|| Jai Sriman Narayana ||
Lord Krishna narrates the glories and
significance of fasting on the day of Saphala Ekadashi to Yudhishtira. Adi Shesha is superior
among the Nagas known as King of serpents, Ganga is superior among the rivers
as river of life, Garuda among the birds as King of Birds, Ashwamedha Yaga is
superior among all the Yagas, Brahmin is the superior among the Varnas and
Lord Narayana is superior among the deities likewise fasting on an
Ekadashi day is believed as superior among any other days.
The prominent Kings who were born in the Bharata Varsha were
strict observers of Ekadashi. As a part of observance of Saphala Ekadashi, the devotee worships
Lord Narayana with fresh fruits, flowers, incense, betel leaf and nuts,
Ghee Lamp. The devotee should observe strict fast
and compulsorily avoid consumption of any grains and keep awake all
night.
The legend has that there was
a city called Champavathi, which was ruled by a righteous King
Mahishmatha. He had four sons and the eldest among them
was Lumpaka. He was wicked and engaged in all sinful deeds and
illicit relationships, ultimately gambling made him to lose all his
wealth. King Mahishmata had to exile his son Lumpaka from his Kingdom
Champavathi. Though he was exiled from the Kingdom, during the
day he wandered in the forest and hunted animals and during night
hours, he entered the city and looted the wealth of the people and the
people of the Champavathi were extremely dreadful of his acts. It was his
fate which made him run away from all the luxuries and pleasures and deserted
him as a forest-dweller engaged in all sinful activities. Lumpaka chose
the Banyan tree as his shelter place. This is one of the auspicious trees; Lord
Vishnu resides in it. In due course of
time, Saphala Ekadashi has arrived, during the night hours due to
severe cold and battered clothes he had to keep awake in the whole night.
The severe cold almost killed him and dropped him into an unconscious
state and when the midday of Saphala Ekadashi has arrived, he managed
to rise from the ground stumbling and limping, entered into the
woods. He was tired of hunger and thirst; he could not kill even a
single animal on that day. He collected fruits which were
available within his reach and returned to his shelter under the Banyan
tree, by that time it was the hours of dusk. He kept the fruits on
the ground and started weeping like a lunatic. He wept bitterly and
prayed to Lord Madhusudhana and offered the fruit. The Supreme Lord
accepted the fruits offered by him and Lumpaka has regained his Kingdom once
again.
On the very next day of
Ekadashi, Lumpaka was surprised to see a horse standing in front of him and
a mysterious voice instructed him to move towards his Kingdom.
His family and his people were looking forward to receive him with all the
honors. As the merit he has acquired from the observance of Saphala
Ekadashi, he regained his Kingdom and transformed into a handsome prince once
again. He had become the true devotee of Lord Hari, with the grace
of Supreme Lord, Lumpaka ruled the Kingdom wisely for many
years. He had a beautiful wife and a virtuous son. At his old
age, King Lumpaka entrusted the Kingdom and all its wealth to his son and
turned himself into a forest-dweller like his own father.
He spent the rest of his life in the service of the Supreme Lord by
controlling mind and senses and ultimately attained the Supreme Abode of Lord
Hari.
Lord Krishna concluded,
whoever observes the Saphala Ekadashi with utmost devotion and faith would
be liberated from the cycles of birth and death and whoever listens
to the glories of Ekadashi would achieve the merits of
Rajasuya Yagna and will attain salvation/Moksha. Thus ends the glories of Pausha Krishna Saphala Ekadashi from Bhavishyothara Purana.
|| Jai Sriman Narayana ||
