Rama Ekadashi // रमा एकादशी
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Rama Ekadashi Importance & Story.
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The importance of the fast and the story associated it with was narrated
to Yudhishtira by Lord Krishna. People observing the fast read or
listen to the Rama Ekadasi Vrat Katha. It is said that this Ekadasi is a
wish fulfilling one.
Legend has it that there lived a
powerful and famous king named Muchukunda. He was an ardent devotee of
Lord Vishnu and his kingdom was famous through out the world.
King Muchukunda had a daughter named Chandrabhaga, she was married to
Prince Shobhana. Once, the newly married prince and princess visited
Muchukunda. It was during the Ekadasi period and Princess Chandrabhaga
was worried as Prince Shobhana was weak and could not bear hunger so he
will not be able to observe Ekadasi fasting. King Muchukunda was strict
about observing Ekadasi fasting.
So Princess Chandrabhaga
asked the prince to return back to his kingdom. But Prince Shobhana
wanted to observe the Ekadasi fasting.
All the people in
the kingdom including the Prince started observing the fast. At night
all the people kept vigil. Prince Shobhana could not bear the hunger and
thirst and died during the course of the night.
Due to
the influence of observing Rama Ekadasi, Prince Shobhana became the king
of Devapura – kingdom of celestial beings – and the city was located
atop the Mandara Mountain. But the kingdom was a temporary one as the
Prince had only observed the Ekadasi fasting once.
Once a
learned saint from the land of King Muchukunda visited Shobhana. The
Prince was happy to receive the saint and to hear about his wife. Then
Shobhana told the saint that he needed the help of his wife to make his
temporary kingdom permanent as she was always observing Ekadasi fasting
and she has the power to do it.
The saint went to the
Princess and told about her husband, Shobhana, and his new Kingdom.
Princess Chandrabhaga wanted to meet her husband and for this she took
the help of Sage Vamadeva who was residing in the Mandara Mountain. Soon
she was transported to the temporary celestial kingdom of her husband.
Due to the power of observing Rama Ekadasi the kingdom became permanent
and royal couple became celestial beings.
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HSVJ
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Pashankusha Ekadashi : पापाकुंशा एकादशी
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Story of of Pashankusha Ekadashi
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Yudhishthira
Maharaj said, “Oh Madhusudana, what is the name of the Ekadashi that
comes during the light fortnight of the month of Ashvina?
Please be merciful and disclose this truth to me."
The
Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna replied, "Oh king, please
listen as I explain the glories of Pashankusha Ekadashi - which removes
all sins. On this day one should worship the Deity of Padmanabha, the
lotus naveled Lord Vishnu, according to the rules of archana viddhi
(regulations). By so doing, one achieves whatever heavenly pleasures one
may want in this world, and at last attains liberation from this world
thereafter. Simply by offering one's humble obeisances unto Lord Vishnu,
one can achieve the same merit as is gained by performing great
penances for a long time restraining and controlling the senses.
Although a person might have committed unlimited and abominable sins, he
can still escape hellish punishment just by paying his obeisances to
Lord Sri Hari, the taker away of all sin."
"The merits gained by
going on pilgrimage to the Holy Tirthas of this earthly planet can also
be achieved simply by chanting the Holy names of Lord Vishnu. Whosoever
chants these sacred names - such as Rama, Vishnu, Janardana or Krishna -
especially on Ekadashi, never sees Yamaraj, the king of death's
punishing abode. Nor does such a devotee who fasts on Pashankusha
(Papankusha) Ekadashi, which is very dear to Me, see that hellish
place."
"Both the Vaishnava who criticizes Lord Shiva and the
Shaivite who criticizes Me certainly go to hell. The merit obtained by
performing one hundred horse sacrifices and one hundred Rajasurya
sacrifices is not even equal to one sixteenth of the merit a devotee is
able to attain by fasting on Ekadashi. There is no higher merit one can
achieve than that attained by fasting on Ekadashi. Indeed, nothing in
all the three worlds is as pleasing or as able to purify one of
accumulated sin as Ekadashi, the day of the lotus-naveled Lord,
Padmanabha.”
"O king, until a person observes a fast on the day
of Lord Padmanabha named Papankusha Ekadashi, he remains sinful, and the
reactions of his past sinful activities never leave him like a chaste
wife. There is no merit in all the three worlds that can match the merit
that one gains by observing a fast on this Ekadashi. Whosoever observes
it faithfully never has to see death personified, Lord Yamaraj. One who
desires liberation, elevation to the heavens, good health, wealth, and
food grains should simply fast on this Pashankusha Ekadashi. O king,
neither the Ganges, Gaya, Kashi, nor Pushkara, nor even the Holy site of
Kurukshetra, can grant as much auspicious merit as this Papankusha
Ekadashi.
O Maharaj Yudhishthira, protector of the earth, after
observing Ekadashi during the daytime, the devotee should remain awake
through the night, absorbed in hearing, chanting and serving the Lord -
for by so doing he easily attains to the Supreme abode of Lord Vishnu.
Not only that, but ten generations of ancestors on his mother's side,
ten generations on his father's side, and ten generations on his wife's
side are all liberated by a single observance of a fast on this
Ekadashi. All these ancestors attain their original, four armed
transcendental Vaikuntha forms. Wearing yellow garments and beautiful
garlands, they ride to the spiritual realm on the back of Garuda, the
renowned great enemy of the snakes. This is the benediction My devotee
earns simply by observing one Papankusha Ekadashi properly.
"O
best of kings, whether one is a child, a youth, or in old age, fasting
on Papankusha Ekadashi frees him from all sins and makes him immune to
suffering a hellish rebirth. Whosoever observes a fast on the Papankusha
Ekadashi becomes free of all his sins and returns to the spiritual
abode of Lord Sri Hari. Whosoever donates gold, sesame seeds, fertile
land, cows, grain, drinking water, an umbrella, or a pair of shoes on
this most auspicious of Holy days will never have to visit the abode of
Yamaraj, who always punishes the sinners. But if a resident of earth
fails to perform spiritual deeds, especially the observance of a fast on
days such as Ekadashi, his breathing is said to be no better, or of as
much use as the breathing/puffing of a blacksmith's bellows.
O
best of the kings, especially on this Papankusha Ekadashi, even the poor
should first bathe and then give some charity according to their means,
and perform other auspicious activities in accordance with their
ability.
Whosoever performs sacrifices and benefits the people,
or builds public ponds, resting places, gardens, or houses do not suffer
the punishments of Yamaraj. Indeed, one should understand that a person
must have performed such pious activities as these in the past life if
he is long lived, wealthy, of high birth, or free from all diseases. But
a person who observes Papankusha Ekadashi goes to the abode of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vishnu.”
Thus ends the narration
of the glories of the Pashankusha Ekadashi or Papankusha Ekadashi, or
Ashwina-shukla Ekadashi, from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana.
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