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Putradha Ekadashi - Vrat Katha
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Falls on: Shravan sukla paksh
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Yudhisthir questions Madhusudan
Yudhisthir said, �Hai Madhusudan, killer of the Madhu demon, please be merciful to me and describe to me the Ekadashi that occurs during sukla paksh of Shravan�
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Shri Krishna readily answered
�Yes Rajan, I shall happily narrate to you the glories of Putradha Ekadashi, for just by hearing about this sacred Ekadashi one attains the merit of performing an Ashwayah-mavah-yagiya�.
Shri Krishna narrates a tale of a depressed king
�At the dawn of Duvapur-yug, there lived a king by the name of Mahijit, who ruled the kingdom
of Mahismti-pur. His entire kingdom seemed utterly cheerless to him because he had no son.
A married man without a son, gains no happiness in this life or the next.
With years passing by he became very anxious. One day he told to an assembly of his advisers that
I have committed no sin in this life, and there is no ill-gotten wealth in my treasury.
I have never usurped the offerings to Devtas or Brahmins. When I waged war and conquered
kingdoms, I followed the rules and regulations of the military art, and I have protected
my subjects as if they were my own children. I punished even my own relatives if they broke
the law, and if my enemy was gentle and religious, I welcomed him. Hai Brahmin, although I am
a religious and faithful follower of the Vedic Sanathan Dharma, still my home is without a son. Kindly tell me the reason for this".
Hearing this, the king's Brahmin advisers discussed the subject among themselves and with the
aim of benefiting the king they visited the various ashrams of the great sages. At last, they came upon a sage who was austere, pure, and self-satisfied, and who was strictly observing a vow of fasting. His senses were completely under control, he had conquered his anger, and he was expert at performing his occupational duty. Indeed, this great sage was expert in all the conclusions of the Veds, and he had extended his life span to that of Brahmaji himself. His name was Lomas Risi, and he knew past, present, and future. After each kalp passed, one hair would fall out of his body. All the king's Brahmin advisers very happily approached him one by one to offer their humble respect.
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Finally they sort refugee in Rishi
Captivated by this great soul, King Mahijit's advisers offered obeisance to him and very respectfully said,
�Only because of our great good fortune, hai Rishi, have we been allowed to see you�. Lomas Risi saw them bowing down to him and replied, �Kindly let me know why you have come here.
Why are you praising me? I must do all I can to solve your problems, for sages like me have
only one interest, to help others. Do not doubt this�.
The king's representatives said, �We have come to you, hai Rishiwar, to ask for your help in
solving a very serious problem. Hai Rishi, you are like Brahma. Indeed, there is no better
Rishi in the entire world. Our king, Mahijit, is without a son, though he has sustained
and protected us as if we were his sons. Seeing him so unhappy because of being sonless,
we have become very sad. Therefore, we have entered the forest to perform severe austerities.
By our good fortune, we happened to meet you, since everyone's desires and activities become
successful merely by your darshan. Thus, we humbly request you to tell us how our kind king
can obtain a son�.
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Offence against cows
Hearing their sincere plea, Lomas Rishi absorbed himself into a deep meditation for a moment
and got a sight on the king's previous life. Then he said, �Your ruler was a merchant in his
past life, and feeling his wealth insufficient, he committed sinful deeds. He travelled to many
villages to trade his goods. Once, at noon on the next day of Ekadashi, that comes during
sukla paksh of Jyesth, he became thirsty while travelling from place to place. He came upon a
beautiful pond on the outskirts of a village, but just as he was about to drink at the pond,
a cow arrived there with her newborn calf. These two creatures were also very thirsty because
of the heat, but when the cow and calf started to drink, the merchant rudely shoved them aside
and selfishly slaked his own thirst. This offense against a cow and her calf has resulted in
your king's being without a son now. But the good deeds he performed in his previous life have
given him rulership over an undisturbed kingdom.
Hearing this, the king's advisers said, �Hai renowned Rishi, we have heard that the Veds
say one can nullify the effects of one's past sins by acquiring merit. Be kind to
give us some instruction by which our king's sins can be destroyed; please give him your
mercy so that a prince will take birth in his family�.
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Glory of Ekadashi
Lomas Rishi said, �There is an Ekadashi called Putrada, which comes during sukla paksh of
Shravan. On this day all of you, including your king, should fast and stay awake all night,
strictly following the rules and regulations. Then you should give the king whatever merit
you gain by this fast. If you follow these instructions of mine, he will surely be blessed
with a fine son�.
All the king's advisers became very pleased to hear these words from Lomas Rishi,
and they all offered him their grateful obeisance. Then, their eyes bright with happiness,
they returned home.
When the month of Shravan arrived, the king's advisers remembered the advice of Lomas Rishi,
and under their direction all the citizens of Mahismati, as well as the king, fasted on
Ekadashi and on the next day, Duvadasi, the citizens dutifully offered their accrued merit
to him. By the strength of all this merit, the queen became pregnant and eventually gave
birth to a most beautiful son.
�Yudhisthir�, Bhagwan Shri Krishna concluded, �the Ekadashi that comes during sukla paksh of
Shravan has thus rightfully become famous as Putrada (bestower of a son). Whoever desires
happiness in this world; and the next should certainly fast from all grains on this holy day.
Indeed, whoever simply hears the glories of Putrada Ekadashi becomes completely free of all
sins, is blessed with a good son, and surely ascends to heaven after death�.
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