Ekadasi Alert: Mon 28th Dec 2009

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Vaikuntha Ekadasi** - Mon 28th Dec 2009Breakfast:     06:44 AM - 10:32 Next day

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The Vedic literatures describe that as one moves

towards the higher planetary systems of this universe, time dilates, in

the sense that the time span increases. One day on earth is many years

on the lower planetary systems. Similarly, one year of earth is equal to

a single day (and night) of heavenly planets. Time further dilates as

one moves higher up towards more advanced planetary systems.

 

A Chaturyuga is made of four 'sub-yugas'. Kaliyuga, the present age of

quarrel and mismanagement, lasts 432,000 years, of which 5225 years have

passed. The previous yuga, Dvaparayuga, when Lord Krsna appeared on

earth, lasts twice as much, or 864,000 years. The yuga previous to it,

Tretayuga, lasts three times as much as kaliyuga, and the earliest yuga,

Satyayuga, lasts four times as much. Totally, one Chaturyuga lasts

4,320,000 years. A thousand such Chaturyugas make just one day of

Brahma, the topmost living entity in this universe, who resides on the

most glorious planet in this universe- Brahmaloka. And his night is as

long. His year is again, 365 days, and he lives for a full hundred

years. That is the life span of this universe (4,320,000x1000x2x365x100

years as per our calculation).

 

As said before, one year on earth is equal to one day (and night) on

heavenly planets, the planet of the demigods. Every morning, Lord Vishnu

arrives at the entrance of the Vaikuntha Planets, which are situated

beyond this material universe, and gives 'darshan' to all demigods who

come there to see Him everyday. 'Everyday' for the demigods means 'every

year' to us. And the day of the demigods begins at the time of Vaikuntha

Ekadashi on earth. Therefore, having a glimpse of the Lord on this day

is considered most auspicious. One must visit nearby Krishna temple on

this day to have a glimpse of the Lord.

--------------------------Putrada

Ekadasi**

(Pausha-shukla Ekadasi)The pious and saintly Yudhisthira Maharaj said, " Oh Lord,

You have so nicely explained to us the wonderful glories of the Saphalaa

Ekaadasi, which occurs during the dark fortnight 

(Krishna paksha) of the month of Pausha (December – January). Now

please be merciful to me and explain to me the details of the Ekaadasi that

occurs in the light fortnight (Shukla or Gaura paksha) of this month. What is

its name, and what Deity is to be worshipped on that sacred day? Oh Purushottama,

Oh Hrishikesha, please also tell me how You can be pleased on this day? 

Lord Sri Krishna then replied, " Oh saintly king, for the benefit of all

humanity I shall now tell you how to observe fasting on the Pausha-shukla

Ekaadasi.

As previously explained,

everyone should observe the rules and regulations of the Ekaadasi vrata, to the

very best of their ability. This injunction also applies to the Ekaadasi named

Putradaa, which destroys all sins and elevates one to the spiritual abode. The

Supreme Personality of Godhead Shri Narayana, the original personality, is the

worshipable Deity of the Ekaadasi, and for His faithful devotees He happily

fulfils all desires and awards full perfection. Thus among all the animate and

inanimate beings in the three worlds (lower, middle and higher planetary

systems), there is no better personality than Lord Narayana.

" Oh King, now I shall

narrate to you the history of Putradaa Ekaadasi, which removes all kinds of sins

and makes one famous and learned.   " There

was once a kingdom named Bhadraavati, which was ruled by King Suketumaan. His

queen was the famous Shaibyaa. Because he had no son, he spent a long time in

anxiety, thinking, 'If I have no son, who will carry on my dynasty?' In this

way the king meditated in a religious attitude for a very long time, thinking,

'Where should I go? What should I do? How can I get a pious son (putra)? In

this way King Suketumaan could find no happiness anywhere in his kingdom, even

in his own palace, and soon he was spending more and more time inside his

wife's palace, gloomily thinking only of how he could get a son.  

" Thus both King Suketumaan and Queen Shaibyaa were in great distress.

Even when they offered tarpana (oblations of water to their forefathers), their

mutual misery made them think that it was as undrinkable as boiling water. They

thus thought that they would have no descendents to offer tarpana to them when

they died and thus become lost souls (ghosts). The king and queen were

especially upset to learn that their forefathers were worried that soon there

would be no one to offer them tarpana also.  

" After learning of their forefather's unhappiness, the king and queen

became more and more miserable, and neither ministers, nor friends, nor even

loved ones could cheer them up. To the king, his elephants and horses and

infantry were no solace, and at last he became practically inert and helpless.  

" The king thought to himself, 'It is said that without a son,

marriage is wasted. Indeed, for a family man with no son, both his heart and his

splendid house remain vacant and miserable. Bereft of a son, a man cannot

liquidate the debts that he owes his forefathers, the demigods (devas) and to

other human beings. Therefore every married man should endeavor to beget a son;

thus he will become famous within this world and at last attain the auspicious

celestial realms. A son is proof of the pious activities a man performed in his

past one hundred lifetimes, and such a person achieves a long duration of life

in this world, along with good health and great wealth. Possessing sons and

grandsons in this lifetime proves that one has worshipped Lord Vishnu, the

Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the past. The great blessing of sons, wealth,

and sharp intelligence can be achieved only by worshipping the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna. That is my opinion.'  

" Thinking thus, the king had no peace. He remained in anxiety day and

night, from morning to evening, and from the time he lay down to sleep at night

until the sun rose in the morning, his dreams were equally full of great

anxiety. Suffering such constant anxiety and apprehension, King Suketumaan

decided to end his misery by committing suicide. But he realized that suicide

throws a person into hellish conditions of rebirth, and so he abandoned that

idea. Seeing that he was gradually destroying himself by his all consuming

anxiety over the lack of a son, the king at last mounted his horse and left for

the dense forest alone. No one, not even the priests and brahmins of the palace,

knew where he had gone.   " In

that forest, which was filled with deer and birds and other animals, King

Suketumaan wandered aimlessly, noting all the different kinds of trees and

shrubs, such as the fig, bel fruit, date palm, jackfruit, bakula, saptaparnaa,

tinduka, and tilaka, as well as the shala, taala, tamaala, saralaa, hingotaa,

arjuna, labheraa, bahedaa, sallaki, karondaa, patala, khaira, shaka, and

palaasha trees. All were beautifully decorated with fruits and flowers. He saw

deer, tigers, wild boar, lions, monkeys, snakes, huge bull elephants in a rut,

cow elephants with their calves, and four-tusked elephants with their mates

close by. There were cows, jackals, rabbits, leopards, and hippopotamuses.

Beholding all these animals accompanied by their mates and offspring, the king

remembered his own menagerie, especially his palace elephants, and became so sad

that he absentmindedly wandered into their very midst.  

" Suddenly the king heard a jackal howl in the distance. Startled, he

began wandering about, looking around in all directions. Soon it was midday, and

the king started to tire. He was tormented by hunger and thirst also. He

thought, 'What sinful deed could possibly have done so that I am now forced to

suffer like this, with my throat parched and burning, and my stomach empty and

rumbling? I have pleased the devas (demigods) with numerous fire sacrifices and

abundant devotional worship. I have given many gifts and delicious sweets in charity to all the worthy brahmins too. And I have taken care

of my subjects as though they were my very own children. Why then am I suffering

so? What unknown sins have come to bear fruit and torment me in this dreadful

way?'   " Absorbed in these

thoughts, King Suketumaan struggled forward, and eventually, due to his pious

credits, he came upon a beautiful lotus bearing pond that resembled the famous

Lake Maanasarova. It was filled with aquatics, including crocodiles and many

varieties of fish, and graced with varieties of lilies and lotuses. The beautiful

lotuses had opened to the Sun, and swans, cranes and ducks swam happily in its

waters. Nearby were many attractive ashramas, where there resided many saints

and sages who could fulfill the desires of anyone. Indeed, they wished everyone

well. When the king saw all this, his right arm and right eye began to quiver, a

sakuna sign (for a male) that something auspicious was about to happen.  

" As the king dismounted his horse and stood before the sages, who sat

on the shore of the pond, he saw that they were chanting the holy names of God

on japa beads. The king paid his obeisances and, joining his palms, addressed

them with glorified praises. Observing the respect the king offered them, the

sages said, 'We are very pleased with you, Oh king. Kindly tell us why you

have come here. What is on your mind? Please inform us what is your heart's

desire.'   " The king

replied, 'Oh great sages, who are you? What are your names, surely your

presence reveals that you are auspicious saints? Why have you come to this

beautiful place? Please tell me everything.'

" The sages replied, 'Oh

king, we are known as the ten Vishvadevas (the sons of Vishva; Vasu, Satya,

Kratu, Daksha, Kaala, Kaama, Dhriti, Pururavaa, Maadrava, and Kuru). We have

come here to this very lovely pond to bathe. The month of Magha (Madhava mase)

will soon be here in five days (from the Magh nakshatra), and today is the

famous Putradaa Ekaadasii. One who desires a son should strictly observe this

particular Ekaadasii.'   " The

king said, 'I have tried so hard to have a son. If you great sages are pleased

with me, kindly grant the boon of having a good son (putra).'

" 'The very meaning of

Putradaa,' the sages replied, '…is " giver of a putra, pious son. " So

please observe a complete fast on this Ekaadasii day. If you do so, then by our

blessing – and by the mercy of Lord Sri Keshava invested in us – surely you

will obtain a son.'

" On the advice of the

Vishvadevas, the king observed the auspicious fast day of Putradaa Ekaadasii

according to the established rules and regulations, and on the Dvaasasii, after

breaking his fast, he paid obeisances again and again to all of them.  

" Soon after Suketumaan returned to his palace and united with his

queen. Queen Shaibya immediately became pregnant, and exactly as the Vishvadevas

had predicted, a bright faced, beautiful son was born to them. In due course of

time he became famous as an heroic prince, and the king gladly pleased his noble

son by making him his successor. The son of Suketumaan took care of his subjects

very conscientiously, just as if they were his own children.  

" In conclusion, Oh Yudhisthira, one who wises to fulfill his desires

should strictly observe Putradaa Ekaadasii. While on this planet, one who

strictly observes this Ekaadasii will surely obtain a son, and after death he

will achieve liberation. Anyone who even reads or hears the glories of Putradaa

Ekaadasii obtains the merit earned by performing an horse sacrifice. It is to

benefit all humanity that I have explained all this to you. "   

Thus ends the narration of

the glories of Pausha-shukla Ekaadasii, or Putradaa Ekaadasii, from the

Bhavishya Purana of Veda Vyaasadeva.-------------- **Putrada Ekadasi and Vaikuntha Ekadasi falls on the same day this year.

*** Date and breakfast timing is mentioned for Bangalore city (India). Please visit nearest ISKCON temple for other places.