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Rama Ekadashi - Vrat Katha
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Falls on: Kartik krishna paksh
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Yudhisthir eager to know the sacred knowledge
Yudhisthir said, �Janardhan, protector of all beings, what is the name of the Ekadashi
that occurs during krishna paksh of Kartika? Please impart this sacred knowledge to me�.
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Purna Prushotam reveals sacred knowledge
Bhagwan Shri Krishna, replied, �Rajan, please listen: The Ekadashi that occurs during
krishna paksh of Kartik is called Rama Ekadashi. It is most auspicious, for it at once
eradicates the greatest sins and awards passage to the spiritual abode. I shall narrate
its history and glories to you�.
Bhagwan Shri Krishna narrates
�There once lived a famous king named Muchukund, who was friendly with Indra, the king
of heaven, as well as with Yamaraj, Varun, and Vibhisan, the demon Ravana's pious brother.
Muchukund always spoke the truth and constantly rendered devotional service to Me.
Because he ruled according to religious principles, there were no disturbances in his
kingdom�.
�Mucukund's daughter was named Chandra bhagha, after a sacred river, and the king gave
her in marriage to Shobhan, the son of Chandrasen. One day, Shobhan visited his
father-in-law's palace on the auspicious Ekadashi day. This visit made Shobhan's wife,
Chandra bhagha, quite anxious, for she knew that her husband was physically very weak
and unable to bear the austerity of a day-long fast. She said to him, My father is very
strict about following Ekadashi On Dasami, the day before Ekadashi he arranges his
service to strike a large kettledrum and announces, Nobody should eat on Ekadashi,
the day of Bhagwan Shri Hari�!
Shobhan heard announcement of Ekadashi
When Shobhan heard the sound of the kettledrum, he said to his wife, �0 beautiful one,
what am I to do now? Please tell me how I can save my life and obey your father's
strict rule of following ekadashi at the same time�!
Candra bhagha replied, �My dear husband, in my father's kingdom and palace nobody not even the
elephants and horses, what to speak of human beings; eats on Ekadashi day. Indeed, none
of the animals are given their ration of grains, leaves, or straw-or even water!-on
Ekadashi, the day of Bhagwan Shri Hari. So how can you escape fasting? My beloved,
if you must eat something, then you should leave here at once. Now, with firm
conviction decide what to do�.
Prince Shobhan replied, �I have decided to fast on the sacred Ekadashi day. Whatever
my fate is, it will surely come to pass�.
Deciding thus, Sobhan attempted to fast on that Ekadashi, but he became unbearably
disturbed with excessive hunger and thirst. Eventually the sunset in the west, and the
arrival of the auspicious night made all the Vaisnavas very happy.
King Muchukund observed his son-in-law's funeral
Shri Krishna continued �Yudhisthir, all the devotees enjoyed worshiping Bhagwan Shri Hari
and remaining awake through the night, but to Prince Shobhan that night became absolutely
unbearable. Indeed, when the sun rose on Duvadashi, Sobhan starved to death.
King Muchukund observed his son-in-law's funeral, ordering a large stack of wood
assembled for the fire, but he instructed his daughter Chandra bhagha not to join her
husband on the funeral pyre. Thus Chandra bhagha, after performing all the purificatory
processes honoring her deceased husband, continued to live in her father's house".
Bhagwan revealws sacred of Vrat
Bhagwan Shri Krishna continued, �Dharmaraj, even though Shobhan died because of observing
Rama Ekadashi the merit he accrued enabled him, after death, to become the ruler of a
kingdom high on the peak of Mandarachal Mountain. This kingdom was like a city of the
Devtas: very lustrous, with unlimited jewels set in the walls of its buildings. The
pillars were made of rubies, and gold inlaid with diamonds shone everywhere. As King
Shobhan sat upon a throne beneath a pure white canopy, servants fanned him with
yak-tail whisks. A stunning crown rested upon his head, beautiful earings adorned his
ears, a necklace graced his throat, and bejeweled armlets and bracelets encircled his
arms. Gandharvas (heaven�s best singers) and Apsaras (celestial dancers) served him.
Verily, he resembled a second Indra�.
Wandering Brahmin encounters Sobhan
One day, a Brahmin named Soma sarma, who lived in Mucukund's kingdom, happened upon
Shobhan's kingdom while traveling to various places of pilgrimage. The Brahmin saw
Shobhan in all his resplendent glory and thought he might be the son-in-law of his own
king, Mucukund. When Shobhan saw the Brahmin approaching, he immediately rose from his
throne and welcomed him. After Shobhan had paid his respectful obeisances, he asked
the Brahmin about his wellbeing and about the health and welfare of his (Shobhan's)
father-in-law, his wife, and all the residents of the city.
Soma sarma replied, �Rajan, all the subjects are well in your father-in-law's kingdom,
and Chandra bhagha and your other family members are also quite well. Peace and
prosperity reign throughout the land. However, Rajan, I am astonished to find you
here! Please tell me about yourself. Nobody has ever seen such a beautiful city as
this! Kindly tell me how you obtained it�.
Result of Vrat without faith
King Shobhan said, �Because I observed Rama Ekadasi, I was given this splendid city
to rule. However, for all its grandeur, it is only temporary. I beg you to do something
to correct this deficiency. You see, this is only an ephemeral city. How may I make its
beauties and glories permanent? Kindly instruct me�.
The Brahmin asked, �Why is this kingdom unstable, and how will it become stable? Please
fully explain this to me, and I shall try to help you�.
Shobhan answered,�Because I fasted on Ekadashi without any faith, this kingdom is
impermanent. Now hear how it can become permanent. Please return to Chandra bhagha,
the beautiful daughter of King Mucukund, and tell her what you have seen and understood
about this place and about me. Surely, if you tell her this, my city will soon become
permanent�.
Princess eager to see late hasband
Thus, the Brahmin returned to his city and related the entire episode to Chandra bhagha,
who was both surprised and overjoyed to hear this news. She said, �0 Brahmin, is this
a dream you have seen, or is it actually a fact�?
Soma sarma replied, �0 princess, I have indeed seen your late husband face to face in
that wonderful kingdom, which resembles one of Devta�s realms. However, he says that
his entire kingdom is unstable and could vanish into thin air at any moment. Therefore,
he hopes you can find a way to make it permanent�.
Chandra bhagha said, �O sage among the Brahmins, please take me to my husband at once,
for I greatly desire to see him again! Surely, I shall make his kingdom permanent with
the merit I have acquired by fasting on every Ekadashi throughout my life. Please reunite
us once again. It is said that one who reunites separated people obtains very great
merit�. �
Risi's rites
The Brahmin Soma sarma then led Chandra bhagha to Shobhan's effulgent kingdom. Before
reaching it, however, they stopped at the foot of Mount Mandarachal, at the sacred
ahsram of Vamdev. Upon hearing their story, Vamdev chanted hymns from the Vedas and
sprinkled holy water on Chandra bhagha. By the influence of that great Risi's rites,
the merit she had accrued by fasting for so many Ekadashis made her body transcendental.
Ecstatic, her eyes beaming in wonder, Chandra bhagha continued her journey.
When Shobhan saw his wife approaching him high on Mandarachal Mountain, he was
overwhelmed with joy and called out to her in great happiness. After she arrived, he
seated her on his left, and she said to him, "0 dearest one, please listen as I tell
you something that will benefit you greatly. Since I was eight years old I have fasted
regularly and faithfully on every Ekadashi. If I transfer to you all the merit I have
thus accumulated, your kingdom will surely become permanent, and its prosperity will
grow and grow until the coming of the great inundation"!
Shri Krishna concluded importance of all Ekadashis
Bhagwan Shri Krishna continued, "Yudhisthir, in this way Chandra bhagha, who was
beautifully decorated with the finest ornaments and had an exquisite transcendental body,
at last enjoyed peace and happiness with her husband. By the potency of Rama Ekadashi,
Shobhan found his kingdom on the peaks of Mandarachal Hill able to fulfill all his
desires and bestow upon him everlasting happiness, like that achieved from the Kama-dhenu
cow.
"Rajan, I have thus narrated to you the glories of Rama Ekadashi. Anyone who observes
sacred Ekadashi during both the sukla paksh and the krishna paksh of each month is
undoubtedly freed from the reactions to the sin of killing a Brahmins One should not
differentiate between the Ekadashis of sukla paksh and krishna paksh of the month. As
we have seen, both can award pleasure in this world and liberate even the most sinful
and fallen souls. Just as black cows and white cows give milk of equal quality, the
Ekadashis of krishna paksh and sukla paksh award the same high degree of merit and
eventually liberate one from the cycle of birth and death. Anyone who simply hears the
glories of this sacred day, Rama Ekadashi, is freed from all kinds of sin and attains
the supreme abode of Bhagwan Shri Vishnu".
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