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Nirjala Ekadashi Vrat Katha -
- Ekadashi Vrat Kathas

Nirjala Ekadashi Vrat Katha

The Kahta or story of this Nirjala Ekadashi Vrat is as follows:

In the hottest season (Northern Hemisphere), if one can perform upavasa without water, a great achievement is achieved.

Only caranamrta and acamana water can be taken. Bhima asked for one vrata day for which he could get the fruits of all other vrata days which he could not observe. Vyasadeva advised him to follow this difficult vrata.

In the evening one must worship the Lord by washing him in milk. On Dvadashi, full pots of water should be given to Brahmins and eaten before breaking the fast.

Oh boy, Lord Keshava, holding a club, a disk, a conch and a lotus flower, personally told me that all the merits attained by fasting on every Ekadasi fall for one year can be attained by fasting on this Ekadasi (nirjala). Ekadasi). There is no doubt about it.

Anyone who does not fast on this particular ekadasi (nirjala Ekadasi) is undoubtedly understood to be a sinful, depraved and self-destructive person.

Story of Pandava Nirjala Ekadashi:

Once Bhimasena, the younger brother of Maharaja Yudhisthira, asked the great sage Shrila Vyasadeva, the grandfather of the Pandavas, whether it was possible to return to the spiritual world without following all the rules and regulations of the Ekadasi fast. Bhimasena then spoke as follows: "O very intelligent and learned grandfather, my brother Yudhisthira, my beloved mother Kunti and my beloved wife Draupadi, as well as Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva, fast completely on every Ekadasi and strictly observe all the precepts and ordinances of that holy day.” As I am very religious, I am always told to fast on that day also. But, O learned grandfather, I tell them that I cannot live without food, because as a son of Vayudeva - Samanaprana (digestive air) , hunger is unbearable for me.

I can give charity widely and worship Lord Keshava properly with all kinds of upacharas (items), but I cannot be asked to fast for ekadashi. Tell me how I can receive the same favor without fasting."

Hearing these words, Bhima's grandfather Srila Vyasadeva said, “If you want to go to the heavenly planets and avoid the hellish planets, you should fast on both the bright and dark ekadashis.

Bhima replied, "O great holy wise grandfather, hear my prayer. O greatest of eggs, since I cannot live if I eat only once a day, how can I live if I fast completely?"

In my stomach burns a special fire called Vrika, the fire of digestion. Agni, the fire god, is descended from Lord Vishnu through Brahma, from Brahma to Angiras, from Angiras to Brihaspathi and from Brihaspathi to Samyu who was the father of Agni. He is the gatekeeper of Nairriti, South East. He is one of the eight material elements and Parikshit Maharaja, he is very expert in the study of things. He once examined Maharaja Shibi by transforming into a dove.

Agni is divided into three categories; Davagni, the fire in the forest, Jatharagni, the fire in the digestive stomach, and Vadavagni, the fire that creates fog when hot and cold streams mix with the sea, for example. Another name for indigestion is Vrika. This is the mighty fire that resided in the belly of Bhima.

Only when I eat to my heart's content does the fire in my belly fill up. O great sage, I can fast only once, so please tell me the Ekadas which are worthy of my fast and include all other Ekadas. I will faithfully follow this up quickly and hopefully I will still be eligible for release.

Shrila Vyasadeva replied: O king, you have heard from me about various vocational duties such as elaborate Vedic ceremonies and pujas. However, in Kali-yuga, no one can properly perform all these professional and functional duties. Therefore, I will tell you how you can endure a little austerity for next to nothing and get the most benefit and happiness out of it. The essence of what is written in the Vedic literature known as the Puranas is that no dark or light Ekadas should be eaten every fortnight.

As stated in Srimad Bhagavatam (Mahabhagavat Puranam) 12:13:12 and 15, the Bhagavat Puranam itself is the essence or chorus of the entire Vedanta philosophy (sara-vedanta-saram) and the unequivocal message of Srimad Bhagavatam is the complete message. Lord Sri Krishna and His loving devotional service. Observing Ekadasi closely is of great help in this process and here Shrila Vyasadeva simply emphasizes the importance of Ekadasi vratam for Bhima. "He who fasts on Ekadasi is saved from going to hellish planets."

Hearing the words of Vayu's son Shrila Vyasadeva, Bhimasena, the strongest of all warriors, became afraid and began to tremble like a banana leaf in the strong wind.

Frightened, Bhimasena said, "Oh, grandfather, what shall I do? I am utterly incapable and ill-equipped to fast twice a month for a whole year! Tell me about the one fasting day that benefited me the most!"

Vyasadeva replied, "Even without drinking water, you should fast on the ekadas which occur during the bright fortnight of the month of Jyeshta (May-June), when the sun moves through the signs of Taurus (Vrishabh) and Gemini (Mithu).

According to learned personalities, one can take a bath on this day and perform Achamana pratiprokshana for purification. But while performing Achamana, one should drink only that amount of water equivalent to a drop of gold or the amount required to soak one mustard seed in water. Only this amount of water should be placed in the right palm for drinking, which should be shaped like a cow's ear. If a person drinks more water than that, he could also have drunk wine despite the heat of summer (in the northern hemisphere and the cold southern hemisphere).

Indeed, a person must not eat anything, because if he does, he breaks his fast. This rigid fast is valid from Ekadasi sunrise to Dwadashi sunrise. If a person tries o observe this important fast very strictly, he can easily achieve the result if he observes all the other 24 Ekadasi fasts during the year. On Dwadashi, the worshiper should bathe early in the morning.

Then, according to the prescribed rules, instructions and regulations, and of course according to his ability, he should give gold and water to the worthy brahmins. Finally, he should happily honor the prasadam with branmana. O Bhimasena, one who thus fasts on this special ekadashi gets the benefit of fasting on every ekadashi during the year. There is no doubt about it, and there shouldn't be.

Oh Bhima, now listen to the special merits one gets by fasting on this ekadashi. The Supreme Lord Keshava, holding a conch shell, discus, club and lotus, said to me personally, "All must take refuge in Me and follow my instructions." Then He told me that one who fasts on this ekadashi, without even drinking or eating, removes all sinful reactions and one who observes severe nirjala fast on the ekadashi of Jyeshta-shukla gets real benefits from all other ekadasshi fasts.

"O Bhimasena, in Kali-yuga, an age of strife and hypocrisy, when all Vedic principles are destroyed or minimized and there is no proper charity or observance of the ancient Vedic principles and ceremonies, how is there any means of self-purification? But there is a way to fast on Ekadashi and erase your entire past.

“O son of Vayu, what more can I tell you? During the dark and light fortnights of Ekadashis, one must not eat, and on the particularly auspicious day of Jyeshtha-shukla Ekadashi, even drinking water (nir = no jala = water) must be given up. O Vrikodara (the voracious eater), whoever fasts on this Ekadashi, gets the merits of bathing in all places of pilgrimage, giving all charity to worthy people, and fasting on all dark and light Ekadashis throughout the year, simultaneously. There is no doubt about it.

O tiger among men, who fasts on this ekadashi, becomes a truly great person and attains all kinds of luxury and wealth, fruit, strength and health. And in the terrible moment of death, the loathsome Yamadutas, whose skin is yellow and black, and who wave huge maces and spin mysterious ropes in the air to bind their victims, refuse to approach him.

Rather, the Vishnu-dutas take such a devoted soul directly to the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu, whose transcendentally beautiful forms are clad in magnificent yellowish garments, each holding a discus, a club, conch and a lotus in four hands, resembling Lord Vishnu. For all these benefits one should definitely fast on this very auspicious and important Ekadasshi, even from water.

When the other Pandavas heard about the benefits of observing Jyeshtha-shukla Ekadasi, they decided to observe it exactly as their grandfather Srila Vyasadeva had explained to their brother Bhimasena. All the Pandavas observed it by abstaining from eating and drinking and hence this day is also known as Pandava Nirjala Dvadashi (technically it is Maha-Dvadashi).

Shrila Vyasadeva continued, O Bhimasena, therefore you should observe this important fast to remove all your past sins. You should pray to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, in this way, making your sankalpa declaration: "O Lord of all devas (demigods), O Supreme Personality of Godhead, today I observe Ekadasi without taking water. O boundless Anantadev, I shall break the fast on the next day, Dwadashi."

Then, to remove all his sins, the devotee must observe this Ekadasi fast with full faith in the Lord and complete control over his senses. Whether his sins are as great as Mount Sumeru or Mount Mandarakala, if he observes this Ekadasi, all accumulated sins are canceled and burnt to ashes. Such is the great power of this Ekadashi.

O best of men, although water and cows should also be given in charity on that Ekadasi, if for some reason he cannot, then he should give a cloth or a pot filled with water to a qualified Brahman. In fact, the merit earned by giving water alone is equivalent to giving gold ten million times a day.

“O Bhima, Lord Sri Krishna said that anyone who observes this Ekadasi should take a holy bath, give charity to a deserving person, chant the holy names of the Lord in japa-mala and do some kind of suggestive offering for it. These things in this day will bring eternal benefits.

No other religious obligations must be fulfilled. Observance of this Ekadasi fast alone elevates one to the supreme abode of Sri Vishnu. O best of the kurus, if on this day you donate gold, cloth or anything else, the merits achieved are imperishable.

"Remember that anyone who eats grain in Ekadashi is contaminated by sin and indeed eats only sin. In fact, he has already become a dog-eater and will suffer hell after death.

But one who observes this holy Jyeshtha-shukla Ekadasi and gives something in charity will surely attain liberation from the cycle of repeated birth and death and attain the highest abode. Observance of this Ekadasi combined with Dwadashi frees one from the heinous sin of killing a Brahmin, drinking liquor and wine, envying one's spiritual master, ignoring his instructions and constant lying.

"Furthermore, O best of beings (Jivottama), every man or woman who duly observes this fast and worships the Supreme Lord Jalshayi (He who sleeps on the water), and on the next day satisfies a qualified Brahman with pleasant sweets and donations of cows and money — such a person must be so pleasing to the Supreme Lord Vasudeva that the hundred previous generations of his family will undoubtedly go to the abode of the Supreme Lord, even if they were very sinful, low-quality and guilty of suicides, etc. Verily, one who observes this wondrous Ekadasi travels to the abode of the Lord by the brilliant celestial plane (vimana).

"Whoever presents a water vessel, an umbrella or shoes to a Brahmin on this day will surely go to the heavenly planets. Verily, one who only hears their glories will also attain the transcendental abode of the Supreme Lord Shri Vishnu.

One who performs the Shraddha ceremony for the ancestors on the dark day called amavasya, especially if it occurs during a solar eclipse, will undoubtedly attain great merit. But the same merit is attained by one who simply hears this holy story - so powerful and so dear to the Lord is this Ekadasi.

One should clean one's teeth properly and observe this Ekadasi without eating or drinking to please the Supreme Lord Keshava. On the day after Ekadasi, one should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Trivikrama by offering Him water, flowers, incense and a brightly lit lamp. Then the devotee should pray from his heart: "O Lord of gods, O liberator of all, O Hrishikesha, Lord of the senses, kindly grant me the gift of liberation, though I cannot offer you anything greater than this humble pot of water. ... " The worshiper should then offer a pot of water to the Brahmin. "O Bhimasena, after this Ekadasi fast and the offering of recommended articles according to one's ability, the worshiper should feed the brahmins and then pay his respects to the prasadam in silence."

Shrila Vyasadeva concluded, "I urge you to fast on this auspicious, purifying, sin-destroying Dwadashi, as I have just described. Thus you will become completely free from all sins and attain the highest abode."

Thus ends the description of the glory of Jyeshtha-shukla Ekadas or Bhimaseni-nirjala Ekadas of the Brahma-vaivarta Purana.

So friends, here ends the description and story of the Nirjala Ekadashi Vrat. I hope you liked this video, and if you did like it, then please hit the like button and also subscribe to this channel, if you haven't done so already.

I wish all of you the successful and joyful observance of all the Ekadashis and i pray that Lord Vishnu's and Lord Krishna's blessings be upon all of us.

Advaita

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