The Story of Ekadasi / http://www.salagram.net/ekadasi-page.htm#Story%20of%20ekadasi

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Vyasadeva, "Oh Gurudeva! Previously, by your mercy, you described to me

thehistory of the glories of the Ganga river, the benefits of worshipping

Vishnu, the giving of grains in charity, the giving of water in charity, and

the magnanimity of drinking the water that has washed the feet of the

brahmanas. O best of the sages, Sri Gurudeva, now, with great enthusiasm, I

desire to hear the benefits of fasting on Ekadasi and the appearance of

Ekadasi. kasmad ekadasi jata tasyah ko va vidhir dvija kada va

kriyate kim va phalam kim va vadasva me ka va pujyatama tatra devata

sad-gunarnava

akurvatah syat ko dosa etan me vaktum arhasi "Oh Gurudeva! When did Ekadasi

take birth and from whom did she appear? What are the rules of fasting on the

Ekadasi? Please describe

the benefits of following this vow and when it should be followed. Who is the

utmost worshippable presiding deity of Sri Ekadasi? What are the faults in not

following Ekadasi properly? Please bestow your mercyupon me and tell about

these subjects, as you are the only personality able to do so." Srila

Vyasadeva, upon hearing this enquiry of Jaimini Rsi, became situated in

transcendental bliss. "Oh brahmana sage Jaimini! The results of following

Ekadasi can only be perfectly described by the Supreme Lord, Narayana, because

Sri Narayana is the only personality capable of describing them in full. But I

will give a very brief description in answer to your question." "At the

beginning of the material creation, the Supreme Lord created the moving and

nonmoving living entities within this world made of five gross material

elements. Simultaneously, for the purpose of punishing

the humans beings, He created a personality whose form was the embodiment of sin

(Papapurusha). The different limbs of this personality were constructed of the

various sinful activities. His head head was made of the sin of murdering a

brahmana, his two eyes were the form of the sin of drinking intoxicants, his

mouth was made of the sin of stealing gold, his ears were the form of the sin

of having illicit connection with the spiritual master's wife, his nose of the

sin of killing one's wife, his arms the form of the sin of killing a cow, his

neck made of the sin of stealing accumulated wealth, his chest of the sin of

abortion, his lower chest of the sin of having sex with another's wife, his

stomach of the sin of killing one's relatives, his navel of the sin of killing

those who are dependent on him, his waist of the sin of self appraisal, his

thighs of the sin of offending the guru, his genital of the sin of selling

one's daughter, his buttocks of the sin of telling confidential

matters, his feet of the sin of killing one's father, and his hair the form of

lesser, less severe sinful activities. In this way, a horrible personality

embodying all the sinful activities and vices was created. His bodily colour is

black, and his eyes are yellow. He inflicts extreme misery upon sinful persons."

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, upon seeing this personality

of sin, began to think to Himself as follows: 'I am the creator of the miseries

and happiness for the living entities. I am their master because I have created

this personality of sin, who gives distress to all dishonest, deceitful, and

sinful persons. Now I must create

someone who will control this personality.' At this time Sri Bhagavan created

the personality known as Yamaraj and the different hellishj planetary systems.

Those living entities who are very sinful will be sent after death to Yamaraj,

who will in turn, according to their sins, send them tom a hellish region to

suffer. "After these adjustments had been made, the Supreme Lord, who is the

giver of distress and happiness to the living entities, went to the house of

Yamaraj, with the help of Garuda, theking of birds. When Yamaraj saw that Lord

Vishnu had arrived, he immediately washed His feet and made an offering unto

Him. He then had Him sit upon a golden throne. The Supreme Lord, Vishnu, became

seated on the throne, whereupon He heard very loud crying sounds coming from the

southern direction. He became surprised by this and thus enquired from Yamaraj,

'From where is this loud crying coming?' "Yamaraj in reply said, 'Oh Deva! The

different living entities of the earthly planetary systems have fallen into the

hellish regions. They are suffering extremely for their misdeeds. The horrible

crying is because of suffering from the inflictions of their past bad karma

(actions).' "After hearing this the Supreme Lord, Vishnu, went to the hellish

region to the south. When the inhabitants saw who had come they began to cry

even louder. The heart of the Supreme Lord, Vishnu, became filled with

compassion. Lord Vishnu thought to Himself, 'I have created all this progeny,

and it is because of Me thatthey are suffering.'" Srila Vyasadeva continued:

"Oh Jaimini, just listen to what the Supreme Lord did next. etac

canyac ca viprarse vicintya karunamayah babhuva sahasa tatra

svayam ekadasi tithih'After the merciful Supreme Lord thought over what He had

previously considered, He suddenly manifested from His

own form the deity of the lunar day Ekadasi.' Afterwards the different sinful

living entities began to follow the vow of Ekadasi and were then elevated

quickly to the abode of Vaikuntha. Oh my child Jaimini, therefore the lunar day

of Ekadasi is the selfsame form of the Supreme Lord, Vishnu, and the Supersoul

within the heart of the living entities. Sri Ekadasi is the utmost pios

activity and is situated as the haed among all vows. "Following the ascension

of Sri Ekadasi, that personality who is the form of the sinful activity

gradually saw the influence she had. He approached Lord Vishnu with doubts in

his heart and began offering many prayers, whereupon Lord Vishnu became very

pleased and said, ' I have become very pleased by your nice offerings. What

boon is it that you want?' "The Papapurusha replied, 'I am your created

progeny, and it is through me that you

wanted distress given to the living entities who are very sinful. But now, by

the influence of Sri Ekadasi, I have become all but destroyed. Oh Prabhu! After

I die all of Your parts andparcels who have accepted material bodies will become

liberated and therefore return to the abode of Vaikuntha. If this liberation of

all living entities takes place, then who will carry on Your activities? There

will be no one to enact the pastimes in the earthly planetary systems! Oh

Keshava! If You want these eternal pastimes to carry on, then You please save

me from the fear of Ekadasi. No type of pious activity can bind me. But Ekadasi

only, being Yourown manifested form, can impede me. Out of fear of Sri Ekadasi I

have fled and taken shelter of men; animals; insects; hills; trees; moving and

nonmoving living entities; rivers; oceans; forests; heavenly, earthly, and

hellish planetary systems; demigods; and the Gandarvas. I cannot find a place

where I can be free from fear of Sri Ekadasi. Oh my

Master! I am a product of Your creation, so therefore very mercifully direct me

to a place where I can reside fearlessly.'" Srila Vyasadeva then said to

Jaimini, "After saying this, the embodiment of all sinful activities

(Papapurusha) fell down at the feet of the Supreme Lord, Vishnu, who is the

destroyer of all miseries and began to cry. "After this, Lord Vishnu,

observing the condition of the Papapurusha with laughter, began to speak thus:

'Oh Papapurusha! Rise up! Don't lament any longer. Just listen, and I'll tell

you where you can stay on the auspicious lunar day of Ekadasi. On the day

of Ekadasi, which is the benefactor of the three worlds, you can take shelter of

foodstuff in the form of grains. There is no reason to worry about this any

more, because My form as Sri Ekadasi Devi will no longer impede you.' After

giving direction to the Papapurusha, the Supreme Lord, Vishnu, disappeared and

the Papapurusha returned to the performance of his own activities. "Therefore

those persons who are serious about the ultimate benefit for the soul will

never eat grains on the Ekadasi tithi. According to the instructions of Lord

Vishnu, every kind of sinful activity that can be found in the material world

takes its residence in this place of foodstuff (grain). Whoever follows Ekadasi

is freed from all sins and never enters into hellish regions. If one doesn't

follow Ekadasi because of illusion, he is still considered the utmost sinner.

For every mouthful of grain that is eaten by a resident of the earthly region,

one

receives the effect of kiling millions of brahmanas. It is definately necessary

that one give up eating grains on Ekadasi. I very strongly say again and again,

'On Ekadasi, don't eat grains, don't eat grains, don't eat grains!' Whether one

be a ksatriya, vaisya, shudra, or of any family, he should follow the lunar day

of Ekadasi. From this the perfection of varna and ashram will be attained.

Especially since even if one by trickery follows Ekadasi, all of his sin become

destroyed and he very easily attains the supreme goal, the abode of Vaikuntha."

"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