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Yogini Ekadashi - Vrat Katha
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Falls on: Ahshad krishna paksh
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Yudhisthir inquisitive about Vrat
Yudhisthir said, hai Purna Prushotam, I have heard the glories of Nirjala Ekadashi, which occurs during the sukla paksh of Jyesth. Now I wish to hear about the Ekadashi that occurs during the krishna paksh of Ahshad. Kindly describe it to me in detail, hai killer of the Madhu demon.
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Elimination all kind of sinful reactions
Purna Prushotam Bhagwan Shri Krishna, replied, Rajan, I shall tell you about the best of all fasting days, the Ekadashi that comes during the krishna paksh of Ahsadh. Famous as Yogini Ekadashi, it removes all kinds of sinful reactions and awards supreme liberation.
Rajan, this Ekadashi delivers people who are drowning in the vast ocean of material existence and transports them to the shore of the spiritual world. In all the three worlds, it is the chief of all sacred fasting days. I shall reveal this truth to you by narrating a history recounted in the Puranas.
Puranic History
The king of Alakapuri, Kuber, the treasurer of the Devs, was a steadfast devotee of Bhagwan Shiv. He employed a servant named Hemamali as his personal gardener. Hemamali, a Yaksh, was very lustfully attracted to his gorgeous wife, Vishalashi, who had large, enchanting eyes.
Hemamali's daily duty was to visit Manasarovar Lake and bring back flowers for his master, Kuber, which were then used in the worship of Bhagwan Shiva. One day, after picking the flowers, Hemamali went to his wife instead of returning directly to his master and fulfilling his duty. Absorbed in love affairs with his wife, he forgot to return to the abode of Kuber.
Rajan, while Hemamali was enjoying with his wife, Kuber began worshiping Bhagwan Shiv in his palace and soon discovered that there were no flowers ready for the midday puja. The lack of such an important item angered the great Dev, and he asked a Yaksh messenger, why has dirty-hearted Hemamali not come with the daily offering of flowers? Go find out the exact reason and report back to me in person.The Yaksh returned and told Kuber, hai Dev, Hemamali is freely enjoying sex with his wife.
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The deadly result of attraction
Kuber became extremely angry when he heard this and at once summoned poorly Hemamali before him. Knowing that he had been remiss and dawdling in his duty, Hemamali approached his master in great fear. The gardener first paid his obeisances and then stood before Dev, whose eyes had become red with anger and whose lips trembled. Enraged, Kuber cried out to Hemamali, O sinful rascal! 0 destroyer of religious principles! You are an offense to the Devtas! I therefore curse you to suffer from white leprosy and to become separated from your beloved wife! Only great suffering is deservedly yours! 0 lowborn fool, leave this place immediately and betake yourself to the lower planets!
And so Hemamali fell at once from Alakapuri and became ill with the terrible affliction of white leprosy. He awoke in a dense and fearful forest, where there was nothing to eat or drink. Thus, he passed his days in misery, unable to sleep at night due to pain. He suffered in both winter and summer, but because he continued to worship Bhagwan Shiv faithfully, his consciousness remained pure and steady. Although implicated by great sin and its attendant reactions, he remembered his past life because of his piety.
After wandering for some time here and there, over mountains and across plains, Hemamali eventually came upon the vast Himalayan range.
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There he had the wonderful good fortune to come upon the great saint Markandeya Risi, the best of ascetics, who�s duration of life, it is said, extends to seven days of Brahma. Markandeya was seated peacefully at his asram, looking as effulgent as a second Brahma. Hemamali, feeling very sinful, stood at a distance from the magnificent sage and offered his humble obeisances and prayers. Always interested in the welfare of others, Markandeya saw the leper and called to him, O you, what sort of sinful deeds have you done to earn this dreadful affliction?
Hearing this, Hemamali replied, Risiwer, I am a Yaksh servant of Kuber Dev, and my name is Hemamali. It was my daily service to pick flowers from Manasarovar Lake for my master's worship of Bhagwan Shiv, but one day I was late in returning with the offering because I had become overwhelmed with passion for my beautiful wife.
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When my master discovered why I was late, he cursed me in great anger. Thus, I am now bereft of my home, wife, and service. However, fortunately, I have come upon you, and now I hope to receive from you an auspicious benediction, for I know that devotees of Purna Prushotam always carry the interest of others uppermost in their hearts. That is their great nature. 0 best of the sages please help me!
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Truth is rewarding
Markendeya Risi replied, because you have told me the truth, I shall tell you about a fast day that will benefit you greatly. If you fast on the Ekadashi that comes during krishna paksh of Ahsadh, you will surely be freed of this terrible curse. Upon hearing these blessed words from the renowned sage, Hemamali fell to the ground in complete gratitude and offered him his humble obeisances. But Markendeya stood and lifted Hemamali up, filling him with inexpressible happiness.
Thus, as the sage had instructed him, Hemamali dutifully observed the Ekadasi fast, and by its influence he again became a handsome Yaksh. Then he returned home, where he lived very happily with his wife.
Immensely fruitful Vrat
Bhagwan Shri Krishna concluded, So you can readily see, Yudhisthir, that fasting on Yogini Ekadashi is very powerful and auspicious. Whatever merit one obtains by feeding eighty-eight thousand pious Brahmins is also obtained simply by observing a strict fast on Yogini Ekadashi. For one who fasts on this sacred Ekadashi, he/she destroys heaps of past sinful reactions and makes him most pious. Rajan, thus I have explained to you the purity of Yogini Ekadashi.
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