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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00030 Jan 2007

 
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Interesting..
But am not aware of the autheniticty of this..i.e. the purana that it is 
referred to...
Co-moderator
dAsan madhavakkannan
****************

Did u know Ekadashi was a name of a maiden?

This month, Dhanurmasa ? bet-ween December 16 and January 13 ? is 
special for prayer and contemplation. Krishna in the Bhaga-vad Gita 
says, "I am the Marga-shirsha month among the 12 months". Especially 
in south India, prayers are offered before sunrise. 

Ekadashi refers to the eleventh day of a fortnight in a lunar month 
and is synonymous with fasting and abstinence. The energy-giving Sun 
is believed to influence us directly; just the waxing and waning Moon 
does, too. 

In the waking state the mind finds its place in the Ajna Chakra 
between the brow; in the sleeping state in the Anahata Chakra or the 
heart. The mind, it seems, easily focused on Ekadashi days, suitable 
for contemplation and meditation. 

Fasting keeps the body light so that the energy is distributed freely 
and equally to all parts rather than the stomach. 

The Ekadashi in the Dhanurmasa shukla paksha or waxing phase is 
Vaikuntha Ekadashi. Austerity increases our sankalpa (that which is 
beneficial), so as to avoid activities which are not beneficial to 
them, or vikalpa. Austerity, purity, mercy and truthfulness promote 
spiritual evolution. 

The Padma Purana tells us about the beginnings of Ekadashi: During 
the Satya Yuga, the golden age, both devas and mortals were harassed 
by the asura, Muran. 

Unable to bear his tyranny, the devas approached Shiva for help and 
refuge. Shiva, however,directed them to Vishnu. 

Vishnu then went to battle with Muran. During the 1,000 celestial 
years-old battle, Vishnu needed to rest a while. He entered a 
beautiful cave, Himavati, in Badarikashrama, to sleep. Muran wanted 
to seize this opportunity to strike Vishnu while he was sleeping. 

However, Shakti ? Vishnu's female energy ? emerged from Vishnu's body 
as a beautiful damsel who fought and vanquished Muran. 

Vishnu named this maiden Ekadashi and granted her a boon. She 
said: "Give me the power to deliver people from the greatest sins if 
they fast on this day". 

Thus was born the first Ekadashi ? the Dhanurmasa shukla paksha 
Ekadashi ? as Vishnu granted the boon. Muran represents the tamasic 
and rajasic qualities in us. 

The import of the Ekadashi vrata is that one can overcome rajasic and 
tamasic tendencies through fasting. This helps us reach our ultimate 
destination, Vaikuntha, the stage of no kuntitha or dullness, 
stupidity and misery. 

Krishna gave the Gitopadesam to Arjuna on Vaikuntha Ekadashi day. 
Krishna describes the threefold path of austerity. 

While cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy and non-violence are 
austerities of the body, truthful speech, which does not offend 
others and the regular recitation of scriptures, is austerity of 
speech. 

Serenity of thought, compassion, gravity, self-control, purity of 
purpose is austerity of the mind. This threefold path of austerity 
practised by devotees, leads to a nature of goodness and 
righteousness. 

Krishna finally says that penances and austerities which are 
performed as obstinate self-torture, or by injuring others, are the 
approach of the ignorant. 

One must not perform austerities beyond one's capabilities, lest the 
austerities become mechanical or offensive. 

On Vaikuntha Ekadashi day the ksheerasagara manthana or churning of 
the ocean took place and the nectar of immortality, amrit, was 
distributed to the gods. 

The ocean of milk is the human heart filled with sattvic tendencies. 
However, in all of us there exist both types of inclinations, good 
(devas) and bad (asuras). 

Only Sadhana or the churning process will throw out the poison 
leaving the sweet nectar within us, liberating us from the cycle of 
birth and death
 



 
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