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Saphala Ekadashi Vrat Katha -
- Ekadashi Vrat Kathas

Saphala Ekadashi Vrat Katha - Ekadashi Vrat Katha!

The Story or Katha of this Saphala Ekadashi Vrat is as follows:

Yudhisthira Maharaj said, "O dear Lord Sri Krishna, what is the name of the ekadashi that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Pausha (December-January)?

How is it observed and which deity should be worshiped on that holy day. ?

Tell me these details perfectly so that I may understand, O Janardana."

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna replied: "O best of kings, since you want to hear, I will describe to you perfectly the glories of Pausha-krishna Ekadasi.

"I am not satisfied with sacrifices or charity as I do when my devotee observes a complete fast at ekadashi.

So one should fast according to one's ability on ekadashi, the day of Lord Hari.

"O Yudhisthira, I appeal to you with undivided intelligence to listen to the glories of Pausha-krishna Ekadasi falling on a dwadashi.

As I have explained before, one should not discriminate between the many ekadashis. O king, for the benefit of mankind I shall give you the details of the “Pausha-krishna Ekadasi is also known as Saphalaa Ekadasi.

Lord Narayana should be worshiped on this auspicious day as He is the presiding deity.

This should be done according to the fasting method described previously.

Just as Sesha-naga is best among snakes and Garuda is best among birds, Ashvamedha-yajna is best among sacrificers, Mother Ganga is best among rivers, Lord Vishnu is best among gods, and Brahmins are best among bipedal creatures, so of all fasting days Ekadashi is considered to be the best.

O best among all the kings who have been begotten in the Bharata dynasty, anyone who strictly observes Ekadashi fast becomes very dear to Me and is worshipable in every way.

Now listen as I describe the process of observing Saphala Ekadasi. On Saphalaa Ekadas, My devotees must worship Me by offering Me fresh fruits according to the time, place and circumstances and meditating on Me as the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead.

He should offer me jambir fruits, pomegranates, betel nuts and leaves, coconut, guava, various nuts, caloric, mango and various aromatic spices.

He should also offer Me incense and bright lamps, because such an offering of lamps is particularly auspicious in Saphalaa Ekadashi.

A devotee should try to stay awake during the night of Ekadashi.

Now listen with undivided attention as I tell you how much merit a person gets if he fasts and stays awake all night singing and chanting the glories of Narayana.

O best of kings, there is no sacrifice or pilgrimage that gives equal or better merit than that obtained by fasting on this Saphala Ekadashi.

Such fasting - especially if one is able to stay awake and alert all night - gives the faithful worshiper the same merit as penance for five thousand earthly years.

Oh lion among kings, please hear from me the glorious story that made this divine Ekadashi famous.

Once upon a time there was a city called Champaavati ruled by the holy king Mahishmata.

He had four sons, the eldest of whom, Lumpaka, was always involved in all kinds of very sinful activities - illicit sexual relations with other women, gambling and constant association with known prostitutes.

His misdeeds gradually reduced the wealth of his father, king Mahishmata.

Lumpaka also became very critical of the many devas, the powerful universal servants of the Lord, and the brahmins, and tried his best every day to mock the Vaishnavas.

Finally the king Maahishmata, seeing the unrepentant insolence of his son, sent him to the forest.

Because of the king's fear, even sympathetic relatives did not come to Lumpaka's defense, so the king was so angry with his son and that Lumpaka was so sinful.

"Surprised and abandoned in exile, Lumpaka thought to himself: "My father sent me away, and even my relatives do not raise a finger against me. What should I do now?"

He planned sinfully and thought, "I will sneak back into the city under the cover of darkness and rob its property.

During the day I shall stay in the forest and when the night comes, I shall come to the city."

Thinking this, the sinner Lumpaka entered the darkness of the forest.

He killed many animals during the day and stole all the various valuables from the city at night.

The townspeople caught him several times, but for fear of the King, they let him go.

They thought to themselves that the accumulated sins of Lumpaka's previous births made him act in such a way that he lost his royal possessions and began to act as sinfully as a common selfish thief.

"Although Lumpaka was a carnivore, he also ate fruit every day.

He lived under an old banyan tree, which, unknown to him, was very dear to Lord Vasudeva. Indeed, many worshiped it as the demigod of all forest trees (representative chief).

While Lumpaka was doing so many sinful and reprehensible acts, the Saphalaa Ekadashi arrived. Before Ekadasi (Dasami), Lumpaka had to stay awake all night because of the severe cold he felt due to scanty bedding. The cold took not only all his peace, but almost all his life. When the sun rises, almost dead, teeth chattering and almost comatose. In fact, he was stuck in this state for the entire Ekadasi morning and could not wake up from his comatose state.

"When Saphalaa reached the noon of Ekadashi, at last the sinful Lumpaka came and was able to rise from his place under that banyan tree.

But at every step he stumbled and fell down. Like a cripple. , he walked. slowly and hesitantly, suffering much because of hunger and thirst in the middle of the jungle. Lumpaka was so weak that he couldn't even concentrate or gather the strength to go out and kill even one animal all day. Instead, he had to voluntarily pick up all the fallen fruit. When he returned home from his banyan tree, the sun was setting. After he placed the fruit on the ground next to him (at the foot of the sacred banyan tree), Lumpaka exclaimed: "Woe to me! What should I do?

Dear father, what is happening to me? O Sri Hari, be merciful to me and accept these fruits as a gift!'

Again he was kept awake throughout the night, but in the meantime the gracious Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Madhusudana, was pleased with the humble offering of forest fruits and accepted them. Lumpaka unknowingly observed a full-length Ekadasi fast, and due to his renewed achievements on that day, he won back his kingdom without further obstacles.

"Listen, O Yudhisthira, what happened to the son of King Maahishmata when only a small portion of merit arose in his heart.

"When the sun rose beautifully in the sky on the day after Ekadashi, a beautiful horse approached Lumpaka as if looking for him and stood by him.

At the same time, a voice suddenly came from the clear sky: "This horse is for you, Lumpaka! Install it and quickly drive out of this forest to greet your family! O son of king Maahishmata, by the grace of the Supreme Lord Vaasudeva and steadfastness in the merits of observing Saphalaa Ekadasi, your kingdom will be restored without any other obstacles.

This is the benefit you received from fasting on these most auspicious days.

Now go to your father and enjoy your rightful place in the dynasty.

Hearing these heavenly words echoing from above, Lumpaka mounted his horse and rode back to the city of Champavati.

Due to the merits attained by fasting on Saphala Ekadas, he again became a handsome prince and was able to absorb his mind in the lotus feet of the Hari of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In other words, he became My pure devotee.

Lumpaka paid humble obeisance to his father, King Mahishmata, and resumed his princely duties.

When King Mahishmata saw his son adorned with Vaishnava ornaments and tilaks (udhvara pundra), he gave him a kingdom and Lumpaka ruled unopposed for many, many years.

When Ekadashi came, he worshiped the Supreme Lord Narayana with utmost devotion.

And by the grace of Sri Krishna he got a beautiful wife and a good son.

In his old age Lumpaka handed over his kingdom to his son - just as his own father King Maahishmata handed it over to him.

Lumpaka then went to the forest to devote his concentrated attention to gratefully serving the Supreme Lord with controlled mind and senses.

Purified of all material desires, he left his old material body and returned home, back to Godhead, reaching a place near the lotus feet of his worshipful Lord Sri Krishna.

"O Yudhisthira, he who approaches Me as Lumpaka did, becomes completely free from lamentation and anguish.

Indeed, he who observes this glorious Saphala Ekadasi properly - even out of ignorance like a Lumpaka - becomes famous in this world.

He becomes completely free from death and returns to the spiritual abode of Vaikuntha.

There is no doubt about it. Moreover, one who only hears the glories of Saphala Ekadashi gets the same merits as he gets from performing Rajasurya-yajna and at least goes to heaven in the next birth, so where is the loss?"

Thus ends the account of the glory of Pausha-krishna Ekadasi or Saphala Ekadasi in Bhavishya - Uttara Purana.

So friends, here ends the story and other details regarding the Mokshada 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.

Advaita

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