Aparaa Ekadasi

[Guest guest]

Yudhisthira Maharaja said, " O Janardana, what is the name of

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

Jyestha(May-June)? I wish to hear the glories of this sacred day.

Please narrate everything to me. "

Lord Sri Krishna said, " O king, your inquiry is wonderful because

the answer will benefit the whole human society. This Ekadasi is

so sublime and meritorious that even the greatest sins can be

erased by its potency. O great king, the name of this unlimitedly

meritorious Ekadai is Aparaa Ekadasi. Whoever fasts on this holy

day becomes famous all over the universe. Even such sins as

killing a brahmana, a cow, or an embryo; blasphemy; or having sex

with another man's wife are completely eradicated by observing

Aparaa Ekadasi. "

" O king, people who bear false witness are most sinful. A person

who falsely or sarcastically glorifies another; one who cheats while

weighing something on a scale; one who fails to execute the duties

of his varna or asrama(an unqualified man's posing as a brahmana,

for example , or person's reciting the Vedas wrongly); one who

invents his own scriptures; one who cheats others; one who is a

charlatan astrologer, a cheating accountant, or a false ayurvedic

doctor - all these are surely as bad as a person who bears false

witness, and they are all destined for hell. But simply by observing

Apara Ekaasi, all such sinners become completely free of their

sinful reactions. "

" Warriors who fall from their ksatriya-dharma and flee the

battlefield go to a ferocious hell. But, O Yudhisthira, even such a

fallen ksatriya, if he observes fasting on Apara Ekadasi, is freed of

that great sin and goes to heaven. "

" That disciple is the greatest sinner who, after receiving a proper

spiritual education from his spiritual master, turns around and

blasphemes him. Such a so-called disciple suffers unlimitedly. But

even he, if he simply observes Aparaa Ekadasi, can attain to the

spiritual world. Listen, O king, as I describe to you further glories of

this Ekadasi. "

" The merit attained by one who performs all of the following acts

of piety is equal to the merit achieved by one who observes Apara

Ekadasi: bathing three times a day in Puskara-ksetra during

Kartika; bathing at Prayag in the month of Magha when the sun is

in the zodiac; rendering service to Lord Siva at Varanasi during Siva-

ratri; offering oblations to one's forefathers at Gaya; bathing in the

sacred Gautami river when Jupiter transits Leo; having darsana of

Lord Siva at Kedaranatha; seeing Lord Badrinatha when the sun

transits the sign of Aquarius; and bathing at the solar eclipse at

Kuruksetra and giving cows, elephants, and gold there in charity.

All the merit one gets from performing these pious acts is gained

by a person who observes the Apara Ekadasi fast. Also, the merit

attained by one who donates a pregnant cow, along with gold and

fertile land, is attained by one who fasts on this day. "

" In other words, Apara Ekadasi is an axe that cuts down the fully

matured tree of sinful deeds, it is a forest fire that burns sins as if

they were firewood, it is the sun blazing before one's dark

misdeeds, and it is a lion stalking the meek deer of impiety.

Therefore, O Yudhisthira, whoever truly fears his past and present

sins must observe Apara Ekadasi very strictly. One who does not

observe this fast must be born again in the material world, like one

bubble among millions in a huge body of water, or like a small ant

among all other species. "

" Therefore one must faithfully observe the sacred Apara Ekadasi

and worhip the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Trivikrama.

One who does so is freed of all his sins and promoted to the abode

of Lord Visnu. "

" O Bharata, for the benefit of all humanity I have thus described

to you the importance of holy Apara Ekadasi. ANyone who hears

or reads this description is certainly freed from all kinds of sins, O

king. "

 

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Jyeshta-krsna Ekadasi, or

Apara Ekadasi, from the Brahmanda Purana.

 

Taken from the book " Ekadasi, The Day of Lord Hari " by Krsna

Balaram Swami, @1986