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Ekadashi is a Sanskrit word, which means 'the eleventh'. It
refers to the eleventh day of a fortnight belonging to a lunar month.
There are two fortnights in a lunar month-the bright and the dark. So, Ekadashi occurs twice in a month. Ekadashi
is very important for all Hindus, as the observance of rituals connected
with this occasion is said to take away any sin that the person may have
accumulated during the fortnight.
To be able to get rid of the
sins or any wrong deeds every fortnight is very helpful to the five
senses. This is similar to the Christians going to their priest for
“confession”. Ekadashi has social
function as well, just like Sankranti. Even if
one does not keep the fast, it is a day for doing charitable deeds. If Ekadashi is observed as a vrat,
it can be “nitya” (compulsory) or
“kamya” (motivated by desires). In
the first case only Shukla Paksha
need to be observed. As a kamya-vrat, it can be
observed on both Ekadashi days in a month. The
significance of Ekadsashi is explained in
detail in the aptly titled book “THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EKADASHI”
by SRI SWAMI KRISHNANDA
The special feature of Ekadashi, as most people know it, is a fast. This is
how it is usually understood. 'We do not eat on Ekadashi',
is what people understand. In fact, the fast is
only a practical expression and a symbol of something else that we are
expected to do, which is of special significance to our personality.
Those who know astronomy as
something which tells about the inter-relation of the planetary system.
By a system we mean an organism or organization which is methodically
arranged. We know that we belong to the system of planetary motions,
which has an organic link. We belong to the solar system-a huge family of
which the sun is the head and the planets are the members. Astronomy
studies the movements of planets and stars, and ASTROLOGY the effects
they produce on the contents of the system.
The Ekadashi
observance is an astrological phenomenon and it is observed due to this
relation we have with some of the planets in the system. The movement of
these planets influences the entire personality of ours. The
gravitational pull of planets has an influence on us. The sun is said to
influence the center of our personality; hence the sun is called Atmakaraka.
He is. the
soul-influences of the human body. In the Rig-veda,
the sun is identified with the soul of the universe as well as the soul
of the individual. The different limbs of our body and different parts of
our system are supposed to be influenced by different planets. The sun is
capable of influencing the entire being. He is, thus, the Atmakaraka.
Karaka is doer, manipulator,
and director. If there is no sun, we know what difference it makes for
us; our digestion becomes sluggish on days when there is no sun. So
important is the sun.
The subtle essence of the
food, not only directly taken through the mouth but through all senses,
contributes to the make up of the mind.
The mind's presiding deity
is Moon. Ekadashi is particularly relevant to
this relation of Moon and Mind.
You will find that, when you
go deep into the study of astronomy, you have nothing in your body except
some planetary influences! We are made up of planetary forces and there
is nothing independent to call our own.
One part belongs to one
planet and another part to another planet. If each planet claims its
part, you will disintegrate. The moon influences the mind in its orbital
relative movement with reference to other planets and us.
How, is Ekadashi
related to the movement of moon and mind? We have certain centers called Chakras in the body. The Chakras
are nothing but energy centers which whirl in some direction as water
whirls in a river.
Chakra is a wheel or circular motion. They move in a spiral
shape. They are not physical; but psychophysical and psychological. These
Chakras are neither in the mind nor in the
body; they are in the astral body. The moon's
influence physically on the body has an influence on the Chakras, which tells upon the mind ultimately.
The passage of the mind is
through these Chakras, up and down. When this
operation takes place consciously, it is called Yoga; when done
unconsciously by the mind, it is just influence. When the moon waxes or
wanes, the mind is mentally influenced.
So people who are not normal
in their minds become very bad on the full moon and new-moon days. You
cannot see the moon's influence on the earth because it is solid, but it
can be seen on the ocean, which is liquid. The moon influences the whole
earth, but its influence is visible on the large body of waters in the
sea.
This happens due to the
two-fold pressure of the relation of the earth and moon. The sun
influences the moon and the moon influences the earth. When the influence
occurs automatically, we are instruments in the hands of Mother Nature.
When it is done consciously,
we are said to practice Yoga. We can be involuntarily dragged from place
to place, or we can walk voluntarily. The difference is obvious. The
moon's movement tells upon the movement of the mind through the Chakras.
Another important aspect is
the seat of the mind which is also twofold. You may be living in many houses,
of which one or two are your own. Svasthana
means 'One's own place.' The mind has several abodes or centers of energy
called Chakras, of which two are its own.
The seats of the mind in this
personality of ours are:
1.
The subtle spot in the astral body corresponding to the centre of the two
eye-brows, in waking, and 2. The heart, in the state of deep sleep. If it
is in the brain, it is active and you, then, do not get sleep, because it
refuses to go down.
If the mind is midway
between the centre of the eyebrows and the heart, it is Dream State. So, there is a twofold centre of the mind,-the Ajna-Chakra, or the centre between the eyebrows, and
the Anahata Chakra,
or the heart. In both these centres, the mind
feels at home and is at ease, because it is nearer to itself. In other centres it is extrovert.
In the Ajna
and the Anahata Chakras
it finds itself at home. In the two fortnights, in its movement, it finds
itself at the Ajna Chakra
and the Anahata Chakra
on the eleventh day. Since these two Chakras
are its own abode, the mind is at home here, i.e., it gets concentrated
and collected easily. This has been the experience given out by our
ancients, and this has to be taken advantage of by Sadhakas.
You are capable of concentration when the mind is naturally in its home.
The mind cannot be concentrated when it is out of tune.
So, the Ekadashi
day in both fortnights is the occasion when the mind finds itself in its
place-in the bright fortnight in the Ajna Chakra, and in dark fortnight in the Anahata Chakra. Seekers and
Yogis take advantage of these two days and try to practice deep
meditation. Vaishnavas treat Ekadashi as a very holy day and also observe a fast
on that day.
Fast and meditation! What is the
connection?
There is really no intrinsic
connection between fast and meditation, but there is some advantage in
keeping the body light and the stomach free from excessive metabolic
function.
When the stomach is given
the duty of digestion, doctors will tell you, the blood circulation is
accelerated towards the digestive organs, on account of which blood
circulation to the head gets decreased after food is taken and so you
feel sleepy and the thinking faculty practically ceases to function.
Hence, there is no advantage in giving the physical system work on days
you want to do yogic practice.
Thus, Ekadashi
has also a spiritual significance. The energy of the whole system gets
distributed equally if a particular limb is not given any inordinate
work. If any part is given
heavy work, there is a dislocation of the working of the body. So, in
fasting the energy is equally distributed, as the digestive function is
not there. But, there should be no overdoing in fast. Fast is supposed to
cause buoyancy of feeling and not fatigue. So people who are sick and
cannot observe a total fast take milk and fruits, etc. People, who are
perfectly healthy and are confident, observe a complete fast. This helps
in control of mind and will. Apart from all these, there is a necessity
to give the physiological system some rest once a while. It may be
over-worked due to a little over-eating. These irregularities
unconsciously done during the fourteen days get rectified in one day.
Thus the observance of Ekadashi has many advantages-physical, astral,
spiritual-and because this day has connection with the relation of the
mind with its abode together with the moon, you feel mysteriously helped
in your meditation and contemplation, mysteriously because you cannot
know this consciously. But you can feel this for yourself by observing
it. In India everything is interpreted spiritually.
The eleventh day after a new
Moon or full Moon the Vrat observed on this day
is called the Ekadashi DAY. In all 24 Ekadashi fasts are observed in a year. It is believed
that Lord Vishnu transformed himself into Ekadashi
to alleviate the mankind from sins. It is day looked upon Lord Hari himself.
According to the Puranas, a demon named called Mura, who had 7,000
sons, harassed the gods. The gods asked Vishnu for protection against
Mura; Vishnu sent his Yog Maya (Indriyas) to kill the demon and his sons, and these
was done successfully.
Lord Hari
granted Yoga Maya a boon, and said “Those who observe Ekadashi will be freed from all sins, and you will be
called by the name Ekadashi.” Since the
demon was created from the sweat that fell down from the head of Brahma
it assumed the from of a demon and said to the
Lord, “O Lord! Now give me an abode to dwell”. Brahma replied, “O demon! Go
and dwell in the rice particles and cereals eaten by men on Ekadashi day and become worms in their
stomach.” This is a short story as narrated in our Holy Scriptures.All Hindus between eight and eighty years
should fast on the Ekadashi days.
On Ekadashi
day, one must not let anger; lust and enjoyment come in the way of this
fast. Those who observe the Ekadashi fast
should avoid sexual acts on the dasami day, the
day proceeding Ekadashi.
In this Kali Yuga, even if
one Ekadashi is observed with dispassion, faith
and devotion, and if the mind is wholly fixed on Hari,
one is freed from the rounds of birth and death.
The puranas
and dharmasastras, though prohibit the par
taking of cooked on Ekadashi days, have made
many concessions to the general people towards their weakness towards
food. If one eats only once in the day around noon, it is called “ekabhukta”,
if only in the night it is called “nakta”,
when food is taken once a day, it is called “ayacita”.Devotees
fast on this day, do Japa, Hari
kirtan and meditation. Some even, do not take
even a drop of water. Those who are unable to fast completely can take
some light fruits and milk.
Fasting controls passion. It
checks the emotions and controls the senses. It is a great penance and
purifies the mind and the heart. Fasting overhauls the respiratory,
circulatory, digestive and urinary systems.
If one can not fast for the
full 24hrs, at least fast for 10-12 hrs and then take some milk and
fruit. And the gradually increase the fast to 15 hrs and then to 24hrs.
Fasting makes a person
strong, both mentally and spiritually. For those who are ill and are not
able bodied certain foods known as the farari
foods are allowed. These include tubers (potatoes, cassava, carrots,
turnips, dairy products, fruits, and nuts. Foods made from cereals are
forbidden. On the preceding day that is on the 10th tithi;
Sandhya is performed and then only one meal is
taken.
In the evening Vishnu is
worshipped, holding some durva grass in the
hand. One has to approach religion and the scriptures with great faith,
reverence and purity of heart.
The period that combines
with Ekadashi with Dvadasi
(12th day) is Harivasara because of the Vishnu
in this tithi. This is good time to do sacred yajnas.
If Dvadasi
touches the days of the Ekadashi and Trayodhesi Tithis, fasting
should be kept on the day which is wholly Dvadasi, and the Paranan on the Trayodhasi
day, when Dvadasi ends.
WHEN the duration of Ekadashi be less then that
of Dvadasi, fasting should be done on the Dvadasi. The day which combines with Dvadasi into 13th is the best day for breaking the
fast.
When an Ekadashi
comes on a Pushya day in the Shukla Paksha, this day
should be observed. The wise extols this day as one promising crores of good effects on the person.
On observing the Ekadashi day you should do Vishnu Puja
which is productive of universal happiness. It is said the people will
acquire good children and wealth in this world and attain Vishnuloka upon death.
A person physically unable
to fast may ask his spouse or one of his family members to observe Ekadashi for his sake. The reward for fasting is only
obtained when the person fasts for the whole day (24 hours).
NOTE: Parents or
Elder’s Shraddha days (death anniversary)
should not be performed on the Ekadashi day, it should be put off to the next tithi, Dvadasi, as this
does not give Shanti to the Pitrus.
In all cases of uncertainty
as to the exact day for fasting, it is better abstain from food on Dvadasi day and breakfast on the next day.
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