Shravana Putrada Ekadashi: 25th August, 2015

Shravana Putrada Ekadashi: 25th August, 2015
Ekadashi is considered to be the favourite day of Shri Vishnu, when devotees refrain from material activities. The Sanskrit word Ekadasi literally means eleven. Ekadashi is the eleventh of the fifteen-day lunar month. In one of the lunar months (called the light month) the moon grows from new moon to full moon and in the following lunar month (called dark month) it diminishes from full moon to no-moon. Thus every calendar (solar) month there are two Ekadasis, the light Ekadasi that occurs on the eleventh day of the waxing moon, and the dark Ekadasi that occurs on the eleventh day of the waning moon. Since there are 12 months in a year, with two Ekadasis in each month, there are 24 Ekadasis in each year. Each Ekadasi has a name, that are Utpanna, Mokshada, Saphala, Putrada, Shat-tila, Jaya, Vijaya, Amalaki, Papamocani, Kamada, Varuthini, Mohini, Apara, Nirjala, Yogini, Padma (Devashayani), Kamika, Putrada, Aja, Parivartini, Indira, Papankusha, Rama, and Haribodhini (Devotthani). Occasionally there are two extra Ekadasis that happen in a lunar leap year, which are Padmini and Parama. Devotees fast on this day, observe vigil the whole night and do Japa and meditation. Some do not take even a drop of water. ‪Those who are unable to fast completely can take some light fruit and milk. No rice should be taken on Ekadashi days. This is very important. The sweat that fell down from the head of Brahma assumed the form of a demon and said to the Lord, “O Lord! now give me an abode to dwell.” Brahma replied, “O demon! go and dwell in the rice particles eaten by men on Ekadashi day and become worms in their stomach.” For this reason rice is prohibited on Ekadashi. If one observes the Ekadashi fast regularly, Lord Narayana is propitiated. All sins are destroyed. The mind is purified. Devotion gradually develops. Love for God becomes intense. For the devotees of Lord Vishnu, every Ekadashi is a very sacred day. It is said that even if one mistakenly misses the observance of an Ekadasi, he or she may make up for it by observing it the very next day on Dvadasi, and then break one’s fast from grain on the next day, Trayodasi.