Ekadasi/Dwadasi Vratam

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the EKADASI /

Dwadasi Vrata.

 

The

austerity of Dwadasi-vrata is an year-long

austerity consisting of total fasting on the Ekadasi thithi, and

worshipping

the Lord with devotion on the Dwadasi day and then completing it with

breaking

the fast which act is called “Paarana” by taking food.

One fourth part

or the

last portion (15 naazhikas) of Ekadasi and one fourth part of the

beginning of

Dwadasi (15 naazhikas) totalling 30 naazhikas known as HARIVAASARAM are

important for this vow. The vrata or

austerity is performed only on

Ekadasi/Dwadasi days of the bright fortnight and the chain of this

austerity is

to be commenced on the Ekadasi day (bright fortnight) of Marga- seersha month (Dec-Jan). The

Lord is to be worshipped with one of His

twelve names in each month in succession as shown below:

 

 

 

 

Lunar

 

 

Month

 

Corresponding

 

 

solar

month

 

Corresponding

month- English Calender

 

Name

to be used for worship.

 

 

 

Margaseersha

 

Dhanur

 

(Dec-Jan)

 

Kesava

 

 

 

Pausha

 

Makara

 

(Jan-Feb)

 

Narayana

 

 

 

Magha

 

Kumbha

 

(Feb-Mar)

 

Madhava

 

 

 

Phalguna

 

Meena

 

(Mar-Apr)

 

Govinda

 

 

 

Chaitra

 

Mesha

 

(Apr-May)

 

Vishnu

 

 

 

Vaisakha

 

Rishabha

 

(May-June)

 

Madhusudana

 

 

 

Jyeshta

 

Mithuna

 

(June-July)

 

Trivikrama

 

 

 

Ashada

 

Kataka

 

(July-Aug)

 

Vamana

 

 

 

Sravana

 

Simha

 

(Aug-Sep)

 

Sridhara

 

 

 

Proshtapada

 

Kanya

 

(Sep-Oct)

 

Hrishikesa

 

 

 

Aswina

 

Thula

 

(Oct-Nov)

 

Padmanabha

 

 

 

Karthika

 

Vrischika

 

(Nov-Dec)

 

Damodara

 

 

 

 

 

"Ekadasyam

upeshya atha dwadasyam archayet tu mam. Vipran api yathalabham

poojayet bhaktiman narah. Sah gacchet Dakshinamurthim, mam va na

atra vicharana."

 

g(A devotee

who fasts on Ekadasi day, and worships me as also a Brahmana on a

Dwadasi day

according to his ability, attains me or Dakshinamurthy.

There is no doubt about this.) These

words of the Lord clearly show that

the attainment of His Lotus Feet is the result of observance of this

vow.

 

Observance of

the austerity of Ekadasi-Dwadasi is

supposed to please Lord Vishnu and Devi. There are 25 Ekadasis, two in

each

month, and one extra or ADHIKA Ekadasi in the year. The

Ekadasis in the dark lunar fortnights (Krishna Paksha) are

not observed as Vratas. Anushtaanam of

each Ekadasi is supposed to give different results. For

example the Ekadasis in the month of Sravanam known as

KAAMIKA and PUTRADHA are supposed to help one beget children and attain

Vaikunta-loka (Vaikunta-praapti).

Ekadasi associated with dasami at sunrise is called

“Bhuri-paksha” and

Ekadasi associated with Dwadasi at sunrise is called “Ananda-paksha”. These are also known as “Pitru-paksha”

and “Deva-paksha” respectively. Ekadasi

associated with dwadasi is said to

be good for the rites of forefathers (pitrus).

 

Popular and

prominent Ekadasis- Vaikunta, Sayana

and Utthana. Among the temples of South

India, at Guruvayoor,

Tiruvilvamalai, Nelluvaai, Triprayaar etc.,Ekadasi is

considered to be popular and prominent.

During Sukla-paksha Ekadasi in Mithunam, Yoganidra, which Lord

Vishnu

performs once a year for 4 months, starts and this is known as

Sayana-Ekadasi.

Lord Vishnu wakes up from Yoganidra during Sukla-paksha Ekadasi in the

month of

Proshtapada. This is Utthana-Ekadasi.

 

 

Ekadasi

/ DWADASI

VRATA anushtaanaM:

(Observance

of the austerity.)

 

No

rice or cooked food is taken. One time

food on dasami day and "Suddha upavaasam" on Ekadasi day.

One time food at day time on Dwadasi day. Thus

food is avoided for 3 nights. Sleeping during

day time is prohibited.

During Suddha upavaasam, if required, water with Tulasi leaves is taken. The observance of the austerity is supposed

to be complete only after breaking the fast by taking food before the

Dwadasi

thithi elapses, which is called “paarana”.

 

(Collected

from different sources.)

 

 

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