ekadashi vratam nama
sarva kama phala pradam
kartabyam sarvada viprair
vishnu prinana karanam’
‘The brahamins should always observe Ekadashi to please Lord Vishnu for this fulfills all once spiritual desires’.
sarva kama phala pradam
kartabyam sarvada viprair
vishnu prinana karanam’
‘The brahamins should always observe Ekadashi to please Lord Vishnu for this fulfills all once spiritual desires’.
Ekadasi is for all varnas and asramas and even those who have gone to hell or attained animal body or degraded bodies can be elevated by following ekadasi even by accident as is seen in many Puranic accounts. The glories of Ekadasi is described in many places like in the Puranas .
.In Garga Samhita we read how Sri Radha in order to show to the world the importance of Ekadasi She strictly observed Eakdasi to obtain Her beloved Krsna , and also She stricly worshipped Tulsi devi .Sri Radha especially described the glories of ekadasi to the Sadhana Siddhas to attain entrance in the Maha Rasa lila:
The glories of Ekadashi described in Garga Samhita
Narad Muni said O Maithil ! Please hear about the topics of the Gopis which destroys all ones sinful activities awards piety, fulfils all ones desires and is the source of all auspiciousness.
There is country named Ushinara in South India. Once there was no rain fall in this country for ten years. The prosperous cowherd men of this place became afraid of the severe drought and they left for Braja Mandal along with their relatives and cows. O King! They came and lived at the transcendental abode of Vrindavan near Jamuna under the guidence of Nanda Maharaj. By the benediction of Ramachandra many gopis took birth in their families. They were all transcendental beautiful and decorated with fresh youth. O best of the kings! After seeing beautiful Krishna they became enchanted and in order to know how to please Krishna they approached Shri Radha.
The gopis said O Radhe! O daughter of King Vrisabhanu! O lotus eyed one! Please instruct us about a vow by which we can please Shri Krishna. Krishna the son of Nanda Maharaj and who is rarely attained even by the demigods is under your control. O Radhe! You are the enchanter of the entire universe and expert in all the scripture.
Shri Radha said, you should observe Ekadashi in order to please Shri Krishna. The the lord certainly be controlled there is no doubt about it. The gopis said, O Radhike ! please tell us the names of Ekadashis which occures during a full year and how one should observe Ekadashi. Radha replied, Ekadashi first appeared from the body of Lord Vishnu during the wanning moon in the month of November/December in order to kill demon Mura. Then this exalted Ekadashi appears every month in different form. For your benefit I am describing their names. Utpanna, Moksada, Saphala, Putrada, Sat tila, Jaya,Vjaya, Amlaki, Papamochani, Kamada, Varuthini, Mohini, Apara, Nirjala, Yogini, Devasayani, Kamini, Pavitra, Aja, Padma, Indira, Pasankusa, Rama, Prabodhini these are the twenty-four Ekadashis which occure during one complete year. Apart from them there are two more Ekadashis namely Padmini and Parama which occures during an extra leap year month. Any one who chants the names of these twenty-six Ekadashis, obtainsthe result of observing the vow of Dvadasi for the entire year.
O damshells of Braj! Now hear about the rules and regulations for observing Ekadashi. On the day before Ekadashi one should sleep on the floor eat only ones and control the sences. He should also drink water only ones and remain neat and clean. On the day of Ekadashi one should rise early in the morning during Brahma muhurta and offer obeisances to Lord Hari. To take bath with well water is the lowest, to take bath in a pond is medium, to take bath in a large pool is the highest and to take bath in a river is the best of all. A pious person should take bath in this way and give up his anger and greed. One should not apply oil on the day of Ekadashi. A person should give up associating with low class sinful and atheists on the day of Ekadashi A person who is observing the vow should carefully avoid the association of those who speak lies, who blaspheme the brahmins, who steal others things, who enjoy the association of others wife, who are miscreants and who do not show respects to the exalted personalities. On the day of Ekadashi one should worship lord Keshava with devotion and offer Him palatable foodstuffs, one should offer lamp in the temple of the lord. One should hear the glories of the vow from the mouth of a brahmin and then give him sufficient dakshina. One should remain awake on the night of Ekadashi while singing the transcendental glories of Krishna. One should avoid eating in a bellmetal plate, eating meat, pinkdal, any kind of intoxicant, spinach, honey preboiled rice, eating more then ones and indulging in sex life on the day before Ekadashi. On the day of Ekadashi one should give up gambling, sleeping, eating betalnuts and pan, brushing teeth, criticising others, cheating, stealing,becoming anvious,indulge in sex life, becoming angry and speaking lies.
On the day of Dvadasi one should not eat on a bellmetal plate, Urad Dal, Honey, Oil and contaminated food stuff. One should strictly follow these rules and regulations. The gopis said O Greatly learnedone! Please explain to us the proper time for observing Ekadashi. Shri Radha replied, if the tithi of dasami is consists of fiftyfive dandas then one should not fast on the next day rather he should fast on the day of Dvadasi. If an Ekadashi is conjoined with a fraction of second of Dasami then such an Ekadashi should be rejected like a pot of ganges water mixed with a drop of wine. If an Ekadashi extends on the day of Dvadasi then one should fast on the day of Dvadasi. O damshells of Braja by hearing the glories of Ekadashi one obtains the result of Vajpayee Sacrifice. The result one obtains by following a vow of a Dvadasi is equal to that of feeding 88,000 brahmins. By observing the vow of Ekadashi one obtains one thousand times more results then the result one obtains by donating the entire earth with all the oceans and forests. Observing the vow of Dvadasi is adviced as the means of deliverance for those who are absorbed in the ocean of material existence which is filled with the mare of sinful activities. If human beings observe Ekadashi by remaining awake on the night of Ekadashi then even if they are very sinful they do not go to the fearful abode of Yamaraja.
A person who worships lord Hari with devotion on the day of Dvadasi by offering him Tulasi leaves never become touched by sin just as a lotus leaf remains untouched
by water. The results of performing one thousand horse sacrifices and one hundred Raja Suya sacrifices is not even equal to the one sixteenth portions of the results obtained by observing Ekadashi. By observing Ekadashi a person delivers ten generations of his mothers family, ten generation from his fathers family and ten generations from his wifes family. A cow may be a white or black but both are qualitatively same because both give milk. Similarly the Ekadashis of both the waning moon and waxing moon are same in awarding piety,
O Gopis! An Ekadashi burns to ashes aheaps of sinful reactions of a person accumulated from one hundred life times. The charity given on the day of Dvadasi may it be less or more or given with or without proper rules and regulations, awards merits equal to that of a mountain. A person who hears the topics of Hari on the day of Ekadashi obtains the result of giving the entire earth which consists of seven Islands in charity. The piety one achieves by taking bath in the holy place of Gaya and seeing the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu is not even equal to the one sixteenth portion of piety obtained by observing Ekadashi. The merit one obtains by giving charity at Prabhasa Ksetra, Kuruksetra, Kedarnath, Badrikashrama, Kashi, Sukaraksetra, during solar and lunar eclips, as well as giving charity during four hundred thousand Sankrantis (When the sun enters into a perticular rasi) is not even equal to one sixteenth portion of merit one obtains by fasting on Ekadashi.
Shri Radha continued O Gopis! Just as Ananta is best among the snakes, Garuda is best among the birds, Lord Vishnu is best among the demigods, the brahmana is best among the varnas, banyan tree is best among the trees and tulasi is best among the leaves similarly the vow of Ekadashi is best among all the vows. The result one obtains by performing austerities for ten thousand years is obtained simply by observing the vow of a Dvadasi. O damshells of braja! Such are the glories of the vow of Ekadashi. All of you should immediately observe this vow.
The gopis said, O beautiful one! O daughter of king Vrisabhanu! You are expert in all scriptures. Even the statement of Brihaspati is baffled before the statement of you. O Radhe! You are directly the ocean of transcendental knowledge. Please describe to us perticularly the names of those who had previously observed these Ekadashis. Radha replied, O Gopis! Inorder to regain their lost kingdom the demigods had observed this sacred Ekadashi long long ago. King Vaishanta observed this Ekadashi inorder to deliver his forfather from the abode of Yamaraja. The sinful king Lumpaka who was rejected by his subjects observed the vow of Ekadashi and regained his lost kingdom. King Ketumana of Badravati who had no son observed the vow of Ekadashi according to the instruction of the learned brahmins and was blessed with a son. Once the wives of the demigods instructed the wife of the brahman to observe Ekadashi. Though that wife of the brahman was an ordinary human being yet she achieved prosperity and heavenly pleasure. Both Pushpa danta and Malyavan became ghosts due to being cursed by their enemies, but by observing the vow of Ekadashi they regained their original forms as Gandharva. In the ancient time inorder to built a bridge on the ocean and to kill Ravana Ramachandra observed this Ekadashi. At the end of the annihilation the demigods observed the vow of Ekadashi under the Amalaki tree for the benefit of entire world.
Sage Medhavi observed the vow of Ekadashi according to the instruction of his father and became freed from the bad association of Apsaras and thus became fully effulgent. A Gandharva named Lalit became a demon by the curse of his wife but by observing this Ekadashi he regained his position as a Gandharva. By observing the vow of Ekadashi many great kings like Mandata, Sagara,Kakutstha, Muchukunda and Dhundhumara went back to the spiritual world. By observing Ekadashi Lord Shiva became freed from the curse of brahma. A son of a Vaishya named Dristhabuddi returned to Vaikuntha by observing this Ekadashi. King Rukmangada also observed the vow of Ekadashi. As a result he enjoyed the whole world as his kingdom and yet the end of his life returned to Vaikuntha with his subjects. King Ambarisa also observed this Ekadashi and as a result even the inevitable curse of Lord Brahma could not touch him. A yaksa named Hema Mali became afflicted by leapracy due to the curse of Kubera but observing the vow of Ekadashi he became as good as the moon. By observing Ekadashi king Mahijit was blessed by a son and at the end of his life returned to Vaikuntha.
In Satyayuga there was a king named Shobhana who became the son-in-law of King Muchukunda. He observed Ekadashi and attained a beautiful place among the demigods in Mandara Mountain. Even today he is ruling his kingdom with his wife Chandrabhaga like Kubera. O gopis! Know it for certain that the vow of Ekadashi is the highest of all. There is no tithi as auspicious as the tithi of Ekadashi.
Narada Muni concluded, after hearing this description from Shri Radha the gopis properly observed the Ekadashi inorder to attain the favour of Krishna. As a result of their observing Ekadashi lord Hari became pleased with them and performed Rasa dance with them on the full moon night in the month of Agrahayana (November).
This holy narration about Ekadasi from Sri Radha is not even described in Srimad Bhagavatam ,so holy is this Garga Samhita anyone who find faults with Garga Samhita will enter a hellish planet.
The glories of Ekadashi described in Garga Samhita
Narad Muni said O Maithil ! Please hear about the topics of the Gopis which destroys all ones sinful activities awards piety, fulfils all ones desires and is the source of all auspiciousness.
There is country named Ushinara in South India. Once there was no rain fall in this country for ten years. The prosperous cowherd men of this place became afraid of the severe drought and they left for Braja Mandal along with their relatives and cows. O King! They came and lived at the transcendental abode of Vrindavan near Jamuna under the guidence of Nanda Maharaj. By the benediction of Ramachandra many gopis took birth in their families. They were all transcendental beautiful and decorated with fresh youth. O best of the kings! After seeing beautiful Krishna they became enchanted and in order to know how to please Krishna they approached Shri Radha.
The gopis said O Radhe! O daughter of King Vrisabhanu! O lotus eyed one! Please instruct us about a vow by which we can please Shri Krishna. Krishna the son of Nanda Maharaj and who is rarely attained even by the demigods is under your control. O Radhe! You are the enchanter of the entire universe and expert in all the scripture.
Shri Radha said, you should observe Ekadashi in order to please Shri Krishna. The the lord certainly be controlled there is no doubt about it. The gopis said, O Radhike ! please tell us the names of Ekadashis which occures during a full year and how one should observe Ekadashi. Radha replied, Ekadashi first appeared from the body of Lord Vishnu during the wanning moon in the month of November/December in order to kill demon Mura. Then this exalted Ekadashi appears every month in different form. For your benefit I am describing their names. Utpanna, Moksada, Saphala, Putrada, Sat tila, Jaya,Vjaya, Amlaki, Papamochani, Kamada, Varuthini, Mohini, Apara, Nirjala, Yogini, Devasayani, Kamini, Pavitra, Aja, Padma, Indira, Pasankusa, Rama, Prabodhini these are the twenty-four Ekadashis which occure during one complete year. Apart from them there are two more Ekadashis namely Padmini and Parama which occures during an extra leap year month. Any one who chants the names of these twenty-six Ekadashis, obtainsthe result of observing the vow of Dvadasi for the entire year.
O damshells of Braj! Now hear about the rules and regulations for observing Ekadashi. On the day before Ekadashi one should sleep on the floor eat only ones and control the sences. He should also drink water only ones and remain neat and clean. On the day of Ekadashi one should rise early in the morning during Brahma muhurta and offer obeisances to Lord Hari. To take bath with well water is the lowest, to take bath in a pond is medium, to take bath in a large pool is the highest and to take bath in a river is the best of all. A pious person should take bath in this way and give up his anger and greed. One should not apply oil on the day of Ekadashi. A person should give up associating with low class sinful and atheists on the day of Ekadashi A person who is observing the vow should carefully avoid the association of those who speak lies, who blaspheme the brahmins, who steal others things, who enjoy the association of others wife, who are miscreants and who do not show respects to the exalted personalities. On the day of Ekadashi one should worship lord Keshava with devotion and offer Him palatable foodstuffs, one should offer lamp in the temple of the lord. One should hear the glories of the vow from the mouth of a brahmin and then give him sufficient dakshina. One should remain awake on the night of Ekadashi while singing the transcendental glories of Krishna. One should avoid eating in a bellmetal plate, eating meat, pinkdal, any kind of intoxicant, spinach, honey preboiled rice, eating more then ones and indulging in sex life on the day before Ekadashi. On the day of Ekadashi one should give up gambling, sleeping, eating betalnuts and pan, brushing teeth, criticising others, cheating, stealing,becoming anvious,indulge in sex life, becoming angry and speaking lies.
On the day of Dvadasi one should not eat on a bellmetal plate, Urad Dal, Honey, Oil and contaminated food stuff. One should strictly follow these rules and regulations. The gopis said O Greatly learnedone! Please explain to us the proper time for observing Ekadashi. Shri Radha replied, if the tithi of dasami is consists of fiftyfive dandas then one should not fast on the next day rather he should fast on the day of Dvadasi. If an Ekadashi is conjoined with a fraction of second of Dasami then such an Ekadashi should be rejected like a pot of ganges water mixed with a drop of wine. If an Ekadashi extends on the day of Dvadasi then one should fast on the day of Dvadasi. O damshells of Braja by hearing the glories of Ekadashi one obtains the result of Vajpayee Sacrifice. The result one obtains by following a vow of a Dvadasi is equal to that of feeding 88,000 brahmins. By observing the vow of Ekadashi one obtains one thousand times more results then the result one obtains by donating the entire earth with all the oceans and forests. Observing the vow of Dvadasi is adviced as the means of deliverance for those who are absorbed in the ocean of material existence which is filled with the mare of sinful activities. If human beings observe Ekadashi by remaining awake on the night of Ekadashi then even if they are very sinful they do not go to the fearful abode of Yamaraja.
A person who worships lord Hari with devotion on the day of Dvadasi by offering him Tulasi leaves never become touched by sin just as a lotus leaf remains untouched
by water. The results of performing one thousand horse sacrifices and one hundred Raja Suya sacrifices is not even equal to the one sixteenth portions of the results obtained by observing Ekadashi. By observing Ekadashi a person delivers ten generations of his mothers family, ten generation from his fathers family and ten generations from his wifes family. A cow may be a white or black but both are qualitatively same because both give milk. Similarly the Ekadashis of both the waning moon and waxing moon are same in awarding piety,
O Gopis! An Ekadashi burns to ashes aheaps of sinful reactions of a person accumulated from one hundred life times. The charity given on the day of Dvadasi may it be less or more or given with or without proper rules and regulations, awards merits equal to that of a mountain. A person who hears the topics of Hari on the day of Ekadashi obtains the result of giving the entire earth which consists of seven Islands in charity. The piety one achieves by taking bath in the holy place of Gaya and seeing the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu is not even equal to the one sixteenth portion of piety obtained by observing Ekadashi. The merit one obtains by giving charity at Prabhasa Ksetra, Kuruksetra, Kedarnath, Badrikashrama, Kashi, Sukaraksetra, during solar and lunar eclips, as well as giving charity during four hundred thousand Sankrantis (When the sun enters into a perticular rasi) is not even equal to one sixteenth portion of merit one obtains by fasting on Ekadashi.
Shri Radha continued O Gopis! Just as Ananta is best among the snakes, Garuda is best among the birds, Lord Vishnu is best among the demigods, the brahmana is best among the varnas, banyan tree is best among the trees and tulasi is best among the leaves similarly the vow of Ekadashi is best among all the vows. The result one obtains by performing austerities for ten thousand years is obtained simply by observing the vow of a Dvadasi. O damshells of braja! Such are the glories of the vow of Ekadashi. All of you should immediately observe this vow.
The gopis said, O beautiful one! O daughter of king Vrisabhanu! You are expert in all scriptures. Even the statement of Brihaspati is baffled before the statement of you. O Radhe! You are directly the ocean of transcendental knowledge. Please describe to us perticularly the names of those who had previously observed these Ekadashis. Radha replied, O Gopis! Inorder to regain their lost kingdom the demigods had observed this sacred Ekadashi long long ago. King Vaishanta observed this Ekadashi inorder to deliver his forfather from the abode of Yamaraja. The sinful king Lumpaka who was rejected by his subjects observed the vow of Ekadashi and regained his lost kingdom. King Ketumana of Badravati who had no son observed the vow of Ekadashi according to the instruction of the learned brahmins and was blessed with a son. Once the wives of the demigods instructed the wife of the brahman to observe Ekadashi. Though that wife of the brahman was an ordinary human being yet she achieved prosperity and heavenly pleasure. Both Pushpa danta and Malyavan became ghosts due to being cursed by their enemies, but by observing the vow of Ekadashi they regained their original forms as Gandharva. In the ancient time inorder to built a bridge on the ocean and to kill Ravana Ramachandra observed this Ekadashi. At the end of the annihilation the demigods observed the vow of Ekadashi under the Amalaki tree for the benefit of entire world.
Sage Medhavi observed the vow of Ekadashi according to the instruction of his father and became freed from the bad association of Apsaras and thus became fully effulgent. A Gandharva named Lalit became a demon by the curse of his wife but by observing this Ekadashi he regained his position as a Gandharva. By observing the vow of Ekadashi many great kings like Mandata, Sagara,Kakutstha, Muchukunda and Dhundhumara went back to the spiritual world. By observing Ekadashi Lord Shiva became freed from the curse of brahma. A son of a Vaishya named Dristhabuddi returned to Vaikuntha by observing this Ekadashi. King Rukmangada also observed the vow of Ekadashi. As a result he enjoyed the whole world as his kingdom and yet the end of his life returned to Vaikuntha with his subjects. King Ambarisa also observed this Ekadashi and as a result even the inevitable curse of Lord Brahma could not touch him. A yaksa named Hema Mali became afflicted by leapracy due to the curse of Kubera but observing the vow of Ekadashi he became as good as the moon. By observing Ekadashi king Mahijit was blessed by a son and at the end of his life returned to Vaikuntha.
In Satyayuga there was a king named Shobhana who became the son-in-law of King Muchukunda. He observed Ekadashi and attained a beautiful place among the demigods in Mandara Mountain. Even today he is ruling his kingdom with his wife Chandrabhaga like Kubera. O gopis! Know it for certain that the vow of Ekadashi is the highest of all. There is no tithi as auspicious as the tithi of Ekadashi.
Narada Muni concluded, after hearing this description from Shri Radha the gopis properly observed the Ekadashi inorder to attain the favour of Krishna. As a result of their observing Ekadashi lord Hari became pleased with them and performed Rasa dance with them on the full moon night in the month of Agrahayana (November).
This holy narration about Ekadasi from Sri Radha is not even described in Srimad Bhagavatam ,so holy is this Garga Samhita anyone who find faults with Garga Samhita will enter a hellish planet.
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