Devprabodhini (Prabodhini) Ekadashi Vrat Katha

– Celebrating Lord ShriHari Awakening from Four Months of ‘Rest’

⚪ ShriHari Mandir (Porbandar) is celebrating Devaprabodhini (Prabodhini) Ekādaśī fast on Monday, 15th November, 2021.

⚪ This fast is observed on the eleventh day of the first fortnight (Śukla pakṣa) of the month of ‘Kārtika’.

⚪ The unique significance of each Ekādaśī Kathā is explained to Dharmarāja Śrī Yudhiṣṭhira Māharāja by Lord Śrī Krṣṇa, in the ‘Uttara Khaṇḍa’ of the Padma Purāṇa. 

⚪ Śrī Krṣṇa explains the significance of this Ekādaśī fast by narrating a conversation between Śrī Brahmājī and Devarṣī Nārada.  

⚪ Devarṣī Nārada asks Brahmājī, 

            ‘Oh Brahmadeva, please explain to me the significance of Prabodhini Ekādaśī, in which the Lord who propels the activities of righteous deeds, awakens.’

⚪ Delightedly, Brahmājī replies, 

            ‘Oh best of all, the significance of Prabodhini Ekādaśī is such that it destroys sins, promotes growth in merit, and grants salvation to men of most-excellent, divinely-inclined intellect.’

⚪ All the Holy Tīrthas between the oceans and lakes continue to roar of their own glory until Lord Viṣṇu’s date of awakening (Prabodhini Ekādaśī) arrives in the month of Kārtika.

⚪ How Does One Observe this Prabodhini Ekādaśī Fast?

• On the day of Prabodhini Ekādaśī, one should generously engage in the ritual worship of Lord ShriHari—through flowers, fruits, camphor (kapūra), red powder (kumkuma). 
  • By performing charity on this day, one attains innumerable merit. Thus, one should not use one’s wealth sparingly on this Ekādaśī.
• During the night, one should offer various liquid oblations to Lord ShriHari through a conch shell (śaṅkha). 
• After that, one should worship one’s Guru by offering to them food (bhoga), a shawl (āccādana), and due remuneration (dakṣiṇā)—to please Lord ShriHari. 
• One who listens to the Śrīmad Bhāgavata or performs a pāṭha from the Purāṇa on this day, receives the fruit of performing charity of a Kapilā cow (Kapilā Dāṇa) for every syllable of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata read or listened to. 

⚪ What is the Significance of Performing Brahma Yajña on Prabodhini Ekādaśī and During the Month of Kārtika?

• One who spends the month of Kārtika and this Prabodhini Ekādaśī fast engaged and rejoicing in satsaṃga related to our scriptures, is rid of all their sins, and reaps the fruit of performing a 1000 yajñas.
• ‘For one who spends time singing devotional songs (bhajanas, kīrtana, padas) of Lord Viṣṇu on this day, I have not witnessed them continue to be entrapped by the cycle of birth and death due to Karma (punarjanma),’ says Brahmājiī to Devarṣī Nārada.

            ✸ Satsaṃga on Lord Viṣṇu’s Kathā:

• On this day, one who listens to Lord Viṣṇu’s Kathā as a regulated practice (nīyama):-
  • Reaps the fruit of donating a thousand cows (Sahasra Gaū Dāna);
  • Reaps the fruit of donating land equivalent to the seven continents;
  • And one who sincerely engages in the formal worship of the Katha narrator to the best of one’s abilities, attains the Imperishable Supreme Abode.
• ★ One who organises ShriHari’s Kathā in this month of Kārtika—even out of the positive greed of attaining auspiciousness—emancipates 100 generations in one’s lineage.

⚪ What is the Significance of Offering Tulasī Leaves to Lord Viṣṇu During the Month of Kārtika?

• One who offers holy basil (Tulasī) leaves and flowers to Lord Janārdana during the month of Kārtika, is rid of an entire lifetime of sins. 

तुलसीदल पुष्पाणि ये यच्छन्ति  जनार्दने।
कार्तिकं सकलं वत्स पापं जन्मार्जितं दहेत् ।।
दृष्ट्वा स्पृष्ट्वाथ वा ध्याता कीर्तिता नामत: स्तुता ।
रोपिता सेचिता नित्यं पूजिता तुलसी नता ।।
नवधा तुलसीभक्तिं ये कुर्वन्ति दिने दिने ।
युगकोटिसहस्राणि तन्वन्ति सुकृतं मुने ।।

tulasīdala puṣpāṇi ye yacchanti janārdane ।
kārtikaṃ sakalaṃ vatsa pāpaṃ janmārjitaṃ dahet ।।
dṛṣṭvā spṛṣṭvātha vā dhyātā kīrtitā nāmata stutā ।
ropitā secitā nityaṃ pūjitā tulasī natā ।।
navadhā tulasībhaktiṃ ye kurvanti dine dine ।
yugakoṭisahasrāṇi tanvanti sukṛtaṃ mune ।।

One who worships Tulasī leaves through the nine forms of devotion (1) sight; 2) touch; 3) meditation; 4) Chanting its Names; 5) praising it; 6) offering them to the Lord; 7) watering them; 8) using them in daily ritual worship; 9) paying it our obeisances), extends their merit for thousands of ages.

One who offers even a single Tulasī leaf during the month of Kārtika, reaps the same fruit as one who offers the Lord all types of flowers and leaves.

During the month of Kārtika, and especially on this Prabodhini Ekādaśī, one should worship Lord Viṣṇu by offering Him soft Tulasī leaves as a regulated practice (nīyama) everyday.

One who offers Lord Viṣṇu Tulasī leaves on Ekādaśī in the month of Kārtika, reaps the same merit as worshipping deities through a 100 yajñas, and performing various types of charities.

⚪ What are the Fruits Reaped from Observing this Prabodhini Ekādaśī Fast?

✸ One who:

• Observes this Ekādaśī fast: 
  • Attains the fruit of completing a 1000 Aśvamedha Yajñas or a 100 Rājasūya Yajñas.
    • Additional readings on Aśvamedha Yajña: https://sandipani.org/aja-ekadashi-vrat-katha/
  • Faithfully, is blessed with prosperity, wealth, most-excellent intellect, sovereignty and enjoyment.
    • And worships Lord ShriHari is a wise one (jñānī), a practitioner of Yoga (yogī), an ascetic (tapasvī), and one who has conquered one’s senses (jitendrīya).
      • They attain both sensual enjoyments (bhoga), as well as liberation(mokṣa).
  • And engages in the ritual worship of the Lord Mādhava, is freed from a 100 lifetimes of sins. 
    • Having pleased Lord Janārdana, he illuminates all the places he goes to and attains ShriHari’s Vaikuṇṭha.
  • And contemplates upon this Prabodhini Ekādaśī with a single-pointed mind, frees one’s ancestors from the sorrows of Hell, and grants them a place in Lord Viṣṇu’s divine abode.
• Is engaged in the virtuous deeds of bathing (snāna), performing charity (dāna), chanting the Lord’s Names (japa), and performing Yajña to please Lord Viṣṇu, attains fruits that are imperishable.

✸ Observing this single fast burns away sins as great as the Mount Merū.

✸ Upon asking, Prabodhini Ekadashi grants even that which is rare or whose attainment is impossible, or even that which one hasn’t seen in any of the three worlds.

✸ By merely staying awake for Lord ShriHari, one reaps fruit akin to that of one who bathes in all the Holy Tīrthas and performs charity of gold (Suvarṇa Dāna) and land (Bhūmī Dāna).

✸ This Ekādaśī ensures the continuation of one’s lineage by granting one a son or grandson. 

✸ Having been worshipped on Prabodhini Ekadashi, the Lord frees one of a 100 lifetimes of sins committed in one’s childhood, youth, or old age—irrespective of whether it is more or less.

✸ For one who observes this Ekādaśī fast in accordance to scriptural guidance and one’s capabilities, his salvation is certain.

✸ By offering even just a single leaf from the Ketaki tree to Lord ShriHari, Lord ShriHari remains extremely satiated for 1000 years.

✸ The mere sight of Lord Janārdana extinguishes the fire of Hell of one who worships Him with agastya flowers.

🌐 Stay tuned to know more about the respective significance of, rituals involved in, and fruits reaped from, each Ekādaśī Kathā!

🔆  #DidYouKnow—

            ✸ 1) Prabodhini Ekādaśī marks the end of the holy four months, known as ‘Cāturmāsa’, where Lord ShriHari rests upon the milky ocean. 

            Additional readings on the significance of the two Ekādaśīs marking the beginning and end of Lord ShriHari’s resting period:

• https://sandipani.org/devpodhi_devuthi_ekadashi_murtipuja/
• https://sandipani.org/devashayani-ekadashi-vrat-katha/

            ✸ 2) Any of the Holy Tīrthas that are present in the three worlds, are verily present in the home of one who observes this Prabodhini Ekādaśī fast.

🔆 #PujyaBhaishriSays—“On the path of knowledge, all spiritual practices may fall away after attaining perfection. On the devotional path, spiritual practices remain intact after attaining God. This is why after Śrī Krṣṇa came to Gokula, Nanda Bāba and all continued to observe Ekādaśī fast—develops restraint,” @PPBhaishri.

🌙 #FunFact—There are two Ekādaśīs in every month; falling on the eleventh day of every lunar fortnight. The Ekādaśī falling during the waxing phase of the moon (bright lunar fortnight) is known as ’Śukla pakṣa’ Ekādaśī; and the one falling during the waning phase of the moon (dark lunar fortnight) is known as ‘Krṣṇa pakṣa’ Ekādaśī.

#PuraanPrasaad by Rishi Dhavalbhai Joshi

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