffering in hell, they

still

attain beautifully ornamented spiritual bodies and happily go to Vishnu's

abode.

 

 

 

O Narada, even one who has committed the heinous sin of killing a brahmana

is

freed of all stains on his character by faster on Haribodhini Ekadasi and

remaining awake that night. The merit that cannot by won by bathing in all

the

places of pilgrimage, performing a horse sacrifice, or giving cows, gold, or

fertile land in charity can easily be achieved by fasting on this holy day

and

remaining awake throughout the night.

 

 

 

"Anyone who observes Haribodhini Ekadasi is celebrated as highly qualified

and

makes his dynasty famous. As Death is certain, so losing one's wealth is

also

certain. Knowing this, O best of sages, one should observe a fast on this

day

so dear to Hari - Sri Haribodhini Ekadasi.

 

 

 

"All places of pilgrimage in the three worlds at once come to reside in the

house of a person who fasts on this Ekadasi. Therefore, to please the Lord,

who

holds a disc in His hand, one should give up all engagements, surrender, and

observe this Ekadasi fast. One who fasts on this Haribodhini day is

acknowledged as a wise man, a true yogi, an ascetic, and one whose senses

are

truly under control. He alone enjoys this world properly, and he will

certainly

achieve liberation. This Ekadasi is very dear to Lord Vishnu, and thus it is

the very essence of religiosity. Even one observance of it bestows the

topmost

reward in all the three worlds.

 

 

 

"O Naradaji, whoever fasts on this Ekadasi will definitely not enter a womb

again, and thus faithful devotees of the Supreme Godhead give up all

varieties

of religion and simply surrender to fasting on this Ekadasi. For that great

soul who honours this Ekadasi by fasting and remaining awake throughout the

night, the Supreme Lord, Sri Govinda, personally terminates the sinful

reactions that soul has acquired by the actions of his mind, body, and

words.

 

 

 

"O son, for anyone who bathes in a place of pilgrimage, gives charity,

chants

the holy names of the Supreme Lord, undergoes austerities, and performs

sacrifices for God on Haribodhini Ekadasi, the merit thus earned all becomes

imperishable. A devotee who worships Lord Madhava on this day with

first-class

paraphernalia becomes free from the great sins of a hundred lifetimes. A

person

who observes this fast and worships Lord Vishnu properly is freed from great

danger.

 

 

 

"This Ekadasi fast pleases Lord Janardana so much that He takes the person

who

observes it back to His abode, and while going there the devotee illuminates

then ten universal directions. Whoever desires beauty and happiness should

try

to honour Haribodhini Ekadasi, especially if it falls on Dvadasi. The sins

of

one's past hundred births - the sins committed during childhood, youth and

old

age in al those lifetimes, whether those sins are dry or wet - are nullified

by

the Supreme Lord Govinda if one fasts on Haribodhini Ekadasi with devotion.

Haribodhini Ekadasi is the best Ekadasi. Nothing is unobtainable or rare in

this world for one who fasts on this day, for it gives food grains, great

wealth, and high merit, as well as eradication of all sin, the terrible

obstacle to liberation. fasting on this Ekadasi is a thousand times better

than

giving charity on the day of the solar or lunar eclipse. Again I say to you,

O

Naradaji, whatever merit is earned by one who bathes in a place of

pilgrimage,

performs sacrifices, and studies the Vedas is only one then-millionth the

merit

earned by the person who fasts but one on Haribodhini Ekadasi. Whatever

merit

one has acquired in his life by some pious activities becomes completely

fruitless if one does not observe the Ekadasi fast and worship Lord Vishnu

in

the month of Kartika. Therefore, you should always worship the Supreme Lord,

Janardana, and render service to Him. Thus you will attain the desired goal,

the highest perfection.

 

 

 

"On Haribodhini Ekadasi, a devotee of the Lord should not eat in another's

house or eat food cooked by a non devotee. If he does so, he achieves only

the

merit of fasting on a full moon day. Philosophical discussion of Scriptures

in

the month of Kartika pleases Sri Vishnu more than if one gives elephants and

horses in charity or performs a costly sacrifice. Whoever chants or hears

descriptions of Lord Vishnu's qualities and pastimes, even if but a half or

even a fourth of a verse, attains the wonderful merit derived from giving

away

a hundred cows to a brahmana. O Narada, during the month of Kartika one

should

give up all kinds or ordinary duties and devote one's full time and energy

especially while fasting, to discussing the transcendental pastimes of the

Supreme Lord. Such glorification of Sri Hari on the day so dear to the Lord,

Ekadasi, liberates a hundred previous generations. One who spends his time

enjoying such discussions, especially in the month of Kartika, achieves the

results of performing ten thousand fire sacrifices and burns all his sins to

ashes.

 

 

 

"He who hears the wonderful narrations concerning Lord Vishnu, particularly

during the month of Kartika, automatically earns the same merit as that

bestowed upon someone who donates a hundred cows in charity. O great sage, a

person who chants the glories of Lord Hari on Ekadasi achieves the merit

earned

by donating seven islands."

 

 

 

Narada Muni asked his glorious father, "O universal sire, I best of all

demigods, please tell me how to observe this most sacred Ekadasi. What kind

of

merit does it bestow upon the faithful?"

 

 

 

Lord Brahma replied, "O son, a person who wants to observe this Ekadasi

should

rise early on Ekadasi morning, during the brahma-muhurta hour (an hour and a

half before sunrise until fifty minutes before sunrise). He should then

clean

his teeth and bathe in a lake, river, pond, or well, or in his own home, as

the

situation warrants. After worshipping Lord Sri Keshava, he should listen

carefully to the sacred descriptions of the Lord. He should pray to the Lord

thus: 'O Lord Keshava, I shall fast on this day, which is so dear to You,

and

tomorrow I shall honour Your sacred prasadam. O lotus-eyed Lord, O

infallible

one, You are my only shelter. Kindly protect me.'

 

 

 

"Having spoken this solemn prayer before the Lord with great love and

devotion,

one should fast cheerfully. O Narada, whoever remains awake all night on

this

Ekadasi, singing beautiful songs glorifying the Lord, dancing in ecstasy,

playing delightful instrumental music for His transcendental pleasure, and

reciting the pastimes of Lord Krishna as records in bona-fide Vedic

literature

- such a person will most assuredly reside far beyond the three worlds, in

the

eternal, spiritual realm of God.

 

 

 

"On Haribodhini Ekadasi one should worship Sri Krishna with camphor, fruits,

and aromatic flowers, especially the yellow agaru flower. One should not

absorb

oneself in making money on this important day. In other words, greed should

be

exchanged for charity. This is the process for turning loss into unlimited

merit. One should offer many kinds of fruits to the Lord and bathe Him with

water from a conchshell. Each of these devotional practices, when performed

on

Haribodhini Ekadasi, is ten million times more beneficial than bathing in

all

the places of pilgrimage and giving all forms of charity.

 

 

 

"Even Lord Indra joins his palm and offers his obeisances to a devotee who

worships Lord Janardana with first-class agastya flowers of this day. The

supreme Lord Hari is very pleased when he is decorated with nice agastya

flowers. O Narada, I give liberation to one who devotedly worships Lord

Krishna

on this Ekadasi in the month of Kartika with leaves of the bel tree. And for

one who worships Lord Janardana with fresh tulasi leaves and fragrant

flowers

during this month, O son, I personally burn to ashes all the sins he has

committed for then thousand births.

 

 

 

"One who merely sees Tulasi Maharani, touches her, mediates on her, narrates

her history, offers obeisances to her, prays to her for her grace, plants

her,

worships her, or waters her lives in the abode of Lord Hari eternally. O

Narada, one who serves Tulasi-devi in these nine ways achieves happiness in

the

higher world for as many thousands of yugas as there are roots and subroots

growing from a mature tulasi plant. When a full grown tulasi plant produces

seeds, many plants grow from those seeds and spread their branches, twigs,

and

flowers, and these flowers also produce numerous seeds. For as many

thousands

of kalpas as there are seeds produced in this way, the forefathers of one

who

serves tulasi in these nine ways will live in the abode of Lord Hari.

 

 

 

"Those who worship Lord Keshava with kadamba flowers, which are very

pleasing

to Him, get is mercy and do not see the abode of Yamaraj, death personified.

What is the use of worshipping someone else if all desires can be fulfilled

by

pleasing Lord Hari? For example, a devotee who offers Him bakula, ashoka,

and

patali flowers is freed from misery and distress for as long as the sun and

moon exist in this universe, and at last he achieves liberation. O best of

the

brahmanas, an offering of kannera flowers to Lord Jagannatha brings as much

mercy upon the devotee as that earned by worshipping Lord Keshava for four

yugas. One who offers tulasi flowers (manjaris) to Sri Krishna during the

month

of Kartika receives more merit than can be obtained by donating ten million

cows. Even a devotional offering of newly grown sprouts of grass brings with

it

a hundred times the benefit obtained by ordinary ritualistic worship of the

Supreme Lord.

 

 

 

"One who worships Lord Vishnu with the leaves of the samika tree is freed

from

the clutches of Yamaraja, the lord of death. One who worships Vishnu during

the

rainy season with champaka or jasmine flowers never returns to the planet

earth

again. One who worships the Lord with but a single kumbhi flower achieves

the

boon of donating a pala of gold (two hundred grams). If a devotee offers a

single yellow flower of the ketaki, or wood-apple, tree to Lord Vishnu, who

rides on Garuda, he is freed from the sins of ten million births.

Furthermore,

one who offers Lord Jagannatha flowers and also a hundred leaves anointed

with

red and yellow sandalwood paste will certainly come to reside in Svetadvipa,

far beyond the coverings of this material creation.

 

 

 

"O greatest of brahmanas, Sri Narada, after thus worshipping Lord Keshava,

the

bestower of all material and spiritual happiness, on Haribodhini Ekadasi,

one

should rise early the next day, bathe in a rive, chant japa of Krishna's

holy

names, and render loving devotional service to the Lord at home to the nest

of

one's ability. To break the fast, the devotee should first offer some

prasadam

to brahmanas and only then, with their permission, eat some grains.

Thereafter,

to please the Supreme Lord, the devotee should worship his spiritual master,

the purest of the Lord's devotees, and offer him sumptuous food, nice cloth,

gold, and cows, according to the devotee's means. this will certainly please

the Supreme Lord, the holder of the disc.

 

 

 

"Next the devotee should donate a cow to a brahmana, and if the devotee has

neglected some rules and regulation of spiritual life, he should confess

them

before brahmana devotees of the Lord. Then the devotee should offer them

some

dakshina (money). O king, those who have eaten supper on Ekadasi should feed

a

brahmana the next day. That is very pleasing to the Supreme Personality of

Godhead.

 

 

 

"O son, if a man has fasted without asking the permission of his priest, or

if

a woman has fasted without asking her husband's permission, he or she should

donate a bull to a brahmana. Honey and yoghurt are also proper gifts for a

brahmana. Someone who has fasted from ghee should donate milk, one who has

fasted from grains should donate rice, one who has slept on the floor should

donate a bedstead with a quilt, one who has eaten on a leaf plate should

donate

a pot of ghee, one who as remained silent should donate a bell, and one who

has

fasted from sesame should give gold in charity and feed a brahmana couple

with

sumptuous food. A man who wants to prevent baldness should donate a mirror

to a

brahmana, one who has second-hand shoes should donate shoes, and one who has

fasted from salt should donate some sugar to a brahmana. During this month

everyone should regularly offer a ghee lamp to Lord Vishnu or to Srimati

Tulasidevi in a temple.

 

 

 

"An Ekadasi fast is complete when one offers a qualified brahmana a gold or

copper pot filled with ghee and ghee wicks, along with eight waterpots

containing some gold and covered by cloths. One who cannot afford these

gifts

should at least offer a brahmana some sweet words. One who does so will

surely

attain the full benefit of fasting on Ekadasi.

 

 

 

"After offering his obeisances and begging permission, the devotee should

eat

his meal. On this Ekadasi, Chaturmasya ends, so whatever one gave up during

Chaturmasya should now be donated to brahmanas. One who follows this process

of

Chaturmasya receives unlimited merit, O king of kings, and goes to the abode

of

Lord Vasudeva after death. O king, anyone who observes the complete

Chaturmasya

without a break attains eternal happiness and does not receive another

birth.

But if someone breaks the fast, he becomes either a blind man or a leper.

 

 

 

"Thus I have narrated to you the complete process for observing Haribodhini

Ekadasi. Someone who reads or hears about this achieves the merit earned by

donating cows to a qualified brahmana."

 

 

 

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Karttika-sukla Ekadasi - also

known

as Haribodhini Ekadasi or Devotthaani Ekadasi - from the Skanda Purana.