varūthinī ekādaśī

pāṃḍava King yudhiṣṭhira requested to śrīkṛṣṇa, "Dear Lord, Please tell us about the ekādaśī of kṛṣṇapakṣaṃ of caitramāsaṃ, its procedure and the merits attained by observance of this fast". Lord śrīkṛṣṇa said, “O King yudhiṣṭhira! The ekādaśī falling in the kṛṣṇapakṣaṃ of caitramāsaṃ is called ‘varūthinī ekādaśī’. This fast is bestower of great luck and it burns sins and renders salvation (mokṣaṃ) to the observer. All sins of person gets destroyed by observing this fast. This fast gives great spiritual merit. If some unlucky soul does this fast, he gets great luck and fortune. King Mandhata & Dhundhumar went to heaven due to the merits attained by observing this fast. The merits of varūthinī ekādaśī fast are same as the doing penance (Tapasya) for ten thousand years. Scriptures say that donation of elephants, horses and land are great. But the donation of tila(Sesame seeds) is greater than donation of land, gold donation is greater than sesame seeds and Donating food grain is greater than the donation of Gold. But the merits of varūthinī ekādaśī fast are greater than food grain and equals the merit of kanyādānaṃ (Act of giving away daughter in marriage to a suitable groom). The results obtained by donation 1 Mann Gold (a unit of measurement , 1 Mann =37.324 Kgs) in kurukṣetraṃ at the time of Solar Eclipse IS SAME AS  merit obtained by observing the fast of varūthinī ekādaśī. Person who observes this fast, enjoys the pleasures of this world and achieves heaven in afterlife.  The merit of food grain donation is highly revered. It is considered nearly equivalent to ‘kanyādānaṃ’. Donation of food grain satisfies  Gods, man and forefathers. varūthinī ekādaśī gives you merit equals to the donation of Food grain and kanyādānaṃ together. It is said that people who take the wealth of their daughter, they go hell and stay there till day of annihilation or they take next birth in the form of male cat in next birth. If people who perform marriage ceremony of their daughter with affection, love and a lot of gifts to daughter, the merits obtained by them are unparalleled. Anyone who observes this varūthinī ekādaśī fast they get the merit of kanyādānaṃ. varūthinī ekādaśī Fasting Rules: A day before varūthinī ekādaśī, on daśami (tenth day of Hindu panchang lunar month), Devotee should do following: 

1) Stop eating in bronze vessels 

2) Leave Non vegetarian food  

3) Do not eat Masoor Pulse 

4) Do not eat Leaves of Grams  

5) Do not eat Leaves of Kondon ( A seed like mustard)  

6) Do not eat Honey  

7) Do not eat Food offered by others 

8) Do not eat twice ( Means eat only one meal a day)   

9) Abstain from sex in any form 

Fast observer should maintain complete celibacy on all three days (a day before on daśami, on the day of fast-ekādaśī and a day later-dvadaśi). On the day of ekādaśī fast, vrataṃ observer should not sleep. He should not eat beetle leave, or do 'dantadhāvana’ (toothbrush has to be done early in morning at 4 am- Brahmuhurta). He should not denigrate about others, should not lie, should not be angry and should not accompany sinful people on this day. The observer should not use salt, oil and food grains. In essence, the fast observer should carry out the fast with utmost sincerity and complete purity.

Story of varūthinī ekādaśī: 

Lord śrī kṛṣṇa said, “O yudhiṣṭhira! I am telling you as story about varūthinī ekādaśī. Listen carefully. Once upon a time a king named Mandhata used to rule nearby narmadā River. He was a just and noble king and used to do large hearted donations. King Mandhata was meditative and lived a pious life. After he retired from his rule, he went to do penance in forest. King left all his attachments and immersed himself in the contemplation of Supreme soul paramātma śrīmahāviṣṇu. Day after night he was engaged into rigours austerities. One day a large bear attacked him and started chewing his leg. King had already left his warrior kṣatrīyadharmaṃ and was living a sage's life therefore he didn't get angry and started praying to God to help him. Lord śrīmahāviṣṇu appeared instantly and killed bear with his sudarṣana cakraṃ and saved King's life. But by that time bear had already chewed a significant part of king’s leg. He was very saddened because of this. Completely aware about King’s predicament, Lord śrīmahāviṣṇu said, "My dear child! You go to madhura city and worship my Varaha (Boar) incarnation idol while keeping varūthinī ekādaśī fast. You will get your lost limb back and you will be completely healthy. Bear has chewed your leg because of a sin committed by you in one of your previous births.” King obeyed Lord and went to madhura. There Mandhata observed varūthinī ekādaśī fast. He became completely healthy and got his limbs back again due to the merits of this fast. Lord Krishna further says, "O King, People who observe this fast attain heaven. People should be afraid of the bad karmā’s and should refrain from doing them. If this fast is observed properly, yamadharmarāja is pleased with them. Even the reading significance of this fast gives great merits. The merits obtained by this fast are even greater than taking bath in gaṃgā river. Fast has to be broken on the next day on dvādaśi morning during auspicious muhurta.

oṃ namonārāyaṇāya 

 References 

padmapurāṇaṃ