Fasting to remove curse of ghostEkadasi story

April 7, 2002

April 7 - Papamocani EkadasiBreak fast on April 8 between 08:26 - 09:47 for California.The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna,replied, "0 best of kings, for the benefit of everyoneI shall gladly describe to you the glories of this Ekadasi which is known as Papamocani. The history ofthis Ekadasi was once narrated to the emperor Mandhataby Lomasa Risi. King Mandhata addressed the risi, '0 great sage, for the benefit of all people, please tellme the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Caitra, and please explainthe process for observing it. Also, please describe the benefits one gains by observing this Ekadasi.'Lomasa Risi replied, 'The Ekadasi that occurs duringthe dark part of the month of Caitra is named Papamocani Ekadasi For the faithful devotee it removesthe influences of ghosts and demons. 0 lion among men,this Ekadasi also awards the eight perfections oflife, fulfills all kinds of desires, purifies one'slife of all sinful reactions, and makes a personperfectly virtuous.'Now please listen to a historical account concerningthis Ekadasi and Citraratha, the chief of theGandharvas [heavenly musicians]. During the springseason, in the company of heavenly dancing girls, Citraratha once came upon a beautiful forest burstingforth with a great variety of flowers. There he and the girls joined other Gandharvas and many Kinnaras,along with Lord Indra himself, the king of heaven, who was enjoying a visit there. Everyone felt that therewas no better garden than this forest. Many sages werealso present, performing their austerities and penanceThe demigods particularly enjoyed visiting thiscelestial garden during the months of Caitra andVaisakha [April-May].'A great sage named Medhavi resided in that forest,and the very attractive dancing girls would alwaysattempt to seduce him. One famous girl in particular,Manjughosa, contrived many ways to allure the exaltedmuni, but out of great respect for the sage and fearof his power, which he had attained after years andyears of asceticism, she would not come very close tohim. At a spot two miles from the sage, she pitched atent and began singing very sweetly as she played atamboura. Cupid himself became excited when he saw andheard her perform so nicely and smelled the fragranceof her sandal-paste unguent. He remembered his ownunfortunate experience with Lord Siva and decided totake revenge by seducing Medhavi.''Using the eyebrows of Manjughosa as a bow, her glances as a bowstring, her eyes as arrows, and herbreasts as a target, Cupid approached Medhavi in order to tempt him to break his trance and his vows. Inother words, Cupid engaged Manjughosa as his assistant, and when she looked at that powerful andattractive young sage, she also became agitated by lust. Seeing that he was highly intelligent andlearned, wearing a clean white brahmana's thread draped across his shoulder, holding a sannyasi'sstaff, and sitting handsomely in the asrama of Cyavana Risi, Manjughosa came before him.'She began to sing seductively, and the small bells on her belt and around her ankles, together with thebangles on her wrists, produced a delightful musical symphony. The sage Medhavi was enchanted. Heunderstood that this beautiful young woman desired union with him, and at that instant Cupid increasedhis attraction for Mahjughosa by releasing his powerful weapons of taste, touch, sight, smell, andsound.'Slowly Manjughosa approached Medhavi, her bodily movements and sweet glances attracting him. Shegracefully put her tamboura down and embraced the sage with her two arms, just as a creeper winds itselfaround a strong tree. Captivated, Medhavi gave up his meditation and decided to sport with her-and instantlyhis purity of heart and mind abandoned him. Forgetting even the difference between night and day, he wentaway with her to sport for a long, long time.'Seeing that the young yoga's sanctity had become seriously eroded, Manjughosa decided to abandon himand return home. She said, "0 great one, please permit me to return home."'Medhavi replied, "But you have only just arrived, 0 beautiful one. Please stay with me at least untiltomorrow."'Fearful of the sage's yogic power, Manjughosa stayed with Medhavi for precisely fifty-seven years, ninemonths, and three days, but to Medhavi all this time seemed like a moment. Again she asked him, "Pleasepermit me to leave."Medhavi replied, "0 dear one, listen to me. Stay with me for one more night, and then you may leavetomorrow morning. Just stay with me until after I have performed my morning duties and chanted the sacredGayatri mantra. Please wait until then."

Manjughosa was still fearful of the sage's great yogic power, but she forced a smile and said, "Howlong will it take you to finish your morning hymns and rituals? Please be merciful and think of all the timeyou have already spent with me.""'The sage reflected on the years he had been with Manjughosa and then said with great astonishment,"Why, I have spent more than fifty-seven years withyou!" His eyes turned red and began to emanate sparks. He now regarded Manjughosa as death personified andthe destroyer of his spiritual life. "You rascal woman! You have turned all the hard-earned results ofmy austerities to ashes!" Trembling with anger, he cursed Manjughosa "0 sinful one, 0 hard-hearted,degraded one! You know only sin! May all terrible fortune be yours! 0 rascal woman, I curse you tobecome an evil hobgoblin pisaca!"Cursed by the sage Medhavi, the beautiful Manjughosa humbly beseeched him, "O best of the brahmanas, pleasebe merciful to me and revoke your curse! 0 great one, it is said that association with pure devotees givesimmediate results but their curses take effect only after seven days. I have been with you for fifty-sevenyears, 0 master, so please be kind to me!"

'Medhavi Muni replied, "0 gentle lady, what can Ipossibly do? You have destroyed all my austerities.But even though you have done this sinful deed, Ishall tell you a way you can be released from my wrath. In the dark fortnight of the month of Caitrathere is an allauspicious Ekadasi that removes all one's sins. Its name is Papamocani, 0 beautiful one,and whoever fasts on this sacred day becomes completely freed from having to take birth in any kindof devilish form."'With these words, the sage left at once for his father's asrama. Seeing him enter the hermitage,Cyavana Muni said, "0 son, by acting unlawfully you have squandered the wealth of your penances andausterities."'Medhavi replied, "O Father, kindly reveal what atonement I must perform to remove the obnoxious sin Ihave incurred by privately associating with the dancing girl Manjughosa'''Cyavana Muni answered, "Dear son, you must fast on Papamocani Ekadasi, which occurs during the darkfortnight of the month of Caitra. It eradicates all sins, no matter how grievous they may be."'Medhavi followed his father's advice and fasted on Papamocani Ekadasi. Thus all his sins were destroyedand he again became filled with excellent merit.Similarly, Manjughosa observed the same fast andbecame free of the hobgoblin curse. Ascending once again to the heavenly spheres, she too returned to her former position.'Lomasa Risi continued, 'Thus, 0 king, the greatbenefit of fasting on Papamocani Ekadasi is thatwhoever does so with faith and devotion will have allhis sins completely destroyed.'Sri Krsna concluded, "0 King Yudhisthira, whoever reads or hears about Papamocani Ekadasi obtains the very same merit he would get if he donated a thousand cows in charity, and he also nullifies the sinfulreactions he may have incurred by killing a brahmana, killing an embryo through abortion, drinking liquor,or having sex with his guru's wife. Such is the incalculable benefit of properly observing this holyday of Papamocani Ekadasi, which is so dear to Me and so meritorious