The Ekādhaśī that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Jyeshta (May-June) is the Nirjala Ekadhasi.
(If
a person fasts on Nirjala Ekadasi, the Vishnu Dutt will protect him
from the fearful Yamadutas and take him to Lord Vishns abode )
- Whoever fasts on this
Ekādhaśī receives the merits of bathing in all the places of pilgrimage,
giving all kinds of charities to worthy persons, and fasting on all the
dark and light Ekādaśīs throughout the year, in one go.
- Whoever fasts on this
Ekādhaśī truly becomes a great person and achieves all manner of
opulence and wealth, grains, strength, and health. And at the fearful
moment of death, the terrible Yamadūtas will refuse to approach him.
- Even if sins are equal in
volume to Mount Sumeru or to Mandarācala Hill, if he or she observes
this Ekādhaśī, the sins that have been accumulated all become nullified
and are burned to ashes. Such is the great power of this Ekādhaśī.
- Observance of this Ekādhaśī fast alone promotes one to the supreme abode of Śrī Vishnu.
- Whosoever eats any
grains on Ekādhaśī becomes contaminated by sin and verily eats only sin.
In effect, he has already become a dog-eater, and after death he
suffers a hellish existence.
- Who observes this
sacred Jyeṣṭha-śukla Ekādhaśī and gives something in charity certainly
achieves liberation from the cycle of repeated birth and death and
attains to the supreme abode.
- Observing this Ekādhaśī, which
is merged with Dvādhaśī, frees one from the horrible sin of killing a
brāhmaṇa, drinking liquor and wine, becoming envious of one’s spiritual
master and ignoring his instructions, and continually telling lies.
- On the next day (Dwadhasi), if
one satisfies a qualified brāhmaṇa with nice sweets and a donation of
cows and money – such a person certainly pleases the Supreme Lord
Vāsudeva, so much so that one hundred previous generations in his family
undoubtedly go to the Supreme Lord’s abode, even though they may have
been very sinful, of bad character, and guilty of suicide, etc. Indeed,
one who observes this amazing Ekādhaśī rides on a glorious celestial
airplane (vimāna) to the Lord’s abode.
- One who on this day gives a brāhmaṇa a waterpot, an umbrella, or shoes surely goes to the heavenly planets.
- Whoever performs the śrāddha ceremony to the forefathers
on the dark-moon day called amāvasyā, particularly if it occurs at the
time of a solar eclipse undoubtedly achieves great merit. But this same
merit is achieved by him who simply hears this sacred narration – so
powerful and so dear to the Lord is this Ekādhaśī.
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