|| Jai Sriman Narayana ||
Bhramanda
Purana describes the glories of Mokshada Ekadashi the day which Lord Krishna
narrated Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna in the battle field of Kurushekthra/Jyothishtheertha. Therefore donating the sacred text of Bhagavad
Gita on this propitious day of Ekadashi would bring lots of merit.
Lord
Krishna narrates the glories of Mokshada Ekadashi to Yudhishtira “ Oh!
Yudhishtira, whoever undertakes fasting and strict austerities on this
propitious day would be relieved from all the sins and attain liberation from
the cycles of birth and death. Worship of
Lord Damodhara with fresh alluring flowers of Tulsi, earthen lamp and offerings
are important part of the austerities. Whoever
listens to the glories of Mokshada Ekadashi would attain the pieties of
Ashwamedha Yagna and their ancestors will attain heavenly abode. Oh! Son
of Pandu, whoever undergo austerities and engage in the sincere worship of Lord
Damodhara on this day would attain merit equivalent to Chinthamani/ a precious
gem which provide all the auspiciousness. It eradicates all the sins of worshipper
and provides liberation to his ancestors”
The
legend has that there was a beautiful city named Champaka was ruled by King
Vaikhasana who was a righteous ruler.
The Bhramins in his Kingdom were profound in four Vedas. King Vaikhasana had a dream in that he
witnessed his ancestors and father was suffering from hellish torture in the
abode of Lord Yama. King Vaikhasana was deeply distressed by the
dreadful dream, eventually he called out for a council of learned scholars to
discuss about it. He expressed his
anguish and loss of interest in material world, royal life and wealth; he was
tormented with extreme grief and agony.
The learned scholars advised King Vaikhasana to meet Sage Parvatha who
is aware of past, present and future of all the living beings, he resides in
the peaks. Soon King Vaikhasana preceded
his journey to woods, he located the hermitage of Sage Parvatha and found
numerous Vedic Bhramins reciting sacred hymns of four Vedas. The resplendent Sage Parvatha who has the
radiance of Lord Bhrama/Sage Vyasa was seated in the middle of the Vedic
Bhramins. King Vaikhasana offered
humble salutation and prostrated before Sage Parvatha, was enquired about the
welfare of his subject/Praja, ministers, treasury, armed forces, associates,
Bhramins and Yagna proceedings in his Kingdom and the requirements of his
people. Before King Vaikhasana could
speak further, Sage Parvatha immersed in meditation and realized the grief of
the King, he narrated the reason for the hellish torture of his father due to
his morally wrong act against his wife during her menstruation period, and she
was forcibly taken for sensual pleasure.
King Vaikhasana requested Sage Parvatha for any immediate resolution to
protect his father from the hellish torture.
Sage Parvatha advised King Vaikhasana to observe Mokshada Ekadashi with
utmost devotion and dedication that could bring abundance of pieties that would
help his father to get freed from the tortures in the hell. King Vaikhasana returned to his palace and
anxiously waited for the propitious day.
On that day of Mokshada Ekadashi, King and his family faithfully
observed the austerities and worshiped Lord Damodhara, all the merits earned
that was earned from the fasting was sincerely offered to his deceased father,
he could witness his father was accompanied by the celestials to the heavenly
abode of Lord, while moving to the higher planets his father blessed King Vaikhasana. Thus ends the glories of Margashirsha Shukla Mokshada
Ekadashi from Bhramanda Purana.
|| Jai Sriman Narayana ||
