the glories of Papankusa Ekadasi

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Dandavat pranams,

all glories to the lotusfeet of the vaisnavas

and all glories to the lotusfeet of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, who

has appeared as millions of moons and suns simultaneously to illuminate the

dark

night of Kali yuga.

One important instruction in this text besides observing this Ekadasi without

desires for any thing material is Sri Krishnas warning to never find faults

in Lord Siva,( and end up like Daksa).Let us prostrate ourselves at the

Lotusfeet of Gopisvara Mahadeva, who is the protector of Vraja and ask for his

mercy

and blessings to free us from ahankara, so we can be allowed into Krsnas

pastimes as servants of the servants.

vrndavanavani-pate! jaya soma soma-maule

sanaka-sanandana-sanatana-naradedya

gopisvara! vraja-vilasi-yuganghri-padme

prema prayaccha nirupadhi namo namaste

["O gatekeeper of Vrndavana! O Soma, all glories to you! O you whose forehead

is decorated with the moon, and who is worshipable for the sages headed by

Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Narada! O Gopisvara! Desiring that you bestow

upon me prema for the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Madhava who perform joyous

pastimes in Vraja-dhama. I offer pranamas unto you time and again." (Sankalpa

Kalpadruma 103, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)]

Begging for the mercy of the vaisnavas,and their lotusfeet on our head

your useless servant

Payonidhi das

 

 

 

Papankusa Ekadasi

Yudhisthira Maharaja said, "0 Madhusudana, what is the name of the Ekadasi

that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Asvina

[september-October] ? Please be merciful and tell this to me."

The Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna, replied, "0 king, please listen as I explain the

glories of this Ekadasi - Papankusa Ekadasi-which removes all sins. On this

day one should worship the Deity of Padmanabha, the lotusnaveled Lord,

according to the rules and regulations. By doing so, one achieves whatever

heavenly

pleasures he wants in this world and at last attains liberation. Simply by

offering one's humble obeisances unto Lord Visnu, the rider of Garuda, once can

 

achieve the same merit as is won by performing great penances for a long time

with completely controlled senses. Although a person might have committed

unlimited sins, he can still escape hell just by paying his obeisances to Lord

Hari,

who removes all sins.

"The merits gained by going on pilgrimage to tirthas of this earthly planet

can also be achieved simply by chanting the holy names of Lord Visnu. ' Whoever

 

chants these sacred names-such as Rama, Visnu, Janardana, or Krsna-especially

on Ekadasi, never sees Yamaraja's abode. Nor does one who fasts on Papankusa

Ekadasi, which is so dear to Me, see that abode.

"Both the Vaisnava who criticizes Lord Siva and the Saivite who criticizes Me

certainly go to hell. The merit obtained by performing one thousand horse

sacrifices and one hundred Rajasuya sacrifices is not equal to even one

sixteenth

of the merit a person obtains by fasting on Ekadasi. There is no higher merit

one can achieve than that attained by fasting on Ekadasi. Indeed, nothing in

all the three worlds is as pleasing or as able to purify one of sin as

Ekadasi, the day of the lotus-naveled Lord, Padmanabha.

"O king, until a person observes a fast on the day of Lord Padmanabha named

Papankusa Ekadasi, he remains sinful, and the reactions of his past sinful

deeds never leave him. There is no merit in all the three worlds that can match

 

the merit one attains by observing a fast on this Ekadasi. Whoever observes it

faithfully never has to see death personified, Lord Yamaraja. One who desires

liberation, heaven, good health, beautiful women, wealth, and food grains

should simply fast on this Ekadasi. 0 King, neither the Ganges, Gaya, Kam, nor

Puskara, nor even the holy site of Kuruksetra, can grant as much merit as

Papankusa Ekadasi.

"0 Yudhisthira, protector of the earth, after observing Ekadasi during the

daytime, the devotee should remain awake through the night, for by doing so he

easily attains to the abode of the Supreme Lord, Sri Visnu. Ten generations of

ancestors on his mother's side, ten generations on his father's side, and ten

generations on his wife's side are all liberated by a single observance of a

fast on this Ekadasi. All these ancestors attain their original, four-armed,

transcendental forms. Wearing yellow garments and beautiful garlands, they ride

 

to the spiritual world on the back of Garuda, the enemy of the snakes. This is

the benediction My devotee earns simply by observing one Papankusa Ekadasi

properly.

"0 best of kings, whether one is a child, a youth, or an old person, fasting

on Papankusa Ekadasi frees him of sins and makes him immune to suffering a

hellish rebirth. Whoever observes a fast on this Ekadasi becomes free of all

his

sins and returns to the abode of Lord Hari. Whoever donates gold, sesame

seeds, fertile land, cows, grain, drinking water, an umbrella, or a pair of

shoes

on this most holy day will never have to visit the abode of Yamaraja, who

always punishes sinners. But if a resident of earth fails to perform spiritual

deeds, especially the observance of a fast on holy days such as Ekadasi, his

breathing is said to be no better than the puffing-of a blacksmith's bellows.

"0 best of kings, especially on Papankusa Ekadasi, even the poor should first

bathe and then give some charity and perform other auspicious activities

according to their ability. "Whoever performs sacrifices or builds public

ponds,

resting places, gardens, or houses does not suffer the punishments of Yamaraja.

 

Indeed, one should understand that a person must have performed such pious

activities as these in his past life if he is long-lived, wealthy, of high

birth, or free from all diseases. But a person who observes Papankusa Ekadasi

goes

to the abode of the Supreme Lord."

Lord Krsna concluded, "Thus, 0 saintly Yudhisthira, I have narrated to you

the glories of Papankusa Ekadasi. Please question me further if you wish to

hear

more about Ekadasi."