Ekadasi dates for North Eastern America for Year 2000

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Ekadasi dates for North Eastern America

 

Ekadhasi dates as per New York City, 40.43 N Lattitude, 074.01 W

Longitutude, Eastern Standard Time, as of 6 am according to my Astrology

software & The Hindu Temple Society of North America, NY which seems to match.

 

Note: The temple ekAdasi thithi nirnaya appears to be based on smArtha

sampradhAya. However, I determined fasting dates based on thithi begining

and ending times for our sampradhAya.

 

Saturday, January 1st, 2000

Monday, January 17 th, 2000

Monday, January 31 st, 2000

Tuesday, February 15th, 2000

Wednesday, March 1st, 2000

Thursday, March 16th, 2000

Friday, March 31st, 2000

Friday, April 14th, 2000

Sunday, April 30th, 2000

Saturday, May 13th, 2000

Monday, May 29th, 2000

Monday, June 12th, 2000

Tuesday, June 27th, 2000

Tuesday, July 11th, 2000

Thursday, July 27th, 2000

Thursday, August 10th, 2000

Friday, August 25th, 2000

Saturday, September 9th, 2000

Sunday, September 10th, 2000 Shravana Dwadhashi

Saturday, September 23th, 2000

Sunday, October 8th, 2000

Monday, October 23th, 2000

Tuesday, November 7th, 2000

Tuesday, November 21st, 2000

Thursday, December 7th, 2000

Thursday, December 21st, 2000

 

DASAMI

 

EkAdhashi Vratha begins with the sankalpa on the Dasami day, fasting on the

Ekadhasi day & pArane on Dwadashi day. The evening meals on the Dasami &

Dwadashi days along with abstaining from both the meals on the Ekadhashi

day will make a total of four meals forbidden on these 3 days.

 

EKAADASI

 

Shri Vishnu Sahasra nAma stothram calls HIM " Ekasmai Namaha " meaning

salutations to the ONE. So in the very name of Ekadhasi Shri Hari is

present & so it is a very auspicious day. Since Shri Hari is the presiding

deity for Ekaadashi, it is also called 'Haridina' meaning a day to be

dedicated entirely for worshipping Him, meditating upon Him, listening to

His glory & studying the scriptures. Sri Purandara Dasaru says

" Vrathagalellavu hardhina vrathadahinde " . This is a unique concept of the

followers of Dwaitha philosophy.

 

Observance of Ekadashi by fasting & meditating on the Divinity with

implicit faith, is an excellent reflection of sathwa guna. The Lord

mentions in the Gita that none born of prakruthi is free from the influence

of three gunas, viz, Sathwa, Rajas & Thamas. Of the three gunas, sathwa is

given the highest place because the jeeva in whom sathwa guna dominates

moves towards the Nivruthi marga i.e., Jnana-Bhakthi-Vairagya-Moksha. To

such souls, God reveals Himself. Ekadashi observance cleanses the mind &

paves the way for Jnana. It is an established fact that when one does not

take food even though there is a desire for it, there will be increase in

self-contrll & it develops a strong will power. One who controls hunger

will be away from sin because hunger is the root cause of many a sins.

Srimad Acharya says in KrishnAmrutha MahArnava that the fire of merit that

accrues from observing an Ekadhasi reduces to ashes the sins of hundreds of

births.

 

SIGNIFICANCE OF FASTING:

 

The moon is not in its full glory during Ekadashi due to its movement. The

food that is, therefore, consumed on these days remain undigested. Moon is

the solicitation deity for food. UpavAsa does not mean mere fasting, it

means sAmEpya vAsa (dwelling in proximity to the Lord) with archana, japa,

katha shravana, nirAhara & jAgarna. So, after setting apart sometime to

basic necessities the whole day & night is to be spent in thinking about

His glories. Even if Shraadha falls on this day, it is to be performed on

the Dwadasi day only. VarAha purana says the pregnant woman, mothers of

young children & those who are very weak can partake fruits like dates,

banana, grapes, coconut milk, milk, curds & grains which are not cooked.

All sins indulged in by the body & mind are wiped out by UpavAsa

 

EKAADASHI VICHAARA

 

It has been discussed before in the list (KrishnAmrutha Maharnava).

 

There is another occasion for two days of fasting when Dwadashi has a

contactof the Shravana star & reigns during the afternoon. Such a Dwadashi

is called Shravana Dwadashi. So along with a fast on Ekadhashi, it is

compulsory to fast on Shravana Dwadashi day. Shravana is the Lord's star &

the day associated with the Lord is Haridhina. It is sacred. Shastras

permit some relaxation for the aged & the sick in fasting on the first day

but not on Shravana Dwadashi. During a year, Shravana Dwandashi fasting

generally comes thrice, Bhaadrapada Shukla DwAdhashi, Maagha Bahula

dwaadhashi & Phaalguna Bahula dwaadhashi.

 

EKAADASHI AACHAARA:

 

Ekadhashi is a fasting day to atone for our sins of indulging in

undesirable acts through Dashendriyas. It is a Vaishnava Vratha which is

greater than all Yaagas & its power to destroy sins is unmatched if we

follow the dos & don'ts of it strictly.

 

Dos:

 

1. Worship, meditate & think about Him.

2. Keep awake during the night of Ekadhashi.

3. Make a sankalpa for three day vow.

4. Break the fast on the Dwadasi day as per rules.

5. On Ekadaashi, take theertha only once no thulasi to be eaten & have only

angaara mark(Black mark) on the forehead.

6. Tell the greatness of Ekadaashi to others.

7. Perform Ekadaashi shraadha on Dwadhashi day.

8. If shraadha falls on sadhana dwadaashi day, serve food to the brahmins

before Dwadaashi passes off.

9. Even on vridhi, suthaka days, ekadhashi is to be observed.

10. Even while in their periods, women have to observe Ekadashi.

 

Don'ts

 

1. No food, water or sleep.

2. No sleep during day time on Dasami, Ekadashi & Dwadashi.

3. The first part of Dwaadashi thithi is called Harivaasara & no food to be

taken during that period.

4. No cooked food to be offered as Naivedya on Ekadashi. No Ramaa

(Lakshmi) naivedhya.

5. No shraadha or homa on Ekadaashi day.

 

HARIVAASARA:

 

The last part of Dasami Viddha Ekadashi viddha Ekadashi & the first part of

Dwaadashi are known as Harivaasara.

These are also ausipicious & merit fasting. On Dasami harivaaSara day,

food is to be taken before the time mentioned in the panchaanga since

ekaadashi will encroach on Dasami after that time. On Dwaadhashi

harivaasara day, food should be taken after the time limit mentioned since

dwaadhashi may not have come before that time. During harivaasara, no

homa, no tharpana, no Ramaa naivedhya to be performed. Shrimad Acharya in

his KrishnAmrutha Maharnava says " A thousand solar eclipses, ten thousand

Vyateepaataas & a lakh of amaavaasyas do not have one sixteeth merit of the

auspiciousness of Dwaadhashi. Hence the supremacy of the Dwadaashi has

the greatest punya thithi.

 

SANKALPA MANTHRAS:

 

dashamee divase parapte vrathastoham janaardana

thridinam devadevesha nirvigham kuru keshava (Brahmavaivartha puraanam)

 

Janaardhana! Today being Dasami, I am ready for the three day vow. Oh,

Lord! Deva Deva! Keshava! ss that no obstacles come in the way of my vow.

 

ekaadashyam niraharaha sthithvahani parehyaham

bhookshyaami pundareekaaksha saranam me bhavaachyutha

(Brihannaaradeeya puraanama XXI-15)

 

After fasting on Ekadhashi, I will eat on Dwadaashi, Please be my refuge,

Oh, Achyutha!

 

adhyashvasheha niraahaaro bhoothvaaham dwaadashee dine

vidhaasye paaranam dheva preetho bhava ma maanisham (Varaaha puraanam)

 

I will be on a fast tonight & tomorrow & break the fast on Dwaadashi.

Lord! may you be pleased.

 

ajnaana thimiraandhasya vratenaanena keshava

Praseeda sumukho natha jnaanadristi prado bhava

(Brihannaradeeya puraanam, XXI- 20)

 

Oh Lord! Keshava! I am blinded by the darkness of ignorance. By my

undertaking this fast on Ekadashi, may it please you to bless me with the

light of knowledge.

 

ekaadasyupavaasena dwaadashee paaranenacha

yadaarijitham mayaa punyam thena preenathu keshavah (Brahmavaivartha Puraanam)

 

May Lord Keshava be pleased with the merit that accrued to me by fasting on

Ekaadashi & breaking the fast on Dwaadashi.

 

na kAshi na gaya ganga na rewa cha gowthamI

na chApi kauravam kshathram, thulyambhoopa haredrinaath (Padma purAnam)

 

That sacred rivers like Ganga, Narmada, Godavari etc & holy places like

Kashi, Gaya, Kurushetra etc., cannot equal the merit of Ekaadhashi vratha.

 

bhAgavatharodagodi upavAsa jAgara ondhina mAdalillA

rAgadhi shukamuni pELdha harikaThesuyOgavembodhilla

nIguvamThe bhava bhayava bhakuthi vairAgyavembodhilla

yOgivamdhe gOpAlavitTala thalebhAgi ninnane bedikombe

 

HyAmge mAdalayya kRuShNa pOguthidhe Ayushya

mangaLAnga bhava bhamga bidisi ninna dingarigana mAdo anangajanakA

 

shri kRuShNARpanamasthu