Sayana Ekadasi

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Sayana Ekadasi

 

 

The topics of Sayana or Devasayani or Padma Ekadasi is described

in Bhavishyottara Purana in the conversation between Lord Krishna and

Maharaj Yudhisthira.

 

Once Maharaj Yudhisthira said O Keshava! What is the name of the

Ekadasi that occures during the waxing moon in the month of June/July. Who

is the worshipable deity for this sacred day and what are the rules and

regulation for observing this Ekadasi. Please explain this to me in detail.

 

Lord Krishna replied, ‘ O maintainer of this world! This

question was once asked by Sri Narada Muni to Lord Brahma. Now please hear

from me the wonderful history which Lord Brahma narrated to Narada Muni in

his reply.

 

Once the great oretor and best of the sages Narada said to Lord

Brahma, O Father! What is the name of the Ekadasi that occures during the

waxing moon in the month of June/July. Kindly explain to me how should I

observe this Ekadasi inorder to please the supreme Lord Vishnu.

 

Lord Brahma replied , ‘There is no other vow in this material

world which is as sacred as the vow of Ekadasi.’ It is extremely necessary

for one to observe the vow of Ekadasi inorder to nullyfy all his sinful

reactions. A person who does not observe Ekadasi in this world certainly

goes to hell. The Ekadasi which occures during the waxing moon in the month

of June/July is called Devasayani or Padma Ekadasi . Inorder to please the

supreme Lord Hrishikesh one should follow this Ekadasi.

 

It is stated in the Purana there was a saintly emperor named

Mandata who ruled the entire world. He was born in the dynasty of Sun God,

extremely powerful and always stood up for the truth. This King maintained

his subjects piously and effectionately like his own children. In the

kingdom of this pious king there was no femine, drought or any kind of

decease. All his subjects lived peacefully without any anxiety and they

were very prosperous. There was no wealth in the treasury of the king which

was unlawfully earned. In this way the and his subjects happily spend their

days.

 

After many years due to providence and some sinful activities

there was no rainfall in his kingdom for three consequtive years. As a

result people became afflicted with hunger due to lack of food and became

full of anxiety. As a result of suffering from lack of food the performance

of various sacrifices and study of the vedas came to a standstill. Then all

the subjects came before the King and appealed O King! Please hear our words

which will altemately benefit ous. The water is addressed in the scriptures

as ‘Nara’. The Supreme Lord resides in‘ayana’. That is why the another

name of the Supreme Lord is Narayana. The Supreme Lord Vishnu is all

pervading in His form as clouds. He alone causes the rain fall. The food

grains are produced from rain and the living entities subsist on rain. At

present due to lack of this food grains your subjects are suffering and

decreasing.

 

O best of the Kings! Please find some remady for our meserable

condition and restore peace and prosperity among us.

 

The King replied, ‘ What ever you all have said is truth. The

food grains are considered like Brahman. Everthing is sustained by food

grains. The entire world and the living entities subsists on food grains.

It is clearly stated in the Puranas and other scriptures that due to the

sinful activities commited by the king he and his subjects suffer.

Although I cannot ascertain my fault through my own consideration and

intelligence never theless I will try my best for the benefit of my

subjects.

 

After speaking in this way the King Mandata gathered some of his

principal armies and after offering obeisances to Brahma he entered the

forest. Within the forest he regularly visited the ashramas of great sages

and asetics. While wondering in the forest in this way one day by

providence the king met with the great sage Angira the son of Brahma. Sage

Angira was as effulgent as Brahma and all the four direction were

illuminated by his effulgent. As soon as the self controled king saw him he

immediately got down from his carrier and offered his respectful obeisances

at the feet of the sage. Then the King folded his hand and offered

prayers. The sage resiprocated and blessed the king.

 

Thereafter the sage inquired from the King about the cause of

his arrival and the well being of his kingdom. The King replied O Lord! I

have been rulling my kingdom according to religious principals still there

is no rainfall in my kingdom for last three years; As a result my subjects

are suffering from various meseries. I have not been able to ascertain its

cause inorder to remove this cause. Today I have come to your lotus feet.

Kindly tell me the way by which my subjects can live peacefully and thus

attain auspiciousness.

 

The sage Angira replied O King! This present age of Satya Yuga

is the best of all the Yugas. In this Yuga people worship the supreme

Brahman. The fourfold religious principal are manifest in this Yuga. No

one except the Brahmanas are supposed to perform austerity in this Yuga.

Inspite of this standard a Sudra in youor Kingdom is undergoing this

austerity. As a result of this unlawfull conduct you are faceing its

consequences in the form of drought. Therefore you should try to kill him

and bring peace and prosperity into your Kingdom.

 

The King said, ‘ O great sage it will be impossible for me to

kill an innocent person who is engaged in performing austerity. Therefore

please instruct me about some easy solution.’

 

Then the sage replied, O King if this is the case then observe

the sacred Ekadasi known as Padma or Devasayani which occures during the

waxing moon in the month of June/July. By the influence of this vow there

will certainly be rain fall in your kingdom. This Ekadasi awards one all

auspiciousness and perfection. It destroyes all obstacles on the path to

perfection. O King! You along with your subjects should obseve this

Ekadasi.

 

After hearing these asuring words of the great sage the king

offered his obeisances and returned to his palace. Thereafter in the month

of Asadha or June/July the king along his family members and subjects

properly observed this auspicious Padma or Sayana Ekadasi. By the influence

of this observance the rain poured in all over his Kingdom. This scarcity

of water remained no longer and soon the entire world became filled with

food grains by the mercy of the supreme lord Hrishikesha everyone lived

happily. Therefore it is the duty of everyone to observe this sacred

Ekadasi. This Ekadasi awards everyone the happiness and liberation. By

hearing and reading the glories of this Ekadasi all ones sinful reactions

are destroied.

 

This Ekadasi is also known as Vishnu Sayani Ekadasi. In order to

please Lord Vishnu the devotees observe this Ekadasi with special devotion.

They donot endeavour for material enjoyments or lieration rather they pray

for the pure devotional service to the lord. The famous vow of Chatumasya

begins from this Ekadasi. The devotees observe this vow of Chaturmasya by

hearing and chanting the topics of Lord for four months begining from the

day when lord Hari goes to bed upto the day He wakes up. Maharaj

Yudhisthira sadi to Lord Krishna, O Krishna! Please tell me how one should

oberve this Sri Vishnu Sayana Vrata or Chatuymasya Vrata.

 

Lord Krishna replied O King! When the sun remains in the sign

of Cancer then Sri Madhusudan the lord of the entire universe goes to bed

and when the sun goes to the sign of Libra the Lord wakes up. The vow of

Chaturmasya commences from the day of sayana Ekadasi. O King Yudhisthira!

After taking bath one should dress up Lord Vishnu with yellow garnments.

Then he should make a bed and cover it with white sheets to put the lord on

it to rest. First one should bath the lord with five ingredients such as

youghrt,milk,ghee,honey and sugar water by the qualified brahmins.

Thereafter one should wipe the lords body with a cloth and apply pragrant

sandal wood paste. Then he should worship the lord by offering insence,ghee

lamp and flowers with devotion.

 

One can also begin observing the vow of Chaturmasya either from

the day of Ekadasi ,Dvadasi, Purnima,Astami or Sankranti ( when the sun

enters into the sign of Cancer) The vow of Chaturmasya ends on the day of

Dvadasi which falls the day after Utthana Ekadasi in the month of Kartika.

A person who observes the vow of Chaturmasya while remembering Lord Hari

goes back to the abode of Lord Vishnu sitting on an airoplane as efulgent

as the sun. Any one who clinces the temple and the courtyard of the Lord,

decorates them with flowers and creepers and feeds the brahmins according to

his capacity at the end of the vow obtains inexhaustible happiness for

seven life times. By offering ghee lamps to the lord during t his vow one

can become fortunate and prosperous. One who chants Gayatri mantra one

hundred and eight times in the temple of the lord in three different times

morning,noon and evening no longer have to indulge in sinful activities.

Lord Vyasa deva become pleased with such a person and the practitioner

returns to the abode of Vishnu. Any one who donates twenty-eight or

hundred and eight pots of sesame seeds to the inteligent brahmins at the end

of the vow become freed from this sinful reaction accumulateeded by his body

mind and speach. He becomes freed from all diseases and obtains intelligent

children.

 

A practioner of devotional service should not sleep on a bedstead

for four months during which Lord Janardhan takes place. It is prohibited

to have sex during Chaturmasya only except the days of mantruration ?? One

should observe this vow with fastings eating only supper , eating only once

a day or eating that which come without asking for it. One who chants and

sings before Lord Vishnu during chaturmasya goes to the planet of the

Gandharvas. A person who give up eating Gur or Juggery is blessed with

sons and grand sons. By giving up oil one becomes beautiful and his enemies

are dietroyed . By giving up the taste of bitter, pungent, sour, sweet and

salty preparations ones uglyness and bodily odor Is vanquished. Those who

give up the enjoyment of flowers go to the heavenly planets and become

Vidyadharas. By giving up the chewing of bitelnuts and immediately becomes

diseaseless. If one eats out of the bare flower he attains the heaven the

abode of Indra. If one gives up milk and yoghurt for the pleasure of

Krishna he goes back to the supreme abode of Goloka. One who does not cut

his nails and shaves his head attains the good fortune of touching the lotus

feet of lord Vishnu. One who circumumbulate the temple of the lord returns

to the abode of lord riding on a aeroplane carried by the swans.