Fasting to remove curse of ghostEkadasi story

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April 7 - Papamocani EkadasiBreak fast on April 8 between 08:26 - 09:47 for

California.The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna,replied, "0 best

of kings, for the benefit of everyoneI shall gladly describe to you the glories

of this Ekadasi which is known as Papamocani. The history ofthis Ekadasi was

once narrated to the emperor Mandhataby Lomasa Risi. King Mandhata addressed

the risi, '0 great sage, for the benefit of all people, please tellme the name

of the Ekadasi that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Caitra,

and please explainthe process for observing it. Also, please describe the

benefits one gains by observing this Ekadasi.'Lomasa Risi replied, 'The Ekadasi

that occurs duringthe dark part of the month of Caitra is named Papamocani

Ekadasi For the faithful devotee it removesthe influences of ghosts and demons.

0 lion among men,this Ekadasi also awards the eight perfections oflife, fulfills

all kinds of desires, purifies one'slife of all sinful reactions, and makes a

personperfectly virtuous.'Now please listen to a historical account

concerningthis Ekadasi and Citraratha, the chief of theGandharvas [heavenly

musicians]. During the springseason, in the company of heavenly dancing girls,

Citraratha once came upon a beautiful forest burstingforth with a great variety

of flowers. There he and the girls joined other Gandharvas and many

Kinnaras,along with Lord Indra himself, the king of heaven, who was enjoying a

visit there. Everyone felt that therewas no better garden than this forest.

Many sages werealso present, performing their austerities and penanceThe

demigods particularly enjoyed visiting thiscelestial garden during the months

of Caitra andVaisakha [April-May].'A great sage named Medhavi resided in that

forest,and the very attractive dancing girls would alwaysattempt to seduce him.

One famous girl in particular,Manjughosa, contrived many ways to allure the

exaltedmuni, but out of great respect for the sage and fearof his power, which

he had attained after years andyears of asceticism, she would not come very

close tohim. At a spot two miles from the sage, she pitched atent and began

singing very sweetly as she played atamboura. Cupid himself became excited when

he saw andheard her perform so nicely and smelled the fragranceof her

sandal-paste unguent. He remembered his ownunfortunate experience with Lord

Siva and decided totake revenge by seducing Medhavi.''Using the eyebrows of

Manjughosa as a bow, her glances as a bowstring, her eyes as arrows, and

herbreasts as a target, Cupid approached Medhavi in order to tempt him to break

his trance and his vows. Inother words, Cupid engaged Manjughosa as his

assistant, and when she looked at that powerful andattractive young sage, she

also became agitated by lust. Seeing that he was highly intelligent andlearned,

wearing a clean white brahmana's thread draped across his shoulder, holding a

sannyasi'sstaff, and sitting handsomely in the asrama of Cyavana Risi,

Manjughosa came before him.'She began to sing seductively, and the small bells

on her belt and around her ankles, together with thebangles on her wrists,

produced a delightful musical symphony. The sage Medhavi was enchanted.

Heunderstood that this beautiful young woman desired union with him, and at

that instant Cupid increasedhis attraction for Mahjughosa by releasing his

powerful weapons of taste, touch, sight, smell, andsound.'Slowly Manjughosa

approached Medhavi, her bodily movements and sweet glances attracting him.

Shegracefully put her tamboura down and embraced the sage with her two arms,

just as a creeper winds itselfaround a strong tree. Captivated, Medhavi gave up

his meditation and decided to sport with her-and instantlyhis purity of heart

and mind abandoned him. Forgetting even the difference between night and day,

he wentaway with her to sport for a long, long time.'Seeing that the young

yoga's sanctity had become seriously eroded, Manjughosa decided to abandon

himand return home. She said, "0 great one, please permit me to return

home."'Medhavi replied, "But you have only just arrived, 0 beautiful one.

Please stay with me at least untiltomorrow."'Fearful of the sage's yogic power,

Manjughosa stayed with Medhavi for precisely fifty-seven years, ninemonths, and

three days, but to Medhavi all this time seemed like a moment. Again she asked

him, "Pleasepermit me to leave."Medhavi replied, "0 dear one, listen to me.

Stay with me for one more night, and then you may leavetomorrow morning. Just

stay with me until after I have performed my morning duties and chanted the

sacredGayatri mantra. Please wait until then."

Manjughosa was still fearful of the sage's great yogic power, but she forced a

smile and said, "Howlong will it take you to finish your morning hymns and

rituals? Please be merciful and think of all the timeyou have already spent

with me.""'The sage reflected on the years he had been with Manjughosa and then

said with great astonishment,"Why, I have spent more than fifty-seven years

withyou!" His eyes turned red and began to emanate sparks. He now regarded

Manjughosa as death personified andthe destroyer of his spiritual life. "You

rascal woman! You have turned all the hard-earned results ofmy austerities to

ashes!" Trembling with anger, he cursed Manjughosa "0 sinful one, 0

hard-hearted,degraded one! You know only sin! May all terrible fortune be

yours! 0 rascal woman, I curse you tobecome an evil hobgoblin pisaca!"Cursed by

the sage Medhavi, the beautiful Manjughosa humbly beseeched him, "O best of the

brahmanas, pleasebe merciful to me and revoke your curse! 0 great one, it is

said that association with pure devotees givesimmediate results but their

curses take effect only after seven days. I have been with you for

fifty-sevenyears, 0 master, so please be kind to me!"

'Medhavi Muni replied, "0 gentle lady, what can Ipossibly do? You have destroyed

all my austerities.But even though you have done this sinful deed, Ishall tell

you a way you can be released from my wrath. In the dark fortnight of the

month of Caitrathere is an allauspicious Ekadasi that removes all one's sins.

Its name is Papamocani, 0 beautiful one,and whoever fasts on this sacred day

becomes completely freed from having to take birth in any kindof devilish

form."'With these words, the sage left at once for his father's asrama. Seeing

him enter the hermitage,Cyavana Muni said, "0 son, by acting unlawfully you

have squandered the wealth of your penances andausterities."'Medhavi replied,

"O Father, kindly reveal what atonement I must perform to remove the obnoxious

sin Ihave incurred by privately associating with the dancing girl

Manjughosa'''Cyavana Muni answered, "Dear son, you must fast on Papamocani

Ekadasi, which occurs during the darkfortnight of the month of Caitra. It

eradicates all sins, no matter how grievous they may be."'Medhavi followed his

father's advice and fasted on Papamocani Ekadasi. Thus all his sins were

destroyedand he again became filled with excellent merit.Similarly, Manjughosa

observed the same fast andbecame free of the hobgoblin curse. Ascending once

again to the heavenly spheres, she too returned to her former position.'Lomasa

Risi continued, 'Thus, 0 king, the greatbenefit of fasting on Papamocani

Ekadasi is thatwhoever does so with faith and devotion will have allhis sins

completely destroyed.'Sri Krsna concluded, "0 King Yudhisthira, whoever reads

or hears about Papamocani Ekadasi obtains the very same merit he would get if

he donated a thousand cows in charity, and he also nullifies the

sinfulreactions he may have incurred by killing a brahmana, killing an embryo

through abortion, drinking liquor,or having sex with his guru's wife. Such is

the incalculable benefit of properly observing this holyday of Papamocani

Ekadasi, which is so dear to Me and so meritorious