AMALAKI EKADASI

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AMALAKI EKADASI

 

King MAndhAtA once said to Vasishtha Muni, "O great sage, kindly be

merciful to me and tell me of a holy fast that will benefit me eternally."

Vasishtha Muni replied. "O king, kindly listen as I describe the

best of all fast days, Amalakii EkAdasi. He who faithfully observes a

fast on this EkAdasii obtains enormous wealth, gets free of the effects of

all kinds of sins, and attains liberation. Fasting on this EkAdasii is

more purifying than donating one thousand cows in charity to a pure

brAhmana. So please hear me attentively as I tell you the story of a

hunter who, though daily engaged in killing innocent animals for his

living, achieved liberation by observing a fast on Amalakii EkAdasii and

following the prescribed rules and regulations of worship.

 

"There was once a kingdom named VaidishA, where all the brAhmanas,

kshatriyas, vaishyas, and shudras were equally endowed with Vedic

knowledge, great bodily strength, and fine intelligence. Oh lion among

kings, the whole kingdom was full of Vedic sounds, not a single person was

atheistic, and no one sinned. The ruler of this kingdom was King

PAshabinduka, a member of the dynasty of Soma, the moon. He was also

known as Chitraratha and was very religious and truthful. It is said that

King Chitraratha had the strength of ten thousand elephants and that he

was very wealthy and knew the six branches of Vedic wisdom perfectly.

 

"During the reign of Maharaja Chitraratha, not a single person in his

kingdom attempted to practice another's dharma (duty) so perfectly engaged

in their own dharmas were all the brAhmanas, kshatriyas, vaisyas, and

sudras. Neither miser nor pauper was to be seen throughout the land, not

was there every drought or flood. Indeed, the kingdom was free of

disease, and everyone enjoyed good health. The people rendered loving

devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, as

did the king, who also rendered special service to Lord Shiva. Moreover,

twice a month everyone fasted on EkAdasii.

 

"In this way, O best of kings, the citizens of VaidishA lived many long

years in great happiness and prosperity. Giving up all varieties of

materialistic religion, they completely dedicated themselves to the loving

service of the Supreme Lord, Hari.

 

"Once, in the month of Phalguna (February - March), the holy fast of

Amalakii EkAdasii arrived, conjoined with DvAdasi. King Chitraratha

realised that this particular fast would bestow especially great benefit,

and thus he and all the citizens of VaidishA observed this sacred EkAdasii

very strictly, carefully following all the rules and regulations.

 

"After bathing in the river, the king and all his subjects went to the

temple of Lord Vishnu, where an Amalakii tree grew. First the king and

his leading sages offered the tree a pot filled with water, as well as a

fine canopy, shoes, gold, diamonds, rubies, pearls, sapphires, and

aromatic incense. Then they worshiped Lord ParashurAma with these

prayers: 'Oh Lord ParashurAma, Oh son of RenukA, Oh all-pleasing one, Oh

liberator of the worlds, kindly come beneath this holy Amalakii tree and

accept our humble obeisances.'

 

Then they prayed to the Amalakii tree: 'Oh Amalakii, Oh offspring of Lord

BrahmA, you can destroy all kinds of sinful reactions. Please accept our

respectful obeisances and these bumble gifts. O Amalakii, you are

actually the form of Brahman, and you were once worshiped by Lord

RAmachandra Himself. Whoever circumambulates you is therefore immediately

freed of all his sins.'

 

"After offering these excellent prayers, King Chitraratha and his subjects

remained awake throughout the night, praying and worshiping according to

the regulations governing a sacred EkAdasii fast. It was during this

auspicious time of fasting and prayer that a very irreligious man

approached the assembly, a man who maintained himself and his family by

killing animals. Burdened with both fatigue and sin, the hunter saw the

king and the citizens of VaidishA observing Amalakii EkAdasii by

performing an all-night vigil, fasting, and worshiping Lord Vishnu in the

beautiful forest setting, which was brilliantly illuminated by many

lamps. The hunter hid nearby, wondering what this extraordinary sight

before him was.

'What is going on here?' he thought. What he saw in that lovely

forest beneath the holy Amalakii tree was the Deity of Lord DAmodara being

worshiped upon the Asana of a waterpot, and what he heard were devotees

singing sacred songs describing Lord Shri Krishna's transcendental forms

and pastimes. Despite himself, that staunchly irreligious killer of

innocent birds and animals spent the entire night in great amazement as he

watched the EkAdasii celebration and listened to the glorification of the

Lord.

 

"Soon after sunrise, the king and his royal retinue - including the court

sages and all the citizens - completed their observance of EkAdasii and

returned to the city of VaidishA. The hunter then returned to his hut and

happily ate his meal. In due time the hunter died, but the merit he had

gained by fasting on Amalakii Ekadasii and hearing the glorification of

the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as well as by being forced to stay

awake all night, made him eligible to be reborn as a great king endowed

with may chariots, elephants, horses, and soldiers. His name was

VasUratha, the son of King VidUratha, and he ruled over the kingdom of

Jayanti.

 

"King VasUratha was strong and fearless, as effulgent as the Sun, and as

handsome as the Moon. In strength he was like Shri Vishnu, and in

forgiveness like the Earth itself. Very charitable and every truthful,

King VasUratha always rendered loving devotional service to the Supreme

Lord, Shri Vishnu. He therefore became very well versed in Vedic

knowledge. Always active in the affairs of state, he enjoyed taking

excellent care of his subjects, as though they were his own children. He

disliked pride in anyone and would smash it when he saw it. He performed

many kinds of sacrifices, and he always made certain that the needy in his

kingdom received enough charity.

 

"One day, while hunting in the jungle, King VasUratha strayed from the

footpath and lost his way. Wandering for some time and eventually growing

weary, he paused beneath a tree and, using his arms as a pillow, fell

asleep. As he slept, some barbarian tribesmen came upon him and,

remembering their longstanding enmity toward the king, began discussing

among themselves various ways to kill him. 'It is because he killed our

fathers, mothers, brothers-in-law, grandsons, nephews, and uncles that we

are forced to aimlessly wander like so many madmen in the forest.' So

saying, they prepared to kill King VasUratha with various weapons,

including spears, swords, arrows, and mystic ropes.

 

"But none of these deadly weapons could even touch the sleeping king, and

soon the uncivilised, dog-eating tribesmen grew frightened. Their fear

sapped their strength, and before long they lost what little intelligence

they had and became almost unconscious with bewilderment and weakness.

Suddenly a beautiful woman appeared from the king's body, startling the

aborigines. Decorated with many ornaments, emitting a wonderful

fragrance, wearing an excellent garland around her neck, her eyebrows

drawn in a mood of fierce anger, and her fiery red eyes ablaze, she looked

like death personified. With her blazing chakra discus she quickly killed

all the tribal hunters, who had tried to slay the sleeping king.

 

"Just then the king awoke, and seeing all the dead tribesmen lying around

him, he was astonished. He wondered, 'These are all great enemies of

mine! Who has slain them so violently? Who is my great benefactor?'

 

"At that very moment he heard a voice from the sky: 'You ask who helped

you. Well, who is that person who alone can help anyone is distress? He

is none other than Sri Keshava, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He who

saves all who take shelter of Him without any selfish motive.'

 

"Upon hearing these words, King VasUratha became over-whelmed with love

for the Personality of Godhead Shri Keshava (Krishna). He returned to his

capital city and ruled there like a second lord Indra (king of the

heavenly regions), without any obstacles at all.

 

"Therefore, Oh King Mandhata," the venerable Vasishtha Muni

concluded, "...anyone who observes this holy Amalakii EkAdasii will

undoubtedly attain the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu, so great is the

religious merit earned from the observance of this most sacred fast day."

 

 

 

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Thus ends the narration of the glories of Phalguna-sukla Ekadasi, or

Amalaki Ekadasi, from the Brahmanda Purana.