Significance of Ekadasi

Ekadasi is the 11th day of the Moon cycle both from the Full Moon and the New Moon. Ekadasi is celebrated as a day of Lord Hari. Ekadasi is very dear to Lord Hari and hence it is called Harivasara. Scriptures say that Ekadasi fasting should be observed to please the Supreme Lord. Ekadasi day is a wonderful day to cleanse one`s sins and offenses. It is believed that observing Ekadasi fasting helps in achieving material happiness and prosperity. It is a source of all kinds of happiness and religiosity. Scriptures say it fulfills desires.

Vedic scriptures recommend various kinds of austerities to help purify our existence and one such is Ekadasi fasting. All material and spiritual problems are solved if one seriously observes Ekadasi fasting. As long as one is filled with sins, one cannot find solutions to life problems. Therefore one must try to cleanse oneself of sins.

Lord Vishnu says, ` Whoever follows Ekadasi is freed from sins and never enters hellish regions. I will burn up the sins of the person who fasts on Ekadasi and bestow upon him my Transcendental abode`.

Scriptures on Greatness of Ekadasi

Vasishta Muni states in Naradiya Purana, “Neither Ganga, Gaya, Kasi, Pushkara, Kurukshetra, Reva, Yamuna, Chandrabhaga are equal to the day of Hari, Ekadasi. If Ekadasi fasting is observed correctly while worshipping Lord Hari with devotion, all his sins will be burnt, the acquired sins of previous births get destroyed and he attains the spiritual world”.

Brahma Vaivarta Purana states, “In this world, there are two procedures to attain liberation and freedom from sins. They are Ekadasi fasting and chanting names of Lord Hari”.

Vayu Purana says,” Anyone who observes Ekadasi fast with devotion becomes free of difficulties and sins. Being purified, he attains the abode of Vishnu.”

Tatwa Sagara states, “Ekadasi day was created as the supreme medicine to remove the disease of the material world of having miserable material body and mind”.

Katyayana Smriti says,” From the age of eight to eighty, one must fast on all Ekadasis – both light and dark parts of the month, both are powerful”.

Greatness of Ekadasi Fasting

It is a certain phase of time for purification and spiritual development. It is a highly meritorious spiritually surcharged day with devotional energy. It is a time to minimize worldly activities and focus on spiritual activities on this day. Fasting means staying aloof of all sinful activities and sense gratification and avoiding five types of grains: Rice, wheat, barley, pulses, mustard and sesame oil.

It has been repeatedly mentioned in the Puranas that if one eats grains on Ekadasi day, one certainly commits sin.

According to Padma Purana, ‘Sin personified or Papa Purusha was told by the Lord to reside in the food grains on the day of Ekadasi. When a person eats grains on Ekadasi, he consumes sins. There are 24 Ekadasis in a year and two extra in a leap year. Each Ekadasi has a specific name. `

Scriptures say that these foodstuffs create changes in the body and consciousness that are detrimental, their quality changes on this day and their ingestion creates disturbances in the consciousness. However fruits, dairy products can be taken.

Benefits of Ekadasi fasting

A day`s fast gives rest to the machinery of the stomach and helps it function better. Undigested food gets the opportunity for further digestion, digestion power increases; better assimilation of food takes place and helps better functioning of liver, pancreas, intestines and kidneys.

Excessive excitement, passion, anger, irritation, greed, fear, hyper tension gets sublimated by Ekadasi fasting.

Fasting on Ekadasi helps in the transmutation of chemicals in the body into subtler factors. Fasting does not mean not eating or drinking anything. It means thinking of divine thoughts, living closer to supreme conscious being.For more information : www.astroved.com/astropedia/en/festivals/ekadashi-dates