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Mohinee Ekaadashee
There are 24 Ekaadashee (see
their list) in a year excluding 2 Ekaadashee
of Leap Year (or precisely Adhik Maas).
Among all of them Vaishaakh Shukla Ekaadashee is called Mohinee Ekaadashee.
It is mentioned in Koorm Puraan about this Ekaadashee
Note - If this holy
fast falls on Dwaadashee, it is still called Ekaadashee in the Vaidik
literature. Furthermore, in Garud Puraan (1:125.6), Lord Brahmaa says to Naarad Muni - "O Braahman, This fast should be observed when there is a
full Ekaadashee, a mixture of Ekaadashee and Dwaadashee, or on the day of
the combination of the three Tithi (Ekaadashee, Dwaadashee, and
Trayodashee); but never on the day when there is a combination of Dashamee
and Ekaadashee (or otherwise called Dashamee-Viddhaa Ekaadashee)." This is
also upheld in the Hari Bhakti Vilaas, Vaishnav Smriti Shaastra, and in
Navadweep Panjikaa introduction by Srila Bhakti Siddhaant Saraswatee
Thaakur Prabhupaad.
Mohinee Ekaadashee's glory is given in Koorm Puraan like this -
Shree Yudhisthir Mahaaraaj
said - "O Janaardan, what is the name of the Ekaadashee that occurs during
the light fortnight (Shukla Paksh) of the month of Vaishaakh (April-May)?
What is the process for observing it properly? Kindly narrate all of these
details to me." The supreme personality of godhead, Lord Shree Krishn
replied, "O blessed son of Dharm, What Vashishth Muni once told to Lord
Raamachandra I now describe it to you. Please listen to me attentively.
"Lord Raamachandr asked Vashishth Muni - "O great sage, I would like to
hear about the best of all fasting days which destroys all kinds of sins
and sorrows. I have suffered long enough in separation from my dear Seetaa,
and so I wish to hear from you about how my suffering can be ended." The
sage Vashishth replied - "O Lord Raam, You whose intelligence is so keen
that simply by remembering your name one can cross the ocean of this
material world - You have questioned me in order to benefit all of
humanity and fulfill everyone's desires. I shall now describe that day of
fasting which purifies the whole world.
O Raam, that day is known as Vaishaakh-Shukla Ekaadashee, which falls on
Dwaadashee. It removes all sins and is famous as Mohinee Ekaadashee.
Truly, O dear Raam, the merit of this Ekaadashee frees the fortunate soul
who observes it from the network of illusion. Therefore, if you want to
relieve your suffering(s) , observe this auspicious Ekaadashee properly,
for it removes all kinds of obstacles from one's path and relieves him
from the greatest miseries. Kindly listen to it as I describe its glories,
because for one who even just hears about this auspicious Ekaadashee, his
greatest sins are destroyed.
On the banks of the Saraswatee River there was once a beautiful city named
Bhadraavatee, which was ruled by a King named Dyutimaan. Hey Raam, that
steadfast, truthful, and highly intelligent King was born in the dynasty
of the Moon (Chandra Vansh) . Now in his kingdom, there was a merchant
named Dhanapaal who possessed a great deal of wealth of food grains and
money. He was also very pious. Dhanapaal arranged for lakes to be dug,
sacrificial arenas to be erected, and beautiful gardens to be cultivated
for the benefit of all the citizens of Bhadraavatee. He was a great
devotee of Lord Vishnu and had five sons: Sumanaa, Dyutimaan, Medhaavee,
Sukriti, and Dhrishtabuddhi.
Unfortunately, his son Dhrishtabuddhi always engaged in greatly sinful
activities, such as sleeping with prostitutes and associating with similar
degraded persons. He enjoyed illicit sex, gambling, and many other kinds
of acts to gratify his senses. He disrespected the Devtaa, the Braahman,
the Pitar and other elders of the community, as well as his family's
guests. The evil-hearted Dhrishtabuddhi spent up his father's wealth
indiscriminately, always
feasting on untouchable foods and drinking alcohol to excess.
One day Dhanapaal kicked Dhrishtabuddhi out of the house after he saw him
walking along the road arm-in-arm with a known prostitute. From then on
all Dhrishtabuddhi' s relatives were highly critical of him and distanced
from him. After he had sold all of his inherited ornaments and become
destitute, the prostitute also abandoned him and insulted him because of
his poverty.
Dhrishtabuddhi was now full of anxiety, and also hungry. He thought, "what
should I do ? Where should I go ? How can I maintain myself ? He then
began to steal. The King's constables arrested him, but when they learnt
who he was, means that he was the son of famous Dhanapaal, they released
him. He was caught and released in this way many times. But at last, sick
of his arrogance and total disrespect for others, and their property, the
ill-mannered Dhrishtabuddhi was apprehended, handcuffed, and then beaten.
After whipping him, the King's marshals warned him, "O evil minded, there
is no place for you in this kingdom." and exiled him from their country.
However, Dhrishtabuddhi was freed from his tribulation by his father and
immediately thereafter entered the dense forest. He wandered here and
there, hungry and thirsty and suffering greatly. Eventually he began
killing the wild animals, the lions, deer, boars, and even wolves for
food. Always ready in his hand was his bow, always on his shoulder was his
quiver full of arrows. He killed many birds, such as Chakor, peacocks,
Kank, doves and pigeons also. He unhesitatingly slaughtered many species
of birds and animals to maintain his sinful way of life, the sinful
results accumulating more and more each day. On account of his previous
sins, he was now immersed in an ocean of great sin that was so relentless
that it appeared that he would never get out from it.
Dhrishtabuddhi was always miserable and anxious, but one day, during the
month of Vaishaakh, by the force of some of his past merit, he came upon
the sacred Aashram of Kaundinya Muni. The great sage had just finished
bathing in the Gangaa River, and water was still dripping from his body.
Dhrishtabuddhi had the great good fortune to touch some of those droplets
of water that were falling from that great sage's wet clothing. Instantly
Dhrishtabuddhi was freed of his ignorance, and his sinful reactions were
reduced. Offering his humble obeisance to Kaundinya Muni, Dhrishtabuddhi
prayed to him with joined palms; "O great Braahman, Please describe to me
some of the ways to attain atonement that I may perform without too much
endeavor. I have committed so many sins in my life, and these have now
made me very poor."
The great Rishi replied - "O son, listen with great attention, for by
hearing this your life will change, and you will become free from all of
your remaining sins. In the light fortnight of this very month, Vaishaakh
(April-May) there falls the sacred Mohinee Ekaadashee, which has the
power to nullify sins, as vast and as weighty as the Mount Sumeru. If you
follow my advice and faithfully observe a fast on this Ekaadashee, which
is so dear to Lord Hari, you will be freed from all the sinful reactions
of many, many births."
Hearing these words with great joy, Dhrishtabuddhi promised to observe a
fast on Mohinee Ekaadashee according to the sage's instructions. O best of
kings, O Raamchandra Bhagavaan, by fasting completely on Mohinee
Ekaadashee, the once sinful Dhrishtabuddhi, the prodigal son of the
merchant Dhanapaal, became sinless. Afterwards he achieved a beautiful
transcendental form and, free at last of all obstacles, rode upon the
carrier of Lord Vishnu, Garud, and went to His supreme abode. O
Raamchandra, The fast observed on the day of Mohine Ekaadashee removes the
darkest illusory attachments to material existence. There is thus no
better fast day in all the three worlds than this."
Lord Shree Krishn concluded - "And so, O Yudhishthir, there is no place of
pilgrimage, no sacrifice, and no charity that can bestow merit equal to
even one sixteenth of the merit a faithful devotee of mine obtains by
observing the Mohinee Ekaadashee. And he who hears and studies the glories
of Mohinee Ekaadashee achieves the merit of giving away one thousand cows
in charity."
Thus ends the narration of the glories of Vaishaakh Shukla Ekaadashee, or
Mohinee Ekaadashee, from the Koorm Puraan. |