Sept/October

Indira ekadasii – from the Brahma-vaivarta purana.

Yudhishthira Maharaj said, “Oh madhusudana, Oh killer of the Madhu demon, what is the name of the ekadasii that occurs during the dark fortnight (krishna paksha) of the month of Ashwina (September-October)? Please describe its glories to me.”

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna then replied, “This Holy day is called indira ekadasii. If a person fasts on this day, all his sins are eradicated and his forefathers who have fallen into hell are liberated. Oh best of kings, one who simply hears about this sacred ekadasii achieves the great merit earned by performing a horse sacrifice.

“In the Satya-yuga there lived a king named Indrasena, who was so powerful that he destroyed all his enemies. His kingdom was called Mahishmati-puri. The glorious and highly religious King Indrasena took good care of his subjects, and therefore he was rich in gold, grains, sons, and grandsons. He was greatly devoted to Lord Sri Vishnu as well. He especially enjoyed chanting My name, calling out ‘Govinda! Govinda!’ In this way King Indrasena systematically dedicated himself to pure spiritual life and spent much time meditating on the Absolute Truth.

“One day, as King Indrasena happily and peacefully presided over his assembly, the perfect orator, Sri narada Muni, was seen descending. White as a conch, shining like the moon, like a jasmine flower, like a lightening bolt, narada Muni descending from the sky.  He is decorated with matted locks of reddish hair. The king offered Devarishi narada, the saint among the devas (demigods), great respect by greeting him with joined palms, inviting him into the palace, offering him a comfortable seat, washing his feet, and speaking sweat words of welcome. Then narada Muni said to maharaj Indrasena, ‘Oh king, are the seven limbs of your kingdom prospering?
         The seven limbs of a king’s domain being; the king’s well being himself, his ministers, his treasury, his military forces, his allies, the braahmanas, the sacrifices performed in his kingdom, and the needs of the king’s subjects.
         Is your mind absorbed in thinking of how you can properly perform your occupational duty? Are you becoming more and more devoted and dedicated to the service of the Supreme Lord, Sri Vishnu?

“The king replied, ‘By your kind grace, Oh greatest of sages, everything is quite well. Today, just by your presence all the sacrifices in my kingdom are successful ! Please show me mercy and explain the reason for your kind visit here.’

“Sri narada, the sage among the devas, then said, ‘Oh lion among kings, listen to my astonishing words. When I descended from Brahmaloka to Yamaloka, Lord yamaraja praised me very graciously and offered me an excellent seat. As I glorified his truthfulness and wonderful service to the Supreme Lord, I noticed your father in yamaraja’s assembly. Though he had been very religious, because he broke an ekadasii fast prematurely, he had to go to the Yamaloka. Your father gave me a message for you. He said, “In Mahishmati lives a king named Indrasena. Please tell him about my situation here – that because of my past sinful deeds I have somehow been forced to reside in yamaraja’s kingdom. Please give him this message from me: ‘Oh son, kindly observe the coming indira ekadasii and give much in charity so I can go upward to heaven.’ “
         Philosophically we can understand that very living entity is an individual, and individually everyone has to practice Krishna consciousness to traverse back to home, back to Godhead. As stated in garuda purana, someone who is suffering in hell cannot practice Krishna consciousness, because this requires some mental peace, which the reactionary tortures of hell make impossible. If a relative of a sinner suffering in hell gives some charity in the name of the sinner, he can leave hell and enter the heavenly planets. But if the sinner's relative observes this ekadasii fast for his suffering kinsman, the kinsman goes directly to the spiritual world, as stated in this narration based on Brahma-vaivarta puranam.

“narada continued, ‘Just to deliver this message, Oh king, have I come to you. You should help your father by observing the fast of indira ekadasii. By the merit you gain, your father will go to heaven.’

“King Indrasena asked, ‘Oh great naradji, please be merciful and tell me specifically how to observe a fast on indira ekadasii, and also tell me during what month and on what day it occurs.’

“narada Muni replied, ‘Oh king, please listen as I describe to you the full process of observing the indira ekadasii. This ekadasii occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Ashwina. On the Dashami tithi, the day before ekadasii, rise early in the morning, take bath, and then do some service for God with full faith. At noon, bathe again in running water and then offer oblations to your forefathers with faith and devotion. Be sure not to eat more than once on this day and at night sleep on the floor.
        “When you awaken on ekadasii morning, cleanse your mouth and teeth thoroughly and then with deep devotion for the Lord take this sacred vow: ‘Today I shall fast completely and give up all kinds of sense enjoyment. Oh lotus-eyed Supreme Personality of Godhead, Oh infallible one, please give me shelter at Your lotus feet.” At noon, stand before the sacred form of the Sri Shaligram Shila and worship Him faithfully, following all the rules and regulations; then offer oblations of ghee into the sacred fire, and tarpana directed to help your forefathers. Next, feed qualified Brahmins (obviously non-grain prasadams) and offer them some charity according to your means. Now take the food pindas you offered to your forefathers, smell it, and then offer it to a cow. Next, worship Lord Hrishikesha with incense and flowers, and finally, remain awake all night near the Deity of Lord Sri Keshava.
         “Early in the morning of the next day, dvadasi tithi, worship Sri Hari with great devotion and invite Brahmin devotees to a sumptuous feast. Then feed you relatives, and finally take your meal in silence. Oh king, if you strictly observe a fast on indira ekadasii in this way, with controlled senses, your father will surely be elevated to the abode of lord Vishnu.’ After saying this, Devarishi narada immediately disappeared from the scene to bless someone else with his presence.
         “King Indrasena followed the great saint’s instructions perfectly, observing the fast in the association of his relatives and servants. As he broke his fast on the dvadasi tithi, flowers fell from the sky. The merit that Indrasena maharaj earned by observing this fast released his father from the kingdom of yamaraja and caused him to attain a completely spiritual body. Indeed, Indrasena saw him rising to the abode of Lord Hari on the back of garuda Vahan. Indrasena himself was able to rule his kingdom without any obstacles, and in time when he handed over the kingdom to his son he also went to the spiritual realm of Vaikuntha.
         “Oh Yudhishthira, these are the glories of the indira ekadasii, which occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Ashwina. Whoever hears or reads this narration certainly enjoys life in this world, is freed of all reactions to his past sins, and at the time of death returns home, back to Godhead, where he lives eternally.”

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Ashwina-krishna ekadasii, or indira ekadasii,
taken from the Brahma-vaivarta purana.

 

 

Paashunkushaa Ekadasi - from the Brahma-vaivarta purana.

 

Yudhishthira maharaj said, Oh madhusudana, what is the name of the ekadasii that comes during the light fortnight of the month of Ashvina (September - October)? 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 this ekadasii - papankusha ekadasii - 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 humbly obeisances unto Lord Vishnu, the rider of garuda, 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 ekadasii, never sees yamaraj, the king of death's punishing abode. Nor does such a devotee who fasts on papankusha ekadasii, which is very dear to Me, see that plutonic abode."

    "Both the Vaishnava who criticises Lord Shiva and the Shaivite (Saivite) who criticises 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 ekadasii. There is no higher merit one can achieve than that attained by fasting on ekadasii. Indeed, nothing in all the three worlds is as pleasing or as able to purify one of accumulated sin as ekadasii, the day of the lotus-naveled Lord, Padmanabha.

"O king, until a person observes a fast on the day of Lord Padmanabha named papankusha ekadasii, 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 ekadasii. Whosoever observes it faithfully never has to see death personified, Lord yamaraj. One who desires liberation, elevation to the heavens, good health, beautiful women, wealth, and food grains should simply fast on this pashunkusha ekadasii. 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 ekadasii.

    "O maharaj Yudhishthira, protector of the earth, after observing ekadasi 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 ekadasii. 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 renown great enemy of the snakes. This is the benediction My devotee earns simply by observing one papankusha ekadasii properly.

    "O best of kings, whether one is a child, a youth, or in old age, fasting on papankusha ekadasii frees him from all sins and makes him immune to suffering a hellish rebirth. Whosoever observes a fast on the papankusha ekadasii 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 ekadasii, 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 ekadasii, 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 does not suffer the punishments of yamaraj. Indeed, one should understand that a person much 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 ekadasii goes to the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vishnu.)

    Lord Sri Krishna then concluded, "Thus, Oh saintly Yudhishthira, I have narrated to you the glories of the auspicious papankusha ekadasii."

Thus ends the narration of the glories of the papankusha ekadasii, or Ashwina-shukla ekadasii,
from the Brahma-vaivarta purana.