Utpanna Ekadashi

by Astro Ved Online Astrology Consultation

Ekadashi is the eleventh day in every moon phase as per the Hindu calendar. There is a waxing moon phase in which the moon grows day by day. There is another phase which is the waning moon phase, in which the moon loses its illumination each day. Each of these phases is of 15 days, 30 days together. Ekadashi hence is the eleventh day which comes every 15 days in Krishna Paksha. This way, there are 24 Ekadashis in a year. One such Ekadashi is Utpanna Ekadashi!

 

About Utpanna Ekadashi

 

In the Hindu Lunar calendar, Utpanna Ekadashi comes during the waning phase of the moon. To be precise, it happens in Margasira month, which is the period of November-December.

 

There are rituals related to Utpanna Ekadashi. These rituals are considered to be told by Lord Krishna himself to Yudhishthira (one of the Pandavas). These rituals are now found in the ancient Hindu texts. Here are the rituals:

 

·         On the tenth day or the day before Utpanna Ekadashi in Krishna Paksha, the person should clean his teeth in the afternoon; one can have dinner during Sunset.

 

·         The next morning when the person wakes up, the person should take a bath in the nearby river or clean lake. One can also bathe in the pond water, and he is intended to observe fasting.

 

·         While bathing, the person should take some mud and smear it on his body while also chanting the mantra. One can chant the following mantra:

 

·         Asvakrante! O Rathakrante! O Vishnukrante! O Vasundhare! O Mrttike! 

 

·         The mantra means, O Mother Earth! Please remove all my sins I have done in all past lives so I can go to the abode of Lord Vishnu and live free from the cycle of life and death.

 

·         Once the bathe is performed, one should worship Lord Krishna. Offer him Bhog with some flowers and other offerings; do it with complete devotion. To honor him further, light a lamp in front of his idol.

 

·         One can indulge in the devotion of Krishna by chanting or singing hymns to admire the Lord. This also takes you in a blissful state where you feel close to the Supreme.

 

·         People can also do Jagran, where they wake up all night, dance, and play some musical instruments. Hymns are sung to please the Lord.

 

·         The next morning when you wake up, you should give charity or Dakshina to Brahmans and ask for their blessings.

 

·         Those who observe fast till the next day should break by saying, "O Pundarikaksha, O lotus-eyed Lord, now I will eat. Please shelter me".

 

·         Now take some water and flowers and offer them at the feet of Lord Vishnu. Later you can drink this water to receive immense blessings of the Lord.

 

This is how Utpanna Ekadashi is celebrated to get the sanctification of Lord Vishnu. This helps the soul to wash their sins and become closer to attain salvation.

 

One can observe fasting from the morning of Ekadashi and break it in the evening when the sun sets. People can also consume some fruits and milk for those who can't stay hungry for longer. One should never consume grains, rice, beans, and meals made using onions and garlic.

 

The Legend of Utpanna Ekadashi

 

Once upon a time, there was a demon called Mura. The demon made a major blunder in heaven and snatched the position of all Devas. In the end, Lord Vishnu tried to fight Mura, but the demon was impossible to defeat. Fighting for years, Lord Vishnu and demon came to Earth, but the demon couldn't be killed even with the most mighty weapons of Lord Vishnu.

 

Vishnu was exhausted, and he found a cave, Himavati, which was in Badarikashrama, to take some rest. However, the demon found him out while Lord Vishnu was in a deep sleep. The demon was about to kill the Lord, but meanwhile, female power in the form of a young girl manifested from Vishnu's body.

 

The female power challenged Mura, and in an instant, she destroyed all his weapons. In the next move, she destroyed the demons, putting an end to the chaos. This female power was none other than Vishnu’s transcendental self, his immense internal power, which manifested as a girl.

 

Lord Vishnu was very pleased with the girl, and he named her Ekadashi. He also blessed the girl with a boon that whoever will observe a fast on this day will attain salvation and my immense blessings.

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Created on Jun 9th 2021 04:50. Viewed 91 times.

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