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June/july

Yogini Ekadasi: from the Brahma-vaivarta purana.

Yudhisthira Maharaj said, “Oh Supreme Lord, I have heard the glories of the nirjala ekadasii, which occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha (May – June). Now I wish to hear from You about the suddha ekadasii that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of ashadha (June – July). Kindly describe to me all bout it in detail, Oh killer of the Madhu demon (Madhusudana).”

The Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna, then replied, “Oh king, I shall indeed tell you about the best of all fasting days, the ekadasii that comes during the dark part of the month of ashadha. Famous as Yogini ekadasii, it removes all kinds of sinful reactions and awards supreme liberation.

“Oh best of kings, this ekadasii delivers people who are drowning in the vast ocean of material existence and transports them to the shore of the spiritual world. In all the three worlds, it is the chief of all sacred fasting days. I shall now reveal this truth to you by narrating a history recounted in the puranas.

“The king of alakapuri – Kuvera, the treasurer of the devas (demigods) – was a steadfast devotee of lord Shiva. He employed a servant named hemamali as his personal gardener. Hemamali, a Yaksha like Kuvera, was very lustfully attracted to his gorgeous wife, swarupavatii, who had large, enchanting eyes.

“hemamali’s daily duty was to visit manasarovara Lake and bring back flowers for his master, Kuvera, with which he would use them in the puja offerings to lord Shiva. One day, after picking the flowers, hemamali went to his wife instead of returning directly to his master and fulfilling his duty by bringing the flowers for the puja. Absorbed in loving affairs of a bodily nature with his wife, he forgot to return to the abode of Kuvera.

“Oh king, while hemamali was enjoying with his wife, Kuvera had begun the worship of lord Shiva as normal in his palace and soon discovered that there were no flowers ready to be offered in the midday puja. The lack of such an important item (upachara) angered the great Koshad-yaksha (treasurer of the devas) even more, and he asked a Yaksha messenger, ‘Why has dirty-hearted hemamali not come with the daily offering of flowers? Go find out the exact reason and report back to me in person with your findings.’ The Yaksha returned and told Kuvera, ‘Oh dear lord, hemamali has become lost in freely enjoying coitus with his wife.’

“Kuvera became extremely angry when he heard this and at once summoned lowly hemamali before him. Knowing that he had been remiss and dawdling in his duty and exposed as meditating on his wife’s body, hemamali approached his master in great fear. The gardener first paid his obeisances and then stood before his lord, whose eyes had become red with anger and whose lips trembled in rage. So enraged, Kuvera cried out to hemamali, ‘Oh you sinful rascal! Oh destroyer of religious principles! You are a walking offense to the devas! I therefore curse you to suffer from white leprosy and to become separated from your beloved wife! Only great suffering is deservedly yours! Oh lowborn fool, leave this place immediately and betake yourself to the lower planets to suffer!’

“And so hemamali fell at once from grace in alakapuri and became ill with the terrible affliction of white leprosy. He awoke in a dense and fearful forest, where there was nothing to eat or drink. Thus he passed his days in misery, unable to sleep at night due to pain. He suffered in both winter and summer season, but because he continued to worship lord Shiva himself with faith, his consciousness remained purely fixed and steady. Although implicated by great sin and its attendant reactions, he remembered his past life because of his piety.

“After wandering for some time here and there, over mountains and across plains, hemamali eventually came upon the vast expanse of the himalayan mountain ranges. There he had the wonderful good fortune to come in contact with the great saintly soul markanndeya Rishi, the best of ascetics, whose duration of life it is said, extends to seven of the days of brahma.

“markandeya Rishi was seated peacefully at his Ashrama, looking as effulgent as a second brahma. Hemamali, feeling very sinful, stood at a distance from the magnificent sage and offered his humble obeisances and choice prayers. Always interested in the welfare of others, markandeya Rishi saw the leper and called him near, “Oh you, what sort of sinful deeds have you done to earn this dreadful affliction?’

“Hearing this, hemamali painfully and ashamed replied, ‘Dear sir, I am a Yaksha servant of lord Kuvera, and my name is hemamali. It was my daily service to pick the flowers from the manasarovara lake for my master’s worship of lord Shiva, but one day I was negligent and was late in returning with the offering because I had become overwhelmed with lusty passion for enjoying bodily pleasures with my wife. When my master discovered why I was late, he cursed me in great anger to be as I am before you. Thus I am now bereft of my home, my wife, and my service. But fortunately I have come upon you, and now I hope to receive from you an auspicious benediction, for I know that devotees such as you are as merciful as the Supreme Lord (Bhakta Vatsala) and always carry the interest of others uppermost in their hearts. That is their – your nature. Oh best of sages, please help me!’

“Softhearted markandeya Rishi replied, ‘Because you have told me the truth, I shall tell you about a fast day that will benefit you greatly. If you fast on the ekadasii that comes during the dark fortnight of the month of ashadha, you will surely be freed of this terrible curse.’

Hemamali fell to the ground in complete gratitude and offered him his humble obeisances again and again. But markandeya Rishi stood there and lifted poor hemamali u to his feet, filling him with inexpressible happiness.

“Thus, as the sage had instructed him, hemamali dutifully observed the ekadasii fast, and by its influence he again became a handsome Yaksha. Then he returned home, where he lived very happily with his wife.”

Lord Sri Krishna concluded, “So, you can readily see, Oh Yudhishthira that fasting on Yogini ekadasii is very powerful and auspicious. Whatever merit one obtains by feeding eighty-eight thousand brahmins is also obtained simply by observing a strict fast on Yogini ekadasii. For one who fasts on this sacred ekadasii, she (ekadasii Devi), destroys heaps of past sinful reactions and makes him most pious. Oh King, thus I have explained to you the purity of Yogini ekadasii.”

 

Sayan ekadasii – Deva Sayani ekadasi – Padma ekadasi from the Bhavishya-uttara purana.

 

The saintly king Yudhishthira Maharaj said, “Oh Keshava, what is the name of that ekadasii that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of ashadha (June – July)? Who is the worshippable Deity for the auspicious day, and what is the process for observing this event?”

Lord Sri Krishna replied, “Oh caretaker of this Earthly planet, I shall gladly tell you a wonderful historical event that the deva lord brahma once narrated to his son narad Muni.

 “One day narad Muni asked his father, ‘What is the name of the ekadasii that comes during the light part of the month of ashadha’, much as you did? ‘Kindly tell me how I should observe this ekadasii and thus please the Supreme Lord, Sri Vishnu.’

“Lord brahma replied, ‘Oh great saintly orator, O best of all sages, Oh purest devotee of Lord Vishnu, your question is as usual excellent for all mankind. There is nothing better than ekadasii, the day of Lord Sri Hari, in this or any other world. It nullifies even the worst sins if observed properly. For this reason I shall tell you about this ashadha-shukla ekadasii.

 “ ‘Fasting on this ekadasii purifies one of all sins and fulfills all ones desires. Therefore, whoever neglects to observe this sacred fast day is a good candidate for entering into hell. Ashadha-shukla ekadasii is also famous as padma ekadasii. Just to please the Supreme Lord Hrishikesha, the master of the senses, one should fast on this day. Listen carefully, Oh narad, as I relate to you a wonderful historical event that was recorded in the scriptures regarding this ekadasii. Just hearing this account destroys all kinds of sins, along with all obstacles on the path to spiritual perfection.

“ ‘Oh son, there was once a saintly king in the Surya Vamsha (Sun dynasty) whose name was mandhata. Because he always stood up for the truth, he was appointed emperor. He took care of his subjects as though they were his very own family members and children. On account of his piety and great religiosity, there was no pestilence, drought, or disease of any kind in his entire kingdom. All his subjects were not only free of all kinds of disturbances but also were very wealthy. The king’s own treasury was free of any ill-gotten moneys, and thus he ruled happily for many years.

“ ‘Once, however, because of some sin in his kingdom, there was a drought for three years. The subjects found themselves beset by famine also. The lack of food grains made it impossible for them to perform the prescribed Vedik sacrifices, offer oblations of grita (ghee) to their forefathers and to the devas, engage in any ritualistic worship, or even study the Vedik literatures. Finally, they all came before their beloved king in a great assembly and addressed him thus, ‘Oh king, you always see to our welfare, so we humbly beg your assistance now. Everyone and everything in this world needs water. Without water, almost everything is rendered useless or dead. The Vedas call water nara, and because the Supreme Personality of Godhead sleeps upon water, His another name is narayana. God makes His own abode on water and takes His rest there.

 It is said that three things cannot exist without water; pearls, human beings, and flour. The essential quality of a pearl is its luster, and that is due to water. The essence of a man is his semen, whose main constituent is water. And without water, flour cannot be made into dough and then be cooked into various forms of bread, offered and eaten. Sometimes water is called jala-narayana, the Supreme Lord in the form of this life sustaining substance – water.

 In His form as the clouds, the Supreme Lord is present throughout the sky and pours forth rains, from which grow the grains that maintain every living entity.

“ ‘ “Oh king, the severe drought has caused a great lack of valuable grains; thus we are all miserable, and the population is decreasing as people die off or leave your kingdom. Oh best ruler on Earth, please find some solutions to this problem and bring us to peace and prosperity once again.”

 “ ‘The king replied, “You speak the truth, for grains are like Brahman, the Absolute Truth, who lives within grains and thereby sustains all beings. Indeed, it is because of grains that the entire world lives. Now, why is there a terrible drought in our kingdom? The Holy Scriptures discuss this subject very thoroughly. If a king (or head of the country) is irreligious, both he and his subjects suffer. I have meditated upon the cause of our problem for a long time, but after searching my past and present character I can honestly say that I find no sin. Still, for the good of all your subjects, I shall try to remedy the situation.”
 Thinking in this way, King mandhata assembled his army and entourage. Paid his obeisances to me, and then entered the forest. He wandered here and there, seeking great sages in their Ashrams and inquiring about how to resolve the crisis in his kingdom. At last he came upon the ashram of one of my other sons, angira Muni, whose effulgence lit up all directions. Seated in his hermitage, angira looked like a second brahma. King mandhata was very pleased to see that exalted sages, whose senses were completely under control.

“ ‘The king immediately dismounted his horse and offered his respectful obeisances at the lotus feet of angira Muni. Then the king joined his palms and prayed for the Muni’s blessings. That saintly person reciprocated by blessing the king with sacred mantras; then he asked him about the welfare of the seven limbs of his kingdom. The seven limbs of a king’s domain are the king himself; the ministers; his treasury; his military forces; his allies; the brahmins; the sacrificial performances performed in the kingdom and the needs of the subjects under his care.

 “ ‘After telling the sage how the seven limbs of his kingdom were situated, King mandhata asked the sage about his own situation, and if he was happy. Then angira Muni asked the king why he had undertaken such a difficult journey into the forest, and the king told him of the affliction his kingdom was suffering. The king said, “Oh great sage, I am ruling and maintaining my kingdom while following the Vedik injunctions, and thus I do not know the reason for the drought. To solve this mystery, I have approached you for help. Please help me relieve the suffering of my subjects.”

“ ‘angira Rishi said tot he king, ‘The present age, Satya yuga, is the best of all ages, for in this age Dharma stands on all four legs (Truthfulness, Austerity, Mercy, and Cleanliness). In this age everyone respects Brahmins as the topmost members of society. Also, everyone fulfills his occupational duties, and only twice-born Brahmins are allowed to perform Vedik austerities and penances. Although this is a standard, Oh lion among kings, there is one shudra (uninitiated, untrained person) who is thus unlawfully performing the rites of austerity and penance in your kingdom. This is why there is no rain in your land. You should therefore punish this labourer with death, for by so doing you will remove the contamination inflicted by his actions and restore peace to your subjects.”

“ ‘The king then replied, “How can I kill an offenseless performer of austerity and sacrifice? Please give me some spiritual solution.”

“ ‘The great sage angira Muni then said, “Oh king, you should observe a fast on the ekadasii that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of ashadha. This auspicious day is named padma ekadasii, and by its influence plentiful rains and thus grains and other foodstuffs will surely return to your kingdom. This ekadasii bestows perfection upon its faithful observers, removes all kinds of bad elements, and destroys all obstacles on the path to perfection. Oh king, you, your relatives, and your subjects should all observe this sacred ekadasii fast. Then everything in your kingdom will undoubtedly return to normal.”
“ ‘Upon hearing these words, the king offered his obeisances and then returned to his palace. When the padma ekadasii arrived, King mandhata assembled all the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and shudras in his kingdom and instructed them to strictly observe this important fast day. After they had observed it, the rains fell, just as the sage had predicted, and in due course of time there were abundant crops and a rich harvest of grain. By the mercy of the Supreme Lord Hrishikesha, the master of the senses, all the subjects of King mandhata became extremely happy and prosperous.

“ ‘Therefore, Oh Narada, everyone should observe this ekadasii fast very strictly, for it bestows all kinds of happiness, as well as ultimate liberation, upon the faithful devotee’

Lord Sri Krishna concluded, “My dear Yudhishthira, padma Ekadasi is so powerful that one who simply reads or hears its glories becomes completely sinless. Oh pandava, one who wishes to please Me should strictly observe this ekadasii, which is also known as Deva-sayani ekadasii

 Deva-sayani, or Vishnu-sayani, indicates the day when Lord Vishnu goes to sleep with all the devas (demigods). It is said that after this day one should not perform any new auspicious ceremonies until devotthani ekadasii (Haribodhini (Probodhini) Devotthaani (Uttana) ekadasii), which occurs during the month of kartika (October – November), because the devas (demigods), being asleep, cannot be invited to the sacrificial arena and because the Sun is travelling along its Southern course (Dakshinayanam).

“Lord Sri Krishna continued, “Oh lion among kings, Yudhishthira Maharaj, whoever wants liberation should regularly observe a fast on this ekadasi which is also the day when the Chaturmasya fast begins.”

Thus ends the narration of the glories of the ashadha-shukla ekadasii –
also known as padma ekadasii or Deva-sayani ekadasii – from the Bhavishya-uttara purana.