Utpanna Ekadhasi

Fasting to be observed on 9th DECEMBER 2012

Utpanna Ekadhasi

The Ekādhaśī that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month Kartika (October – November) is the Utpanna Ekadhasi.

• This is the day Sri Ekadhasi Devi manifested herself from Sri Vishnu and killed the demon Mura.
• Sri Ekadhasi Devi (Sri Vishnu’s maha shakthi) has taken a boon from Sri Vishnu, the power to deliver from the greatest sins that person who fasts of this day.
• One who strictly observes a complete fast on my appearance day (On Ekadhasi), with controlled senses, go to the abode of Lord Vishnu for one billion kalpas after he has enjoyed all kinds of pleasures in this world. 
• Bathing at Śaṅkhoddhāra, where the Lord killed the Śaṅkhāsura demon, nor the merit one receives upon seeing Lord Gadadhāra directly is equal to one sixteenth of the merit one obtains by fasting this Ekādhaśī.

Neither the merit by doing few yaagas nor giving charity on a Monday when the moon is full nor feeding brahmachari nor by donating land to the needy nor by giving away a virgin girl in marriage to a young, well-educated, responsible man nor educating children properly on the spiritual path, without expecting any reward in return nor giving food grains to the hungry etc can all be measured. But the merit one obtains by observing a complete fast on this Ekādhaśī cannot be measured. The powerful effect of this merit is inconceivable even to the demigods. 

Haribodhini/Prabodhini Ekadhasi

Fasting to be observed on 24th NOVEMBER 2012

Lord Brahma tells the secrects of Haribodhini Ekadhasi to Naradha Muni

The Ekādhaśī that occurs during the light fortnight of the month Kārtika (October – November) is the Haribodhini Ekadhasi.

• This sacred Ekādhaśī is more powerful in nullifying sin than one thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices and one hundred Rājasūya sacrifices.
• The sins a person has accumulated over a thousand previous births are burned to ashes if he not only fasts but also remains awake throughout Ekādhaśī night, just as a mountain of cotton can be burned to ashes if one lights a small fire in it.
• Even if one’s forefathers were implicated in many sins and are suffering in hell, they still attain beautifully ornamented spiritual bodies and happily go to Viṣṇu’s abode.
• All places of pilgrimage in the three worlds at once come to reside in the house of a person who fasts on this Ekādhaśī.
• One who fasts on this Haribodhinī day is acknowledged as a wise man, a true yogi, an ascetic, and one whose senses are truly under control.
• The great soul who honors this Ekādhaśī by fasting and remaining awake throughout the night, the Supreme Lord, Śrī Vishnu, personally terminates the sinful reactions that soul has acquired by the actions of his mind, body, and words.
• Anyone who bathes in a place of pilgrimage, gives charity, chants the holy names of the Supreme Lord, undergoes austerities, and performs sacrifices for God on Haribodhinī Ekādhaśī, the merit thus earned all becomes imperishable.
• A person who observes this fast and worships Lord Viṣṇu properly is freed from great danger.
• Fasting on this Ekādhaśī  is a thousand times better than giving charity on the day of the solar or lunar eclipse.
• Whatever merit is earned by one who bathes in a place of pilgrimage, performs sacrifices, and studies the Vedas is only one tenth-millionth the merit earned by the person who fasts but one on Haribodhinī Ekādhaśī.