Putrada Ekadasi / 9th -january-2006 !!!!

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PutradA EkAdasii

Putradaa Ekaadasii - Pausha-shukla Ekaadasii: The pious and saintly Yudhisthira

Maharaj said, "Oh Lord, You have so nicely explained to us the wonderful

glories of the Saphalaa Ekaadasi, which occurs during the dark fortnight

(Krishna paksha) of the month of Pausha (December – January). Now please be

merciful to me and explain to me the details of the Ekaadasi that occurs in the

light fortnight (Shukla or Gaura paksha) of this month. What is its name, and

what Deity is to be worshipped on that sacred day? Oh Purushottama, Oh

Hrishikesha, please also tell me how You can be pleased on this day?

 

Lord Sri Krishna then replied, "Oh saintly king, for the benefit of all humanity

I shall now tell you how to observe fasting on the Pausha-shukla Ekaadasi. As

previously explained, everyone should observe the rules and regulations of the

Ekaadasi vrata, to the very best of their ability. This injunction also applies

to the Ekaadasi named Putradaa, which destroys all sins and elevates one to the

spiritual abode. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Shri Narayana, the original

personality, is the worshippable Deity of the Ekaadasi, and for His faithful

devotees He happily fulfils all desires and awards full perfection. Thus among

all the animate and inanimate beings in the three worlds (lower, middle and

higher planetary systems), there is no better personality than Lord Narayana.

"Oh King, now I shall narrate to you the history of Putradaa Ekaadasi, which

removes all kinds of sins and makes one famous and learned. "There was once a

kingdom named Bhadraavati, which was ruled by King Suketumaan. His queen was

the famous Shaibyaa. Because he had no son, he spent a long time in anxiety,

thinking, 'If I have no son, who will carry on my dynasty?' In this way the

king meditated in a religious attitude for a very long time, thinking, 'Where

should I go? What should I do? How can I get a pious son ( putra)? In this way

King Suketumaan could find no happiness anywhere in his kingdom, even in his

own palace, and soon he was spending more and more time inside his wife's

palace, gloomily thinking only of how he could get a son.

"Thus both King Suketumaan and Queen Shaibyaa were in great distress. Even when

they offered tarpana (oblations of water to their forefathers), their mutual

misery made them think that it was as undrinkable as boiling water. They thus

thought that they would have no descendents to offer tarpana to them when they

died and thus become lost souls (

ghosts). The king and queen were especially upset to learn that their

forefathers were worried that soon there would be no one to offer them tarpana

also.

"After learning of their forefather's unhappiness, the king and queen became

more and more miserable, and neither ministers, nor friends, nor even loved

ones could cheer them up. To the king, his elephants and horses and infantry

were no solace, and at last he became practically inert and helpless.

"The king thought to himself, 'It is said that without a son, marriage is

wasted. Indeed, for a family man with no son, both his heart and his splendid

house remain vacant and miserable. Bereft of a son, a man cannot liquidate the

debts that he owes his forefathers, the demigods (devas) and to other human

beings. Therefore every married man should endeavour to beget a son; thus he

will become famous within this world and at last attain the auspicious

celestial realms. A son is proof of the pious activities a man performed in his

past one hundred lifetimes, and such a person achievew a long duration of life

in this world, along with good health and great wealth. Possessing sons and

grandsons in this lifetime proves that one has worshipped Lord Vishnu, the

Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the past. The great blessing of sons,

wealth, and sharp intelligence can be achieved only by worshipping the Supreme

Lord, Shri Krishna. That is my opinion.'

"Thinking thus, the king had no peace. He remained in anxiety day and night,

from morning to evening, and from the time he lay down to sleep at night until

the sun rose in the morning, his dreams were equally full of great anxiety.

Suffering such constant anxiety and aprehension, King Suketumaan decided to end

his misery by committing suicide. But he realised that suicide throws a person

into hellish conditions of rebirth, and so he abandoned that idea. Seeing that

he was gradually destroying himself by his all consuming anxiety over the lack

of a son, the king at last mounted his horse and left for the dense forest

alone. No one, not even the priests and brahmins of the palace, knew where he

had gone.

 

"In that forest, which was filled with deer and birds and other animals, King

Suketumaan wandered aimlessly, noting all the different kinds of trees and

shrubs, such as the fig, bel fruit, date palm, jackfruit, bakula, saptaparnaa,

tinduka, and tilaka, as well as the shala, taala, tamaala, saralaa, hingotaa,

arjuna, labheraa, bahedaa, sallaki, karondaa, patala, khaira, shaka, and

palaasha trees. All were beautifully decorated with fruits and flowers. He saw

deer, tigers, wild boar, lions, monkeys, snakes, huge bull elephants in a rut,

cow elephants with their calves, and four-tusked elephants with their mates

close by. There were cows, jackals, rabbits, leopards, and hippopotamuses.

Beholding all these animals accompanied by their mates and offspring, the king

remembered his own menagerie, especially his palace elephants, and became so

sad that he absentmindedly wandered into their very midst.

"Suddenly the king heard a jackal howl in the distance. Startled, he began

wandering about, looking around in all directions. Soon it was midday, and the

king started to tire. He was tormented by hunger and thirst also. He thought,

'What sinful deed could possibly have done so that I am now forced to suffer

like this, with my throat parched and burning, and my stomach empty and

rumbling? I have pleased the devas (demigods) with numerous fire sacrifices and

abundant devotional worship. I have given many gifts and delicious sweets in

charity to all the worthy brahmins too. And I have taken care of my subjects as

though they were my very own children. Why then am I suffering so? What unknown

sins have come to bear fruit and torment me in this dreadful way?'

"Absorbed in these thoughts, King Suketumaan struggled forward, and eventually,

due to his pious credits, he came upon a beautiful lotus bearing pond that

resembled the famous Lake Maanasarova. It was filled with aquatics, including

crocodiles and many varieties of fish, and gaced with varieties of lilies and

lotuses. The beautiful lotuses had opened to the Sun, and swans, cranes and

ducks swam happily in its waters. Nearby were many attractive ashramas, where

there resided many saints and sages who could fulfil the desires of anyone.

Indeed, they wished everyone well. When the king saw all this, his right arm

and right eye began to quiver, a sakuna sign (for a male) that something

auspicious was about to happen.

 

"As the king dismounted his horse and stood before the sages, who sat on the

shore of the pond, he saw that they were

chanting the holy names of God on japa beads. The king paid his obeisances and,

joining his palms, addressed them with glorified praises. Observing the respect

the king offered them, the sages said, 'We are very pleased with you, Oh king.

Kindly tell us why you have come here. What is on your mind? Please inform us

what is your heart's desire.'

"The king replied, 'Oh great sages, who are you? What are your names, surely

your presence reveals that you are auspicious saints? Why have you come to this

beautiful place? Please tell me everything.' "The sages replied, 'Oh king, we

are known as the ten Vishvadevas (the sons of Vishva; Vasu, Satya, Kratu,

Daksha, Kaala, Kaama, Dhriti, Pururavaa, Maadrava, and Kuru). We have come here

tothis very lovely pond to bathe. The month of Magha (Madhava mase) will soon be

here in five days (from the Magh nakshatra), and today is the famous Putradaa

Ekaadasii. One who desires a son should strictly observe this particular

Ekaadasii.'

"The king said, 'I have tried so hard to have a son. If you great sages are

pleased with me, kindly grant the boon of having a good son (putra).' " 'The

very meaning of Putradaa,' the sages replied, '…is "giver of a putra, pious

son." So please observe a complete fast on this Ekaadasii day. If you do so,

then by our blessing – and by the mercy of Lord Sri Keshava invested in us –

surely you will obtain a son.' "On the advice of the Vishvadevas, the king

observed the auspicious fast day of Putradaa Ekaadasii according to the

established rules and regulations, and on the Dvaasasii, after breaking his

fast, he paid obeisances again and again to all of them.

 

"Soon after Suketumaan returned to his palace and united with his queen. Queen

Shaibya immediately became pregnant, and exactly as the Vishvadevas had

predicted, a bright faced, beautiful son was born to them. In due cource of

time he became famous as an heroic prince, and the king gladly pleased his

noble son by making him his successor. The son of Suketumaan took care of his

subjects very conscientiously, just as if they were his own children.

"In conclusion, Oh Yudhisthira, one who wises to fulfill his desires should

strictly observe Putradaa Ekaadasii. While on this planet, one who strictly

observes this Ekaadasii will surely obtain a son, and after death he will

achieve liberation. Anyone who even reads or hears the glories of Putradaa

Ekaadasii obtains the merit earned by performing an horse sacrifice. It is to

benefit all humanity that I have explained all this to you."

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Pausha-shukla Ekaadasii, or Putradaa

Ekaadasii, from the Bhavishya Purana of Veda Vyaasadeva. These stories have

been summarised and slightly changed, abbreviated or added to from how they are

found in the celebrated book, "Ekadasi: The Day of Lord Hari" 1986. HH Krishna

Balaram Swami. Bhaktivedanta Institute Press.