The Significance of Ekadasi

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also an essential element; it has other deeper aspects. In fact, the fast is

only a practical expression and a symbol of something else that we are expected

to do, which is of special significance to our personality. Those who know

astronomy as something which tells about the inter-relation of the planetary

system, the stellar world, would be aware that we form a part of this planetary

or solar system. By a system we mean an organism or organisation which is

methodically arranged. When we know that we belong to the system of planetary

motions, we understand thereby that we are an inseparable part of the system.

We are not unrelated bodies on the surface of the earth, like a cart on the

road which has no organic link. We belong to the solar system—a huge family of

which the sun is the head and the planets are the members. The sun guides the

activities of this family and we, being contents of this system, cannot be out

of the influence of the sun. We are involved in the laws operating

in this system. This has led to the discovery of astrology. Astronomy studies

the movements of planets and stars, and astrology the effects they produce on

the contents of the system. The Ekadasi observance is an astrological

phenomenon and it is observed due to this relation we have with some of the

planets in the system. The entire personality of ours is tremendously

influenced by the movement of planets. There is no use imagining that the

planets are above our heads. They are everywhere. There is a relative movement

of planets among which the earth is one. The movement of one thing in relation

to another is a relative movement. There is no planet which is static. Even the

sun is not ultimately static. The whole solar system is moving and rushing

towards some huge star, which is eighty million times larger and brighter than

the sun, whose light has not yet reached us, as astronomers tell us. We have to

understand that there is relative motion amongst planets and we are relatively

influenced by the planets., Each planet tells upon our system and we cannot get

rid of the influence of theirs as long as we are in this planet, of which we

are a part. The gravitational pull of planets has an influence on us. The

sun is said to influence the centre of our personality; hence the sun is called

Atmakaraka. He is the soul-influencer of the human body. In the Rig-veda, the

sun is identified with the soul of the universe as well as the soul of the

individual. The different limbs of our body and different parts of our system

are supposed to be influenced by different planets. The sun is capable of

influencing the entire being. He is, thus, the Atmakaraka. Karaka is doer,

manipulator, director. If there is no sun, we know what difference it makes for

us; our digestion becomes sluggish on days when there

is no sun. So important is the sun. The moon is supposed to influence the

mind. The mind is also made up of material substance. The mind is not spiritual

but material. How is mind matter? This can be known if we know how, in

Homeopathy, the medicine is manufactured. In Allopathy, they give the crude

base of a medicine, which Homeopathy calls mother tincture. In Homeopathy, one

drop of mother tincture is mixed with hundred drops of rectified spirit and

shaken with a tremendous force. That mixture is one potency of medicine. One

drop of that is mixed in hundred drops of spirit again. It becomes 2 potency

medicine. Likewise, they have larger potencies. So, you can imagine what

happens to the medicine when it reaches the higher potency. There is no

medicine at all. So, Homeopathy says, they give no medicine, but a

vibration,—vibration of the original base-material. It is a subtle aromatic

vibration, aromatic in the sense of the subtle

residium of the original medicine; and what will create a circumstance in

Allopathy will remove that very circumstance in Homeopathy. Nevertheless this

potency is material in the sense that it is formed of matter. So is the mind.

It is the subtle portion of the material substance of our food. The subtle

essence of the food, not only directly taken through the mouth but through all

senses, contribute to the make up of the mind or the mind-stuff. Mind is

material in a subtle sense, like a mirror which is made of earth-material only,

though it shines. Only the mirror is able to reflect light, and not the brick,

though it is also made of the earth material. Mind is material in this sense.

It is very, very subtle and is made up of everything that we take. So, matter

influences matter. Planets are not spiritual bodies, and yet they influence the

mind. The mind's presiding deity is moon. Ekadasi is particularly relevant to

this relation of moon and mind. You will find that, when you go

deep into the study of astronomy, you have nothing in your body except some

planetary influences! We are made up of planetary forces and there is nothing

independent to call our own. One part belongs to one planet and another part to

another planet. If each planet claims its part, you will disintegrate. The moon

influences the mind in its orbital relative movement with reference to other

planets and us. How, is Ekadasi related to the movement of moon and mind?

We

have certain centres called Chakras in the body. The Chakras are nothing but

energy-centres which whirl in some direction as water whirls in a river. Chakra

is a wheel or circular motion. They move in a spiral shape. They are not

physical; but psycho-physical and psychological. These Chakras are neither in

the mind nor in the body; they are in the astral body. The moon's influence

physically on the body has an influence on the Chakras, which tells upon the

mind ultimately. The mind moves through these Chakras. The passage of the mind

is through these Chakras, up and down. When this operation takes place

consciously, it is called Yoga; When done unconsciously by the mind, it is just

influence. When the moon waxes or wanes, the mind is vehemently influenced. So

people who are not normal in their minds become very bad on the full-moon and

new-moon days. You cannot see the moon's influence on the earth because it is

solid, but it can be seen on the ocean which is liquid. The moon

influences the whole earth, but its influence is visible on the large body of

waters in the sea. This happens due to the twofold pressure of the relation of

the earth and moon. The sun influences the moon and the moon influences the

earth. When the influence occurs automatically, we are instruments in the hands

of Nature. When it is done consciously, we are said to practise Yoga. We can be

involuntarily dragged from place to place, or we can walk voluntarily. The

difference is obvious. The moon's movement tells upon the movement of the mind

through the Chakras. Another important aspect is the seat of the mind

which is also twofold. You may be living in many houses, of which one or two

are your own. Svasthana means 'One's own place.' The mind has several abodes or

centres of energy called Chakras, of which two are its own. The seats of the

mind in this personality of ours are: 1. the subtle spot in the astral body

corresponding

to the centre of the two eye-brows, in waking, and 2. the heart, in the state of

deep sleep. If it is in the brain, it is active and you, then, do not get sleep,

because it refuses to go down. If the mind is midway between the centre of the

eye-brows and the heart, it is dream state. So, there is a twofold centre of

the mind,—the Ajna-Chakra, or the centre between the eye-brows, and

the Anahata Chakra, or the heart. In both these centres, the mind feels at home

and is at ease, because it is nearer to itself. In other centres it is

extrovert. In the Ajna and the Anahata Chakras it finds itself at home. In the

two fortnights, in its movement, it finds itself at the Ajna Chakra and the

Anahata Chakra on the eleventh day. Since these two Chakras are its own abode,

the mind is at home here, i.e., it gets concentrated and collected easily. This

has been the experience given out by our ancients, and this has to be taken

advantage of by Sadhakas. You are capable of concentration when the mind is

naturally in its home. The mind cannot be concentrated when it is out of tune,

but when it is in its location it is easy of contemplation. So, the Ekadasi day

in both fortnights is the occasion when the mind finds itself in its place—in

the bright fortnight in the Ajna Chakra, and in dark fortnight in the Anahata

Chakra. Seekers and Yogis take advantage of these

two days and try to practise deep meditation. Vaishnavas treat Ekadasi as a very

holy day and also observe a fast on that day. Fast and meditation! What

connection have they? There is really no intrinsic connection between fast and

meditation, but there is some advantage in keeping the body light and the

stomach free from excessive metabolic function. When the stomach is given the

duty of digestion, doctors will tell you, the blood circulation is accelerated

towards the digestive organs, on account of which blood circulation to the head

gets decreased after food is taken and so you feel sleepy and the thinking

faculty practically ceases to function. Hence, there is no advantage in giving

the physical system work on days you want to do Yogic practice. Thus, Ekadasi

has also a spiritual significance. The energy of the whole system gets

distributed equally if a particular limb is not given

any inordinate work. If any part is given heavy work, there is a dislocation of

the working of the body. So, in fasting the energy is equally distributed as the

digestive function is not there. But, there should be no overdoing in fast.

Fast is supposed to cause buoyancy of feeling and not fatigue. So people who

are sick and cannot observe a total fast take milk and fruits, etc. People who

are perfectly healthy and are confident, observe a complete fast. This helps in

control of mind and will. Apart from all these, there is a necessity to

give the physiological system some

rest once a while. It may be over-worked due to a little over-eating or

indiscrimination in diet. These irregularities unconsciously done during the

fourteen days get rectified in one day. Thus the observance of Ekadasi has

many advantages—physical, astral, spiritual—and because this day has connection

with the relation of the mind with its abode together with the moon, you feel

mysteriously helped in your meditation and contemplation,—mysteriously because

you cannot know this consciously. But you can feel this for yourself by

observing it. In India everything is interpreted spiritually. Every river is a

deity. Every mountain is a god. Everything is holy, dedicated to the Divine.

Everything is presided over by a particular god, Gramadevata, Grihadevata; etc.

Everywhere is God. The idea behind all this is that we have to feel the

presence of God in everything and everywhere. In space and in time, in

everything, there

is God. Time is God. Directions are God. Thus the very objects become

embodiments of God. This is India's religious sidelight, which is profoundly

meaningful in life.

"Why should you fear anything when you have such a Lord of the universe to take

care of you. I do everything for your good." - Baba

sairamdoris (AT) (DOT) es