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Kamada Ekadashi

Kamada Ekadashi

WHAT IS EKADASHI

The word Ekadashi means the eleventh day of the waxing and waning of the moon as per Hindu month. It is considered very auspicious in Vedic culture. Ekadashi comes twice every month on both sides, Shukla paksha and Krishna paksha. The 15 days from the full moon to the new moon are called Krishna paksha, and the 15 days after that are known as Shukla paksha. The eleventh day of both pakshas is called Ekadashi. This day is also called Haripriya tithi because it is very dear to God.

IMPORTANCE OF EKADASHI

According to Padma Purana, Ekadashi originated from the body of Lord Vishnu when He was resting. When the demon named Mura came and attacked the Lord. Then a goddess appeared from the body of Lord Vishnu and started fighting with the devil and eventually killed him. Seeing this, the Lord was very pleased and gave a boon to the goddess that those who observed fast on Ekadashi would be free from all sins and attain the abode of God. Since then, anyone who wants to please Shri Vishnu has observed this fast with great devotion.

SIGNIFICANCE OF KAMADA EKADASHI

Kamada Ekadashi is the first Ekadashi of the Vedic calendar. By observing this fast, one can be saved from even the biggest sins like that of killing a brahman. Also, one frees himself or any other family member from all curses.

In Narada Purana, sage Vashishtha that anything like Ganga, Gaya, Kashi, Pushkar, Yamuna, and Chandrabhaga is not equal to observing fast on Ekadashi. O, king! If one keeps this fast by mistake, all of his sins are burnt to ashes.

THE STORY OF MOST HOLY EKADASHI IS AS FOLLOWS

King Yudhishthira once asked Lord Krishna, “O Lord! Please tell me the description of the Ekadashi that comes in the Shukla paksha of Chaitra month. What is it called? What are the benefits of observing fast on it?” 

Lord Krishna replied, “Once upon a time, the forefather of Shri Ram, King Dilip, has asked the same question to his spiritual master, Sage Vashishtha. So listen carefully to that description of what he told at that time.”

“Ekadashi, which falls in the Shukla paksha of Chaitra month, is called Kamada Ekadashi. By observing this fast, all sins are destroyed, and the one who observes fast will get a son.” Then Lord Krishna started telling the whole story.

“Many years ago, king Pundrik ruled the kingdom of Gandharvas and Kinnaras, named Ratanpur. This entire kingdom was adorned with gold, diamonds and pearls. A Gandharva named Lalit lived happily with his wife Lalita in that kingdom. Lalit was a singer, and his wife was a dancer.

lalit lalita kamada ekadashi

There was so much love and intensity in their relationship. They could not stay apart from each other even for a moment. Once all the Gandharvas and dancers presented their performances at the king’s meeting. But Lalita was not present there, due to which Lalit’s mind was a little disturbed. He remembered her repeatedly because some of his song’s notes didn’t sound right. At that time, a snake Nagarkotak, who was also present, informed the king of all of Lalit’s mistakes. The king felt insulted on hearing this and cursed Lalit to become a cannibal.” 

kamada ekadashi story lalit becomes moster

“After that, Lalit’s body turned up into a frightening monster, his arms were 8 miles long, and his face looked like a huge cave. His full body height was 64 miles. When Lalita saw her husband’s condition, she became mournful and started wandering in the forests with him.”

“One day, when she was wandering in the forest with her husband, she saw the ashram of sage Shringi. She immediately ran to that ashram and bowed down before the sage. Seeing her, the sage asked who she was and who was her father? Hearing this, Lalita introduced herself that her name was Lalita and her father’s name was Vrindavan Gandharva. She also told him about the curse of King Pundrik and begged that he should suggest some remedy so that her husband could be freed from the curse. So the sage suggested she observe fast on Kamada Ekadashi of Shukla paksha in Chaitra month and give its benefits to her husband. Lalita expressed her gratitude towards the sage and returned.”

“A few days later, Kamada Ekadashi day came, and Lalita observed fast with great strictness and devotion. Then, on Dwadashi, she prayed to Shri Hari, in front of all Brahmins, that her husband should get all the benefits of her Ekadashi fast and he should be freed from the curse. Soon after that, her husband renounced the body of the cannibal and became Gandharva Lalit again. 

Finally, they both expressed their gratitude to God and returned happily back to their kingdom.”

In this way, Lord Krishna stopped the story and said to Yudhishthira that the sins of even killing a brahman could be destroyed by listening to this story.

Therefore, all of us should also try to observe this fast very keenly to get the happiness and pure devotion of Lord Krishna.

Hare Krishna!

Your Smallest act of Charity can make a difference and bring smiles to Needy Faces.

Appearance day of Lord Ram (Ram Navami)

Appearance day of Lord Ram (Ram Navami)

THE DIGNITY PERSONIFIED SHRI RAM’S APPEARANCE FESTIVAL

Wishing you all a pleased Ram Navami.

Ram Navami is a very famous festival celebrated throughout India and worldwide by all the devotees of Lord Shri Ramchandra.   

It is celebrated on the Navami tithi of Shukla paksha of Chaitra month every year. Lord Shri Ram is the 7th incarnation in the dashavtaras of Lord Vishnu. 

He appeared with His three brothers, Bharata, Laxmana and Shatrughna, in tretayuga. They appeared as the sons of King Dasharatha in the Surya dynasty of king Ikshavaku.

BUT WHY DOES GOD INCARNATE?

This curiosity, everyone wants to know, why does God take incarnation? Lord Krishna has answered Srimad Bhagavad Gita. As per BG 4.7

Lord Krishna says to Arjuna-

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṁ sṛijāmyaham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.”

In the very next verse of BG, Lord says –

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśhāya cha duṣhkṛitām
dharma-sansthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge
 

“To deliver the pious and annihilate the miscreants and re-establish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.”

SIGNIFICANCE OF RAMNAVAMI

The significance of the Ram Navami festival is that no matter how big the evil is, it has to be defeated by the good. Ravana, who had ten heads, Lord Ram defeated him with one arrow. Lord Ramchandra proved that He is the complete Lord of the six luxuries by killing him.

In Brahma vaivarta Purana, Lord Brahma vividly explained the definition of being the Lord. He said, “One who possesses all Aishwarya or riches, all virya or strength, all Yasha or fame, all shree or beauty, all gyana or knowledge, all vairagya or renunciation is called Bhagwan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

This proves that only God Ram is the greatest and the most influential personality in the universe. Therefore the defeat of Ravana was inevitable.

THE STORY OF LORD RAMA IS AS FOLLOWS

According to Bhagwatam Purana, Lord Vishnu had two gatekeepers, Jai and Vijay. Both of them were cursed by the four kumaras – Sanaka kumara, Sanatana kumara, Sanandana kumara and Sanat kumara. As per the curse, both of them had to take birth on earth three times as demons, and they would be the enemy of Lord Vishnu.

Both of them took birth as the sons of Pulasthya brahman. From birth, they were ruthless; they captivated many demigods and demi goddesses.

Seeing all this, Lord Vishnu appeared as the son of King Dashratha.

According to Valmiki Ramayana, King Dashratha had 353 queens. Only three queens were prominent, mother Kaushalya, mother Keikai and mother Sumitra. King Dashratha, who could move his chariot in ten directions, was a great, powerful and majestic king. 

However, he was disappointed in his life. He had no son who could become the future king of Raghukula dynasty, which was the reason for his constant despair. Due to this concern, Sage Vashishtha suggested that he perform the Putra kameshthi sacrifice. As a result of that sacrifice, he got a bowl full of kheer prasadam. He distributed that kheer equally among his three queens. Mother Kaushalya was the eldest of his three queens, so she got half portion of the kheer first. While honouring kheer prasadam, she thought that her child should be able to rule all over the earth. As a result, she received Lord Shri Ram in the form of her son.

Mother Keikai also honoured kheer prasadam, and she thought that her child should always follow the path of dharma. Thus, she received Bharata in the form of her son.

Mother Sumitra received two portions of kheer prasadam. She thought that her son should always serve the elder brothers with love and respect. As a result, she received two sons, Laxmana and Shatrughan. They were constantly engaged in the service of their elder brothers.

Lord Rama accepted queen Sita as His wife. Their entire life story is presented in the Ramayana book, composed by Sage Valmiki.

Ramayana is divided into seven parts:  

ramayana into 7 parts
  1. Bal kand
  2. Ayodhya kand
  3. Aaranya kand
  4. Kishkindha kand
  5. Sundar kand
  6. Yudh kand
  7. Uttar kand

Shri Ramchandra was known as Maryada Purushottam. He taught the whole society how to be an ideal son, an ideal brother, an ideal husband, an ideal friend, an ideal king and an ideal father.

When Ravana kidnapped, mother Sita in her husband’s absence and took Her to Lanka, Lord Ramchandra attacked Lanka with the help of monkeys and brought Sita back. Ravana represented lust, which is just the opposite of pure love.

Lord Ramchandra destroyed unrighteousness and restored dharma by killing Ravana.

lord rama came to ayodhya

We all should take shelter of Ramnaam on this auspicious occasion of Ram Navami so that all the lustful desires in our minds can be destroyed.

Hare Krishna

Your Smallest act of Charity can make a difference and bring smiles to Needy Faces.