Fasting to be observed on 19th JANUARY 2012
SatTila Ekadhasi
The Ekādhaśī that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month Pausha Maasa (December – January) is the SatTila Ekadhasi.
- One who properly observes this wonderful Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādhaśī with great faith, becomes free from all kinds of poverty – spiritual, mental, physical, social, and intellectual.
- All Kinds of ill luck, evil omens will be destroyed.
- The powerful effect of this merit is inconceivable even to the demigods.
- Any widow, who eats grains on the Ekadhashi day, becomes bereft of all of her merits and she suffers the sin of performing an abortion daily.
- As long as one does not fast on Ekadashi, the day of Lord Hari, until that long all of the sins remain in one’s body.
There lived a lady who was a staunch devotee of Sri Vishnu. She very faithfully, did several in charity, observed many a fast, especially on special days and served Sri Vishnu with full devotion, devoid of any personal motive. Although this spiritually minded woman gave charitable donations to worthy people, the odd feature of her austerity was that she never gave food to brāhmaṇas or the demigods.
Sri Vishnu decided to test this lady and came done with disguise as a follower of Lord Shiva with a begging pot. When the lady asked him for his arrival, he replied that he wanted some sacred alms from her. But that lady angrily threw a dense lump of mud into the begging pot! Sri Vishnu returned back to his adobe.
At last the austere lady reached the spiritual world because of her great fasting and charity merits. And because she had offered Sri Vishnu a lump of mud, it was transformed into a beautiful home. However, this particular house was just like that mud completely devoid of any edible grains, as well as any furniture or ornamentation, and when she entered it she found only an empty structure. The lady with great anger approached Sri Vishnu and asked him for this mud house though she had great merits.
Sri Vishnu then told her that he was the one who came in disguise and further told her that the wives of demogids will come to her place and told her not to open the door until they tell her about SatTila Ekadhasi. She did so, but none told her about SatTila Ekadhasi but finally a lady told her. From then on the lady observed Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādhaśī, which awards material enjoyment and liberation at the same time, as it has been described to her.
Madhwa saints 
Dear sir
Thank u for posting such a wonderful story.
hare srinivasa
Good work Jagan!. Thanks for all those posts on Ekadasi and emphasizing the same. Indeed the awareness of Ekadasi and its importance among the Madhwas, there is a long way to go. Wonder how you got hold of relevant pictures as well for different Ekadasi’s. Keep up the good work.
Thank you sir. Yes, I would like to emphasis on Ekadhasi. I dont know why I have immense bhakthi towards Ekadhasi vratha. That is a boon to the mankind, the greatest of all vrathas. Sanyasi’s, Mahaangal and yogigal have told that “AN AATHMA, WHICH HAS A THIRST TO ATTAIN JEEVAMUKTHI, WILL BE DOING EKADHASI VRATHA” What else do we need more than this??? A devoted muslim, I dont remember his name, he’s the guru of a famous flautist, he fasts on all Ekadhasis sincerely. For Gayathri, we have that only by being a brahmin and only with deeksha we can do it. But for doing Ekadhasi the only qualification is to be a human being. Many yugas before narada muni, maharaaja’s, several other saints, yudhishtira maharaaja etc have asked Sri Krishna, Lord Brahma, few saints and few others to tell them the secrets of each and every ekadhasi. And they will tell them as they are exposing them the greatest truth and secret. So we all are lucky to have the grace of Sri Ekadhasi devi who is ready to burn over countless sins and grant us great merits and great hari bhakthi.
Om Shree raghavendraya Namaha!!!
Well said Jagan. Ekadasi is the most superior of all vrathas. Our great guru Shriman Madhwacharya has dedicated 60+ shlokas on its significance in Sri Krishnamruta Maharnava. And we have 3 Ekadasi’s coming in the month of June 2012(a rare happening) on 1st, 15th and 30th of the same month. Let us consider it as an god-send opportunity and do strict anushtaana during this time and get the blessings of Sri Hari Vayu Gurugalu.