VarUthinii EkAdasii
VarUthinii EkAdasii: as told in the Bhavishya-uttara PurANa

Sri Yudhisthira Maharaj said, “Oh Vasudeva, I offer my most humble obeisances unto You. Please now describe to me the EkAdasii of the dark fortnight (krsna paksha) of the month of VaisAkha (April-May), including its specific merits and influence.”

Lord Sri Krishna replied, “Oh King, in this world and the next, the most auspicious and magnanimous EkAdasii is VarUthinii EkAdasii, which occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of VaisAkha.

Whosoever observes a complete fast on this sacred day has his sins completely removed, obtains continuous happiness, and achieves all good fortune.

Fasting on VarUthinii EkAdasii makes even an unfortunate woman fortunate. Upon anyone who observes it, this EkAdasii bestows material enjoyment in this life and liberation after the death of this present body. It destroys the sins of all and saves people from the miseries of repeated rebirth.

“By observing this EkAdasii properly, King MAndhAtA was liberated. Many other kings also benefited from observing it – kings such as MahArAja DhundhumAra, in the IkshvAku dynasty, who became free from leprosy resulting from the curse that Lord Shiva had imposed upon him as a punishment.

Whatever merit one obtains by performing austerities and penances for ten thousand years is achieved by a person who observes VarUthinii EkAdasii.

The merit one achieves by donating a great amount of gold during a solar eclipse at Kurukshetra is gained by one who observes this one EkAdasii with love and devotion, and certainly attains his goals in this life and the next. In short, this EkAdasii is pure and very enlivening and the destroyer of all sins.

“Better than giving horses in charity is giving elephants, and better than giving elephants is giving land. But better still than giving land is the giving of sesame seeds, and better than that is giving of gold. Still better than giving gold is giving food grains - for all the forefathers, demigods (devas), and human beings become satisfied by eating grains. Thus there is no better gift of charity than this in the past, present or future.” NOTE:

“Yet learned scholars have declared that giving away a young maiden in marriage to a worthy person is equal to giving away food grains in charity. Moreover, Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has said that giving cows in charity is equal to giving food grains. Still better than all these charities is teaching spiritual knowledge to the ignorant. Yet all the merits one can attain by performing all these acts of charity are attained by one who fasts on the VarUthinii EkAdasii.”

“One who lives off the wealth of his daughters suffers a hellish condition until the inundation of the entire universe, Oh BhArata. Therefore one should be especially careful not to use the wealth of his daughter. Oh best of kings, any householder who takes his daughter’s wealth out of greed, who tries to sell his daughter, or who takes money from the man to whom he has given his daughter in marriage – such a householder becomes a lowly cat in his next life. Therefore it is said that whoever, as a sacred act of charity, gives away in marriage a maiden decorated with various ornaments, and who also gives a dowry with her, obtains merit that cannot be described even by Chitragupta, the chief secretary of YamarAja in the heavenly planets. That very same merit, however, can be easily achieved by one who fasts on the VarUthinii EkAdasii.

“The following things should be given up on the Dashami, (the tenth phase of the Moon), the day before the EkAdasii: eating on bell-metal plates, eating any kind of urid-dahl, eating red-lentils, eating chick-peas, eating kondo (a grain that is primarily eaten by poor people and that resembles poppy seeds or agarpanthas seeds), eating spinach, eating honey, eating in another person’s house/home, eating more than once, and participating in sex of any kind.

“On the EkAdasii itself one should give up the following: gambling, sports, sleeping during the daytime, betal nuts and its leaf, brushing one’s teeth, spreading rumours, faultfinding, talking to the spiritually fallen, anger, and lying.

“On the DwAdasii the day after EkAdasii (the twelfth phase of the Moon), one should give up the following: eating on bell-metal plates, eating urid-dahl, red-lentils, or honey, lying, strenuous exercise or labour, eating more than once, any sexual activity, shaving the body, face or head, smearing oils on one’s body, and eating in another’s home.”

Lord Sri Krishna continued, “Whoever observes the VarUthinii EkAdasii in this way becomes free from all sinful reactions and returns to the eternal, spiritual abode. One who worships Lord JanArdana (Krishna) on this EkAdasii by staying awake throughout the entire night, also becomes free from all his previous sins and attains to the spiritual abode. Therefore, Oh king, he who is frightened of his accumulated sins and their attendant reactions, and thus of death itself, must observe VarUthinii EkAdasii by fasting very strictly.

“Finally, Oh noble Yudhisthira, he who hears or reads this glorification of the sacred VarUthinii EkAdasii obtains the merit earned by donating one thousand cows in charity, and at last he returns home, to the Supreme abode of Lord Vishnu in the Vaikunthas.”


Thus ends the narration of the glories of VaisAkha-krishna EkAdasii, or VarUthinii EkAdasii,
taken from the Bhavishya-uttara PurANa.

These stories have been summarised and slightly changed or abbreviated from how they are found in the celebrated book, "Ekadasi: The Day of Lord Hari" 1986. HH Krishna Balaram Swami. Bhaktivedanta Institute Press., Pages 73-76.


(the above excerpt is used with permission)

The Ekadashi Book is now available in its entirety -free to download with our blessing at http://www.krsna.org
 
Entire book acknowledged to Mahamandelswar Mahant Krsna Balaram Swami

Dr. Vijay K. Parmar
European Secretary
Bhagavat Dharma Samaj


The Ekadasi Page:
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati's Navadwip Panjika Intro'
Vaishnava Calendar Page
Ekadasi Vratas according to Hari Bhakti Vilas smriti
Ekadasis Throughout the year in detail - their observances, benefits, and individual origin
Choose The Month (Vaishnava or Western), Paksha or Ekadasi
No. Name of Ekadasis Vedik - Hindu Months Fortnights
K=Krishna paksha
S=Sukla paksha
Vaishnava Month Western Months
19 Utpanna Ekadasi Margashira - K Keshava Mase Nov-Dec
20 Mokshada Ekadasi (Vaikuntha ekadasi Sri Rangam) Margashira - S Keshava Mase Nov-Dec
21 Saphala Ekadasi Pausha - K Naaraayana Mase Dec-Jan
22 Putrada Ekadasi Pausha - S Naaraayana Mase Dec-Jan
23 Trisprisha Ekadasi Maagha - K Maadhava Mase Jan-Feb
24 Bhaimi Ekadasi Maagha - S Maadhava Mase Jan-Feb
25 Vijaya - Jaya Phaalguna - K Govinda Mase Feb-Mar
26 Amalaki Ekadasi Phaalguna - S Govinda Mase Feb-Mar
1 Paapavimochani Ekadasi Chaitra - K Vishnu Mase Mar-Apr
2 Kamaada - Damanakaaropani Ekadasi Chaitra - S Vishnu Mase Mar-Apr
3 Varuthini Ekadasi Vaisaakha - K Madhusudana Mase Apr-May
4 Mohini Ekadasi  Vaisaakha - S Madhusudana Mase Apr-May
5 Aparaa Ekadasi Jyeshtha - K Trivikrama Mase May-June
6 Pandava Nirjal Ekadasi Jyeshtha - S Trivikrama Mase May-June
7 Yogini Ekadasi Aashaadha - K Vaamana Mase June-July
8 Padma - Devasayani Ekadasi Aashaadha - S Vaamana Mase June-July
9 Kaamaika Ekadasi Shravana - K Sridhar Mase July-Aug
10 Putrada - Pavitraropani Ekadasi Shravana - S Sridhar Mase July-Aug
11 Ajaa - Annadaa Ekadasi Bhaadrapada - K Hrisikesha Mase Aug-Sept
12   Parivartini - Parshva Ekadasi Bhaadrapada - S Hrisikesha Mase Aug-Sept
13 Indiraa Ekadasi Aaswina - K Padmanabha Mase Sept-Oct
14 Paashaankusha Ekadasi Aaswina - S Padmanabha Mase Sept-Oct
15 Ramaa Ekadasi Kaarttika - K Damodara Mase Oct-Nov
16 Haribodhini (Probodhini) Devotthaani (Uttana) Ekadasi Kaarttika - S Damodara Mase Oct-Nov
17 Padmini - Vishuddha Ekadasi Adikamase Adikamase
18 Paramaa - Shuddha Ekadasi Adikamase Adikamase