today Saphala Ekadashi / सफला एकादशी

Saphala Ekadashi / सफला एकादशी :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 Once there lived a great and powerful king by the name of Mahishmitha. He had four sons. The eldest was called Lumpaka. Lumapaka was arrogant and was indulging all the possible bad deeds that a person should not do. He was not even refraining himself from hurting people. He used to punish common people and enjoy. The king saw this for a long time and warned Lumpaka to change his behaviour. After few warnings also Lumpaka did not change. As per dharma Lumpaka was supposed to be given a death sentence but King Mahishmitha could not kill his son and so ordered him to leave the kindom. Lumpaka was exiled from the kingdom. Lumpaka started to live in a forest outside the kingdom. Exiling him did not change the behavior of Lumpaka. He was still the same. Once there was a very cold winter and Lumpaka was finding it very difficult to find food. Lumpaka began very weak and soon his health detoriated. He fell ill and was unconscious for two days. He woke up on the day of Saphala Ekadasi. Because of his weakness he was not in a position to hunt so was not able to get any food. There was a idol of Lord Vishnu at he place he fell unconscious. He saw the idol and prayed to Lord Vishnu for his fast recovery. He offered the fruits that fell on the ground to Lord Vishnu. Lumpaka was not able to get any food was fasting the whole day and as he did not have enough food was not able to sleep the whole night. Lumpaka has actually performed the Ekadasi Vrat of fasting for the whole day and keeping awake for the whole night. The virtue of performing the Ekadasi Vrat is very high and removes all the sin. Observing the Ekadasi Vrat would fetch wealth and prosperity. By virtue of the Saphala Ekadasi Vrat Lumpaka observed that his energy was renewed. His sins were washed off and his thought process was also changed. Now Lumpaka became a completely different person. A person who would respect elders, follow the Dharmas, love others etc. Suddenly there was a voice from the sky which said that Lumpaka was freed from all the sins and that he should return to his father and rule the kingdom. As soon as Lumpaka reached his kingdom, he saw that Mahishmitha was there to welcome him. He was astonished and was eager to know how his father knew that he was coming. Mahishmitha replied that Lord Vishnu had come in his dream last night and said that Lumpaka would return to the kingdom. The lord also said that Lumpaka was changed and should be welcomed. He ruled the kingdom after his father following all the dharmas and was applauded by one and all. Thus by observing the Saphala Ekadasi Vrat Lumpaka was able to change his fortune and himself. By observing Saphala Ekadasi one would get back all that is lost and much more like health, wealth, belongings, affection, honor etc. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: HSVJ

12 Uses For Cloves – A Wonder Spice With The Highest Antioxidant Value

12 Uses For Cloves – A Wonder Spice With The Highest Antioxidant Value

On the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale used by the National Institute on Aging in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to assess the antioxidant value of foods, clove has the highest ORAC score. Besides it’s ability to prevent cancer, clove has incredible purification and protection properties within.

Cloves are a very common spice widely used all over the world. It is renowned for its rich aroma and flavour.

1) Consuming a couple of cloves can help to cleanse your body from harmful toxins and microbes. This will help to boost your health.
2) Cloves help to protect the damage caused to your body’s cells and help to stimulate energy in every part of your body.
3) Cloves help give you quick relief from toothache. Just place a piece of clove on the affected area, and gain instant relief.
4) The presence of eugenol, in cloves gives it a lovely aroma and helps in numbing dental pain and clearing out bacteria in the mouth.
5) You can also use cloves as a mosquito repellent. Clove can effectively help to ward off mosquitoes.
6) Cloves also have great anti-inflammatory properties. Use cloves to treat inflammation and infections.
7) If you are troubled with digestion problems, chew on a couple of cloves.
8) Cloves also aid with cardiac and diabetes health.
9) Due to its purification properties, cloves help in purifying your blood.
10) Ayurveda suggests making a tea to lessen, or prevent, colds and flu. It is also used as an expectorant, making it easier to cough up phlegm. Cloves are a natural painkiller and also attack germs, so they’ll help you get rid of that sore throat.
11) Sometimes used as an aphrodisiac, cloves can also help men from reaching orgasm too early.
12) Cloves treats scrapes and bruises. They are pretty strong and can sting, so the best bet is to probably make a poultice with a little olive oil.
Just add cloves to your diet in the form of curries, soups and main dishes to gain maximum benefits.

Loving animals means loving ALL animals!!

OMG WHAT A QUESTION ..PAINFUL

☼ TODAY MOKSHADA EKADASI ☼(12-13-2013)

Vaikuntha Ekadashi / Mokshada Ekadasi / Mukkoti


Ekadashi.


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The Ancient History of Mokshada Ekadasi from


Brahmanda Purana:

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Yudhishthira Maharaj said, "O Vishnu, master of all, O delight of the three worlds, O Lord of the entire Universe, O creator of the world, O oldest personality, O best of all beings, I offer my most respectful obeisances unto You.
......
Lord Sri Krishna replied, "O dear Yudhishthira, your enquiry is very auspicious in itself and will bring you fame. Just as I previously explained to you about the dearest Utpannaa Maha-Dwadasi - which occurs during the dark part of the month of Margashirsha, which is the day when Ekadasi-devi appeared from My body to kill the demon Mura, and which benefits everything animate and inanimate in the three worlds - so I shall now relate to you regarding this Ekadasi that occurs during the light part of the month of Margashirsha. This Ekadasi is famous as Mokshadaa because it purifies the faithful devotee of all sinful reactions and bestows liberation upon him. The worshippable Deity of this all auspicious day is Lord Damodara. With full attention one should worship Him with incense, a ghee lamp, fragrant flowers, and Tulasi manjaris (buds).
"O best of saintly kings, please listen as I narrate to you the ancient and auspicious history of this wonderful Ekadasi. Simply by hearing this history one can attain the merit earned by performing a horse sacrifice. By the influence of this merit, one's forefathers, mothers, sons, and other relatives who have gone to hell can turn around and go to the heavenly kingdom. For this reason alone, O king, you should listen with rapt attention to this narration.
"There once was a beautiful city named Champaka-nagar, which was decorated with devoted Vaishnavas. There the best of saintly kings Maharaj Vaikhaanasa, ruled over his subjects as if they were his very own dear sons and daughters. The brahmins in that capital city were all expert in four kinds of Vedik knowledge. The king, while ruling properly, had a dream one night in which his father was seen to be suffering the pangs of hellish torture in one of the hellish planets ruled over by the Yamaraj. The king was overwhelmed with compassion for his father and shed tears. The next morning, Maharaj Vaikhaanasa described what he had seen in his dream to his council of twice born learned brahmins.
" ' O brahmanas,' the king addressed them, 'in a dream last night I saw my father suffering on a hellish planet. He was crying out in anguish, "O son, please deliver me from this torment of this hellish condition !" Now I have no peace in my mind, and even this beautiful kingdom has become unbearable to me. Not even my horses, elephants, and chariots and my vast wealth in my treasury that formerly brought so much pleasure, gives me no pleasure at all.
" 'Everything, O best of the brahmins, even my own wife and sons, have become a source of unhappiness since I beheld my father suffering the tortures of that hellish condition so. Where can I go, and what can I do, O brahmins, to alleviate this misery? My body is burning with fear and sorrow ! Please tell me what kind of charity, what mode of fasting, what austerity, or what deep meditation, and in service upon which Deity I may have to perform to deliver my father from that agony and bestow upon liberation upon my forefathers. O best among the brahmins, what is the use of one's being a powerful son if one's father must suffer on a hellish planet? Truly, such a son's life is utterly useless, to him and to his forefathers.
" The twice born brahmins replied, 'O king, in the mountainous forest not far from here is the ashram where a great saint Parvata Muni resides. Please go to him, for he is tri-kala-jnan (he knows the past, the present, and the future of everything) and can surely help you in your gaining relief from your misery.'
"Upon hearing this advise, the distressed king immediately set out on a journey to the ashram of the famous sage Parvata Muni. The ashram was indeed very big and housed many learned sages expert in chanting the sacred hymns of the four Vedas (Rg, Yajur, Sama, and Arthava). Approaching the holy ashram, the king beheld Parvata Muni seated among the assembly of sages adorned with hundreds of tilaks (from all the authorised sampradayas) like another Brahmaa or Vyaas.
"Maharaj Vaikhaanasa offered his humble obeisances to the muni, bowing his head and then prostrating his entire body before him. After the king had seated himself among the assembly Parvata Muni asked him about the welfare of the seven limbs of his extensive kingdom (his ministers, his treasury, his military forces, his allies, the brahmins, the sacrificial offerings performed, and the needs of his subjects). The muni also asked him if his kingdom was free of troubles and whether everyone was peaceful, happy and satisfied. To these enquiries the king replied, 'By your mercy O glorious and great sage, all seven limbs of my kingdom are doing very well. Yet there is a problem that has recently arisen, and to solve it I have come to you, O brahmana for your expert help and guidance'.
"Then Parvata Muni, the best of all sages, closed his eyes and meditated on the king's past, present and future. After a few moments he opened his eyes and said, 'Your father is suffering the results of committing a great sin, and I have discovered what it is. In his previous life he quarrelled with his wife and forcibly enjoyed her sexually during her menstrual period. She tried to protest and resist his advances and even yelled out, "Someone please save me! Please, O husband, do not interrupt my monthly period in this way!" Still he did not stop or leave her alone. It is on account of this grievous sin that your father now has fallen into such a hellish condition of suffering.'
"King Vaikhaanasa then said, 'O greatest among sages, by what process of fasting or charity may I liberate my dear father from such a condition? Please tell me how I can relieve and remove the burden of his sinful reactions, which are a great obstacle to his progress toward ultimate release (salvation - liberation - going back home).'
"Parvata Muni replied, 'During the light fortnight of the month of Margashirsha there occurs an Ekadasi called Mokshadaa. If you observe this sacred Ekadasi strictly, with a full fast, and give directly to your suffering father the merit you will thus attain/obtain, he will be freed from his pain and instantly liberated'.
"Hearing this, Maharaj Vaikhaanasa profusely thanked the great sage and then returned to his palace to perform his vrata (austere rite, austerity). O Yudhishthira, when the light part of the month of Margashirsha at last arrived, Maharaj Vaikhaanasa faithfully waited for the Ekadasi tithi to arrive. He then perfectly and with full faith observed the Ekadasi fast with his wife, children, and other relatives. He dutifully gave the merit from this fast to his father, and as he made the offering, beautiful flower petals showered down from the devas who peered out from behind the clouds in the sky. The king's father was then praised by the messengers of the demigods (devas) and escorted to the celestial region. As he passed his son, as he traversed the lower to middle to higher planets, the father said to the king, 'My dear son, all auspiciousness unto you!'

At last he reached the heavenly realm from where he can again with his newly acquired merit perform devotional service to Krishna or Vishnu and in due course return back to home back to Godhead.

"O son of Pandu, who so ever strictly observes the sacred Mokshadaa Ekadasi, following the established rules and regulations, achieves full and perfect liberation after death. There is no better fasting day than this Ekadasi of the light fortnight of the month of Margashirsha, O Yudhishthira, for it is a crystal-clear and sinless day. Whoever faithfully observes this Ekadasi fast, which is like chintaa-mani (a gem that yields all desires), obtains special merit that is very hard to calculate, for this day can elevate one from hellish life to the heavenly planets, and for one who observes Ekadasi for his own spiritual benefit, this elevates one to go back to Godhead, never to return to this material world."
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HSVJ