Mokshada Ekadashi is the auspicious day when Lord Sri Krishna spoke His epic discourse, Srimad Bhagavad Gita, to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra 5 thousand years in the past.
The glories of Mokshada Ekadashi are present in a dialog between Maharaja Yudhishthira and Lord Krishna within the Brahmanda Purana.
Yudhishthira Maharaja mentioned, “O Vishnu, supreme Lord, Pleasure of the three worlds, creator of the Universe, primordial being, biggest of all, I supply my prostrated obeisances unto You!
“O Lord of lords! Kindly fulfil my enquiries for the advantage of all souls. What’s the identify of the sin-eradicating Ekadashi that happens through the vibrant fortnight of the month of Margashirsha (November-December)? What’s the technique to observe it correctly, and which Deity is to be worshipped? O my Lord please absolutely clarify this to me.”
Lord Sri Krishna replied, “O Yudhishthira! Your enquiry may be very auspicious and can carry you fame. This Ekadashi is legendary as Mokshada for it purifies the devoted devotee of all sinful reactions and bestows upon him liberation. The presiding Deity of today is Lord Damodara. One ought to attentively worship Him with incense, ghee lamp, aromatic flowers, and Tulsi manjaris (buds).
“O better of saintly kings! Please hear me narrate the traditional historical past of this auspicious Ekadashi. By listening to this narration one can attain the benefit earned by performing a horse sacrifice. By its affect, one’s forefathers and different relations who could have fallen to hell can rise to the heavenly kingdom.
“There as soon as was a phenomenal metropolis named Champakanagar, adorned with devoted Vaishnavas. An exalted saintly king named Maharaj Vaikhanasa, dominated there. He cared for his topics as a father. The brahmins in that metropolis have been professional within the 4 Vedas.
“The king as soon as dreamt of his father struggling torture in a hellish planet.
Overwhelmed he shed pitiful tears. The following morning, Maharaj Vaikhaanasa described his dream to his council of discovered brahmins.
“He addressed them saying, ‘O brahmanas, in a dream final night time I noticed my father be tortured in a hellish planet. He was crying out in anguish, “O son, please save me from this torment!” I’ve since misplaced my peace of thoughts. This lovely kingdom has develop into insufferable to me. My horses, elephants, and chariots and huge wealth that used to provide me such pleasure, please me no extra. O better of the brahmins, even my spouse and sons have develop into a supply of unhappiness. O brahmins! What can I do to alleviate this distress? My physique is burning with worry and sorrow! By what charity, fasting, austerity, meditation, or Deity service can I ship my father from that agony and liberate my forefathers? O finest among the many brahmins, what use is it being highly effective if one’s father should endure in hell? The lifetime of a son incapable of delivering his forefathers should be totally ineffective.
“ The brahmins suggested, ‘O king, within the mountainous forest not removed from right here is the ashram of the nice sage Parvata Muni. Please go to him, for he’s trikalajna (knower of previous, current, future). He will certainly information you out of this distress.’
“The distressed king instantly set out for the ashram of Parvata Muni. The ashram was huge, housing many discovered sages professional in chanting the sacred hymns of the 4 Vedas (Rg, Yajur, Sama, and Arthava). Approaching the holy ashram, the king noticed Parvata Muni seated among the many meeting of sages like one other Brahma or Vyasa.
“Maharaj Vaikhaanasa provided his humble obeisances to the muni, prostrating his whole physique earlier than him. After the king sat down within the meeting Parvata Muni requested him concerning the welfare of the seven limbs of his intensive kingdom (his ministers, his treasury, his army forces, his allies, the brahmins, the sacrificial choices, and the wants of his topics). The muni additionally requested him if his kingdom was freed from troubles and whether or not everybody was peaceable, joyful and happy.
To those enquiries the king replied, ‘By your mercy O superb sage, all seven limbs of my kingdom are effectively. But there’s a downside that has not too long ago arisen, for the decision of which, O brahmana I search your professional steerage.’
“Then Parvata Muni, one of the best amongst sages, closed his eyes and meditated on the king’s previous, current and future. After a couple of moments he opened his eyes and mentioned, ‘Your father is struggling the outcomes of committing an incredible sin. I’ve found that in his earlier life he sexually compelled himself on his spouse throughout her menstrual interval. She tried to protest and resist his advances and even yelled out, “Somebody please save me! Please, O husband, don’t interrupt my month-to-month intervals on this means!” He paid no heed and didn’t cease and on account of this grievous sin your father has now fallen into such a hellish situation of struggling.’
“King Vaikhaanasa then mentioned, ‘O biggest of sages, by what fasting or charity could I liberate my expensive father from such a situation? Please inform me how I could relieve the burden of his sinful reactions, that are nice obstacles to his progress in the direction of final non secular liberation.’
“Parvata Muni replied, ‘Through the mild fortnight of the month of Margashirsha there happens an Ekadashi known as Mokshada. Should you observe this sacred Ekadashi strictly, fasting absolutely, and switch the benefit you receive to your struggling father, he might be free of his ache and immediately liberated.’
“Listening to this, Maharaj Vaikhanasa thanked the nice sage and returned to his palace resolute to carry out the really helpful vrata (ceremony).
“O Yudhishthira, when the intense fortnight of the month of Margashirsha lastly arrived, Maharaj Vaikhaanasa faithfully waited for the Ekadashi tithi. He then noticed the Ekadashi quick faithfully alongside along with his spouse, kids, and different relations. He dutifully provided the benefit from this quick to his father, and as he made the providing, the devas (demigods) showered lovely flowers from the sky. The messengers of the demigods then glorified the king’s father and escorted him to the celestial area. As he traversed from the decrease to center planets reaching for the upper planets, he handed by his son and exclaimed, ‘My expensive son, all auspiciousness to you!’ Ultimately he reached the heavenly realm from the place by performing devotional service to Krishna, he can finally return to Godhead.
“O son of Pandu, one who strictly observes the sacred Mokshada Ekadashi, meticulously following the established guidelines and laws, achieves full liberation after demise. There is no such thing as a higher day of fasting than this Ekadashi. Whoever faithfully observes this Ekadashi quick, which is like chintamani (touchstone), obtains benefit that’s incalculable, as a result of it could assist him elevate from the hellish to the heavenly planets. One who observes this Ekadashi for non secular profit goes again to Godhead, by no means to return to this materials world.”
This 12 months Mokshada Ekadashi falls on 25 Dec 2020.
Click on right here to know – “How to observe ekadasi as per Srila Prabhupada’s instructions?”
