Ekadasi Alert: Wed, 10 Feb, 2010

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Vijaya Ekadasi

from Skanda PuranDate  -  Wed, 10 Feb, 2010Breakfast:  06:43 AM - 10:37 AM  Next day

***Yudhisthira Maharaj

said, Oh Lord Sri Krishna, O glorious son of Vasudeva, please be

merciful to me and describe the EkAdasii that occurs during the dark

fortnight of the month of PhAlguna

(February-March). 

Lord Sri Krishna replied, Oh Yudhisthira, Oh king of kings, gladly I

shall tell you about this great fast, known as VijayA EkAdasii. Whoever

observes it certainly achieves success in this life and the next. All

the sins of one who fasts on this EkAdasii and hears its sublime

glories are eradicated. 

 

NArada Muni once asked lord BrahmA, who sits on a lotus flower about

the VijayA EkAdasii. Sri NArada said,

Oh best of all the demigods, kindly tell me the merit one can achieve

by faithfully observing VijayA EkAdasii.'

NArada's great father then replied, My dear son, this oldest of fasting

days is pure, and it nullifies all sins. I have never revealed this to

anyone until today, but you can understand beyond any doubt that this

EkAdasii bestows the result indicated by its name… (VijayA meaning

Victory). 

 

When Lord RAma was exiled to the forest for fourteen years, He, the

goddess SitA, and His divine brother Lakshmana stayed at Panchavati as

mendicants. Mother SitA was then kidnapped by the demon RAvana, and

Lord

RAma seemingly became bewildered like an ordinary man by distress.

While searching for His beloved consort, the Lord came upon the dying

JatAyu and thereafter killed His enemy Kabandha. The great

devotee-vulture JatAyu returned to Vaikuntha after telling

RAma how His dear SitA had been abducted by RAvana. 

 

Later, Lord RAma and Sugriva,

the king of the monkeys, became friends. Together they amassed a grand

army of monkeys and bears and sent HanumAnji his minister to Sri LankA,

where he was able to see

JAnaki (Srimati SitA devi) in an Ashoka grove garden. He delivered Lord

RAma's message and showed the ring proving his authenticity for

rendering such great service to the Supreme Lord Sri

RAma. With the help of Sugriva, Lord RAma proceeded toward Sri LankA.

Upon arriving at the shore of the ocean with the army of monkeys, He

could understand that the water was uncommonly deep and hostile. Thus

He said to Lakshmana,

Oh son of SumitrA, how can We earn enough merit to be able to cross

this vast ocean, the unfathomable abode of Varuna deva? I can see no

easy way to cross it, teeming as it is with sharks and other ferocious

aquatics. 

 

Lakshmana replied, Oh best of all beings, Oh origin of all the devas,

Oh primal personality, the great sage BakadAlbhya lives on an island

just four miles from here. Oh

RAghava, he has seen many BrahmAs come and go, so aged and wise is he.

Let us go to him, take his darshan (audience) and ask him how We can

safely reach Our

goal. 

 

So RAma and Lakshmana proceeded to the humble Ashram of the

incomparable BakadAlbhya Muni. Approaching him, the two Lords paid

Their respectful obeisances to him as if he were a second Vishnu.

BakadAlbhya could immediately understand, however, that Sri

RAma was actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who for His own

reasons had appeared on the Earth and was enacting just like a human

being.  

" Sri RAma " , said BakadAlbhya, " Oh best of the beings, why have You come

to my lowly

abode? "   The Lord replied, " Oh great, twice born brahmin, I have come

here to the ocean shore with My phalanx of monkey and bear warriors in

order to cross the sea and conquer LankA and its demon horde headed by

RAvana. Oh greatest of sages, please be merciful unto Me and please

tell Me how I can cross this vast ocean. That is why I have come to

your

Ashram today. "   The sage said, " Oh Lord Sri RAma, I shall tell you of

the most exalted of all fasts, observing which You will surely conquer

RAvana and be eternally glorified. Kindly now listen with full

attention. "  

 

" On the day before EkAdasii, fashion a water pot of gold or silver, or

even copper. Even clay will do if these metals are unavailable. Fill

the pot with pure water and then decorate it nicely with mango leaves.

Cover it and place it near a holy altar upon a mound of seven grains

(the seven grains are barley, wheat, rice, corn, chickpeas, kukani, and

dahl or peas). Now take Your morning bath, decorate the water pot with

flower garlands and sandalwood paste, and

in the concave lid atop the pot place there the barley, pomegranate,

and coconut. Now with great love and devotion worship the water pot

Deity form and offer Him incense, sandalwood paste, flowers, a ghee

lamp, and a plate of sumptuous foods. Remain there awake that night

beside this sacred pot. On top of the lid filled with barley, etc.,

place a golden mUrthy of Lord Sri NArAyana. 

When EkAdasii dawns, take Your morning bath and then decorate the water

pot with fine sandalwood paste and garlands. Then worship the pot again

with first class incense, lamps, sandalwood paste and flowers dipped in

sandalwood paste, and then devoutly/devotedly place many kinds of

cooked food, pomegranate, and coconut before the water pot. Then remain

awake over night. 

 

When the DwAdasi dawns, take the waterpot to the bank of a holy river,

or even to the shore of a small pond. After worshipping it again

properly, Oh King of kings, offer it with all the aforementioned

ingredients to a pure hearted brahmin, expert in the Vedic sciences. If

You and Your military commanders observe the VijayA EkAdasii in this

way, You will surely be victorious in every

way. "  

 

Lord Sri RAmachandra Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, did

just as BakadAlbhya Muni instructed, and thus He conquered all demoniac

forces. Similarly, anyone who observes the VijayA EkAdasii in this way

will always be victorious in this mortal world, and after leaving this

world he/she will reside forever in the anxiety free realm of the

Kingdom of God known as the Vaikunthas. 

 

Oh NArada, my son, from this history you can understand why one should

observe this EkAdasii fast properly, strictly following the rules and

regulations. This fast is powerful enough to eradicate all one's sinful

reactions, even the most abominable

ones. 

 

Lord Sri Krishna concluded, Oh Yudhisthira, anyone who reads or hears

this history will attain the same great merit as that which is earned

by performing a horse sacrifice on days of

yore. 

 

Thus ends the narration of the glories of PhAlguna-krishna EkAdasii or VijayA EkAdasii, from the Skanda PurAna.--

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