Ekadasi Alert: Thu, 11th Mar, 2010

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Papamochani

Ekadasi

From the Bhavishya-uttara

PuranDate  -  Thu, 11th Mar, 2010Breakfast:  06:29 AM - 10:29 AM  Next day

***Sri Yudhisthira MAharAja said, " Oh Supreme Lord, I have heard from You the explanation of

Amalakii EkAdasii

which occurs during the light fortnight of the month of PhAlguna

(February-March), and now I wish to hear about the EkAdasii that occurs

during the dark fortnight of the month of Chaitra (March-April). What

is its name, Oh Lord, and what results can one attain by observing it? "  

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, replied, " O best

of kings, for the benefit of everyone I shall gladly describe to you

the glories of this EkAdasii, which is known as PApamochanii. The

history of this EkAdasii was once narrated to the Emperor MAndhAta by

Lomasa Rishi. King MAndhAta addressed the Rishi, 'Oh great sage, for

the benefit of all people, please tell me the name of the EkAdasii that

occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Chaitra, and please

explain the process for observing it. Also, please describe the

benefits one gains by observing this EkAdasii.' 

 

" Lomasa Rishi replied, " The EkAdasii that occurs during the dark part

of the month of Chaitra is named PApamochanii EkAdasii. For the

faithful devotee it removes the influences of ghosts and demons. Oh

lion among men, this EkAdasii also awards the eight perfections of

life, fulfils all kinds of desires, purifies one's life of all sinful

reactions, and makes a person perfectly virtuous. 

 

" 'Now please listen to a historical account concerning this EkAdasii

and Chitraratha, the chief of the Gandharvas (heavenly musicians).

During the spring season, in the company of heavenly dancing girls,

Chitraratha once came upon a beautiful forest bursting forth with a

great variety of flowers. There he and the girls joined the Gandharvas

and many Kinnaras, along with Lord Indra himself, the king of heaven,

who was enjoying a visit there. Everyone felt that there was no better

garden than this forest. Many sages were also present, performing their

austerities and penances. The demigods particularly enjoyed visiting

this celestial garden during the months of Chaitra and Vaisakha

(April-May). 

 

" 'A great sage named MedhAvi resided in that forest, and the very

attractive dancing girls would always attempt to seduce him. One famous

girl in particular, MaNjughoshA, contrived many ways to allure the

exalted Muni, but out of great respect for the sage and feat of his

power, which he had attained after years and years of ascetics, she

would not come very close to him. At a spot two miles from the sage,

she pitched a tent and began singing very sweetly as she played a

tamboura.

Cupid himself became excited when he saw and

heard her perform so nicely and smelled the fragrance of her

sandal-paste unguent. He remembered his own unfortunate experience with

Lord Shiva and decided to take revenge by seducing MedhAvi. (see

footnote 1) 

 

" 'Using the eyebrows of MaNjughoshA as a bow, her glances as a

bowstring, her eyes as arrows, and her breasts as a target, Cupid

approached MedhAvi in order to tempt him to break his trance and his

vows. In other words, Cupid engaged MaNjughoshA as his assistant, and

when she looked at that powerful and attractive young sage, she also

became agitated by lust. Seeing that he was highly intelligent and

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

shoulder, holding a sannyasi's staff, and sitting handsomely in the

asrama of Chyavana Rishi, MaNjughoshA came before him. 

 

" 'She began to sing seductively, and the small bells of her belt and

around her ankles, together with the bangles on her wrists, produced a

delightful musical symphony. The sage MedhAvi was enchanted. he

understood that this beautiful young woman desired union with him, and

at that instant Cupid increased his attraction for MaNjughoshA by

releasing his powerful weapons of taste, touch, sight, smell, and

sound. " 'Slowly MaNjughoshA approached MedhAvi, her bodily movements

and sweet glances attracting him. She gracefully put her tamboura down

and embraced the sage with her two arms, just as a creeper winds itself

around a strong tree.

Captivated, MedhAvi gave up his meditation

and decided to sport with her - and instantly his purity of heart and

mind abandoned him. Forgetting even the difference between night and

day, he went away with her to sport for a long, long time. (see

footnote 2) 

 

" 'Seeing that the young yogi's sanctity had become seriously eroded,

MaNjughoshA decided to abandon him and return home. She said. " O great

one, please permit me to return home. " " 'MedhAvi replied, " But you have

only just arrived, O beautiful one. Please stay with me at least until

tomorrow. " " 'Fearful of the sage's yogic power, MaNjughoshA stayed with

MedhAvi for precisely fifty-seven years, nine months, and three days,

but to MedhAvi all this time seemed like a moment. Again she asked him,

" Please permit me to leave. " " 'MedhAvi replied, " O dear one, listen to

me. Stay with me for one more night, and then you may leave tomorrow

morning. Just stay with me until I have performed my morning duties and

chanted

the sacred GAyatri mantra. Please wait until then. "  

 

" 'MaNjughoshA was still fearful of the sage's great yogic power, but

she forced a smile and said, " How long will it take you to finish your

morning hymns and rituals? Please be merciful and think of all the time

you have already spent with me. "  

 

" 'The sage reflected on the years he had been with MaNjughoshA and then

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

years with you! " His eyes turned red and began to emanate sparks. He

now regarded MaNjughoshA as death personified and the destroyer of his

spiritual life. " You rascal woman! You have turned all the hard-earned

results of my austerities to ashes! " Trembling with anger, he cursed

MaNjughoshA, " Oh sinful one, Oh hard-hearted, degraded one! You know

only sin! May all terrible fortune by yours! Oh rascal woman, I curse

you to become an evil hobgoblin - pishAcha! "  

 

" 'Cursed by the sage MedhAvi, the beautiful MaNjughoshA humbly

beseeched him, " Oh best of the brAhmanas, please be merciful to me and

revoke your curse! Oh great one, it is said that association with pure

devotees gives immediate results but their curses take effect only

after seven days. I have been with you for fifty-seven years, Oh

master, so please be kind to me! "  

 

" 'MedhAvi Muni replied, " Oh gentle lady what can I possibly do? You

have destroyed all my austerities. But even though you have done this

sinful deed, I shall tell you a way you can be released from my wrath.

In the dark fortnight of the month of Chaitra there is an

all-auspicious EkAdasii that removes all one's sins. Its name is

PApamochanii, Oh beautiful one, and whoever fasts on this sacred day

becomes completely freed from having to take birth in any kind of

devilish form. "  

 

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

Seeing him enter the hermitage, Chyavana Muni said, " Oh son, by acting

unlawfully you have squandered the wealth of your penances and

austerities. " " 'Medhavi replied, " Oh Father, kindly reveal what

atonement I must perform to remove the obnoxious sin I have incurred by

privately associating with the dancing girl MaNjughoshA. " " 'Chyavana

Muni answered, " Dear son, you must fast on PApamochanii EkAdasii, which

occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Chaitra. It eradicates

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

father's advice and fasted on PApamochanii EkAdasii. Thus all his sins

were destroyed and he again became filled with excellent merit.

Similarly. MaNjughoshA observed the same fast and became free of the

hobgoblin curse. Ascending once again to the heavenly spheres, she too

returned to her former position.' " Lomasha Rishi continued, 'Thus, Oh

king, the great benefit of fasting on PApamochanii EkAdasii is that

whoever does so with faith and devotion will have all his sins

completely destroyed.' 

 

Sri Krishna concluded, " Oh King Yudhishthira, whoever reads or hears

about PApamochanii EkAdasii obtains the very same merit he would get if

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

reactions 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 holy day of

PApamochanii EkAdasii, which is so dear to Me and so meritorious. "  

 

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Chaitra-Krishna EkAdasii, or PApamochaniii EkAdasii, from the Bhavishya-uttara PurAna.

 

 

Footnotes: 

 

 

1.

After Lord Shiva lost his dear wife Sati at the sacrificial arena of

PrajApati Daksha, Shiva destroyed the entire arena. Then he brought his

father-in-law Daksha back to life by giving him the head of a goat, and

finally he sat down to meditate for sixty thousand years. Lord BrahmA,

however, arranged for KAmadeva (Cupid) to come and break Shiva's

meditation. Using his arrows of sound, taste, touch, sight, and smell,

Cupid attacked Shiva, who at

last awoke from his trance. He was so angry at being disturbed that he

instantly burned Cupid to ashes with a glance from his third eye.

 

 

2. Female association is so powerful that a man forgets his

time, energy, possessions, and even his own identity. As it is said in

the Niti-shAstra,

striya charitram purushasya bhAbyaM daivo vijAnAti kuto manushyAh:

" Even the demigods cannot predict the

behavior of a woman. Nor can they understand the fortune of a man or

how it will determine his destiny. " According to Yajnavalkya Muni, " A

(celibate)

person who desires spiritual life should give up all association with

women, including thinking of them, seeing them, talking with them in a

secluded place, taking service from them, or having sexual intercourse

with them. " --

*** Date and breakfast timing is mentioned for Bangalore city (India). Please visit nearest ISKCON temple for date and breakfast timing.