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X-WR-CALNAME:Bhagavat Dharma Samaj | Est. 1990
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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Bhagavat Dharma Samaj | Est. 1990
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DTSTART:20250101T000000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260413
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260414
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20260413T013212Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T013212Z
UID:32018-1776038400-1776124799@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Varūthinī Ekādaśī Vrataṁ – Vaisākha kṛṣṇa pakṣa
DESCRIPTION:BREAKING THE FAST ON THE NEXT DAY. \nYudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said\, “O Vāsudeva\, I offer my most humble obeisances unto You. Please now describe the Ekādaśī of the dark fortnight of the month of Vaisākha [April-May]\, including its specific merits and influence.” \nLord Śrī Kṛṣṇa replied\, “O King\, in this world and the next\, the most auspicious and magnanimous Ekādaśī is Varūthinī Ekādaśī\, which occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Vaisākha. Whoever observes a complete fast on this sacred day has his sins completely removed\, obtains continuous happiness\, and achieves all good fortune. Fasting on Varūthinī Ekādaśī makes even an unfortunate woman fortunate. Upon anyone who observes it\, this Ekādaśī bestows material enjoyment in this life and liberation after death. It destroys the sins of all and saves people from the miseries of rebirth. \n“By observing this Ekādaśī properly\, King Māndhātā was liberated. Many other kings also benefited from observing it—kings such as Mahārāja Dhundhumāra\, in the Ikṣvāku dynasty\, who became free from leprosy resulting from a curse Lord Śiva had imposed as a punishment. Whatever merit one obtains by performing austerities and penances for ten thousand years is achieved by a person who observes Varūthinī Ekādaśī. The merit one achieves by donating a great amount of gold during a solar eclipse at Kurukśetra is gained by one who observes this Ekādaśī fast. In short\, this Ekādaśī is pure and very enlivening and a destroyer of all sins. \n“Better than giving horses in charity is giving elephants\, and better than giving elephants is giving land. But better than giving land is giving of sesame seeds\, and better than that is giving gold. Still better than giving gold is giving food grains\, for all the forefathers\, demigods\, and human beings become satisfied by eating grains. Thus there is no better charity than this in the past\, present\, or future. Yet learned scholars have declared that giving away a young maiden in marriage to a worthy person is equal to giving food grains. Moreover\, Śrī Kṛṣṇa\, the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, has said that giving cows in charity is equal even to giving food grains. Still better than all these charities is teaching spiritual knowledge to the ignorant. Yet all the merits one can attain by performing all these acts of charity are attained by one who fasts on Varūthinī Ekādaśī.” \n“One who lives off the wealth of his daughters suffers a hellish condition until the inundation of the entire universe\, O Bhārata. Therefore one should be especially careful not to use the wealth of his daughter. O best of kings\, any householder who takes his daughter’s wealth out of greed\, who tries to sell his daughter\, or who takes money from the man to whom he has given his daughter in marriage—such a householder becomes a lowly cat in his next life. Therefore it is said that whoever\, as a sacred act of charity\, gives in marriage a maiden decorated with various ornaments\, and who also gives a dowry with her\, obtains merit that cannot be described even by Citragupta\, the chief secretary of Yamarāja in the heavenly planets. That very same merit\, however\, can easily be achieved by one who fasts on the Varūthinī Ekādaśī. \n“The following things should be given up on the Daśamī\, the day before the Ekādaśī: eating on bell-metal plates\, eating any kind of urad-dāl\, eating red lentils\, eating chick-peas\, eating kondo\, eating spinach\, eating honey\, eating in another person’s house/home\, eating more than once\, and sex. On Ekādaśī itself one should give up the following: gambling\, sports\, sleeping during the daytime\, betel nuts and its leaf\, brushing one’s teeth\, spreading rumors\, faultfinding\, talking to the spiritually fallen\, anger\, and lying. On Dvādaśī\, the day after Ekādaśī\, one should give up the following: eating on bell-metal plates\, eating urad-dāl\, red-lentils\, or honey\, lying\, strenuous exercise or labour\, eating more than once\, sex\, shaving\, smearing oil on one’s body\, and eating in another’s home.” \nLord Śrī Kṛṣṇa continued\, “Whoever observes the Varūthinī Ekādaśī in this way becomes free from all sinful reactions and returns to the eternal\, spiritual abode. One who worships Lord Janārdana on this Ekādaśī by staying awake throughout the night also becomes free from all his sins and attains to the spiritual abode. Therefore\, O king\, he who is frightened of his sins and their attendant reactions\, and thus of death itself\, must observe Varūthinī Ekādaśī by fasting very strictly. Finally\, O noble Yudhiṣṭhira\, he who hears or reads this glorification of the sacred Varūthinī Ekādaśī obtains the merit earned by donating one thousand cows in charity\, and at last he returns home\, to the abode of Lord Viṣṇu.” \nThus ends the narration of the glories of Vaisākha-kṛṣṇa Ekādaśī\, or Varūthinī Ekādaśī\, from the Bhaviṣya-uttara Purāṇa.
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/varuthini-ekadasi-vrata%e1%b9%81-vaisakha-k%e1%b9%9b%e1%b9%a3%e1%b9%87a-pak%e1%b9%a3a/
CATEGORIES:Ekadashi,Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/varuthini.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260402
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260403
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20260328T203025Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260328T203025Z
UID:31983-1775088000-1775174399@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Caitra pūrṇimā - Balaram Rasayatra
DESCRIPTION:****Full Moon Day****
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/caitra-pur%e1%b9%87ima-balaram-rasayatra/
CATEGORIES:Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/BALARAMJIU-.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260329
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260330
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20260322T104711Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260322T104711Z
UID:31975-1774742400-1774828799@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Kāmadā Ekādaśī Vrataṁ – Caitra śukla pakṣa
DESCRIPTION:FASTING FROM ALL GRAINS AND BEANS MUST BE OBSERVED.\nFOLLOWED BY BREAKING THE FAST ON THE NEXT DAY. \nŚrī Sūta Gosvāmī said\, “O sages\, let me offer my humble and respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord Hari\, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa\, the son of Devakī and Vasudeva\, by whose mercy I can describe the fast day that removes all kinds of sins. It was to the devoted Yudhiṣṭhira that Lord Kṛṣṇa glorified the twenty-four primary Ekādaśīs\, which destroy sin\, and now I shall recount one of those narrations to you. Great learned sages have selected these twenty-four narrations from the eighteen Puraṇas\, for they are truly sublime. \nYudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said\, “O Lord Kṛṣṇa\, O Vāsudeva\, please accept my humble obeisances. Please describe to me the Ekādaśī that occurs during the light part of the month of Caitra [March-April]. What is its name\, and what are its glories?” \nLord Śrī Kṛṣṇa replied\, “O Yudhiṣṭhira\, please listen to Me attentively as I relate the ancient history of this sacred Ekādaśī\, a history Vasiṣṭha Muni once related to King Dilīpa\, the great-grandfather of Lord Rāmacandra. \nKing Dilīpa asked the great sage Vasiṣṭha\, “O wise brāhmaṇa\, I wish to hear about the Ekādaśī\, that comes during the light part of the month of Caitra. Please describe it to me.” \nVasiṣṭha Muni replied\, “O king\, your inquiry is glorious. Gladly shall I tell you what you wish to know. The Ekādaśī that occurs during the light fortnight of Caitra is named Kāmadā Ekādaśī. It consumes all sins\, as a forest fire consumes a supply of dry firewood. It is very purifying\, and it bestows the highest merit upon one who faithfully observes it. O king\, now hear an ancient history\, which is so meritorious that it removes all one’s sins simply by being heard.” \nOnce\, long ago\, there existed a city-state named Ratnapura\, which was decorated with gold and jewels and in which sharp-fanged snakes would enjoy intoxication. King Punḍarīka was the ruler of this most beautiful kingdom\, which numbered many Gandharvas\, Kinnaras\, and Apsarās among its citizens. \nAmong the Gandharvas were Lalita and his wife Lalitā\, who was an especially lovely dancer. These two were intensely attracted to each other\, and their home was full of great wealth and fine food. Lalitā loved her husband dearly\, and likewise he constantly thought of her within his heart. \nOnce\, at the court of King Pundarīka\, many Gandharvas were dancing and Lalita was singing alone\, without his wife. He could not help thinking about her as he sang\, and because of this distraction he lost track of the song’s meter and melody. Indeed\, Lalita sang the ending of his song improperly\, and one of the envious snakes who was in attendance at the king’s court complained to the king that Lalita was absorbed in thinking of his wife instead of his sovereign. The king became furious upon hearing this\, and his eyes turned crimson with rage. Suddenly he shouted\, “O foolish knave\, because you were lustfully thinking of a woman instead of reverently thinking of your king as you performed your court duties\, I curse you to at once become a cannibal!” \nO king\, Lalita immediately became a fearful cannibal\, a great man-eating demon whose appearance terrified everyone. His arms were eight miles long\, his mouth was as big as a huge cave\, his eyes were as awesome as the sun and moon\, his nostrils resembled enormous pits in the earth\, his neck was a veritable mountain\, his hips were four miles wide\, and his gigantic body stood a full sixty-four miles high. Thus poor Lalita\, the loving Gandharva singer\, had to suffer the reaction of his offense against King Pundarīka. \nSeeing her husband suffering as a horrible cannibal\, Lalitā became overwhelmed with grief. She thought\, “Now that my dear husband is suffering the effects of the king’s curse\, what is to be my lot? What should I do? Where should I go?” In this way Lalitā grieved day and night. Instead of enjoying life as a Gandharva’s wife\, she had to wander everywhere in the thick jungle with her monstrous husband\, who had fallen completely under the spell of the king’s curse and was wholly engaged in terrible sinful activities. He wandered fitfully across forbidding regions\, a once-beautiful Gandharva demigod now reduced to the ghastly behavior of a man-eater. Utterly distraught to see her dear husband suffer so much in his dreadful condition\, Lalitā began to cry as she followed his mad journeying. \nBy good fortune\, however\, Lalitā came upon the sage Śṛṅgi one day. He was sitting on the peak of the famous Vindhyācala Hill. Approaching him\, she immediately offered the ascetic her respectful obeisances. The sage noticed her bowing down before him and said\, “O most beautiful one\, who are you? Whose daughter are you\, and why have you come here? Please tell me everything in truth.” \nLalitā replied\, “O great sage\, I am the daughter of the great Gandharva Vīradhanvā\, and my name is Lalitā. I roam the forests and plains with my dear husband\, whom King Pundarīka has cursed to become a man-eating demon. O brāhmaṇa\, I am greatly aggrieved to see his ferocious form and terribly sinful activities. O master\, please tell me how I can perform some act of atonement on behalf of my husband. What pious act can I perform to free him from this demoniac form\, O best of brāhmaṇas?” \nThe sage replied\, “O heavenly maiden\, there is an Ekādaśī named Kāmadā that occurs in the light fortnight of the month of Caitra. It is coming up soon. Whoever fasts on this day has all his desires fulfilled. If you observe this Ekādaśī fast according to its rules and regulations and give the merit you thus earn to your husband\, he will be freed from the curse at once.” Lalitā was overjoyed to hear these words from the sage. \nLalitā faithfully observed the fast of Kāmadā Ekādaśī according to the instructions of the sage Śṛṅgi\, and on Dvādaśi she appeared before him and the Deity of Lord Vāsudeva and said\, “I have faithfully observed the fast of Kāmadā Ekādaśī. By the merit earned through my observance of this fast\, let my husband be free from the curse that has turned him into a demoniac cannibal. May the merit I have gained thus free him from misery.” \nAs soon as Lalitā finished speaking\, her husband\, who stood nearby\, was at once freed from the king’s curse. He immediately regained his original form as the Gandharva Lalita\, a handsome heavenly singer adorned with many beautiful ornaments. Now\, with his wife Lalitā\, he could enjoy even more opulence than before. All this was accomplished by the power and glory of Kāmadā Ekādaśī. At last the Gandharva couple boarded a celestial airplane and ascended to heaven.” \nLord Śrī Kṛṣṇa continued\, “O Yudhiṣṭhira\, best of kings\, anyone who hears this wonderful narration should certainly observe holy Kāmadā Ekādaśī to the best of his ability\, such great merit does it bestow upon the faithful devotee. I have therefore described its glories to you for the benefit of all humanity. There is no better Ekādaśī than Kāmadā Ekādaśī. It can eradicate even the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa\, and it also nullifies demoniac curses and cleanses the consciousness. In all the three worlds\, among movable and immovable living entities\, there is no better day.” \nThus ends the narration of the glories of Caitra-śukla Ekādaśī\, or Kāmadā Ekādaśī\, from the< Varāha Purāṇa./em>
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/kamada-ekadasi-vrata%e1%b9%81-caitra-sukla-pak%e1%b9%a3a-2/
CATEGORIES:Ekadashi,Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/kamada.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260315
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260316
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250422T143555Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250422T143555Z
UID:31266-1773532800-1773619199@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Pāpamocanī Ekādaśī Vrataṁ - Caitra kṛṣṇa pakṣa
DESCRIPTION:Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said\, “O Supreme Lord\, I have heard from You the explanation of Āmalakī Ekādaśī\, which occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Phālguna [February-March]\, and now I wish to hear about the Ekādaśī that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Caitra [March-April]. What is its name\, O Lord\, and what results can one attain by observing it?” \nThe Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa\, replied\, “O best of kings\, for the benefit of everyone I shall gladly describe to you the glories of this Ekādaśī which is known as Pāpamocanī. The history of this Ekādaśī was once narrated to the emperor Māndhātā by Lomaṣa Ṛṣi. King Māndhāta addressed the ṛṣi\, ‘O great sage\, for the benefit of all people\, please tell me the name of the Ekādaśī that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Caitra\, and please explain the process for observing it. Also\, please describe the benefits one gains by observing this Ekādaśī.’ \n“Lomaṣa Ṛṣi replied\, ‘The Ekādaśī that occurs during the dark part of the month of Caitra is named Pāpamocanī Ekādaśī. For the faithful devotee it removes the influences of ghosts and demons. O lion among men\, this Ekādaśī also awards the eight perfections of life\, fulfills all kinds of desires\, purifies one’s life of all sinful reactions\, and makes a person perfectly virtuous. \n“‘Now please listen to a historical account concerning this Ekādaśī and Citraratha\, the chief of the Gandharvas [heavenly musicians]. During the spring season\, in the company of heavenly dancing girls\, Citraratha once came upon a beautiful forest bursting forth with a great variety of flowers. There he and the girls joined other Gandharvas and many Kinnaras\, along with Lord Indra himself\, the king of heaven\, who was enjoying a visit there. Everyone felt that there was no better garden than this forest. Many sages were also present\, performing their austerities and penance. The demigods particularly enjoyed visiting this celestial garden during the months of Caitra and Vaisākha [April-May]. \n” ‘A great sage named Medhāvī resided in that forest\, and the very attractive dancing girls would always attempt to seduce him. One famous girl in particular\, Mañjughoṣā\, contrived many ways to allure the exalted muni\, but out of great respect for the sage and fear of his power\, which he had attained after years and years of asceticism\, she would not come very close to him. At a spot two miles from the sage\, she pitched a tent and began singing very sweetly as she played a tamboura. Cupid himself became excited when he saw and heard her perform so nicely and smelled the fragrance of her sandal-paste unguent. He remembered his own unfortunate experience with Lord Śiva and decided to take revenge by seducing Medhāvī. \n“‘Using the eyebrows of Mañjughoṣā as a bow\, her glances as a bowstring\, her eyes as arrows\, and her breasts as a target\, Cupid approached Medhāvī in order to tempt him to break his trance and his vows. In other words\, Cupid engaged Mañjughoṣā as his assistant\, and when she looked at that powerful and attractive young sage\, she also became agitated by lust. Seeing that he was highly intelligent and learned\, wearing a clean white brāhmaṇa’s thread draped across his shoulder\, holding a sannyāsī’s staff\, and sitting handsomely in the āśrama of Cyavana Ṛṣi\, Mañjughoṣā came before him. \n“‘She began to sing seductively\, and the small bells on her belt and around her ankles\, together with the bangles on her wrists\, produced a delightful musical symphony. The sage Medhāvī was enchanted. He understood that this beautiful young woman desired union with him\, and at that instant Cupid increased his attraction for Mañjughoṣā by releasing his powerful weapons of taste\, touch\, sight\, smell\, and sound. \n“‘Slowly Mañjughoṣā approached Medhāvī\, her bodily movements and sweet glances attracting him. She gracefully put her tamboura down and embraced the sage with her two arms\, just as a creeper winds itself around a strong tree. Captivated\, Medhāvī gave up his meditation and decided to sport with her-and instantly his purity of heart and mind abandoned him. Forgetting even the difference between night and day\, he went away with her to sport for a long\, long time. \n“‘Seeing that the young yogī’s sanctity had become seriously eroded\, Mañjughoṣā decided to abandon him and return home. She said\, “O great one\, please permit me to return home.” \n“‘Medhāvī replied\, “But you have only just arrived\, O beautiful one. Please stay with me at least until tomorrow.” \n“‘Fearful of the sage’s yogic power\, Mañjughoṣā stayed with Medhāvī for precisely fifty-seven years\, nine months\, and three days\, but to Medhāvī all this time seemed like a moment. Again she asked him\, “Please permit me to leave.” \n” ‘Medhāvī replied\, “O dear one\, listen to me. Stay with me for one more night\, and then you may leave tomorrow morning. Just stay with me until after I have performed my morning duties and chanted the sacred Gāyatrī mantra. Please wait until then.” \n“Mañjughoṣā was still fearful of the sage’s great yogic power\, but she forced a smile and said\, “How long will it take you to finish your morning hymns and rituals? Please be merciful and think of all the time you have already spent with me.” \n“‘The sage reflected on the years he had been with Mañjughoṣā and then said with great astonishment\, “Why\, I have spent more than fifty-seven years with you!” His eyes turned red and began to emanate sparks. He now regarded Mañjughoṣā as death personified and the destroyer of his spiritual life. “You rascal woman! You have turned all the hard-earned results of my austerities to ashes!” Trembling with anger\, he cursed Mañjughoṣā “O sinful one\, O hard-hearted\, degraded one! You know only sin! May all terrible fortune be yours! O rascal woman\, I curse you to become an evil hobgoblin piśāca!” \n“‘Cursed by the sage Medhāvī\, the beautiful Mañjughoṣā humbly beseeched him\, “O best of the brāhmaṇas\, please be merciful to me and revoke your curse! O great one\, it is said that association with pure devotees gives immediate results but their curses take effect only after seven days. I have been with you for fifty-seven years\, O master\, so please be kind to me!” \n“‘Medhāvī Muni replied\, “O gentle lady\, what can I possibly do? You have destroyed all my austerities. But even though you have done this sinful deed\, I shall tell you a way you can be released from my wrath. In the dark fortnight of the month of Caitra there is an all-auspicious Ekādaśī that removes all one’s sins. Its name is Pāpamocanī\, O beautiful one\, and whoever fasts on this sacred day becomes completely freed from having to take birth in any kind of devilish form.” \n” ‘With these words\, the sage left at once for his father’s āśrama. Seeing him enter the hermitage\, Cyavana Muni said\, “O son\, by acting unlawfully you have squandered the wealth of your penances and austerities.” \n“‘Medhāvī replied\, “O Father\, kindly reveal what atonement I must perform to remove the obnoxious sin I have incurred by privately associating with the dancing girl Mañjughoṣā.” \n“‘Cyavana Muni answered\, “Dear son\, you must fast on Pāpamocanī Ekādaśī. which occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Caitra. It eradicates all sins\, no matter how grievous they may be.” \n“‘Medhāvī followed his father’s advice and fasted on Pāpamocanī Ekādaśī. Thus all his sins were destroyed and he again became filled with excellent merit. Similarly\, Mañjughoṣā observed the same fast and became free of the hobgoblin curse. Ascending once again to the heavenly spheres\, she too returned to her former position.’ \n“Lomaṣa Ṛṣi continued\, ‘Thus\, O king\, the great benefit of fasting on Pāpamocanī Ekādaśī is that whoever does so with faith and devotion will have all his sins completely destroyed.’ \nŚrī Kṛṣṇa concluded\, “O King Yudhiṣṭhira\, whoever reads or hears about Pāpamocanī Ekādaśī obtains the very same merit he would get if he donated a thousand cows in charity\, and he also nullifies the sinful reactions he may have incurred by killing a brāhmaṇa\, killing an embryo through abortion\, drinking liquor\, or having sex with his guru’s wife. Such is the incalculable benefit of properly observing this holy day of Pāpamocanī Ekādaśī\, which is so dear to Me and so meritorious.” \n  \nThus ends the narration of the glories of Caitra-kṛṣṇa Ekādaśī\, or Pāpamocani Ekādaśī\, from the Bhaviṣya-uttara Purāṇa.
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/papamocani-ekadasi-vrata%e1%b9%81-caitra-k%e1%b9%9b%e1%b9%a3%e1%b9%87a-pak%e1%b9%a3a/
CATEGORIES:Ekadashi,Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/papamocani.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260227
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260228
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250422T142710Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250422T142710Z
UID:31262-1772150400-1772236799@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Āmalakī Ekādaśī Vrataṁ - Phālguna-śukla pakṣa
DESCRIPTION:King Mandhata once said to Vasistha Muni\, “O great sage\, kindly be merciful to me and tell me of a holy fast that will benefit me eternally.” \nVasistha Muni replied\, “O king\, kindly listen as I describe the best of all fast days\, Amalaki Ekadasi. He who faithfully observes a fast on this Ekadasi obtains enormous wealth\, gets free of the effects of all kinds of sins\, and attains liberation. Fasting on this Ekadasi is more purifying than donating one thousand cows in charity to a pure brahmana. So please hear me attentively as I tell you the story of a hunter who\, though daily engaged in killing innocent animals for his living\, achieved liberation by observing a fast on Amalaki Ekadasi and following the prescribed rules and regulations of worship. \n“There was once a kingdom named Vaidisa\, where all the brahmanas\, ksatriyas\, vaisyas\, and sudras were equally endowed with Vedic knowledge\, great bodily strength\, and fine intelligence. O lion among kings\, the whole kingdom was full of Vedic sounds\, not a single person was atheistic\, and no one sinned. The ruler of this kingdom was King Pashabinduka\, a member of the dynasty of Soma\, the moon. He was also known as Citraratha and was very religious and truthful. It is said that King Citraratha had the strength of ten thousand elephants and that he was very wealthy and knew the six branches of Vedic wisdom perfectly.’ \n“During the reign of Maharaja Citraratha\, not a single person in his kingdom attempted to practice another’s dharma (duty)\, so perfectly engaged in their own dharmas were all the brahmanas\, ksatriyas\, vaisyas\, and sudras. Neither miser nor pauper was to be seen throughout the land\, nor was there ever drought or flood. Indeed\, the kingdom was free of disease\, and everyone enjoyed good health. The people rendered loving devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Lord Visnu\, as did the king\, who also rendered special service to Lord diva. Moreover\, twice a month everyone fasted on Ekadasi. \n“In this way\, O best of kings\, the citizens of Vaidisa lived many long years in great happiness and prosperity. Giving up all varieties of materialistic religion\, they completely dedicated themselves to the loving service of the Supreme Lord\, Hari. \n“Once\, in the month of Phalguna\, the holy fast of Amalaki Ekadasi arrived\, conjoined with Dvadasi. King Citraratha realized that this particular fast would bestow especially great benefit\, and thus he and all the citizens of Vaidisa observed this sacred Ekadasi very strictly\, carefully following all the rules and regulations. \n“After bathing in the river\, the king and all his subjects went to the temple of Lord Visnu\, where an Amalaki tree grew. First the king and his leading sages offered the tree a pot filled with water\, as well as a fine canopy\, shoes\, gold\, diamonds\, rubies\, pearls\, sapphires\, and aromatic incense. Then they worshiped Lord Parasurama with these prayers: ‘O Lord Parasurama\, O son of Renuka\, O all-pleasing one\, O liberator of the worlds\, kindly come beneath this holy Amalaki tree and accept our humble obeisances.’ Then they prayed to the Amalaki tree: ‘O Amalaki\, O offspring of Lord Brahma\, you can destroy all kinds of sinful reactions. Please accept our respectful obeisances and these humble gifts. O Amalaki\, you are actually the form of Brahman\, and you were once worshiped by Lord Ramacandra Himself. Whoever circumambulates you is therefore immediately freed of all his sins.’ \n“After offering these excellent prayers\, King Citraratha and his subjects remained awake throughout the night\, praying and worshiping according to the regulations governing a sacred Ekadasi fast. It was during this auspicious time of fasting and prayer that a very irreligious man approached the assembly\, a man who maintained himself and his family by killing animals. Burdened with both fatigue and sin\, the hunter saw the king and the citizens of Vaidisa observing Amalaki Ekadasi by performing an all-night vigil\, fasting\, and worshiping Lord Visnu in the beautiful forest setting\, which was brilliantly illuminated by many lamps. The hunter hid nearby\, wondering what this extraordinary sight before him was. ‘What is going on here?’ he thought. What he saw in that lovely forest beneath the holy Amalaki tree was the Deity of Lord Damodara being worshiped upon the asana of a waterpot\, and what he heard were devotees singing sacred songs describing Lord Sri Krsna’s transcendental forms and pastimes. Despite himself\, that staunchly irreligious killer of innocent birds and animals spent the entire night in great amazement as he watched the Ekadasi celebration and listened to the glorification of the Lord. \n“Soon after sunrise\, the king and his royal retinue-including the court sages and all the citizens-completed their observance of Ekadasi. and returned to the city of Vaidisa. The hunter then returned to his but and happily ate his meal. In due time the hunter died\, but the merit he had gained by fasting on Amalaki Ekadasi. and hearing the glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, as well as by being forced to stay awake all night\, made him eligible to be reborn as a great king endowed with many chariots\, elephants\, horses\, and soldiers. His name was Vasuratha\, the son of King Viduratha\, and he ruled over the kingdom of Jayanti. \n“King Vasuratha was strong and fearless\, as effulgent as the sun\, and as handsome as the moon. In strength he was like Visnu\, and in forgiveness like the earth itself. Very charitable and ever truthful\, King Vasuratha always rendered loving devotional service to the Supreme Lord\, Sri Visnu. He therefore became very well versed in Vedic knowledge. Always active in the affairs of state\, he enjoyed taking excellent care of his subjects\, as though they were his own children. He disliked pride in anyone and would smash it when he saw it. He performed many kinds of sacrifices\, and he always made certain that the needy in his kingdom received enough charity. \n“One day\, while hunting in the jungle\, King Vasuratha strayed from the footpath and lost his way. Wandering for some time and eventually growing weary\, he paused beneath a tree and\, using his arms as a pillow\, fell asleep. As he slept\, some barbarian tribesmen came upon him and\, remembering their longstanding enmity toward the king\, began discussing among themselves various ways to kill him. ‘It is because he killed our fathers\, mothers\, brothersin-law\, grandsons; nephews\, and uncles that we are forced to aimlessly wander like so many madmen.’ So saying\, they prepared to kill King Vasuratha with various weapons\, including spears\, swords\, arrows\, and mystic ropes. \n“But none of these deadly weapons could even touch the sleeping king\, and soon the uncivilized\, dog-eating tribesmen grew frightened. Their fear sapped their strength\, and before long they lost what little intelligence they had and became almost unconscious with bewilderment and weakness. Suddenly a beautiful woman appeared from the king’s body\, startling the aborigines. Decorated with many ornaments\, emitting a wonderful fragrance\, wearing an excellent garland around her neck\, her eyebrows drawn in a mood of fierce anger\, and her fiery red eyes ablaze\, she looked like death personified. With her blazing cakra she quickly killed all the tribal hunters\, who had tried to slay the sleeping king. \n“Just then the king awoke\, and seeing all the dead tribesmen lying around him\, he was astonished. He wondered\, ‘These are all great enemies of mine! Who has slain them so violently? Who is my great benefactor?’ \n“At that very moment he heard a voice from the sky: ‘You ask who helped you. Well\, who is that person who alone can help anyone in distress? He is none other than Sri Kesava\, the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, He who saves all who take shelter of Him without any selfish motive.’ \n“Upon hearing these words\, King Vasuratha became overwhelmed with love for the Personality of Godhead. He returned to his capital city and ruled there like a second Indra\, without any obstacles at all. \n“Therefore\, O King Mandhata\,” the venerable Vasistha Muni concluded\, “anyone who observes holy Amalaki Ekadasi. will undoubtedly attain the supreme abode of Lord Visnu\, so great is the religious merit earned from the observance of this most sacred fast day.” \n  \nThus ends the narration of the glories of Phālguna-śukla Ekādaśī\, or Āmalakī Ekādaśī\, from the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa.
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/amalaki-ekadasi-vrata%e1%b9%81-phalguna-sukla-pak%e1%b9%a3a/
CATEGORIES:Ekadashi,Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/amalaki.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260213
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260214
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250422T133606Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250422T133606Z
UID:31258-1770940800-1771027199@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Vijayā Ekādaśī Vrataṁ - Phālguna-kṛṣṇa pakṣa
DESCRIPTION:BREAKING THE FAST ON THE NEXT DAY. \nYudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said\, “O Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa\, O glorious son of Vasudeva\, please be merciful to me and describe the Ekādaśī that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Phālguna [February-March].” \nLord Śrī Kṛṣṇa replied\, “O Yudhiṣṭhira\, O king of kings\, gladly shall I tell you about this great fast\, known as Vijayā Ekādaśī. Whoever observes it certainly achieves success both in this life and the next. All the sins of one who fasts on this Ekādaśī and hears its sublime glories are eradicated. \n“Nārada Muni once asked Lord Brahmā\, who sits on a lotus\, about Vijayā Ekādaśī. Nārada said\, `O best of the demigods\, kindly tell me the merit one can achieve by faithfully observing Vijayā Ekādaśī. \n“Nārada’s great father replied\, `My dear son\, this oldest of fasting days is pure\, and it nullifies all sins. I have never revealed this to anyone until today\, but you can understand beyond any doubt that this Ekādaśī bestows the result indicated by its name. [Vijayā means “victory.”] \n“`When Lord Rāma was exiled to the forest for fourteen years\, He\, goddess Sītā\, and His divine brother Lakṣmaṇa stayed at Pañcavaṭi as mendicants. Sītā was kidnapped by Rāvaṇa\, and Rāma seemingly became bewildered by distress. While searching for His beloved consort\, the Lord came upon the dying Jaṭāyu and thereafter killed His enemy Kabandha. The great devotee-vulture Jaṭāyu returned to Vaikuṇṭha after telling Rāma how His dear Sītā had been abducted by Rāvaṇa. \n“Later\, Rāma and Sugrīva\, the king of the monkeys\, became friends.’ Together they amassed a grand army of monkeys and bears and sent Hanumānji to Śrī Laṇkā\, where he was able to see Jānaki\, Sītā-devī\, in an aśoka garden. He delivered Rāma’s message to her and then returned to Rāma with her message to Him\, thus rendering great service to the Supreme Lord. \n“`With the help of Sugrīva\, Lord Rāma proceeded toward Śrī Laṇkā. Upon arriving at the shore of the ocean with the army of monkeys\, He could understand that the water was uncommonly deep. Thus He said to Lakṣmaṇa\, “O son of Sumitrā\, how can we earn enough merit to be able to cross this vast ocean\, the unfathomable abode of Varuṇa? I can see no easy way to cross it\, teeming as it is with sharks and other ferocious fish.” \n“‘Lakṣmaṇa replied\, “O best of all beings\, O origin of all Gods\, O primal personality\, the great sage Bakadālbhya lives on an island just four miles from here. O Rāghava\, he has seen many Brahmās come and go\, so aged and wise is he. Let us ask him how we can safely reach our goal.” \n“So Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa proceeded to the humble āśrama of the incomparable Bakadālbhya Muni. Approaching him\, the two Lords paid Their respectful obeisances to him as if he were a second Viṣṇu. Bakadālbhya could understand\, however\, that Rāma was actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, who for His own reasons had appeared on earth as a human being. \n“O Rāma\,” said Bakadālbhya\, “O best of human beings\, why have You come to my lowly abode?” \n“`The Lord replied\, “O great\, twice-born brāhmaṇa\, I have come here to the ocean shore with My phalanx of monkeys and bears in order to cross the sea and conquer Laṇkā and its demon horde. O greatest of sages\, please be merciful to Me and tell Me how I can cross this vast ocean. That is why I have come to you today.” \n“The sage said\, “O Lord Rāma\, I shall tell you of the most exalted of all fasts\, observing which You will surely conquer Rāvaṇa and be eternally glorified. Kindly listen with full attention. \n“On the day before Ekādaśī\, fashion a waterpot of gold or silver\, or even of copper. Even clay will do if these metals are unavailable. Fill the pot with pure water and then decorate it nicely with mango leaves. Cover it and place it near a holy altar upon a mound of seven grains. Now take Your morning bath\, decorate the waterpot with flower garlands and sandalwood paste\, and in the concave lid atop the pot place barley\, pomegranate\, and coconut. Now with great love and devotion worship the waterpot-deity and offer Him incense\, sandalwood paste\, flowers\, a ghee lamp\, and a plate of sumptuous food. Remain awake that night beside this sacred pot. On top of the lid filled with barley\, etc.\, place a golden mūrtī of Lord Nārāyaṇa. \n“When Ekādaśī dawns\, take your morning bath and then decorate the waterpot with fine sandalwood paste and garlands. Then worship the pot with first-class incense\, sandalwood paste\, and a ghee lamp\, and also devotedly place many kinds of cooked food\, pomegranate\, and coconut before the waterpot. Then remain awake over night. \n“”`When Dvādaśī dawns\, take the waterpot to the bank of a holy river\, or even to the shore of a small pond. After worshiping it properly\, O King of kings\, offer it with all the aforementioned ingredients to a pure brāhmaṇa expert in the Vedic science. If You and Your military commanders observe Vijayā Ekādaśī in this way\, You will surely be victorious in every way.” \n“`Lord Rāmacandra\, the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, did just as Bakadālbhya Muni instructed\, and thus He conquered all demoniac forces. Similarly\, anyone who observes Vijayā Ekādaśī in this way will always be victorious in this mortal world\, and after leaving this world he will reside forever in the kingdom of God. \n`O Nārada\, my son\, from this history you can understand why one should observe this Ekādaśī fast properly\, strictly following the rules and regulations. This fast is powerful enough to eradicate all one’s sinful reactions\, even the most abominable ones.’ \nŚrī Kṛṣṇa concluded\, “O Yudhiṣṭhira\, anyone who reads or hears this history will attain the same great merit as that earned by performing a horse sacrifice.” \nThus ends the narration of the glories of Phālguna-kṛṣṇa Ekādaśī\, or Vijayā Ekādaśī\, from the Skanda Purāṇa.
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/vijaya-ekadasi-vrata%e1%b9%81-phalguna-k%e1%b9%9b%e1%b9%a3%e1%b9%87a-pak%e1%b9%a3a/
CATEGORIES:Ekadashi,Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vijaya-300x434-1.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260129
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260130
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250422T123218Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250422T123411Z
UID:31254-1769644800-1769731199@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Jayā Ekādaśī Vrataṁ – Māgha śukla pakṣa
DESCRIPTION:Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said\, “O Lord of lords\, Śrī Kṛṣṇa\, all glories unto You! O master of the universe\, You alone are the source of the four types of living entities-those born from eggs\, those born from perspiration\, those born from seeds\, and those born from embryos. You alone are the root cause of all\, O Lord\, and therefore You are the creator\, maintainer\, and destroyer. \n“My Lord\, You have so kindly explained to me the auspicious day known as Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādaśī\, which occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Māgha [January-February] . Now please explain the Ekādaśī that occurs during the light fortnight of this month. By what name is it known\, and what is the process for observing it? Who is the Deity that is worshiped on this sublime day\, which is so very dear to You?” \nLord Śrī Krsna replied\, “O Yudhiṣṭhira\, I shall gladly tell you about the Ekādaśī that occurs during the light half of the month of Māgha. This Ekādaśī obliterates all kinds of sinful reactions and demoniac influences affecting the spirit soul. It is known as Jayā Ekādaśī\, and the fortunate soul who observes a fast on this sacred day is relieved of the great burden of ghostly existence. Thus there is no better Ekādaśī than this\, for it truly bestows freedom from birth and death. It is to be honored very carefully and diligently. So I ask you to listen to Me very attentively\, 0 Pāṇḍava\, as I explain a wonderful historical episode regarding this Ekādaśī\, an episode I have already related in the Padmā Purāṇa. \n“Long\, long ago in the heavenly planets\, Lord Indra ruled his celestial kingdom very nicely\, and all the demigods living there were very happy and content . In Nandana Forest\, which was beautifully graced with pārijāta flowers\, Indra drank ambrosia whenever he liked and enjoyed the service of fifty million celestial maidens\, the Apsarās\, who danced in ecstasy for his pleasure. \n“Many singers\, led by Puṣpadanta\, sang in voices sweet beyond compare. Citrasena\, Indra’s chief musician\, was there in the company of his wife Mālinī and his beautiful son Mālyavān. An Apsara named Puṣpavatī became very much attracted to Mālyavān; indeed\, Cupid’s sharp arrows pierced the core of her heart. Her beautiful body and complexion\, along with the enchanting movements of her eyebrows\, captivated Mālyavān. \n“O king\, listen as I describe the splendid beauty of Puṣpavatī: She had incomparably graceful arms with which to embrace a man like a fine silken noose ; her face resembled the moon; her lotus eyes reached almost to her lovely ears\, which were adorned with wonderful earrings; her thin\, ornamented neck looked like a conch ; her waist was very slender\, the size of a fist; her hips were broad\, and her thighs like the trunks of banana trees ; her naturally beautiful features were complemented by gorgeous ornaments and garments ; her breasts were highly raised; and to look upon her feet was to behold newly grown red lotuses. \n“Seeing Puṣpavatī in all her heavenly beauty\, Malyavan was bewitched at once. They had come with other performers to please Lord Indra by singing and dancing enchantingly\, but because they had become so enamored of each other\, pierced through the heart by the arrows of Cupid\, lust personified\, they were utterly unable to sing or dance properly before the lord and master of the heavenly realms. Their pronunciation was wrong and their rhythm careless. Lord Indra understood the source of the errors at once. Offended at the discord in the musical performance\, he became very angry and screamed\, ‘You useless fools! You pretend to sing for me while in a stupor of infatuation with each other! You are mocking me! I curse you both to suffer henceforth as piśācas [hobgoblins] . As husband and wife\, go to the earthly regions and reap the reactions of your offenses.” \n“Struck dumb by these harsh words\, Mālyavān and Puṣpavatī at once became morose and fell from the beautiful Nandana Forest in the kingdom of heaven to a Himalayan peak here on planet earth. Immeasurably distressed\, and their celestial intelligence vastly diminished by the effects of Indra’ s fierce curse\, they lost their senses of taste and smell\, and even their sense of touch. It was so cold and miserable high on the Himalayan wastes of snow and ice that they could not even enjoy the oblivion of sleep. \n“Roaming aimlessly hither and thither in those harsh altitudes\, Mālyavān and Puṣpavatī suffered more and more\, from one moment to the next. Even though they were situated in a cave\, because of the snowfall and cold their teeth chattered ceaselessly\, and their hair stood on end because of their fright and bewilderment. \n“In this utterly desperate situation\, Mālyavān said to Puṣpavatī\, ‘What abominable sins did we commit to have to suffer in these piśāca bodies\, in this impossible environment? This is absolutely hellish! Though hell is very ferocious\, the suffering we are undergoing here is even more abominable. Therefore it is abundantly clear that one should never commit any sin.’ \n“And so the forlorn lovers trudged onward in the snow and ice. By their great good fortune\, however\, it so happened that that very day was Jayā Ekādaśī\, the Ekādaśī of the light fortnight of the month of Māgha. Because in their misery they neglected to drink any water\, kill any game\, or even eat whatever fruits and leaves were available at that altitude\, they unknowingly observed Ekādaśī by fasting completely from all food and drink. Sunk in misery\, Mālyavān and Puṣpavatī collapsed beneath a pipal tree and did not even try to get up. The sun had set by this time.” \n“The night was even colder and more miserable than the day. They shivered in the frigid snowfall as their teeth chattered in unison\, and when they became numb\, they embraced just to keep warm. Locked in each other’s arms\, they could enjoy neither sleep nor sex. Thus they suffered through the whole night under the powerful curse of Indra.” \n“Still\, O Yudhiṣṭhira\, by the mercy of the fast they had by chance observed on Jayā Ekādaśī\, and because they had remained awake all night\, they were blessed. Please hear what happened on the next day. As Dvādaśī dawned\, Mālyavān and Puṣpavatī had given up their demoniac forms and were once again beautiful heavenly beings wearing lustrous ornaments and exquisite garments. As they looked at each other in amazement \, a celestial airplane [vimāna) arrived on the spot. A chorus of heavenly denizens sang their praises as the couple stepped into the beautiful aircraft and proceeded directly to the heavenly regions\, buoyed up by the good wishes of everyone. Soon Mālyavān and Puṣpavatī arrived at Amarāvati\, Lord Indra’ s capital city\, and then they immediately went before their lord and offered him their cheerful obeisances. \n“Lord Indra was astonished to see that they had been restored to their original status and forms so soon after he had cursed them to suffer as demons far\, far below his celestial kingdom. Indra asked them\, ‘What extraordinary meritorious deeds have you performed so that you could give up your pisiica bodies so quickly after I had cursed you? Who released you from my irresistible curse?” \n“Mālyavān replied \, ‘O Lord\, it was by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Lord Vāsudeva\, and also by the powerful influence of Jayā Ekādaśī\, that we were released from our suffering condition as piśāca. This is the truth\, O master : Because we executed devotional service to Lord Viṣṇu by observing Jayā Ekādaśī\, the day most dear to Him\, we have happily been restored to our former status.” \n“Indra said\, ‘Because you served the Supreme Lord Keśava by observing Ekādaśī\, you have become worshipable even by me\, and I can see that you are now completely purified of sin. Whoever engages in devotional service to Lord Śrī Harī or Lord Śiva becomes praiseworthy and worshipahle even by me. Of this there is no doubt .’ Lord Indra then gave Mālyavān and Puṣpavatī free rein to enjoy each other and wander about his heavenly planet.” \n“Therefore\, O Yudhiṣṭhira\, one should strictly observe a fast on the day of Lord Harī\, especially on Jayā Ekādaśī\, which frees one from the sin of killing even a twice-born brāhmaṇa. A great soul who observes this fast with full faith and devotion has in effect given all kinds of charity\, performed all kinds of sacrifice\, and bathed in all the holy places of pilgrimage. Fasting on Jayā Ekādaśī\, qualifies one to reside in Vaikuṇṭha and enjoy unending happiness for billions of yugas – indeed\, forever. O great king\, one who even hears or reads these glories of Jayā Ekādaśī achieves the blessed merit attained by performing an Agnistoma sacrifice\, during which hymns from the Sāma-veda are recited.” \n  \nThus ends the narration of the glories of Māgha-śukla Ekādaśī\, or Jayā Ekādaśī\, from the Bhaviṣya-uttara Purāṇa.
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/jaya-ekadasi-vrata%e1%b9%81-magha-sukla-pak%e1%b9%a3a/
CATEGORIES:Ekadashi,Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Jaya_Ekadasi-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260114
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260115
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250422T121309Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250422T121309Z
UID:31250-1768348800-1768435199@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādaśī Vrataṁ – Māgha-kṛṣṇa pakṣa
DESCRIPTION:Dālbhya R̥ṣi said to Pulastya Munī\, “When the spirit soul comes in contact with the material energy\, he immediately begins to perform sinful activities\, such as stealing\, killing\, and illicit sex. He may even perform many other terrible deeds\, such as killing a brāhmaṇa. 0 purest of personalities\, please tell me how these unfortunate souls may escape the punishment of being sent to hellish regions of creation. Kindly inform me how\, by giving even a little in charity\, one may easily become free of his sins.”\nPulastya Munī replied\, “O fortunate one\, you have asked me a good and confidential question\, which not even Brahmā\, Viṣṇu\, Śiva\, or Indra has ever asked. Please listen very carefully to my answer. \n“With the arrival of the month of Māgha [January-February] \, one should bathe\, carefully control his senses by giving up lust \, anger\, pride\, jealousy\, faultfinding\, and greed\, and meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. One should then gather up some cow dung before it touches the ground and\, after mixing it with sesame seeds and cotton\, form 108 balls. This should be done on the day when the constellation of Purvāṣāḍhā-nakṣatra arrives. Then one should follow the rules and regulations of Ekādaśī\, which I shall now explain to you.” \n\n“After bathing\, the person who intends to observe Ekādaśī should worship the Supreme Lord. While praying to Lord Kṛṣṇa by chanting His name\, he should promise to observe the Ekādaśī fast. He should remain awake overnight and perform a homa. Then the devotee should perform āratī to the Lord – who holds a conch\, disk\, club\, and so on in His hands-offering Him sandalwood paste\, incense\, camphor\, a bright ghee lamp\, and delicious preparations of food. Next the devotee should offer the 108 balls of cow dung\, sesame seeds\, and cotton into the sacred fire while chanting the holy names of the Supreme Lord\, Kṛṣṇa. Throughout the whole day and night he should also observe the standard Ekādaśī fast\, which in this case is a fast from all grains and beans. On this occasion one should offer the Lord pumpkin \, coconut\, and guava. If these items are unavailable\, betel nut may be substituted.” \n\n“The devotee should pray to Lord Janardana\, the benefactor of all beings\, in this way : ‘O Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa\, You are the most merciful Personality of Godhead and the liberator of all fallen souls. O Lord\, we have fallen into the ocean of material existence. Please be kind to us. O lotus-eyed divinity\, please accept our most humble and affectionate obeisances. 0 protector of the world\, we offer You our respects again and again. O Supreme Spirit \, O Supreme One\, O source of all our forefathers\, may You and Your eternal consort\, Śrīmatī Lakṣmīdevī\, please accept these humble offerings.” \n\n“The devotee should then try to please a qualified brāhmaṇa with a warm welcome\, a pot full of water\, an umbrella\, a pair of shoes\, and clothes\, requesting him at the same time to bestow his blessings\, by which one may develop unalloyed love for Kṛṣṇa. According to one’s ability\, one may also donate a black cow to such a brāhmaṇa\, particularly to one who is very well versed in all the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures. One should also offer him a pot full of sesame seeds.” \n\n“O exalted Dālbhya Munī\, black sesame seeds are especially suitable for formal worship and fire sacrifices\, while white or brown sesame seeds are meant to be eaten by a qualified brāhmaṇa. One who can arrange to give both kinds of sesame seeds on this sacred Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādaśī will be promoted to the heavenly planets for as many thousands of years as the number of seeds that would be produced if the seeds he donated were sown in the ground and grew into mature\, seed-bearing plants.” \n\n“On this Ekādaśī a faithful person should bathe in water mixed with sesame seeds\, rub sesame seed paste on his body\, offer sesame seeds in sacrifice\, eat sesame seeds\, give sesame seeds away in charity\, and accept charitable gifts of sesame seeds . These are the six [ṣaṭ) ways in which sesame seeds [tila] are utilized for spiritual purification on this Ekādaśī. Therefore it is called Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādaśī.” \n“The great Devarṣi Nāradajī once asked the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Śrī Kṛṣṇa\, ‘O mighty-armed Lord\, O You who are so affectionate to Your loving devotees\, please accept my most humble obeisances. O Yadava\, kindly tell me the result one obtains by observing Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādaśī.” \n\n“Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa replied\, ‘O best of the twice-born\, I shall narrate to you an account of an incident I personally witnessed. Long ago on earth there lived an old female brāhmanī who worshiped Me every day with controlled senses. She very faithfully observed many a fast \, especially on special days honoring Me\, and served Me with full devotion\, devoid of any personal motive. Her rigorous fasting made her quite weak and thin. She gave charity to brāhmaṇas and young maidens\, and even planned to give away her house in charity. O best of the brāhmaṇas \, although this spiritually- minded woman gave charitable donations to worthy people\, the odd feature of her austerity was that she never gave food to brāhmaṇas or demigods.” \n\n“I began to reflect on this curious omission : “This fine woman has purified herself by fasting on all the auspicious occasions and by offering Me strict devotional worship. Therefore she has certainly become eligible to enter My personal abode\, which is unattainable by ordinary persons.” So I came down to this planet to examine her\, disguising Myself as a follower of Lord Śiva\, complete with a garland of skulls draped around My neck and a begging pot in My hand.” \n\n“As I approached her\, she said to Me\, “O respectable one\, tell me truthfully why You have come before me.” \n\n” I replied\, “O beautiful one\, I have come to get some sacred alms from you” -whereupon she angrily threw a dense lump of mud into My begging pot ! O Nārada\, I simply turned around and went back to My personal abode\, astonished at this fine brāhmanī’s peculiar mixture of great magnanimity and stinginess.” \n\n“At last this austere lady reached the spiritual world in her self-same body\, so great were her efforts at fasting and charity. And because she had indeed offered Me a lump of mud\, I transformed that mud into a beautiful home. However\, O Nāradajī\, this particular house was completely devoid of any edible grains\, as well as any furniture or ornamentation\, and when she entered it she found only an empty structure. She therefore approached Me and said with great anger\, “I have fasted repeatedly on so many auspicious occasions\, making my body weak and thin. I have worshiped You and prayed to You in so many different ways\, for You are truly the master and protector of all the universes. Yet despite all this there is no food or wealth to be seen in my new home\, 0 Janardana. Why is this?” \n\n“I replied\, “Please return to your house. Sometime later the wives of the demigods will pay you a visit out of curiosity to see the new arrival\, but do not open your door until they have described to you the glories and importance of Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādaśī.” \n\n“Hearing this\, she returned to her house. Eventually the demigods’ wives arrived there and in unison said\, “O beautiful one\, we have come to have your darfona. 0 auspicious one\, please open your door and let us see you.” \n\n“The lady replied\, “O most dear ones\, if you want me to open this door\, you will have to describe to me the merit one obtains by observing the sacred fast of Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādaśī. ” But not one of the wives responded.” \n\n“Later\, however\, they returned to the house\, and one of the wives nicely explained the sublime nature of this sacred Ekādaśī. And when the lady at last opened her door\, they saw that she was neither a demigoddess\, a Gandharvi\, a she-demon\, nor even a\nNaga-patni. She was simply an ordinary lady.” \n\n“From then on the lady observed Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādaśī\, which awards material enjoyment and liberation at the same time\, as it had been described to her. And she finally received the beautiful furnishings and grains she had expected for her home. Moreover\, her once ordinary material body was transformed into a beautiful spiritual form with a fine complexion. So\, by the mercy and grace of Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādaśī\, both the lady and her new home in the spiritual world were at last radiantly splendid and lustrous with gold\, silver\, jewels\, and diamonds.” \n\n“O Nāradajī\, a person should not ostentatiously observe Ekādaśī out of greed\, with the hope of attaining wealth dishonestly. Selflessly\, he should simply donate sesame seeds\, clothes\, and food according to his capacity\, for by doing so he will achieve good health and exalted spiritual consciousness\, birth after birth. Ultimately\, liberation and admittance into the Lord’s supreme abode will be his to enjoy. That is my opinion\, O best of the demigods.” \n\n“O Dālbhya Munī\,” Pulastya R̥ṣi concluded\, “one who properly observes the wonderful Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādaśī with great faith becomes free from all kinds of poverty-spiritual\, mental\, physical\, social\, and intellectual-as well as all kinds of ill luck and evil omens. Indeed\, following this Ekādaśī fast by donating\, sacrificing\, or eating sesame seeds frees one of all past sin\, without a doubt. One need not wonder how this happens. The rare soul who properly performs these acts of charity in the right devotional mood\, following the Vedic injunctions\, will become utterly free of all sinful reactions and go back to Godhead\, back home to the spiritual world.” \n\nThus ends the narration of the glories of Māgha-kṛṣṇa Ekādaśī\, or Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādaśī\, from the Bhaviṣya-uttara Purāṇa.
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/%e1%b9%a3a%e1%b9%ad-tila-ekadasi-vrata%e1%b9%81-magha-k%e1%b9%9b%e1%b9%a3%e1%b9%87a-pak%e1%b9%a3a/
CATEGORIES:Ekadashi,Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Ṣaṭ-tila.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251231
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260101
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250422T115835Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250422T115835Z
UID:31246-1767139200-1767225599@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Putradā Ekādaśī Vrataṁ – Pauṣa-śukla pakṣa
DESCRIPTION:BREAKING THE FAST ON THE NEXT DAY. KHICHRI BHOG ENDS HERE. \nYudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said\, “O Lord\, You have so nicely explained the glories of the auspicious Saphalā Ekādaśī\, which occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Pauṣa [December-January] . Now please be merciful to me and explain the Ekādaśī of the light fortnight of this month. What is its name\, and what Deity should be worshiped on that sacred day? O Puruṣottama\, O Hṛṣīkeśa\, please also tell me how You can be pleased on this day.” \nLord Śrī Kṛṣṇa replied\, “O king\, for the benefit of all humanity I shall tell you how to observe fasting on Pauṣa-śukla Ekādaśī. “As I previously explained\, everyone should observe the rules and regulations of Ekādaśī to the best of his ability. This injunction also applies to the Ekādaśī named Putradā\, which destroys all sins and elevates one to the spiritual abode. Śrī Nārāyana\, the Supreme Lord and original personality\, is the worshipable Deity of this Ekādaśī\, and for His faithful devotee He happily fulfills all desires and awards full perfection. Thus among all the animate and inanimate beings in the three worlds\, there is no better personality than Lord Nārāyana.” \n“O king\, now I will narrate to you the history of Putradā Ekādaśī\, which removes all kinds of sins and makes one famous and learned.” \n“There was once a kingdom named Bhadrāvati\, which was ruled by King Suketumān. His queen was the famous Śaibyā. Because he had no son\, he spent a long time in anxiety\, thinking\, ‘If I have no son\, who will carry on my dynasty?’ In this way the king meditated in a religious attitude for a long time\, thinking\, ‘Where should I go? What should I do? How can I get a son?’ King Suketumān could find no happiness anywhere in his kingdom\, even in his own palace\, and soon he was spending more and more time inside his wife’s palace\, gloomily thinking only of how he could get a son.” \n“Thus both King Suketumān and Queen Śaibyā were in great distress. Even when they offered tarpaṇa [oblations of water to their forefathers] \, their mutual misery made them think that it was as undrinkable as boiling water. They thought that they would have no descendants to offer tarpaṇa to them when they died. The king and queen were especially upset to learn that their forefathers were worried that soon there would be no one to off er them tarpaṇa.” \n“After learning of their forefathers’ unhappiness\, the king and queen became more and more miserable\, and neither ministers\, friends\, nor even loved ones could cheer them up. To the king\, his elephants and horses and infantry were no solace\, and at last he became practically inert and helpless.” \n“The king thought\, ‘It is said that without a son\, marriage is wasted. Indeed\, for a family man with no son\, both his heart and his splendid house remain vacant and miserable. Bereft of a son\, a man cannot liquidate the debt he owes his forefathers\, the demigods\, and other human beings. Therefore every married man should endeavor to beget a son; thus he will become famous within this world and at last attain the auspicious celestial realms. A son is proof of the pious activities a man performed in his past one hundred lifetimes\, and such a person achieves a long duration of life in this world\, along with good health and great wealth. Possessing sons and grandsons in this life proves that one has worshiped Lord Viṣṇu\, the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, in the past. The great blessings of sons\, wealth\, and sharp intelligence can be achieved only by worshiping the Supreme Lord\, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. That is my opinion.” \n“Thinking thus\, the king had no peace. He remained in anxiety day and night\, from morning to evening\, and from the time he lay down to sleep at night until the sun rose in the morning\, his dreams were equally full of great anxiety. Suffering such constant anxiety and apprehension\, King Suketumān decided to end his misery by committing suicide. But he realized that suicide throws a person into hellish conditions of rebirth \, and so he abandoned that idea. Seeing that he was gradually destroying himself by his all-consuming anxiety over the lack of a son\, the king at last mounted his horse and left for the dense forest alone. No one\, not even the priests and brāhmaṇas of the palace\, knew where he had gone.” \n“In that forest\, which was filled with deer and birds and other animals \, King Suketumān wandered aimlessly\, noting all the different kinds of trees and shrubs\, such as the fig\, bel fruit\, date\, palm\, jackfruit \, bakula\, saptaparṇāa\, tinduka\, and tilaka\, as well as the śāa\, tāla\, tamāla\, saralā\, hiṇgoṭāa\, arjuna\, labherā\, baheḍā\, sallaki\, karonda\, paṭala\, khaira\, śāka\, and palāśa trees. All were beautifully decorated with fruits and flowers. He saw deer\, tigers\, wild boar\, lions\, monkeys\, snakes\, huge bull elephants in rut\, cow elephants with their calves\, and four-tusked elephants with their mates close by. There were cows\, jackals\, rabbits\, leopards\, and hippopotamuses. Beholding all these animals accompanied by their mates and off spring\, the king remembered his own menagerie\, especially his palace elephants\, and became so sad that he absentmindedly wandered into their very midst.” \n“Suddenly the king heard a jackal howl in the distance. Startled\, he began wandering about\, looking around in all directions. Soon it was midday\, and the king started to tire. He was tormented by hunger and thirst . He thought\, ‘What sinful deed could I possibly have done so that I am now forced to suffer like this\, with my throat parched and burning? I have pleased the demigods with numerous fire sacrifices and abundant devotional worship. I have given many gifts and delicious sweets in charity to all the worthy brāhmaṇas. And I have taken care of my subjects as though they were my very own children. Why am I suffering so? What unknown sins have come to torment me in this dreadful way?” \n“Absorbed in these thoughts\, King Suketumān struggled forward\, and eventually\, due to his pious credit\, he came upon a beautiful pond that resembled the famous Lake Mānasarovara. It was filled with aquatics\, including crocodiles and many varieties of fish\, and graced with lilies. Beautiful -lotuses had opened to the sun\, and swans\, cranes\, and ducks swam happily in its waters. Nearby were many attractive asramas\, where there resided many saints and sages who could fulfill the desires of anyone. Indeed\, they wished everyone well. When the king saw all this\, his right arm and eye began to quiver\, a sign that something auspicious was about to happen.” \n“As the king dismounted his horse and stood before the sages\, who sat on the shore of the pond\, he saw that they were chanting the holy names of God on japa beads. The king paid his obeisances and \, joining his palms\, glorified them. He was overjoyed to be in their presence. Observing the respect the king offered them\, the sages said\, ‘We are very pleased with you\, 0 king. Kindly tell us why you have come here. What is on your mind? Please tell us what you desire.” \n“The king replied\, ‘O great sages\, who are you? What are your names\, 0 auspicious saints? Why have you come to this beautiful place? Please tell me everything.” \n“The sages replied\, ‘O king\, we are the Viśvedevas; we have come here to this lovely pond to bathe. The month of Māgha will be here in five days\, and today is the famous Putradā Ekādaśī. One who desires a son should strictly observe this Ekādaśī.” \n”The king said\, ‘I have tried so hard to have a son. If you great sages are pleased with me\, kindly grant me a good son.” \n” ‘The very meaning of Putradā\,’ the sages replied\, ‘is “giver of a son.” So please observe a complete fast on this Ekādaśī day. If you do\, then by our blessings-and by the mercy of Lord Keśava – you will surely obtain a son.” \n“On the advice of the Viśvedevas\, the king observed the auspicious fast day of Putradā Ekaadasi according to all the established rules and regulations\, and on Dvādaśī \, after breaking his fast\, he paid his obeisances again and again to them all.” \n“Soon after Suketumān returned to his palace\, Queen Śaibyā became pregnant\, and exactly as the Viśvedeva sages had predicted\, a bright-faced\, beautiful son was born to them. In due course he became famous as a heroic prince\, and the king gladly pleased his noble son by making him his successor. The son of Suketumān took care of his subjects very conscientiously\, just as if they were his own children.” \n“In conclusion\, O Yudhiṣṭhira\, one who wishes to fulfill his desires should strictly observe Putradā Ekādaśī. While on this planet\, one who strictly observes this Ekādaśī will surely obtain a son\, and after death he will achieve liberation. Anyone who even reads or hears the glories of Putradā Ekādaśī obtains the merit earned by performing a horse sacrifice. It is to benefit all humanity that I have explained all this to you.” \nThus ends the narration of the glories of Pauṣa-śukla Ekādaśī\, or Putradā Ekādaśī\, from the Bhaviṣya Purāṇa.
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/putrada-ekadasi-vrata%e1%b9%81-pau%e1%b9%a3a-sukla-pak%e1%b9%a3a/
CATEGORIES:Ekadashi,Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-7.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251215
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251216
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250422T114952Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250422T114952Z
UID:31243-1765756800-1765843199@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Saphalā Ekādaśī Vrataṁ – Pauṣa kṛṣṇa pakṣa
DESCRIPTION:FASTING FROM ALL GRAINS AND BEANS MUST BE OBSERVED.\nFOLLOWED BY BREAKING THE FAST ON THE NEXT DAY. \nYudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said\, “O Śrī Kṛṣṇa\, what is the name of the Ekādaśī that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Pauṣa [December-January]? How is it observed\, and which Deity is to be worshipped on that day? Please narrate this to me fully\, O Janārdana.” \nThe Supreme Personality of Godhead replied\, “O best of kings\, because you desire to hear\, I shall fully describe to you the glories of the Pauṣa-kṛṣṇa Ekādaśī. \n“I do not become as pleased by sacrifice or charity as I do by My devotee’s observance of a full fast on Ekādaśī. To the best of one’s ability\, therefore\, one should fast on Ekādaśī\, the day of Lord Hari. \n“O Yudhiṣṭhira\, I urge you to hear with undivided intelligence the glories of Pauṣa-kṛṣṇa Ekādaśī\, which falls on a Dvādaśī. As I explained previously\, one should not differentiate among the many Ekādaśīs. O king\, to benefit humanity at large I shall now describe to you the process of observing Pauṣa-kṛṣṇa Ekādaśī. \n“Pauṣa-kṛṣṇa Ekādaśī is also known as Saphalā Ekādaśī. On this sacred day one should worship Lord Nārāyaṇa\, for He is its ruling Deity. One should follow the previously described method of fasting. Just as among snakes Śeṣa-nāga is the best\, among birds Garuḍa is the best\, among sacrifices the Aśvamedha-yajña is the best\, among rivers Mother Gaṅgā is the best\, among gods Lord Viṣṇu is best\, and among two-legged beings the brāhmaṇas are the best\, so among all fasting days Ekādaśī is the best. O foremost of kings born in the Bharata dynasty\, whoever strictly observes Ekādaśī becomes very dear to Me and indeed worshipable by Me in every way. Now listen as I describe the process for observing Saphalā Ekādaśī. \n“On Saphalā Ekādaśī My devotee should worship Me by offering Me fresh fruits according to time\, place and circumstance\, and by meditating on Me as the all-auspicious Supreme Personality. He should offer Me jāmbīra fruit\, pomegranate\, betal\, coconut\, guava\, varieties of nuts\, cloves\, mangoes\, and different kinds of aromatic spices. He should also offer Me incense and bright ghee lamps\, for such an offering of lamps on Saphalā Ekādaśī is especially glorious. The devotee should try to stay awake all night. \n“Now please hear with undivided attention as I tell you how much merit one gets if he fasts and remains awake throughout the entire night. O best of kings\, there is no sacrifice or pilgrimage that yields merit equal to or better than the merit one gains by fasting on Saphalā Ekādaśī. Such fasting – particularly if one can remain awake and alert all night long – bestows the same merit upon the faithful devotee as the performance of austerity for five thousand years. O lion among kings\, please hear the glorious history of this Ekādaśī. \n“Once there was a city called Campāvatī\, which was ruled by the saintly King Māhiṣmata. He had four sons\, the eldest of whom\, Lumpaka\, always engaged in very sinful activities – illicit sex with the wives of others\, gambling\, and continual association with known prostitutes. His evil deeds gradually reduced the wealth of his father\, King Māhiṣmata. Lumpaka also became very critical of the demigods and brāhmaṇas\, and every day he would blaspheme Vaiṣṇavas. At last King Māhiṣmata\, seeing the condition of his son\, exiled him to the forest. Out of fear of the king\, even compassionate relatives did not come to Lumpaka’s defense\, so angry was the king and so sinful was Lumpaka. \n“Bewildered in his exile\, Lumpaka thought to himself\, „My father has sent me away\, and even my kinsmen do not raise any objection. What should I do now?‟ He schemed sinfully and thought\, „I shall sneak back to the city under cover of darkness and plunder its wealth. During the day I shall stay in the forest\, and at night I‟ll return to the city.‟ So thinking\, Lumpaka entered the dark forest. He killed many animals by day\, and by night he stole valuable items from the city. The city-dwellers apprehended him several times\, but out of fear of the king they left him alone. They thought that it must have been the sins of his previous births that had made him lose his royal facilities and act so sinfully. \n“Though a meat-eater\, Lumpaka would also eat fruits every day. He resided under an old banyan tree that happened to be very dear to Lord Vāsudeva. Indeed\, many worshipped it as the good of all the trees in the forest. In due course of time\, while Lumpaka was doing so many sinful and condemnable activities\, Saphalā Ekādaśī arrived. On the eve of Ekādaśī\, Lumpaka had to pass the entire night without sleep because of the severe cold and his scanty bedclothes. The cold not only robbed him of all peace but almost killed him. By the time the sun rose\, his teeth were chattering and he was almost comatose\, and all during the morning of that day\, Ekādaśī\, he could not awaken from his stupor. \n“When midday of Saphalā Ekādaśī arrived\, the sinful Lumpaka finally came to and managed to rise up from his place under the banyan tree. But with every step he stumbled to the ground. Like a lame man\, he walked slowly and hesitantly\, suffering greatly from hunger and thirst in the midst of the jungle. So weak was Lumpaka that he could not kill even a single animal that day. Instead\, he was reduced to collecting whatever fruits had fallen to the ground. By the time he returned to the banyan tree\, the sun had set. \n“Placing the fruits on the ground next to him\, Lumpaka began to cry\, „Oh\, woe is me! What should I do? Dear father\, what is to become of me? O Śrī Hari\, please be merciful to me and accept these fruits!‟ Again he was forced to lie awake the whole night without sleep\, but in the meantime the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Madhusūdana\, had become pleased with Lumpaka’s offering of forest fruits\, and He accepted them. Lumpaka had unwittingly observed a full Ekādaśī fast\, and by the merit he reaped on that day he regained his kingdom with no further obstacles. \n“Listen\, O Yudhiṣṭhira\, to what happened to the son of King Māhiṣmata when but a fragment of the merit spouted up within his heart. \n“As the sun rose beautifully in the sky on the day following Ekādaśī\, a handsome horse approached Lumpaka\, and stood next to him. At the same time\, a voice suddenly boomed out from the clear blue sky\, „This horse is for you\, Lumpaka! Mount it and swiftly ride out to greet you family! O son of King Māhiṣmata\, by the mercy of Lord Vāsudeva and the strength of the merit you acquired by observing Saphalā Ekādaśī\, your kingdom will be returned to you without any further hindrances. Such is the benefit you have gained by fasting on this auspicious day. Go now to your father and enjoy your rightful place in the dynasty.‟ \n“Upon hearing these celestial words\, Lumpaka mounted the horse and rode back to the city of Campāvatī. By the merit he had accrued by fasting on Saphalā Ekādaśī\, he had become a handsome prince once more and was able to absorb his mind in the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Hari. In other words\, he had become My pure devotee. \n“Lumpaka offered his father\, King Māhiṣmata\, his humble obeisances and once more accepted his princely responsibilities. Seeing his son decorated with Vaiṣṇava ornaments and tilaka\, King Māhiṣmata gave him the kingdom\, and Lumpaka ruled unopposed for many\, many years. Whenever Ekādaśī came\, he worshipped the Supreme Lord with great devotion. And by the mercy of Śrī Kṛṣṇa he obtained a beautiful wife and a fine son. In old age Lumpaka handed his kingdom over to his son – just as his own father\, King Māhiṣmata\, had handed it over to him – and then went into the forest to serve the Supreme Lord with controlled mind and senses. Purified of all material desire\, he left his body and returned home\, back to Godhead\, attaining a place near the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. \n“O Yudhiṣṭhira\, one who approaches Me as Lumpaka did will become completely free of lamentation and anxiety. Indeed\, anyone who properly observes this glorious Saphalā Ekādaśī – even if unknowingly\, like Lumpaka – will become famous in this world. He will become perfectly liberated at death and return to Vaikuṇṭha. Of this there is no doubt. Moreover\, one who simply hears the glories of Saphalā Ekādaśī obtains the same merit derived by one who performs a Rājasūrya-yajña\, and at the very least he goes to heaven in his next birth.” \nThus ends the narration of the glories of Pauṣa-kṛṣṇa Ekādaśī\, or Saphalā Ekādaśī\, from the Bhaviṣya-uttara Purāṇa. \n[give_form id=”27039″]
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/saphala-ekadasi-vrata%e1%b9%81-pau%e1%b9%a3a-k%e1%b9%9b%e1%b9%a3%e1%b9%87a-pak%e1%b9%a3a/
CATEGORIES:Ekadashi,Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/saphala.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251204
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251205
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250508T162654Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T162654Z
UID:31466-1764806400-1764892799@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Mārgaśirṣa pūrṇimā
DESCRIPTION:Mārgaśirṣa pūrṇimā ****Full Moon Day****
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/margasir%e1%b9%a3a-pur%e1%b9%87ima/
CATEGORIES:Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/full-moon-moon-bright-sky-47367.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251201
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251202
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250422T114531Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250422T114531Z
UID:31239-1764547200-1764633599@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Mokṣadā Ekādaśī Vrataṁ – Mārgaśirṣa śukla pakṣa
DESCRIPTION:Breaking the fast on the next day and starting of Khichri Bhog of the Lord begins in the temple for next 30 days. \n  \nYudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said\, “O Viṣṇu\, master of all\, O delight of the three worlds\, O Lord of the universe\, O creator of the world\, O oldest personality\, O best of all beings\, I offer my most respectful obeisances unto You. \n“O Lord of lords\, for the benefit of all living entities\, kindly answer some questions I have. What is the name of the Ekādaśī that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Mārgaśīrṣa and removes all sins? How does one observe it properly\, and which Deity is worshiped on that holy day? O Lord\, please fully explain this to me.” \nLord Śrī Kṛṣṇa replied\, “O Yudhiṣṭhira\, your inquiry is very auspicious and will bring you fame. Just as I previously explained to you the dearest Utpannā Mahā-dvādaśī–which occurs during the dark part of the month of Mārgaśīrṣa\, which is the day when Ekādaśī-devī appeared from My body to kill the demon Mura\, and which benefits everything animate and inanimate in the three worlds–so I shall now explain to you the Ekādaśī that occurs during the light part of the month of Mārgaśīrṣa. This Ekādaśī is famous as Mokṣadā because it purifies the faithful devotee of all sinful reactions and bestows liberation upon him. The worshipable Deity of this day is Lord Dāmodara. With full attention one should worship Him with incense\, a ghee lamp\, flowers\, and tulasī mañjarīs [buds]. \n“O best of kings\, please listen as I narrate to you the old and auspicious history of this Ekādaśī. Simply by hearing this history one can attain the merit earned by performing a horse sacrifice. By the influence of this merit\, one’s forefathers\, mothers\, sons\, and other relatives who have gone to hell can go to heaven. For this reason alone\, O king\, you should listen carefully to this narration. \n“There was once a beautiful city named Campaka-nagara\, which was decorated with devoted Vaiṣṇavas. There the best of saintly kings\, Mahārāja Vaikhānasa\, ruled his subjects as if they were his own sons and daughters. The brāhmaṇas in that capital city were all expert in four kinds of Vedic knowledge. The king\, while ruling properly\, had a dream one night in which his father was suffering the pangs of torture in a hellish planet. The king was overwhelmed with compassion and shed tears. The next morning\, Maharaja Vaikhānasa described his dream to his council of twice-born brāhmaṇas. \n‘O brāhmaṇas\,’ the king said\, ‘in a dream last night I saw my father suffering on a hellish planet. He was crying out\, “O son\, please deliver me from the torment of this hell!” Now I have no peace\, and even this beautiful kingdom has become unbearable to me. Not even my horses\, elephants\, and chariots give me any joy\, and my vast treasury gives me no pleasure at all. \n“‘Everything\, O best of the brāhmaṇas\, even my own wife and sons\, has become a source of unhappiness since I beheld my dear father suffering the tortures of hell. Where can I go\, and what can I do\, O brāhmaṇas\, to alleviate this misery? My body is burning with fear and sorrow! Please tell me what kind of charity\, what mode of fasting\, what austerity\, or what deep meditation I may perform to deliver my father from his agony and bestow liberation upon my forefathers. O best of brāhmaṇas\, what is the use of one’s being a powerful son if one’s father must suffer on a hellish planet? Truly\, such a son’s life is utterly useless!’ \n“The twice-born brāhmaṇas replied\, ‘O king\, in the mountainous forest not far from here is the āśrama where the great saint Parvata Muni resides. Please go to him\, for he knows the past\, present\, and future of everything and can surely help you in your misery. \n“Upon hearing this advice\, the distressed king immediately set out on a journey to the āśrama of the famous sage Parvata Muni. The āśrama was very big and housed many learned sages expert in chanting the sacred hymns of the four Vedas. Approaching the holy āśrama\, the king beheld Parvata Muni seated among the sages like another Lord Bṛahmā\, the unborn creator. \n“Mahārāja Vaikhānasa offered his humble obeisances to the muni\, bowing his head and then prostrating his entire body. After the king had seated himself\, Parvata Muni asked him about the welfare of the seven limbs of his extensive kindgdom. The muni also asked him if his kingdom was free of troubles and whether everyone was peaceful and happy. To these inquiries the king replied\, ‘By your mercy\, O glorious sage\, all seven limbs of my kingdom are doing very well. Yet there is a problem that has recently arisen\, and to solve it I have come to you\, O brāhmaṇa\, for your expert guidance.’ \n“Then Parvata Muni\, the best of all sages\, closed his eyes and meditated on the king’s past\, present\, and future. After a few moments he opened his eyes and said\, ‘Your father is suffering the results of committing a great sin\, and I have discovered what it is. In his previous life he quarreled with his wife when he enjoyed her sexually during her menstrual period. She tried to resist his advances and yelled out\, “Someone please save me! Please\, O husband\, do not interrupt my monthly period!” Still he did not leave her alone. It is on account of this grievous sin that your father has fallen into such a hellish condition.’ \n“King Vaikhānasa then said\, ‘O greatest of sages\, by what process of fasting or charity may I liberate my dear father from such a condition? Please tell me how I can remove the burden of his sinful reactions\, which are a great obstacle to his progress toward ultimate liberation.’ \n“Parvata Muni replied\, ‘During the light fortnight of the month of Mārgaśīrṣa there occurs an Ekādaśī called Mokṣadā. If you observe this sacred Ekādaśī strictly\, with a full fast\, and give directly to your suffering father the merit you thus obtain\, he will be freed from his pain and instantly liberated.’ \n“Hearing this\, Mahārāja Vaikhānasa profusely thanked the great sage and then returned to his palace. O Yudhiṣṭhira\, when the light part of the month of Mārgaśīrṣa at last arrived\, Mahārāja Vaikhānasa faithfully and perfectly observed the Ekādaśī fast with his wife\, children\, and other relatives. He dutifully gave the merit from this fast to his father\, and as he made the offering\, beautiful flowers showered down from the sky. The king’s father was then praised by the messengers of the demigods and escorted to the celestial regions. As he passed his son\, the father said to the king\, ‘My dear son\, all auspiciousness unto you!’ At last he reached the heavenly realm. \nO son of Pānḍu\, whoever strictly observes the sacred Mokṣadā Ekādaśī\, following the established rules and regulations\, achieves full and perfect liberation after death. There is no better fasting day than this Ekādaśī of the light fortnight of the month of Mārgaśīrṣa\, O Yudhiṣṭhira\, for it is a crystal-clear and sinless day. Whoever faithfully observes this Ekādaśī fast\, which is like cintā-maṇi [a gem that yields all desires]\, obtains special merit that is very hard to calculate\, for this day can elevate one to the heavenly planets and beyond–to perfect liberation.” \nThus ends the narration of the glories of Mārgaśirṣa-śukla Ekādaśī\, or Mokṣadā Ekādaśī\, from the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa.
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/mok%e1%b9%a3ada-ekadasi-vrata%e1%b9%81-margasir%e1%b9%a3a-sukla-pak%e1%b9%a3a/
CATEGORIES:Ekadashi,Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/moksada.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251120
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251121
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250508T161400Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T161400Z
UID:31462-1763596800-1763683199@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Mārgaśīrṣa amāvasyā
DESCRIPTION:****NEW MOON DAY.****
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/margasir%e1%b9%a3a-amavasya/
CATEGORIES:Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/amavasaya-dark-e1745478988154.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251116
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251117
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250422T111759Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250422T111759Z
UID:31235-1763251200-1763337599@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Utpannā Ekādaśī Vrataṁ – Mārgaśīrṣa kṛṣṇa pakṣa(also called Vyanjuli Ekadasi)
DESCRIPTION:FASTING FROM ALL GRAINS AND BEANS MUST BE OBSERVED.\nFOLLOWED BY BREAKING THE FAST ON THE NEXT DAY. \nSuta Gosvami said\, “O learned brahmanas\, long ago Lord Sri Krsna\, the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, explained the auspicious glories of Sri Ekadasi and the rules and regulations governing each observance of fasting on that holy day. O best of the brahmanas\, whoever hears about the origins and glories of these sacred fasts on the Ekadasi days goes directly to the abode of Lord Visnu after enjoying many different kinds of happiness in this material world. \n“Arjuna\, the son of Prtha\, asked the Lord\, ‘O Janardana\, what are the pious benefits of complete fasting\, eating only supper\, or eating but once at midday on Ekadasi\, and what are the regulations for observing the various Ekadasi days? Kindly narrate all this to me. \n“The Supreme Lord\, Krsna\, replied\, ‘O Arjuna\, in the beginning of winter\, on the Ekadasi that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Margasirsa [November-December]\, a novice should begin his practice of observing a fast on Ekadasi. On Dasami\, the day before Ekadasi. he should clean his teeth nicely. Then\, during the eighth portion of Dasami\, just as the sun is about to set\, he should eat supper. \n” ‘The next morning the devotee should make a vow\, according to the rules and regulations\, to observe fasting. At midday he should bathe properly in a river\, lake\, or small pond. A bath in a river is most purifying\, that taken in a lake is less so\, and a bath in a small pond is the least purifying. If neither a river\, lake\, nor pond is accessible\, he may bathe with well-water. \n” ‘The devotee should chant this prayer containing the names of Mother Earth: “O Asvakrante! O Rathakrante! O Visnukrante! O Vasundhare! O Mrttike! O Mother Earth! Kindly remove all the sins I have accumulated throughout my many past lives so that I may enter the sacred abode of the Supreme Lord.” As the devotee chants\, he should smear mud over his body. \n“‘During the day of fasting the devotee should not speak to those who are fallen from their religious duties\, to dog-eaters\, to thieves\, or to hypocrites. He should also avoid speaking with slanderers; with those who abuse the demigods\, the Vedic literatures\, or brahmanas; or with any other wicked personalities\, such as those who have sex with forbidden women\,’ those who are known plunderers\, or those who rob temples. If any such person is spoken to or even seen during Ekadasi\, one must purify oneself by looking directly at the sun. \n“‘Then the devotee should respectfully worship Lord Govinda with firstclass food\, flowers\, and so forth. In his home he should offer the Lord a lamp in pure devotional consciousness. He should also avoid sleeping during the daytime and should completely abstain from sex. Fasting from all food and water\, he should joyfully sing the Lord’s glories and play musical instruments for His pleasure throughout the night. After remaining awake all night in pure consciousness\, the worshiper should give charity to qualified brahmanas and offer his humble obeisances unto them\, begging their forgiveness for his offenses. \n” ‘Those who are serious about devotional service should consider the Ekadasis that occur during dark fortnights to be as good as those that occur during bright fortnights. O king\, one should never discriminate between these two kinds of Ekadasi. \n” ‘Please listen as I now describe the results obtained by one who observes Ekadasi. in this way. Neither the merit one receives by taking a bath in the sacred place of pilgrimage known as Sankhoddhara where the Lord killed the Sankhasura demon\, nor the merit one receives upon seeing Lord Gadadhara directly is equal to one sixteenth of the merit one obtains by fasting on Ekadasi. It is said that by giving charity on a Monday when the moon is full\, one obtains a hundred thousand times the results of ordinary charity. O winner of wealth\, one who gives charity on the day of the sankranti [equinox] attains four hundred thousand times the ordinary result. Yet simply by fasting on Ekadasi one obtains all these pious results\, as well as whatever pious results one gets at Kuruksetra during an eclipse of the sun or moon. Furthermore\, the faithful soul who observes complete fasting on Ekadasi achieves a hundred times more merit than one who performs an Asvamedha-yajna [horse sacrifice]. One who observes just a single Ekadasi fast perfectly earns the same merit as one who feeds a hundred thousand mendicants each day for sixty thousand years. And a person who properly observes Ekadasi just once earns ten times more merit than a person who gives a thousand cows in charity to a brahmana learned in the Vedas. \n” ‘A person who feeds just one brahmacari earns ten times more merit than one who feeds ten good brahmanas in his own house. But a thousand times more merit than is earned by feeding a brahmacari is achieved by donating land to a needy and respectable brahmand\, and a thousand times more than that is earned by giving away a virgin girl in marriage to a young\, well-educated\, responsible man. Ten times more beneficial than this is educating children properly on the spiritual path\, without expecting any reward in return. Ten times better than this\, however\, is giving food grains to the hungry. Indeed\, giving charity to those in need is the best of all\, and there never has been or ever will be a better charity than this .2 O son of Kunti\, all the forefathers and demigods in heaven become very satisfied when one gives food grains in charity. But the merit one obtains by observing a complete fast on Ekadasi cannot be measured. O Arjuna\, best of all Kurus\, the powerful effect of this merit is inconceivable even to the demigods\, and half this merit is attained by one who eats only supper on Ekadasi. \n” ‘One should therefore observe fasting on Lord Hari’s day either by eating only once at midday\, abstaining from grains and beans; by eating only once in the evening\, abstaining from grains and beans; or by fasting completely. The processes of staying in places of pilgrimage\, giving charity\, and performing fire sacrifices may boast only as long as Ekadasi has not arrived. Therefore anyone afraid of the miseries of material existence should observe Ekadasi. On Ekadasi one should not drink water from a conchshell\, kill living entities such as fish or pigs\, Dr eat any grains or beans. Thus I have described to you\, O Arjuna\, the best of all methods of fasting\, as you have inquired from Me.’ \n“Arjuna then asked\, ‘O Lord\, according to You\, a thousand Vedic sacrifices do not equal even one Ekadasi fast. How can this be? How has Ekadasi become the most meritorious of all days?’ \n“Lord Sri Krsna replied\, ‘I will tell you why Ekadasi is the most purifying of all days. In the Satya-yuga there once lived an amazingly fearsome demon called Mura. Always very angry\, he terrified all the demigods\, defeating even Indra\, the king of heaven; Vivasvan\, the sun-god; the eight Vasus; Lord Brahma; Vayu\, the wind-god; and Agni\, the fire-god. With his terrible power he brought them all under his control. \n” ‘Lord Indra then approached Lord Siva and said\, “We have all fallen from our planets and are now wandering helplessly on the earth. O lord\, how can we find relief from this affliction? What will be the fate of us demigods?” \n“‘Lord Siva replied\, “O best of the demigods\, go to that place where Lord Visnu\, the rider of Garuda\, resides. He is Jagannatha\, the master of all the universes and their shelter as well. He is devoted to protecting all souls surrendered to Him.”‘ \n“Lord Krsna continued\, ‘O Arjuna\, winner of wealth\, after Lord Indra heard these words of Lord Siva’s\, he proceeded with all the demigods to the place where Lord Jagannatha\, the Lord of the universe\, the protector of all souls\, was resting. Seeing the Lord sleeping upon the water\, the demigods joined their palms and\, led by Indra\, recited the following prayers: \n” ‘ “O Supreme Personality of Godhead\, all obeisances to You. O Lord of lords\, O You who are praised by the foremost demigods\, O enemy of all demons\, O lotus-eyed Lord\, O Madhusudana [killer of the Madhu demon]\, please protect us. Afraid of the demon Mura\, we demigods have come to take shelter of You. O Jagannatha\, You are the doer of everything and the creator of everything. You are the mother and the father of all universes. You are the creator\, the maintainer\, and the destroyer of all. You are the supreme helper of all the demigods\, and You alone can bring peace to them. You alone are the earth\, the sky\, and the universal benefactor. \n” ‘ “You are Siva\, Brahma\, and also Visnu\, the maintainer of the three worlds. You are the gods of the sun\, moon\, and fire. You are the clarified butter\, the oblation\, the sacred fire\, the mantras\, the rituals\, the priests\, and the silent chanting of japa. You are the sacrifice itself\, its sponsor\, and the enjoyer of its results\, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nothing within these three worlds\, whether movable or immovable\, can exist independent of You. O Supreme Lord\, Lord of lords\, You are the protector of those who take shelter of You. O supreme mystic\, O shelter of the fearful\, please rescue and protect us. We demigods have been defeated by the demons and have thus fallen from the heavenly realm. Deprived of our positions\, O Lord of the universe\, we are now wandering about this earthly planet.”‘ \n“Lord Krsna continued\, ‘Having heard Indra and the other demigods speak these words\, Sri Visnu\, the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, replied\, “What demon possesses such great powers of delusion that he has been able to defeat all the demigods? What is his name\, and where does he live? Where does he get his strength and shelter? Tell Me everything\, O Indra\, and do not fear.” \n” ‘Lord Indra replied\, “O Supreme Godhead\, O Lord of lords\, O You who vanquish the fear in Your pure devotees’ hearts\, O You who are so kind to Your faithful servants\, there was once a powerful demon of the Brahman dynasty whose name was Nadijangha. He was extraordinarily fearsome and wholly dedicated to destroying the demigods\, and he begot an infamous son named Mura. \n“”‘Mura’s great capital city is Candravati. From that base the terribly evil and powerful Mura demon has conquered the whole world and brought all the demigods under his control\, driving them out of their heavenly kingdom. He has assumed the roles of Indra\, the king of heaven; Agni\, the fire-god; Yama\, the lord of death; Vayu\, the wind-god; Isa or Lord Siva Soma\, the moon-god; Nairrti\, the lord of the directions; and Pa§i\, or Varuna\, the watergod. He has also begun emanating light in the role of the sun-god and has turned himself into the clouds as well. It is impossible for the demigods to defeat him. O Lord Visnu\, please kill this demon and make the demigods victorious.” \n” ‘Hearing these words from Indra\, Lord Janardana became very angry and said\, “O powerful demigods\, all together you may now advance on Mura’s capital city of Candravati.” Encouraged thus\, the assembled demigods proceeded to Candravati with Lord Hari leading the way. \n“‘When Mura saw the demigods\, that foremost of demons started roaring very loudly in the company of countless thousands of other demons\, who were all holding brilliantly shining weapons. The mighty-armed demons struck the demigods\, who began abandoning the battlefield and fleeing in the ten directions. Seeing the Supreme Lord Hrsikesa\, the master of the senses\, present on the battlefield\, the furious demons rushed toward Him with various weapons in their hands. As they charged the Lord\, who holds a sword\, disk\, and club\, He immediately pierced all their limbs with His sharp\, poisonous arrows. Thus many hundreds of demons died by the Lord’s hand. \n“‘At last the chief demon\, Mura\, began fighting with the Lord. Mura used his mystic power to render useless whatever weapons the Supreme Lord Hrsikesa unleashed. Indeed\, to the demon the weapons felt just like flowers striking him. When the Lord could not defeat the demon even with various kinds of weaponswhether those that are thrown or those that are held-He began fighting with His bare hands\, which were as strong as iron-studded clubs. The Lord wrestled with Mura for one thousand celestial years and then\, apparently fatigued\, left for Badarikasrama. There Lord Yogesvara\, the greatest of all yogis\, the Lord of the universe\, entered a very beautiful cave named Himavati to rest. O Dhananjaya winner of wealth\, that cave was ninety-six miles in diameter and had only one entrance. I went there out of fear\, and also to sleep There is no doubt about this\, O son of Pandu\, for the great fight made Me very tired. The demon followed Me into that cave and\, seeing Me asleep\, started thinking within his heart\, “Today I will kill this slayer of all demons\, Hari.” \n“‘While the wicked-minded Mura was making plans in this way\, from My body there manifested a young girl who had a very bright complexion. O son of Pandu\, Mura saw that she was equipped with various brilliant weapons and was ready to fight. Challenged by that female to do battle\, Mura prepared himself and then fought with her\, but he became very astonished when he saw that she fought him without cessation. The king of the demons then said\, “Who has created this angry\, fearsome girl who is fighting me so powerfully\, just like a thunderbolt falling upon me?” After saying this\, the demon continued to fight with the girl. \n“‘Suddenly that effulgent goddess shattered all of Mura’s weapons and in a moment deprived him of his chariot. He ran toward her to attack her with his bare hands\, but when she saw him coming she angrily cut off his head. Thus the demon at once fell to the ground and went to the abode of Yamaraja. The rest of the Lord’s enemies\, out of fear and helplessness\, entered the subterranean Patala region. \n“‘Then the Supreme Lord woke up and saw the dead demon before Him\, as well as the maiden bowing down to Him with joined palms. His face expressing His astonishment\, the Lord of the universe said\, “Who has killed this vicious demon? He easily defeated all the demigods\, Gandharvas\, and even Indra himself\, along with Indra’s companions\, the Maruts\, and he also defeated the Nagas [snakes]\, the rulers of the lower planets. He even defeated Me\, making Me hide in this cave out of fear. Who is it that has so mercifully protected Me after I ran from the battlefield and went to sleep in this cave?” \n“‘The maiden said\, “It is I who have killed this demon after appearing from Your transcendental body. Indeed\, O Lord Hari\, when he saw You sleeping he wanted to kill You. Understanding the intention of this thorn in the side of the three worlds\, I killed the evil rascal and thus freed all the demigods from fear. I am Your great mahd-sakti\, Your internal potency\, who strikes fear into the hearts of all Your enemies. I have killed this universally terrifying demon to protect the three worlds. Please tell me why You are surprised to see that this demon has been killed\, O Lord.” \n“‘The Supreme Personality of Godhead said\, “O sinless one\, I am very satisfied to see that it is you who have killed this king of the demons. In this way you have made the demigods happy\, prosperous\, and full of bliss. Because you have given pleasure to all the demigods in the three worlds\, I am very pleased with you. Ask any boon you may desire\, O auspicious one. I will give it to you without a doubt\, though it be very rare among the demigods.” \n“‘The maiden said\, “O Lord\, if You are pleased with me and wish to give me a boon\, then give me the power to deliver from the greatest sins that person who fasts on this day. I wish that half the pious credit obtained by one who fasts will accrue to one who eats only in the evening [abstaining from grains and beans]\, and that half of this pious credit will be earned by one who eats only at midday. Also\, may one who strictly observes a complete fast on my appearance day\, with controlled senses\, go to the abode of Lord Visnu for one billion kalpas after he has enjoyed all kinds of pleasures in this world. This is the boon I desire to attain by Your mercy\, my Lord. O Lord Janardana\, whether a person observes complete fasting\, eats only in the evening\, or eats only at midday\, please grant him a religious attitude\, wealth\, and at last liberation.” \n“‘The Supreme Personality of Godhead said\, “O most auspicious lady\, what you have requested is granted. All My devotees in this world will surely fast on your day\, and thus they will become famous throughout the three worlds and finally come and stay with Me in My abode. Because you\, My transcendental potency\, have appeared on the eleventh day of the waning moon\, let your name be Ekadasi. If a person fasts on Ekadasi\, I will burn up all his sins and bestow upon him My transcendental abode. \n” ‘ “These are the days of the waxing and waning moon that are most dear to Me: Trtiya [the third day]\, Astami [the eighth day]\, Navami [the ninth day]\, Caturdasi [the fourteenth day]\, and especially Ekadasi [the eleventh day]. \n“‘”The merit one attains by fasting on Ekadasi is greater than that achieved by observing any other kind of fast or by going to a place of pilgrimage\, and even greater than that achieved by giving charity to brahmanas. I tell you most emphatically that this is true.” \n“‘Having thus given the maiden His benediction\, the Supreme Lord suddenly disappeared. From that time onward the Ekadasi day became most meritorious and famous all over the universe. O Arjuna\, if a person strictly observes Ekadasi\, I kill all his enemies and grant him the highest destination. Indeed\, if a person observes this great Ekadasi fast in any of the prescribed ways\,’ I remove all obstacles to his spiritual progress and grant him the perfection of life. \n“‘Thus\, O son of Prtha\, I have described to you the origin of Ekadasi. This one day removes all sins eternally. Indeed\, it is the most meritorious day for destroying all kinds of sins\, and it has appeared in order to benefit everyone in the universe by bestowing all varieties of perfection. \nOne should not discriminate between the Ekadasis of the waxing and waning moons; both must be observed\, O Naha\, and they should not be differentiated from Maha-dvadasi. Everyone who fasts on Ekadasi should recognize that there is no difference between these two Ekadasis\, for they comprise the same tithi. \n“‘Whoever completely fasts on Ekadasi\, following the rules and regulations\, will achieve the supreme abode of Lord Visnu\, who rides upon Garuda. They are glorious who devote themselves to Lord Visnu and spend all their time studying the glories of Ekadasi\, One who vows not to eat anything on Ekadasi\, but to eat only on the next day achieves the same merit as one who executes a horse sacrifice. Of this there is no doubt. \n” ‘On Dvadasi\, the day after Ekadasi\, one should pray\, “O Pundarikaksa\, O lotus-eyed Lord\, now I will eat. Please shelter me.” After saying this\, the wise devotee should offer some flowers and water at the Lord’s lotus feet and invite the Lord to eat by chanting the eight-syllable mantra thrice.’ If the devotee wants to gain the fruit of his fast\, he should then drink water taken from the sanctified vessel in which he offered water at the Lord’s lotus feet. \n” ‘On Dvadasi\, one must avoid sleeping during the day\, eating in another’s home\, eating more than once\, having sex\, eating honey\, eating from a bell-metal plate\, eating urad dal\, and rubbing oil on one’s body. The devotee must give up these eight things on Dvadasi. If he wants to speak to an outcaste on that day\, he must purify himself by eating a tulasi leaf or an amalaki fruit. O best of kings\, from noon on Ekadasi\, until dawn on Dvadasi\, one should engage himself in taking baths\, worshiping the Lord\, and executing devotional activities\, including the giving of charity and the performance of fire sacrifices. If one finds himself in difficult circumstances and cannot break the Ekadasi fast properly on Dvadasi\, one can break it by drinking water\, and then one is not at fault if he eats again after that. \n“‘A devotee of Lord Visnu who day and night hears these all-auspicious topics concerning the Lord from the mouth of another devotee will be elevated to the Lord’s planet and reside there for ten million kalpas. And one who hears even one sentence about the glories of Ekadasi is freed from the reactions to such sins as killing a brahmana. There is no doubt of this. For all eternity there will be no better way of worshiping Lord Visnu than observing a fast on Ekadasi.’ \nThus ends the narration of the glories of Mārgaśīrṣa-kr̥ṣṇa Ekādaśī\, or Utpannā Ekādaśī\, from the Bhaviṣya-uttara Purāṇa.
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/utpanna-ekadasi-vrata%e1%b9%81-margasir%e1%b9%a3a-k%e1%b9%9b%e1%b9%a3%e1%b9%87a-pak%e1%b9%a3aalso-called-vyanjuli-ekadasi/
CATEGORIES:Ekadashi,Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/utpanna1.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251105
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251106
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250508T154539Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T154539Z
UID:31459-1762300800-1762387199@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Kārtika pūrṇimā
DESCRIPTION:****Full Moon Day**** Full moon. Deva-deepavali\, on this day the demigods in heaven celebrate the festival of lamps in heaven\, having been pleased by Lord Rama’s arrival at Ayodhya. On this day\, Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also arrived in Vrindaban. The following Kartika vow ends on the next day.  \n      \nThe Dev Deepavali is the festival of Kartik Poornima celebrated in the city of Varanasi in Bhojpuri region of Uttar Pradesh\, India. It falls on the full moon of the Hindu month of Kartika and takes place fifteen days after Diwali.
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/kartika-pur%e1%b9%87ima/
CATEGORIES:Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Happy-Dev-Diwali-2022-Dev-Diwali-Rangoli-Dev-Diwali-in-Varanasi-Kab-Hai-7-1.webp
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251102
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251103
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250422T110743Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250422T110743Z
UID:31232-1762041600-1762127999@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Haribodhinī Ekādaśī Vrataṁ – Kārtika-śukla pakṣa
DESCRIPTION:BREAKING THE FAST ON THE NEXT DAY: BHISMA PANCHAKA STARTS ON THIS DAY. LORD KRSNA IS OFFERED GHEE LAMP KEPT ON A PEALED SUGARCANE PIECE IN THE EVENING.\n\nLord Brahmā said to Nārada Muni\, “Dear son\, O best of the sages\, I shall narrate to you the glories of Haribodhinī Ekādaśī\, which eradicates all kinds of sins and bestows great merit\, and ultimately liberation\, upon the wise persons who surrender unto the Supreme Lord. “O best of the brāhmaṇas\, the merits acquired by bathing in the Ganges remain significant only as long as Haribodhinī Ekādaśī does not come. This Ekādaśī\, which occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Kārtika\, is much more purifying than a bath in the ocean\, at a place of pilgrimage\, or in a lake. This sacred Ekādaśī is more powerful in nullifying sin than one thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices and one hundred Rājasūya sacrifices.” \nNārada Muni\, the saint among the demigods inquired\, “O father\, please describe the relative merits of fasting completely on Ekādaśī\, eating supper (without grains or beans)\, or eating once at midday (without grains or beans).” \nLord Brahmā replied\, “If a person eats once at midday on Ekādaśī\, the sins of his previous birth are erased\, if he eats supper\, the sins acquired during his previous two births are removed\, and if he fasts completely\, the sins accumulated during his pervious seven births are eradicated. “O son\, whatever is only rarely achieved within the three worlds is obtained by him who strictly observes Haribodhinī Ekādaśī. A person whose sins equal Mount Sumeru in volume sees them all reduced to nothing if he simply fasts on Pāpahāriṇī Ekādaśī (another name for Haribodhinī Ekādaśī). The sins a person has accumulated over a thousand previous births are burned to ashes if he not only fasts but also remains awake throughout Ekādaśī night\, just as a mountain of cotton can be burned to ashes if one lights a small fire in it. \nO best of sages\, Nāradaji\, a person who strictly observes this fast achieves the results I have mentioned. Even if one does a small amount of pious activity on this day\, following the rules and regulations\, one will earn merit to Mount Sumeru in volume; however a person who does not follow the rules and regulations given in the Scriptures may perform pious activity equal to Mount Sumeru in volume\, but he will not earn even a small amount of merit. One who does not chant the Gāyatrī mantra three times a day\, who disregards fast days\, who does not believe in God\, who criticises the Vedic Scriptures\, who thinks the Vedas bring only ruination to one who follows their injunctions\, who enjoys another’s wife\, who is utterly foolish and wicked\, who does not appreciate any service that has been rendered to him\, or who cheats others – such a sinful person can never perform any religious activity effectively. Be he a brāhmaṇa or a śudra\, whoever tries to enjoy another man’s wife\, particularly the wife of a twice-born person\, is said to be no better than a dog-eater. \n“O best of the sages\, any brāhmaṇa who enjoys sex with a widow or a brāhmaṇa lady married to another man brings ruin to himself and his family. Any brāhmaṇa who enjoys illicit sex will have no children in his next life\, and any past merit he may have earned is ruined. Indeed\, if such a person displays any arrogance toward a twice-born brāhmaṇa or a spiritual master\, he loses all his spiritual advancement immediately\, as well as his wealth and children. \n“These three kinds of men ruin their acquired merits: he whose character is immoral\, he who has sex with the wife of a dog-eater\, and he who appreciates the association of rogues. Whoever associates with sinful people and visits their homes without a spiritual purpose will go directly to the abode of Lord Yamarāja\, the superintendent of death. And if someone eats in such a home\, his acquired merit is destroyed\, along with his fame\, duration of life\, children\, and happiness. \n“Any sinful rascal who insults a saintly person soon loses his religiosity\, economic development\, and sense gratification\, and he at last burns in the fire of hell. Anyone who likes to offend saintly persons\, or who does not interrupt someone who is insulting saintly persons\, is considered no better than an ass. Such a wicked man sees his dynasty destroyed before his very eyes.\n“A person whose character is unclean\, who is a rogue or a swindler\, or who always finds fault with others does not achieve a higher destination after death\, even if he gives charity generously or performs other pious deed. Therefore one should refrain from performing inauspicious acts and perform only pious ones\, by which one will acquire merit and avoid suffering. \n“However\, the sins of one who\, after due consideration\, decides to fast of Haribodhinī Ekādaśī are erased from one hundred previous lives\, and whoever fasts and remains awake overnight on this Ekādaśī achieves unlimited merit and after death goes to the supreme abode of Lord Viṣṇu\, and then thousand of his ancestors\, relatives\, and descendants also reach that abode. Even if one’s forefathers were implicated in many sins and are suffering in hell\, they still attain beautifully ornamented spiritual bodies and happily go to Viṣṇu’s abode. \nO Nārada\, even one who has committed the heinous sin of killing a brāhmaṇa is freed of all stains on his character by faster on Haribodhinī Ekādaśī and remaining awake that night. The merit that cannot by won by bathing in all the places of pilgrimage\, performing a horse sacrifice\, or giving cows\, gold\, or fertile land in charity can easily be achieved by fasting on this holy day and remaining awake throughout the night. \n“Anyone who observes Haribodhinī Ekādaśī is celebrated as highly qualified and makes his dynasty famous. As death is certain\, so losing one’s wealth is also certain. Knowing this\, O best of sages\, one should observe a fast on this day so dear to Hari – Śrī Haribodhinī Ekādaśī. “All places of pilgrimage in the three worlds at once come to reside in the house of a person who fasts on this Ekādaśī. Therefore\, to please the Lord\, who holds a disc in His hand\, one should give up all engagements\, surrender\, and observe this Ekādaśī fast. One who fasts on this Haribodhinī day is acknowledged as a wise man\, a true yogi\, an ascetic\, and one whose senses are truly under control. He alone enjoys this world properly\, and he will certainly achieve liberation. This Ekādaśī is very dear to Lord Viṣṇu\, and thus it is the very essence of religiosity. Even one observance of it bestows the topmost reward in all the three worlds. \n“O Nāradaji\, whoever fasts on this Ekādaśī will definitely not enter a womb again\, and thus faithful devotees of the Supreme God give up all varieties of religion and simply surrender to fasting on this Ekādaśī. For that great soul who honours this Ekādaśī by fasting and remaining awake throughout the night\, the Supreme Lord\, Śrī Govinda\, personally terminates the sinful reactions that soul has acquired by the actions of his mind\, body\, and words. \n“O son\, for anyone who bathes in a place of pilgrimage\, gives charity\, chants the holy names of the Supreme Lord\, undergoes austerities\, and performs sacrifices for God on Haribodhinī Ekādaśī\, the merit thus earned all becomes imperishable. A devotee who worships Lord Madhava on this day with first-class paraphernalia becomes free from the great sins of a hundred lifetimes. A person who observes this fast and worships Lord Viṣṇu properly is freed from great danger. “This Ekādaśī fast pleases Lord Janārdana so much that He takes the person who observes it back to His abode\, and while going there the devotee illuminates then ten universal directions. Whoever desires beauty and happiness should try to honour Haribodhinī Ekādaśī\, especially if it falls on Dvādaśī. The sins of one’s past hundred births – the sins committed during childhood\, youth and old age in al those lifetimes\, whether those sins are dry or wet – are nullified by the Supreme Lord Govinda if one fasts on Haribodhinī Ekādaśī with devotion. \nHaribodhinī Ekādaśī is the best Ekādaśī. Nothing is unobtainable or rare in this world for one who fasts on this day\, for it gives food grains\, great wealth\, and high merit\, as well as eradication of all sin\, the terrible obstacle to liberation. fasting on this Ekādaśī is a thousand times better than giving charity on the day of the solar or lunar eclipse. Again I say to you\, O Nāradaji\, whatever merit is earned by one who bathes in a place of pilgrimage\, performs sacrifices\, and studies the Vedas is only one then-millionth the merit earned by the person who fasts but one on Haribodhinī Ekādaśī. Whatever merit one has acquired in his life by some pious activities becomes completely fruitless if one does not observe the Ekādaśī fast and worship Lord Viṣṇu in the month of Kārtika. Therefore\, you should always worship the Supreme Lord\, Janārdana\, and render service to Him. Thus you will attain the desired goal\, the highest perfection. \n“On Haribodhinī Ekādaśī\, a devotee of the Lord should not eat in another’s house or eat food cooked by a non devotee. If he does so\, he achieves only the merit of fasting on a full moon day. Philosophical discussion of Scriptures in the month of Kārtika pleases Śrī Viṣṇu more than if one gives elephants and horses in charity or performs a costly sacrifice. Whoever chants or hears descriptions of Lord Viṣṇu’s qualities and pastimes\, even if but a half or even a fourth of a verse\, attains the wonderful merit derived from giving away a hundred cows to a brāhmaṇa. O Nārada\, during the month of Kārtika one should give up all kinds or ordinary duties and devote one’s full time and energy especially while fasting\, to discussing the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Lord. Such glorification of Śrī Hari on the day so dear to the Lord\, Ekādaśī\, liberates a hundred previous generations. One who spends his time enjoying such discussions\, especially in the month of Kārtika\, achieves the results of performing ten thousand fire sacrifices and burns all his sins to ashes. \n“He who hears the wonderful narrations concerning Lord Viṣṇu\, particularly during the month of Kārtika\, automatically earns the same merit as that bestowed upon someone who donates a hundred cows in charity. O great sage\, a person who chants the glories of Lord Hari on Ekādaśī achieves the merit earned by donating seven islands.” \nNārada Muni asked his glorious father\, “O universal sire\, I best of all demigods\, please tell me how to observe this most sacred Ekādaśī. What kind of merit does it bestow upon the faithful?” \nLord Brahmā replied\, “O son\, a person who wants to observe this Ekādaśī should rise early on Ekādaśī morning\, during the brahma-mūhurta hour (an hour and a half before sunrise until fifty minutes before sunrise). He should then clean his teeth and bathe in a lake\, river\, pond\, or well\, or in his own home\, as the situation warrants. After worshipping Lord Śrī Keśava\, he should listen carefully to the sacred descriptions of the Lord. He should pray to the Lord thus: ‘O Lord Keśava\, I shall fast on this day\, which is so dear to You\, and tomorrow I shall honour Your sacred prasadam. O lotus-eyed Lord\, O infallible one\, You are my only shelter. Kindly protect me.’ \n“Having spoken this solemn prayer before the Lord with great love and devotion\, one should fast cheerfully. O Nārada\, whoever remains awake all night on this Ekādaśī\, singing beautiful songs glorifying the Lord\, dancing in ecstasy\, playing delightful instrumental music for His transcendental pleasure\, and reciting the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa as records in bona-fide Vedic literature – such a person will most assuredly reside far beyond the three worlds\, in the eternal\, spiritual realm of God. \n“On Haribodhinī Ekādaśī one should worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa with camphor\, fruits\, and aromatic flowers\, especially the yellow agaru flower. One should not absorb oneself in making money on this important day. In other words\, greed should be exchanged for charity. This is the process for turning loss into unlimited merit. One should offer many kinds of fruits to the Lord and bathe Him with water from a conchshell. Each of these devotional practices\, when performed on Haribodhinī Ekādaśī\, is ten million times more beneficial than bathing in all the places of pilgrimage and giving all forms of charity. \n“Even Lord Indra joins his palm and offers his obeisances to a devotee who worships Lord Janārdana with first-class agastya flowers of this day. The supreme Lord Hari is very pleased when he is decorated with nice agastya flowers. O Nārada\, I give liberation to one who devotedly worships Lord Kṛṣṇa on this Ekādaśī in the month of Kārtika with leaves of the bel tree. And for one who worships Lord Janārdana with fresh tulasi leaves and fragrant flowers during this month\, O son\, I personally burn to ashes all the sins he has committed for then thousand births. \n“One who merely sees Tulasī Mahārānī\, touches her\, mediates on her\, narrates her history\, offers obeisances to her\, prays to her for her grace\, plants her\, worships her\, or waters her lives in the abode of Lord Hari eternally. O Nārada\, one who serves Tulasi-devi in these nine ways achieves happiness in the higher world for as many thousands of yugas as there are roots and subroots growing from a mature tulasī plant. When a full grown tulasī plant produces seeds\, many plants grow from those seeds and spread their branches\, twigs\, and flowers\, and these flowers also produce numerous seeds. For as many thousands of kalpas as there are seeds produced in this way\, the forefathers of one who serves tulasī in these nine ways will live in the abode of Lord Hari. \n“Those who worship Lord Keśava with kadamba flowers\, which are very pleasing to Him\, get is mercy and do not see the abode of Yamarāja\, death personified. What is the use of worshipping someone else if all desires can be fulfilled by pleasing Lord Hari? For example\, a devotee who offers Him bakula\, aśoka\, and pāṭalī flowers is freed from misery and distress for as long as the sun and moon exist in this universe\, and at last he achieves liberation. O best of the brāhmaṇas\, an offering of kannera flowers to Lord Jagannātha brings as much mercy upon the devotee as that earned by worshipping Lord Keśava for four yugas. One who offers tulasī flowers (manjaris) to Śrī Kṛṣṇa during the month of Kārtika receives more merit than can be obtained by donating ten million cows. Even a devotional offering of newly grown sprouts of grass brings with it a hundred times the benefit obtained by ordinary ritualistic worship of the Supreme Lord. \n“One who worships Lord Viṣṇu with the leaves of the samīka tree is freed from the clutches of Yamarāja\, the lord of death. One who worships Viṣṇu during the rainy season with campaka or jasmine flowers never returns to the planet earth again. One who worships the Lord with but a single kumbhī flower achieves the boon of donating a pala of gold (two hundred grams). If a devotee offers a single yellow flower of the ketakī\, or wood-apple\, tree to Lord Viṣṇu\, who rides on Garuḍa\, he is freed from the sins of ten million births. Furthermore\, one who offers Lord Jagannātha flowers and also a hundred leaves anointed with red and yellow sandalwood paste will certainly come to reside in Śvetadvīpa\, far beyond the coverings of this material creation. \n“O greatest of brāhmaṇas\, Śrī Nārada\, after thus worshipping Lord Keśava\, the bestower of all material and spiritual happiness\, on Haribodhinī Ekādaśī\, one should rise early the next day\, bathe in a rive\, chant japa of Kṛṣṇa’s holy names\, and render loving devotional service to the Lord at home to the nest of one’s ability. To break the fast\, the devotee should first offer some prasādam to brāhmaṇas and only then\, with their permission\, eat some grains. Thereafter\, to please the Supreme Lord\, the devotee should worship his spiritual master\, the purest of the Lord’s devotees\, and offer him sumptuous food\, nice cloth\, gold\, and cows\, according to the devotee’s means. this will certainly please the Supreme Lord\, the holder of the disc. \n“Next the devotee should donate a cow to a brāhmaṇa\, and if the devotee has neglected some rules and regulation of spiritual life\, he should confess them before brāhmaṇa devotees of the Lord. Then the devotee should offer them some dakṣiṇā (money). O king\, those who have eaten supper on Ekādaśī should feed a brāhmaṇa the next day. That is very pleasing to the Supreme Personality of God. \n“O son\, if a man has fasted without asking the permission of his priest\, or if a woman has fasted without asking her husband’s permission\, he or she should donate a bull to a brāhmaṇa. Honey and yoghurt are also proper gifts for a brāhmaṇa. Someone who has fasted from ghee should donate milk\, one who has fasted from grains should donate rice\, one who has slept on the floor should donate a bedstead with a quilt\, one who has eaten on a leaf plate should donate a pot of ghee\, one who as remained silent should donate a bell\, and one who has fasted from sesame should give gold in charity and feed a brāhmaṇa couple with sumptuous food. A man who wants to prevent baldness should donate a mirror to a brāhmaṇa\, one who has second-hand shoes should donate shoes\, and one who has fasted from salt should donate some sugar to a brāhmaṇa.\nDuring this month everyone should regularly offer a ghee lamp to Lord Viṣṇu or to Śrīmatī Tulasīdevī in a temple. \n“An Ekādaśī fast is complete when one offers a qualified brāhmaṇa a gold or copper pot filled with ghee and ghee wicks\, along with eight waterpots containing some gold and covered by cloths. One who cannot afford these gifts should at least offer a brāhmaṇa some sweet words. One who does so will surely attain the full benefit of fasting on Ekādaśī. \n“After offering his obeisances and begging permission\, the devotee should eat his meal. On this Ekādaśī\, Cāturmāsya ends\, so whatever one gave up during Cāturmāsya should now be donated to brāhmaṇas. One who follows this process of Cāturmāsya receives unlimited merit\, O king of kings\, and goes to the abode of Lord Vāsudeva after death. O king\, anyone who observes the complete Cāturmāsya without a break attains eternal happiness and does not receive another birth. But if someone breaks the fast\, he becomes either a blind man or a leper. \n“Thus I have narrated to you the complete process for observing Haribodhinī Ekādaśī. Someone who reads or hears about this achieves the merit earned by donating cows to a qualified brāhmaṇa.” \nThus ends the Vṛjavāsī narration of the glories of Kārtika-śukla Ekādaśī – also known as Haribodhinī Ekādaśī or Devotthānī Ekādaśī – from the Skanda Purāṇa. \nNotes: It has four names: Haribodhinī – Prabodhini – Devotthani – Utthana Ekādaśī and it is the second Ekādaśī (Kārtik śukla\, light fortnight) in the month of Kārtik. \n 
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/haribodhini-ekadasi-vrata%e1%b9%81-kartika-sukla-pak%e1%b9%a3a/
CATEGORIES:Ekadashi,Festival
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251101
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251102
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250508T120024Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T120024Z
UID:31449-1761955200-1762041599@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Bhisma Panchaka starts on this day.
DESCRIPTION:Bhisma Panchaka starts on this day.
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/bhisma-panchaka-starts-on-this-day/
CATEGORIES:Festival
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251030
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251031
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250508T075150Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T124138Z
UID:31446-1761782400-1761868799@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Aksyaya Navami – Kārtika-śukla
DESCRIPTION:Mathura-Vrindaban Parikrama. Twin circumambulation.\n\n  \n 
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/aksyaya-navami-kartika-sukla/
CATEGORIES:Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Vrindavan-Parikrama.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251029
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251030
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250508T152954Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T152954Z
UID:31453-1761696000-1761782399@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Gopastami\, Gopuja
DESCRIPTION:Gopastami\, Gopuja
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/gopastami-gopuja/
CATEGORIES:Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Gopastami.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251025
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251026
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250508T074817Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T124229Z
UID:31443-1761350400-1761436799@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day – Kārtika-śukla Chaturthi
DESCRIPTION:Fasting till noon and then feasting for Srila Prabhupada’s disciples.\n\n  \n 
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/srila-prabhupadas-disappearance-day-kartika-sukla-chaturthi/
CATEGORIES:Festival
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251022
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251023
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250508T074358Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T123153Z
UID:31440-1761091200-1761177599@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Annakoot\, Govardhana Pooja
DESCRIPTION:Offering of grand quantities of sumptuous bhog (food) to Lord Krsna\, the lifter of the Govardhana Hill.\n\n  \n 
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/annakoot-govardhana-pooja/
CATEGORIES:Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/govardhanpuja_2020_vrindavan.jpeg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251021
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251022
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250508T073856Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T120642Z
UID:31437-1761004800-1761091199@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Deepavali (festival of lamps in India) (Laksmi Poojan)
DESCRIPTION:Deepavali (festival of lamps in India) (Laksmi Poojan).\nSkanda Purana it is stated\, BHUTA-VIDDHA TU AMAVASYA NA GRAHYA\nMUNI-PUNGAVAIH\, all the sages and saints have stated that if Amavasya is\nmixed with previous day (i.e. combined with chaturdasi) should not be accepted.\n\nIn Skanda Purana it is stated\, BHUTA-VIDDHA TU AMAVASYA NA GRAHYA MUNI-PUNGAVAIH\, all the sages and saints have stated that if Amavasya is mixed with previous day (i.e combined with chaturdasi) should not be accepted. \n 
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/deepavali-festival-of-lamps-in-india-laksmi-poojan/
CATEGORIES:Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/laxmi-pujan.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251017
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251018
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250422T110404Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250422T110404Z
UID:31229-1760659200-1760745599@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Ramā Ekādaśī Vrataṁ – Kārtika kṛṣṇa pakṣa
DESCRIPTION:Breaking the fast on the next day.\n\nYudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said\, “O Janārdana\, O protector of all beings\, what is the name of the Ekādaśī that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Kārtika [October-November]? Please impart this sacred knowledge to me.” \nThe Supreme Lord\, Śrī Kṛṣṇa\, replied\, “O lion among kings\, please listen: The Ekādaśī that occurs during the dark part of the month of Kārtika is called Ramā Ekādaśī. It is most auspicious\, for it at once eradicates the greatest sins and awards passage to the spiritual abode. I shall narrate its history and glories to you. \n“There once lived a famous king named Mucukunda\, who was friendly with Lord Indra\, the king of heaven\, as well as with Yamarāja\, Varuṇa\, and Vibhīṣaṇa\, the demon Ravaṇa’s pious brother. Mucukunda always spoke the truth and constantly rendered devotional service to Me. Because he ruled according to religious principles\, there were no disturbances in his kingdom. \n“Mucukunda’s daughter was named Candrabhāgā\, after a sacred river\, and the king gave her in marriage to Śobhana\, the son of Candrasena. One day\, Śobhana visited his father-in-law’s palace on the auspicious Ekādaśī day. This visit made Śobhana’s wife\, Candrabhāgā\, quite anxious\, for she knew that her husband was physically very weak and unable to bear the austerity of a day-long fast. She said to him\, ‘My father is very strict about following Ekādaśī. On Daśamī\, the day before Ekādaśī\, he strikes a large kettledrum and announces\, “Nobody should eat on Ekādaśī\, the day of Lord Hari!”‘ \n“When Śobhana heard the sound of the kettledrum\, he said to his wife\, ‘O beautiful one\, what am I to do now? Please tell me how I can save my life and obey your father’s strictures at the same time!’ \n“Candrabhāgā replied\, ‘My dear husband\, in my father’s house nobody–not even the elephants and horses\, what to speak of human beings–eats on Ekādaśī. Indeed\, none of the animals are given their ration of grains\, leaves\, or straw–or even water!–on Ekādaśī\, the day of Lord Hari. So how can you escape fasting? My beloved\, if you must eat something\, then you should leave here at once. Now\, with firm conviction decide what to do.’ \n“Prince Śobhana replied\, ‘I have decided to fast on the sacred Ekādaśī day. Whatever my fate is\, it will surely come to pass.’ \n“Deciding thus\, Śobhana attempted to fast on that Ekādaśī\, but he became unbearably disturbed with excessive hunger and thirst. Eventually the sun set in the west\, and the arrival of the auspicious night made all the Vaiṣṇavas very happy. O Yudhiṣṭhira\, all the devotees enjoyed worshiping Lord Hari and remaining awake through the night\, but to Prince Śobhana that night became absolutely unbearable. Indeed\, when the sun rose on Dvādaśī\, Śobhana was dead. \n“King Mucukunda observed his son-in-law’s funeral\, ordering a large stack of wood assembled for the fire\, but he instructed his daughter Candrabhāgā not to join her husband on the funeral pyre. Thus Candrabhāgā\, after performing all the purificatory processes honoring her deceased husband\, continued to live in her father’s house.” \nLord Kṛṣṇa continued\, “O best of the kings\, even though Śobhana died because of observing Ramā Ekādaśī the merit he accrued enabled him\, after death\, to become the ruler of a kingdom high on the peak of Mandarācala Mountain. This kingdom was like a city of the demigods: very lustrous\, with unlimited jewels set in the walls of its buildings. The pillars were made of rubies\, and gold inlaid with diamonds shone everywhere. As King Śobhana sat upon a throne beneath a pure white canopy\, servants fanned him with yak-tail whisks. A stunning crown rested upon his head\, beautiful earrings adorned his ears\, a necklace graced his throat\, and bejeweled armlets and bracelets encircled his arms. He was served by Gandharvas [heaven’s best singers] and Apsarās [celestial dancers]. Verily\, he resembled a second Indra. \n“One day\, a brāhmaṇa named Somaśarmā\, who lived in Mucukunda’s kingdom\, happened upon Śobhana’s kingdom while traveling to various places of pilgrimage. The brāhmaṇa saw Śobhana in all his resplendent glory and thought he might be the son-in-law of his own king\, Mucukunda. When Śobhana saw the brāhmaṇa approaching\, he immediately rose from his throne and welcomed him. After Śobhana had paid his respectful obeisances\, he asked the brāhmaṇa about his well-being and about the health and welfare of his (Śobhana’s) father-in-law\, his wife\, and all the residents of the city. \n“Somaśarmā replied\, ‘O king\, all the subjects are well in your father-in-law’s kingdom\, and Candrabhāgā and your other family members are also quite well. Peace and prosperity reign throughout the land. But\, O king\, I am astonished to find you here! Please tell me about yourself. Nobody has ever seen such a beautiful city as this! Kindly tell me how you obtained it.’ \n“King Śobhana said\, ‘Because I observed Ramā Ekādaśī\, I was given this splendid city to rule. But for all its grandeur\, it is only temporary. I beg you to do something to correct this deficiency. You see\, this is only an ephemeral city. How may I make its beauties and glories permanent? Kindly instruct me.’ \n“The brāhmaṇa asked\, ‘Why is this kingdom unstable\, and how will it become stable? Please fully explain this to me\, and I shall try to help you.’ \n“Śobhana answered\, ‘Because I fasted on Ekādaśī without any faith\, this kingdom is impermanent. Now hear how it can become permanent. Please return to Candrabhāgā\, the beautiful daughter of King Mucukunda\, and tell her what you have seen and understood about this place and about me. Surely\, if you tell her this\, my city will soon become permanent.’ \n“Thus the brāhmaṇa returned to his city and related the entire episode to Candrabhāgā\, who was both surprised and overjoyed to hear this news. She said\, ‘O brāhmaṇa\, is this a dream you have seen\, or is it actually a fact?’ \n“Somaśarmā replied\, ‘O princess\, I have indeed seen your late husband face to face in that wonderful kingdom\, which resembles one of the demigods’ realms. But he says that his entire kingdom is unstable and could vanish into thin air at any moment. Therefore he hopes you can find a way to make it permanent.’ \n“Candrabhāgā said\, ‘O sage among the brāhmaṇas\, please take me to my husband at once\, for I greatly desire to see him again! Surely I shall make his kingdom permanent with the merit I have acquired by fasting on every Ekādaśī throughout my life. Please reunite us once again. It is said that one who reunites separated people obtains very great merit.’ \n“The brāhmaṇa Somaśarmā then led Candrabhāgā to Śobhana’s effulgent kingdom. Before reaching it\, however\, they stopped at the foot of Mount Mandarācala\, at the sacred āśrama of Vāmadeva. Upon hearing their story\, Vāmadeva chanted hymns from the Vedas and sprinkled holy water on Candrabhāgā. By the influence of that great ṛṣi’s rites\, the merit she had accrued by fasting for so many Ekādaśīs made her body transcendental. Ecstatic\, her eyes beaming in wonder\, Candrabhāgā continued her journey. \n“When Śobhana saw his wife approaching him high on Mandarācala Mountain\, he was overwhelmed with joy and called out to her in great happiness. After she arrived\, he seated her on his left\, and she said to him\, ‘O dearest one\, please listen as I tell you something that will benefit you greatly. Since I was eight years old I have fasted regularly and faithfully on every Ekādaśī. If I transfer to you all the merit I have thus accumulated\, your kingdom will surely become permanent\, and its prosperity will grow and grow until the coming of the great inundation!”‘ \nLord Kṛṣṇa continued\, “O Yudhiṣṭhira\, in this way Candrabhāgā\, who was beautifully decorated with the finest ornaments and had an exquisite transcendental body\, at last enjoyed peace and happiness with her husband. By the potency of Ramā Ekādaśī\, Śobhana found his kingdom on the peaks of Mandarācala Hill able to fulfill all his desires and bestow upon him everlasting happiness\, like that achieved from the Kāma-dhenu cow. \n“O greatest of kings\, I have thus narrated to you the glories of Ramā Ekādaśī. \n“Anyone who observes sacred Ekādaśī during both the light and the dark fortnight of each month is undoubtedly freed from the reactions to the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa. One should not differentiate between the Ekādaśīs of the light and the dark part of the month. As we have seen\, both can award pleasure in this world and liberate even the most sinful and fallen souls. Just as black cows and white cows give milk of equal quality\, the Ekādaśīs of the dark fortnight and the light fortnight award the same high degree of merit and eventually liberate one from the cycle of birth and death. Anyone who simply hears the glories of this sacred day\, Ramā Ekādaśī\, is freed from all kinds of sin and attains the supreme abode of Lord Viṣṇu.” \n<i>Thus ends the narration of the glories of Kārtikas-kṛṣṇa Ekādaśī\, or Rāma Ekādaśī\, from the Brahmā vaivarta Purāṇa</i>
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/rama-ekadasi-vrata%e1%b9%81-kartika-k%e1%b9%9b%e1%b9%a3%e1%b9%87a-pak%e1%b9%a3a/
CATEGORIES:Ekadashi,Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/rama-eka.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251014
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251015
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250508T064711Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T064711Z
UID:31433-1760400000-1760486399@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Radhakunda Snana just after the  midnight
DESCRIPTION:Radhakunda Snana just after the midnight
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/radhakunda-snana-just-after-the-midnight/
CATEGORIES:Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/radha-kund-snana.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251006
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251007
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250508T062132Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T062132Z
UID:31430-1759708800-1759795199@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Sharadiya pūrṇimā (full moon day) - Lord Krsna’s Rasalila day
DESCRIPTION:Sharadiya pūrṇimā (full moon day) – Lord Krsna’s Rasalila day\non this day Lord Krsna is offered a grand quantity of sweet rice at moonrise
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/sharadiya-pur%e1%b9%87ima-full-moon-day-lord-krsnas-rasalila-day/
CATEGORIES:Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/saradiya17.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251003
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251004
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250422T105933Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250422T105933Z
UID:31226-1759449600-1759535999@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Pāpāṅkuśā Ekādaśī Vrataṁ – Āśviṇa śukla pakṣa
DESCRIPTION:BREAKING THE FAST ON THE NEXT DAY. THE MILK FAST ENDS ON THIS DAY AND THE FASTING FROM ALL KINDS OF NUTS AND BEANS BEGINS ON THIS DAY AND LASTS FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS. EGGPLANTS (OR BRINGAL) AND GUR (RAW SUGAR OR BROWN SUGAR) CANNOT BE CONSUMED IN THIS MONTH. DEVOTEES TAKE SOME EXTRA SPIRITUAL VOWS FOR THE KARTIKA MONTH ON THIS DAY. AKASHA DEEPA DANAM (OFFERING A GHEE LAMP TO THE LORD) AND SINGING OF DAMODARASTAM ALONG WITH THE VRAJARAJA-SUTASTAKAM BEGINS ON THIS DAY AND LASTS UNTIL KARTIKA MONTH ENDS. \nYudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said\, “O Madhūsudana\, what is the name of the Ekādaśī that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Āśvina [September-October]? Please be merciful and tell this to me.” \nThe Supreme Lord\, Śrī Kṛṣṇa\, replied\, “O king\, please listen as I explain the glories of this Ekādaśī–Pāpāṅkuśā Ekādaśī–which removes all sins. On this day one should worship the Deity of Padmanābha\, the lotus-naveled Lord\, according to the rules and regulations. By doing so\, one achieves whatever heavenly pleasures he wants in this world and at last attains liberation. Simply by offering one’s humble obeisances unto Lord Viṣṇu\, the rider of Garuḍa\, once can achieve the same merit as is won by performing great penances for a long time with completely controlled senses. Although a person might have committed unlimited sins\, he can still escape hell just by paying his obeisances to Lord Hari\, who removes all sins. \n“The merits gained by going on pilgrimage to tīrthas of this earthly planet can also be achieved simply by chanting the holy names of Lord Viṣṇu. ‘ Whoever chants these sacred names–such as Rama\, Viṣṇu\, Janārdana\, or Kṛṣṇa–especially on Ekādaśī\, never sees Yamarāja’s abode. Nor does one who fasts on Pāpāṅkuśā Ekādaśī\, which is so dear to Me\, see that abode. \n“Both the Vaiṣṇava who criticizes Lord Śiva and the Śaivite who criticizes Me certainly go to hell. The merit obtained by performing one thousand horse sacrifices and one hundred Rājasūya sacrifices is not equal to even one sixteenth of the merit a person obtains by fasting on Ekādaśī. There is no higher merit one can achieve than that attained by fasting on Ekādaśī. Indeed\, nothing in all the three worlds is as pleasing or as able to purify one of sin as Ekādaśī\, the day of the lotus-naveled Lord\, Padmanābha. \n“O king\, until a person observes a fast on the day of Lord Padmanābha named Pāpāṅkuśā Ekādaśī\, he remains sinful\, and the reactions of his past sinful deeds never leave him. There is no merit in all the three worlds that can match the merit one attains by observing a fast on this Ekādaśī. Whoever observes it faithfully never has to see death personified\, Lord Yamarāja. One who desires liberation\, heaven\, good health\, beautiful women\, wealth\, and food grains should simply fast on this Ekādaśī. O King\, neither the Ganges\, Gayā\, Kāśī\, nor Puṣkara\, nor even the holy site of Kurukṣetra\, can grant as much merit as Pāpāṅkuśā Ekādaśī. \n“O Yudhiṣṭhira\, protector of the earth\, after observing Ekādaśī during the daytime\, the devotee should remain awake through the night\, for by doing so he easily attains to the abode of the Supreme Lord\, Śrī Viṣṇu. Ten generations of ancestors on his mother’s side\, ten generations on his father’s side\, and ten generations on his wife’s side are all liberated by a single observance of a fast on this Ekādaśī. All these ancestors attain their original\, four-armed\, transcendental forms. Wearing yellow garments and beautiful garlands\, they ride to the spiritual world on the back of Garuḍa\, the enemy of the snakes. This is the benediction My devotee earns simply by observing one Pāpāṅkuśā Ekādaśī properly. \n“O best of kings\, whether one is a child\, a youth\, or an old person\, fasting on Pāpāṅkuśā Ekādaśī frees him of sins and makes him immune to suffering a hellish rebirth. Whoever observes a fast on this Ekādaśī becomes free of all his sins and returns to the abode of Lord Hari. Whoever donates gold\, sesame seeds\, fertile land\, cows\, grain\, drinking water\, an umbrella\, or a pair of shoes on this most holy day will never have to visit the abode of Yamarāja\, who always punishes sinners. But if a resident of earth fails to perform spiritual deeds\, especially the observance of a fast on holy days such as Ekādaśī\, his breathing is said to be no better than the puffing of a blacksmith’s bellows. \n“O best of kings\, especially on Pāpāṅkuśā Ekādaśī\, even the poor should first bathe and then give some charity and perform other auspicious activities according to their ability. \n“Whoever performs sacrifices or builds public ponds\, resting places\, gardens\, or houses does not suffer the punishments of Yamarāja. Indeed\, one should understand that a person must have performed such pious activities as these in his past life if he is long-lived\, wealthy\, of high birth\, or free from all diseases. But a person who observes Pāpāṅkuśā Ekādaśī goes to the abode of the Supreme Lord.” \nLord Kṛṣṇa concluded\, “Thus\, O saintly Yudhiṣṭhira\, I have narrated to you the glories of Pāpāṅkuśā Ekādaśī. Please question me further if you wish to hear more about Ekādaśī.” \n  \n<i>Thus ends the narration of the glories of Pāpāṅkuśā Ekādaśī\, or Āśviṇa-śukla Ekādaśī\, from the Brahmā-vaivarta Purāṇa.</i> \n 
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/papa%e1%b9%85kusa-ekadasi-vrata%e1%b9%81-asvi%e1%b9%87a-sukla-pak%e1%b9%a3a/
CATEGORIES:Ekadashi,Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Papankusa.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251002
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251003
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250508T055514Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T055514Z
UID:31426-1759363200-1759449599@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Dasahara\, Vijaya Dasami\, Day of Lord Rama's victory over Ravana\, Sripad Madhvacharya's appearance day.
DESCRIPTION:Dasahara\, Vijaya Dasami\, Day of Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana\, Sripad Madhvacharya’s appearance day..
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/dasahara-vijaya-dasami-day-of-lord-ramas-victory-over-ravana-sripad-madhvacharyas-appearance-day/
CATEGORIES:Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/vijay-dasami1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250921
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250922
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250506T143336Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250506T143336Z
UID:31385-1758412800-1758499199@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Āśviṇa amāvasyā
DESCRIPTION:****NEW MOON DAY.**** \n  \nAmavasya (new moon day)
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/asvi%e1%b9%87a-amavasya/
CATEGORIES:Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/amavasaya-dark-e1745478988154.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250917
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250918
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250422T105433Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250422T105433Z
UID:31223-1758067200-1758153599@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Indirā Ekādaśī Vrataṁ – Āśviṇa kṛṣṇa pakṣa
DESCRIPTION:BREAKING THE FAST ON THE NEXT DAY. \nYudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said\, “O Madhūsudana\, O killer of the Madhu demon\, what is the name of the Ekādaśī\, that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Āśvina [September-October]? Please describe its glories to me.” \nThe Supreme Lord\, Śrī Kṛṣṇa\, replied\, “This holy day is called Indirā Ekādaśī. If a person fasts on this day\, all his sins are eradicated and his forefathers who have fallen into hell are liberated. O best of kings\, one who simply hears about this Ekādaśī achieves the great merit earned by performing a horse sacrifice. \n“In the Satya-yuga there lived a king named Indrasena\, who was so powerful that he destroyed all his enemies. His kingdom was called Māhiṣmatī-purī. The glorious and highly religious King Indrasena took good care of his subjects\, and therefore he was rich in gold\, grains\, sons\, and grandsons. He was greatly devoted to Śrī Viṣṇu as well. He especially enjoyed chanting My name\, calling out ‘Govinda! Govinda!’ In this way King Indrasena systematically dedicated himself to pure spiritual life and spent much time meditating on the Absolute Truth. \n“One day\, as King Indrasena happily and peacefully presided over his assembly\, the perfect orator\, Nārada Muni\, was seen descending from the sky. The king offered Devarṣi Nārada\, the saint among the demigods\, great respect by greeting him with joined palms\, inviting him into the palace\, offering him a comfortable seat\, washing his feet\, and speaking sweet words of welcome. Then Nārada Muni said to Mahārāja Indrasena\, ‘O king\, are the seven limbs of your kingdom prospering?’ Is your mind absorbed in thinking of how you can properly perform your occupational duty? Are you becoming more and more devoted to the Supreme Lord\, Śrī Visnu?’ \n“The king replied\, ‘By your kind grace\, O greatest of sages\, everything is quite well. Today\, just by your presence all the sacrifices in my kingdom are successful! Please show me mercy and explain the reason for your visit here.’ \n“Śrī Nārada\, the sage among the demigods\, then said\, ‘O lion among kings\, listen to my astonishing words. When I descended from Brahmaloka to Yamaloka\, Lord Yamarāja praised me very graciously and offered me an excellent seat. As I glorified his truthfulness and wonderful service to the Supreme Lord\, I noticed your father in Yamarāja’s assembly. Though he had been very religious\, because he broke an Ekādaśī fast prematurely\, he had to go to Yamaloka. Your father gave me a message for you. He said\, “In Māhiṣmatī lives a king named Indrasena. Please tell him about my situation here–that because of my past sinful deeds I have somehow been forced to reside in Yamarāja’s kingdom. Please give him this message from me: ‘O son\, kindly observe Indirā Ekādaśī and give much in charity so I can go upward to heaven.’ ” \n“Nārada continued\, ‘Just to deliver this message\, O king\, have I come to you. You should help your father by observing the fast of Indirā Ekādaśī. By the merit you gain\, your father will go to heaven.’ \n“King Indrasena asked\, ‘O great Nāradaji\, please be merciful and tell me specifically how to observe a fast on Indirā Ekādaśī\, and also tell me during what month and on what day it occurs.’ \n“Nārada Muni replied\, ‘O king\, please listen as I describe to you the full process of observing Indirā Ekādaśī. This Ekādaśī occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Āśvina. On Daśamī\, the day before Ekādaśī rise early in the morning\, bathe\, and then do some service for God with full faith. At noon\, bathe again in running water and then offer oblations to your forefathers with faith and devotion. Be sure not to eat more than once on this day\, and at night sleep on the floor. \n“‘When you awaken on Ekādaśī morning\, cleanse your mouth and teeth thoroughly and then with deep devotion for the Lord take this sacred vow: “Today I shall fast completely and give up all kinds of sense enjoyment. O lotus-eyed Supreme Personality of Godhead\, O infallible one\, please give me shelter at Your lotus feet.” At noon\, stand before Śrī Śālagrāma-śilā and worship Him faithfully\, following all the rules and regulations; then offer oblations to your forefathers. Next\, feed qualified brāhmaṇas and offer them some charity according to your means. Now take the food you offered to your forefathers\, smell it\, and then offer it to a cow. Next\, worship Lord Hṛṣikeśa with incense and flowers\, and finally\, remain awake all night near the Deity of Śrī Keśava. \n“‘Early in the morning of the next day\, Dvādaśī\, worship Śrī Hari with great devotion and invite brāhmaṇas to a sumptuous feast. Then feed your relatives\, and finally take your meal in silence. O king\, if you strictly observe a fast on Indirā Ekādaśī in this way\, with controlled senses\, your father will surely be elevated to the abode of Lord Viṣṇu.’ After saying this\, Devarṣi Nārada immediately disappeared. \n“King Indrasena followed the great saint’s instructions perfectly\, observing the fast in the association of his relatives and servants. As he broke his fast on Dvādaśī\, flowers fell from the sky. The merit Indrasena earned by observing this fast released his father from the kingdom of Yamarāja and caused him to attain a completely spiritual body. Indeed\, Indrasena saw him rising to the abode of Lord Hari on the back of Garuḍa. Indrasena himself was able to rule his kingdom without any obstacles\, and in time he handed over the kingdom to his son and also went to Vaikuṇṭha. \n“O Yudhiṣṭhira\, these are the glories of Indirā Ekādaśī\, which occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Āśvina. Whoever hears or reads this narration certainly enjoys life in this world\, is freed of all his past sins\, and at death returns home\, back to Godhead\, where he lives eternally.” \nThus ends the narration of the glories of Āśviṇa-kṛṣṇa Ekādaśī\, or Indirā Ekādaśī\, from the Brahmā-vaivarta Purāṇa. \n 
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/indira-ekadasi-vrata%e1%b9%81-asvi%e1%b9%87a-k%e1%b9%9b%e1%b9%a3%e1%b9%87a-pak%e1%b9%a3a/
CATEGORIES:Ekadashi,Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/indira.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250907
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250908
DTSTAMP:20260416T044705
CREATED:20250506T142826Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T050141Z
UID:31382-1757203200-1757289599@www.krsna.org
SUMMARY:Bhādrapada pūrṇimā
DESCRIPTION:****Full Moon Day**** \nPurnima (full moon day) On this day\, there will be a lunar eclipse starting at 09.57 PM in India and ending at 01.27 AM. The effect of the eclipse will begin 9 hours before at 12.57 PM. Therefore\, all kinds of temple worship should be completed by 12.57 PM. The deities should be dressed with their night clothes and the evening offering (puri and sabji) along with hot milk should be offered to the Lord. Then following the rules of the eclipse\, pieces of Kusha grass should be placed nearby the Lord and in the Lord’s water cups and the Lord should be put to rest by 12.50PM and the temple should be closed and pujari should be out from the temple by 12.57PM. A Kusha grass should be placed in each preparation that remains in the kitchen. On the next morning\, the deity room and the temple should be washed properly before starting any worship. After this\, temple worship should resume as usual. \nBhādrapada pūrṇimā
URL:https://www.krsna.org/event/bhadrapada-pur%e1%b9%87ima/
CATEGORIES:Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.krsna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/full-moon-moon-bright-sky-47367.jpeg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR